Patents by Inventor David D. Rea
David D. Rea has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9537164Abstract: A system and method for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group. The system includes a sensor circuit, such as a voltage sensor circuit, that monitors a condition of the fuel cells. If the sensor circuit detects a low performing cell, then it sends a signal to a tone generator that generates a frequency signal that switches a load into and out of the cell group. A voltage sensor detects the voltage of the cell group including the frequency signal, and sends the detected voltage signal to a tone decoder that decodes the frequency signal to determine that the fuel cells are low performing.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: David D. Rea, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Patent number: 8450965Abstract: A system that monitors fuel cells in a fuel cell group. The system includes a plurality of voltage sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, where each sensor monitors a different voltage of the fuel cells and where lower priority voltage sensors monitor higher voltages and higher priority sensors monitor lower voltages. The system also includes a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors. Each oscillator operates at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors. A light source that receives frequency signals from the oscillators and switches on and off in response to the frequency signals. A light pipe receives the switched light signals from the light source and provides light signals at a certain frequency at an end of the light pipe.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: David D. Rea, Michael F. Zawisa, Kenneth L. Kaye, Robert S. Foley
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Patent number: 8409761Abstract: An embedded measurement circuit for a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of bipolar plates that include recessed areas providing conduction and retention points for the measurement circuit. The measurement circuit has a length, a width and a thickness where the width and length of the circuit are greater than the thickness of the circuit. The measurement circuit includes a stepped cut-out portion defining steps along an edge of the length of the circuit. The measurement circuit is positioned between and among the plurality of bipolar plates so that each one of the steps of the stepped cut-out portion of the measurement circuit enables electrical contact with a separate plate and the width of the circuit is perpendicular to a plane of the plates and the thickness of the circuit is along the plane of the bipolar plates.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2010Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: David D. Rea, Jeffrey A. Rock, Jeff D. Williams
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Patent number: 8257875Abstract: A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of stack plates, where one stack plate is between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack. The system includes a plurality of embedded smart plates where each embedded smart plate is mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and where each embedded smart plate includes optical transceivers on a top side and a bottom side of the smart plate. The system further includes at least one aggregator device having at least one optical transceiver to initiate a series of communications between the embedded smart plates to determine the location and data collected by each of the smart plates.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: David D. Rea, Michael F. Zawisa, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Patent number: 8206862Abstract: A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of stack plates, and a plurality of embedded smart plates. The stack plates are between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack, and the plurality of embedded smart plates are mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and each smart plate including optical transceivers on the top side and the bottom side. The system further includes first and second aggregator devices, said first and second aggregator devices including at least one optical transceiver for communicating with the embedded smart plate adjacent to the first or second aggregator device, where one aggregator device initiates communication with the embedded smart plates and the other aggregator device completes communication.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2010Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Michael F. Zawisa, David D. Rea, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Publication number: 20120019252Abstract: A system and method for monitoring fuel cells in a fuel cell group. The system includes a sensor circuit, such as a voltage sensor circuit, that monitors a condition of the fuel cells. If the sensor circuit detects a low performing cell, then it sends a signal to a tone generator that generates a frequency signal that switches a load into and out of the cell group. A voltage sensor detects the voltage of the cell group including the frequency signal, and sends the detected voltage signal to a tone decoder that decodes the frequency signal to determine that the fuel cells are low performing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INCInventors: David D. Rea, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Publication number: 20120019255Abstract: A system that monitors fuel cells in a fuel cell group. The system includes a plurality of voltage sensors coupled to the fuel cells in the fuel cell group, where each sensor monitors a different voltage of the fuel cells and where lower priority voltage sensors monitor higher voltages and higher priority sensors monitor lower voltages. The system also includes a plurality of oscillators where a separate oscillator is coupled to each of the sensors. Each oscillator operates at a different frequency where higher frequency oscillators are coupled to lower priority sensors and lower frequency oscillators are coupled to higher priority sensors. A light source that receives frequency signals from the oscillators and switches on and off in response to the frequency signals. A light pipe receives the switched light signals from the light source and provides light signals at a certain frequency at an end of the light pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: David D. Rea, Michael F. Zawisa, Kenneth L. Kaye, Robert S. Foley
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Publication number: 20110217612Abstract: A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of stack plates, and a plurality of embedded smart plates. The stack plates are between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack, and the plurality of embedded smart plates are mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and each smart plate including optical transceivers on the top side and the bottom side. The system further includes first and second aggregator devices, said first and second aggregator devices including at least one optical transceiver for communicating with the embedded smart plate adjacent to the first or second aggregator device, where one aggregator device initiates communication with the embedded smart plates and the other aggregator device completes communication.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2010Publication date: September 8, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Michael F. Zawisa, David D. Rea, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Publication number: 20110217613Abstract: A system for communicating measurement data from each fuel cell or a group of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, including a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of stack plates, where one stack plate is between each fuel cell and on each end of the stack. The system includes a plurality of embedded smart plates where each embedded smart plate is mechanically and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of stack plates, and where each embedded smart plate includes optical transceivers on a top side and a bottom side of the smart plate. The system further includes at least one aggregator device having at least one optical transceiver to initiate a series of communications between the embedded smart plates to determine the location and data collected by each of the smart plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2010Publication date: September 8, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: David D. Rea, Michael F. Zawisa, Kenneth L. Kaye
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Publication number: 20110200913Abstract: An embedded measurement circuit for a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of bipolar plates that include recessed areas providing conduction and retention points for the measurement circuit. The measurement circuit has a length, a width and a thickness where the width and length of the circuit are greater than the thickness of the circuit. The measurement circuit includes a stepped cut-out portion defining steps along an edge of the length of the circuit. The measurement circuit is positioned between and among the plurality of bipolar plates so that each one of the steps of the stepped cut-out portion of the measurement circuit enables electrical contact with a separate plate and the width of the circuit is perpendicular to a plane of the plates and the thickness of the circuit is along the plane of the bipolar plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2010Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: David D. Rea, Jeffrey A. Rock, Jeff D. Williams