Abstract: There is provided a backplane assembly with a power substructure and a cooling substructure. Battery modules may be engaged with the backplane assembly. When engaged, power connectors in the power substructure engage with corresponding power connectors on the battery modules. A cooling fluid moving through the cooling substructure is directed toward the battery modules so as to cool the battery modules during operation. The backplane assembly may additionally include an exhaust substructure. Gases vented by the battery modules move through the exhaust substructure and are directed away from the backplane assembly.

Abstract: An optically communicative battery management system includes a pack controller and one or more module controllers optically coupled to the pack controller. The module controllers may themselves be optically coupled together in series, and communication from an upstream module controller may be relayed through one or more downstream controllers en route to the pack controller. The pack controller may also send an optical signal that is used by the pack controller to determine whether any one or more of the battery modules is experiencing a safety fault, and the communication channel used to transmit that optical signal may, absent any safety faults, be used to multiplex message data to the module controllers.

Abstract: An optically communicative battery management system includes a pack controller and one or more module controllers optically coupled to the pack controller. The module controllers may themselves be optically coupled together in series, and communication from an upstream module controller may be relayed through one or more downstream controllers en route to the pack controller. The pack controller may also send an optical signal that is used by the pack controller to determine whether any one or more of the battery modules is experiencing a safety fault, and the communication channel used to transmit that optical signal may, absent any safety faults, be used to multiplex message data to the module controllers.

Abstract: There is provided a backplane assembly with a power substructure and a cooling substructure. Battery modules may be engaged with the backplane assembly. When engaged, power connectors in the power substructure engage with corresponding power connectors on the battery modules. A cooling fluid moving through the cooling substructure is directed toward the battery modules so as to cool the battery modules during operation. The backplane assembly may additionally include an exhaust substructure. Gases vented by the battery modules move through the exhaust substructure and are directed away from the backplane assembly.

Abstract: A system includes a fuel cell stack, a power communication path, a first controller and a second controller. The fuel cell stack generates electrical power, and the power communication path is coupled between the fuel cell stack and a load of the system to communicate the electrical power to the load. The power communication path includes a switch, which is operable to selectively couple the fuel cell stack to the load and isolate the fuel cell stack from the load. The first controller has a first response time to control the fuel cell stack and control the power communication path. The second controller has a second response time, which is significantly less than the first response time to monitor the power communication path for a fault condition and take corrective action in response to detecting the fault condition.

Abstract: A system includes a fuel cell stack, a power communication path, a first controller and a second controller. The fuel cell stack generates electrical power, and the power communication path is coupled between the fuel cell stack and a load of the system to communicate the electrical power to the load. The power communication path includes a switch, which is operable to selectively couple the fuel cell stack to the load and isolate the fuel cell stack from the load. The first controller has a first response time to control the fuel cell stack and control the power communication path. The second controller has a second response time, which is significantly less than the first response time to monitor the power communication path for a fault condition and take corrective action in response to detecting the fault condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for digitally controlling the average input current of a switch mode power supply are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the switch mode power supplies are DC-DC converters. One aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling the switch of a switch mode power supply by digitally sampling the input current once during each power supply switching cycle at a time that is synchronized with the switching cycle. The predetermined time at which the input current is sampled may be midway through the time that the switch is in the “ON” state. This midway time may also be delayed slightly to compensate for delays associated with the switch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for digitally controlling the average input current of a switch mode power supply are disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the switch mode power supplies are DC-DC converters. One aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling the switch of a switch mode power supply by digitally sampling the input current once during each power supply switching cycle at a time that is synchronized with the switching cycle. The predetermined time at which the input current is sampled may be midway through the time that the switch is in the “ON” state. This midway time may also be delayed slightly to compensate for delays associated with the switch.