Importance

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Abstract

The present invention may be embodied in an apparatus, and related method, for monitoring an individual cell in a fuel cell in an electrical power source. The monitoring apparatus includes a plurality of individual cells, a first switch network, a capacitor, a second switch network, and a voltage measurement circuit. The plurality of individual cells electrically may be stacked in series. The first switch network is coupled between the plurality of cells and the capacitor for momentarily coupling a selected cell to the capacitor. The second switch network is coupled between the capacitor and the measurement circuit for momentarily coupling the capacitor to the measurement circuit for permitting measurement of the voltage across the capacitor for monitoring selected cells. The capacitor may be a floating capacitor that is electrically isolated from a reference voltage of the monitoring apparatus when not coupled by the second network to the measurement circuit.

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First Claim