Patent 7285344 was granted and assigned to Denso on October, 2007 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A plurality of individual fuel cells are connected in series with each other to construct the fuel cell. The fuel cell is diagnosed on the basis of an average output voltage Va of the individual cells, their standard deviation σ, individual output voltages, their variances σ2 of vibration components and their voltage drop speed of their non-vibration components. For example, if Va is within a normal range and moreover at least one of the individual output voltages is not within a normal range, it is diagnosed that water blocks the fuel electrode. If Va is not within a normal range and moreover σ is within a normal range, it is diagnosed that the electrolyte film is dried. Further, if Va is not within a normal range and moreover σ is not within a normal range, it is diagnosed that the fuel (hydrogen) supply is insufficient.