Self-configuring photo-voltaic panels
AssigneeSolarCity Corporation
InventorsSandeep Narla, Alex Mayer, Brett Alten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for controlling an energy-generation device may be provided. Sockets of the device may be configured to electrically couple to respective energy-generation modules. In some examples, the device may include a connector, memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions for managing the electrical configuration of the sockets.
Claims20
A solar panel, comprising:
- a structure configured to support a plurality of energy-generation cells and including a number of sides, physical connection sockets at corners of the solar panel, and magnetic plates at the corners of the solar panel, each of the physical connection sockets at one of the corners where two adjacent sides of the number of sides meet such that each of the physical connection sockets are structurally embedded with both of the two adjacent sides, and each of the physical connection sockets configured to magnetically attract, via the magnetic plates, and electrically couple to one or more additional solar panels or an inverter;
- a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;
- and
- a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least:
- identify a total number of the one or more additional solar panels electrically coupled together at one of the physical connection sockets, the one or more additional solar panels and the solar panel forming a solar array;
- identify a first electrical configuration of the solar array that includes the solar panel and the additional solar panels;
- receive electrical performance characteristics of each solar panel of the solar array;
- determine, based at least in part on the electrical performance characteristics and an optimal energy output amount, a second electrical configuration for the solar array;
- and
- configure electrical connectivity of the physical connection sockets based at least in part on the determined second electrical configuration.
An energy-generation panel, comprising:
- a structure configured to support a plurality of energy-generation cells and including a number of sides, physical connection sockets at corners of the energy-generation panel, and magnetic plates at the corners of the energy-generation panel, each of the physical connection sockets at one of the corners where two adjacent sides of the number of sides meet such that each of the physical connection sockets are structurally embedded with both of the two adjacent sides, and each of the physical connection sockets configured to magnetically attract, via the magnetic plates, and electrically couple to one or more additional energy-generation panels;
- a memory for storing computer-executable instructions;
- and
- a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least:
- identify a total number of the one or more additional energy-generation panels electrically coupled together at one of the physical connection sockets, the one or more additional energy-generation panels and the energy-generation panel forming an energy-generation array;
- identify a first electrical configuration of the energy-generation array that includes the energy-generation panel and the additional energy-generation panels;
- receive electrical performance characteristics of each energy-generation panel of the energy-generation array;
- determine, based at least in part on the electrical performance characteristics and an optimal energy output amount, a second electrical configuration for the energy-generation array;
- and
- configure electrical connectivity of the physical connection sockets based at least in part on the determined second electrical configuration.
A method for managing connections between an energy-generation panel and one or more additional energy-generation panels electrically coupled to sockets of the energy-generation panel, the energy-generation panel comprising a structure configured to support a plurality of energy-generation cells and including a number of sides, physical connection sockets at corners of the energy-generation panel, and magnetic plates at the corners of the energy-generation panel, each of the physical connection sockets at one of the corners where two adjacent sides of the number of sides meet such that each of the physical connection sockets are structurally embedded with both of the two adjacent sides, and each of the physical connection sockets configured to magnetically attract, via the magnetic plates, and electrically couple to one or more additional energy-generation panels, the method comprising:
- identifying a total number of the one or more additional energy-generation panels electrically coupled together at one of the physical connection sockets, the one or more additional energy-generation panels and the energy-generation panel forming an energy-generation array;
- identifying a first electrical configuration of the energy-generation array that includes the energy-generation panel and the additional energy-generation panels;
- receiving electrical performance characteristics of each energy-generation panel of the energy-generation array;
- determining, based at least in part on the electrical performance characteristics and an output factor, an electrical configuration for the physical connection sockets;
- and
- configuring electrical connectivity of the physical connection sockets, based at least in part on the determined electrical configuration, to connect at least a subset of panels that make up the energy-generation array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.