# US 10,483,795 B2 · System and method for establishing communication with an array of inverters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,795 B2 - Document ID: US10483795B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/039,080 - Filed: 2018-07-18 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-11 - Assignees: Enphase Energy, Inc. - Applicants: Enphase Energy, Inc. - Inventors: Edward Krohne; Brian Kuhn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483795B2 ## CPC - H04B 3/548: {the power on the line being DC (arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02)} - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 3/46: Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks - H02J 13/1311: {using the power network as support for the transmission} - H02M 7/42: Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal - H04B 3/544: {Setting up communications; Call and signalling arrangements} - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - H04B 3/54: Systems for transmission via power distribution lines - Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers - Y02E 40/70: Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector - Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation - Y04S 10/123: the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources - Y04S 40/121: using the power network as support for the transmission - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract A system and method for establishing communication between a controller and a plurality of inverters comprises determining a response time window length and broadcasting a response request to the array of inverters that includes the response time window length. Each inverter, in response to receiving the response requests, transmits a response to the controller at a randomly determined response time within the response time window. In response to receiving an acknowledgement from the controller, the responding inverter may ignore subsequent response requests. The controller may adjust the response time window and broadcasts the new response time window until no inverter response is received for a pre-determined number of response time windows. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for establishing communication between a controller and a plurality of inverters, the inverters configured to convert direct current (DC) power from an alternative energy source to AC power, the method comprising: receiving with an inverter of the plurality of inverters a response request transmitted by the controller via an AC line, the response request including a length of a response time window; determining a random response time for the inverter based on the length of the response time window; transmitting a response to the controller at the response time, the response including an identification of the inverter; and in response to receiving an acknowledgement from the controller in response to the transmitted response, updating the inverter's operation to ignore subsequent response requests from the controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a response request comprises receiving a response request that was broadcast from the controller over an alternating current (AC) power line using a power line communication protocol. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a response time comprises determining a response time that is within the response time window. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein determining a random response time comprises determining a random response time that is a multiple of the length of time required by the inverter to transmit a response to the response request to the controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein ignoring subsequent response requests comprises ignoring subsequent response requests from the controller for a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein ignoring subsequent response requests comprises ignoring subsequent response requests from the controller until a communication from the controller is received that instructs the inverter to stop ignoring subsequent response requests. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to (i) not receiving an acknowledgement from the controller in response to the transmitted response and (ii) receiving a subsequent response request from the controller that includes a length of a subsequent response time window: determining a subsequent response time for the inverter based on the length of the subsequent response time window; and transmitting a response to the controller at the response time, the response including the identification of the inverter. ### Claim 8 An inverter to convert direct current (DC) power from an alternative energy source to alternating current (AC) power, the inverter comprising: a processor; and a memory device communicatively coupled with the processor and having stored therein a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, result in the processor: receiving a response request transmitted by a controller over an AC power line, the response request including a length of a response time window; determining a random response time for the inverter based on the length of the response time window; transmitting a response to the controller at the response time, the response including an identification of the inverter; and in response to receiving an acknowledgement from the controller in response to the transmitted response, updating the inverter's operation to ignore subsequent response requests from the controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein receiving a response request comprises receiving a response request that was broadcast from the controller using a power line communication protocol. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein determining a random response time comprises determining a random response time that is a multiple of the length of time required by the inverter to transmit a response to the response request to the controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein ignoring subsequent response requests comprises ignoring subsequent response requests from the controller for a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein ignoring subsequent response requests comprises ignoring subsequent response requests from the controller until a communication from the controller is received that instructs the inverter to stop ignoring subsequent response requests. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The inverter of claim 8, wherein the plurality of instructions further cause the inverter to: in response to (i) not receiving an acknowledgement from the controller in response to the transmitted response and (ii) receiving a subsequent response request from the controller that includes a length of a subsequent response time window: determine a subsequent response time for the inverter based on the length of the subsequent response time window; and transmit a response to the controller at the response time, the response including the identification of the inverter.