# US 12,191,657 B2 · Providing positional awareness information and increasing power quality of parallel connected inverters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,657 B2 - Document ID: US12191657B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/869,405 - Filed: 2022-07-20 - Published: 2022-11-10 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-20 - Assignees: Solaredge Technologies Ltd. - Applicants: Solaredge Technologies Ltd. - Inventors: Omer Aloni; Alon Zohar; Tzachi Glovinsky; Menashe Walsh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191657B2 ## CPC - H02J 13/1323: {using optical fibres} - H02J 3/38: Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel - H02J 3/48: Controlling the sharing of active power - H02J 13/12: Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H02M 7/42: Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal - H02M 7/493: the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel - G01R 29/18: Indicating phase sequence; Indicating synchronism - H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 3/388: Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power - H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load - Y04S 10/30: State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge - Y04S 40/124: using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses - 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) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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 method and a system sense at least one phase difference between at least two phases of a group of parallel connected three phase AC output terminals (e.g., a first phase AC output terminal, a second phase AC output terminal, or a third phase AC output terminal). The parallel connected AC output terminals may be three parallel connected DC to AC three phase inverters. Features of the parallel connected three phase AC output terminals enable wiring of conductors to one phase of an AC output terminal to be swapped with wiring of conductors of one phase of another phase AC output terminal. A sign of at least one phase difference is verified different from signs of other phase differences thereby the system determining the lateral position of the at least one three phase inverters relative to at least one other of the three phase inverters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a communication interface configured to: obtain a first parameter associated with a first alternating current (AC) phase of a first inverter and a second AC phase of the first inverter; and obtain a second parameter associated with a first AC phase of a second inverter and a second AC phase of the second inverter; and a controller circuit configured to determine, based on the first parameter and the second parameter, a position of the second inverter relative to the first inverter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to determine the position by: obtaining information identifying the first inverter; and determining, based on the information, the position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first conductor connecting the first AC phase of the first inverter and the first AC phase of the second inverter; and a second conductor connecting the second AC phase of the first inverter and a third AC phase of the second inverter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to: determine a malfunction of the second inverter; and generate, based on the malfunction, data indicating the position of the second inverter for display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to determine the position by: determining, based on the first parameter being substantially the same as the second parameter, the second inverter is on a first side of the first inverter; or determining, based on the first parameter being substantially different from the second parameter, the second inverter is on a second side of the first inverter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is further configured to: obtain a third parameter associated with a first AC phase of a third inverter and a second AC phase of the third inverter; and determine, based on the first parameter and the third parameter, a position of the third inverter relative to the first inverter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first parameter is a first phase difference between the first AC phase of the first inverter and the second AC phase of the first inverter; wherein the second parameter is a second phase difference between the first AC phase of the second inverter and the second AC phase of the second inverter; wherein the third parameter is a third phase difference between the first AC phase of the third inverter and the second AC phase of the third inverter; and wherein the controller circuit is further configured to determine the position of the second inverter and the position of the third inverter by: determining, based on the first phase difference being substantially the same as the second phase difference, the second inverter being on a first side of the first inverter; and determining, based on the first phase difference being substantially different than the third phase difference, the third inverter being on a second side of the first inverter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a first conductor connecting the first AC phase of the first inverter, the first AC phase of the second inverter, and the first AC phase of the third inverter; a second conductor connecting the second AC phase of the first inverter, a third AC phase of the second inverter, and the second AC phase of the third inverter; and a third conductor connecting a third AC phase of the first inverter, the second AC phase of the second inverter, and a third AC phase of the third inverter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a user interface configured to display the position; or data storage configured to store the position, wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit the position. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: obtaining a first parameter associated with a first alternating current (AC) phase of a first inverter and a second AC phase of the first inverter; obtaining a second parameter associated with a first AC phase a second inverter and a second AC phase of the second inverter; and determining, based on the first parameter and the second parameter, a position of the second inverter relative to the first inverter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first parameter is a first phase difference between the first AC phase of the first inverter and the second AC phase of the first inverter; and wherein the second parameter is a second phase difference between the first AC phase of the second inverter and the second AC phase of the second inverter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first parameter corresponds to a first order of: a first peak of the first AC phase of the first inverter, and a second peak of the second AC phase of the first inverter; and wherein the second parameter corresponds to a second order of: a first peak of the first AC phase of the second inverter, and a second peak of the second AC phase of the second inverter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first AC phase of the first inverter is connected to the first AC phase of the second inverter; and wherein the second AC phase of the first inverter is connected to a third AC phase of the second inverter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising at least one of: displaying, via a user interface, the position; storing the position in a data storage; or transmitting, using a communications interface, the position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining further comprises: determining a malfunction of the second inverter; and generating, based on the malfunction, data indicating the position of the second inverter for display. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the position further comprises: determining, based on the first parameter being substantially the same as the second parameter, that the second inverter is on a first side of the first inverter; or determining, based on the first parameter being substantially different from the second parameter, that the second inverter is on a second side of the first inverter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: obtaining a third parameter associated with a first AC phase of a third inverter and a second AC phase of the third inverter; and determining, based on the first parameter and the third parameter, a position of the third inverter relative to the first inverter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first parameter is a first phase difference between the first AC phase of the first inverter and the second AC phase of the first inverter; wherein the second parameter is a second phase difference between the first AC phase of the second inverter and the second AC phase of the second inverter; and wherein the third parameter is a third phase difference between the first AC phase of the third inverter and the second AC phase of the third inverter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining, based on the first phase difference being substantially the same as the second phase difference, that the second inverter is on a first side of the first inverter; and determining, based on the first phase difference being substantially different than the third phase difference, that the third inverter is on a second side of the first inverter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the first AC phase of the first inverter is connected to the first AC phase of the second inverter and the first AC phase of the third inverter; wherein the second AC phase of the first inverter is connected to a third AC phase of the second inverter and the second AC phase of the third inverter; and wherein a third first AC phase of the first inverter is connected to the second AC phase of the second inverter and a third AC phase of the third inverter.