# US 12,224,705 B2 · Monitoring/control system for photovoltaic generation site

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- Number: US 12,224,705 B2
- Document ID: US12224705B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/761,415
- Filed: 2020-09-15
- Published: 2022-11-24
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-18
- Assignees: Clean Energy Factory Co., Ltd.; Mers Fors Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Clean Energy Factory Co., Ltd.; Mers Fors Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroyuki Kamata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224705B2

## CPC

- H02S 50/00: Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
- H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators}
- H02S 40/30: Electrical components
- H02S 40/34: comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
- H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A monitoring/control system is used for a solar power generation site in which a large number of solar modules includes a plurality of solar cell groups each including a plurality of solar cells, wherein power generation output from each of the solar cell groups is connected in parallel from a cell group controller to an in-module parallel connection line, and the in-module parallel connection line is connected in parallel from an optimizer to an inter-solar-module parallel connection line and is concentrated in a junction box. The monitoring/control system includes a relay terminal collecting data of the cell group controller and accumulating data of the optimizer, a server including a communication control device and carrying out an upload/download process of management/control data via a public telecommunication network between the relay terminal and a remote terminal at an integrated management site, and the remote information terminal installed at a remote site.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A monitoring/control system for a solar power generation site, comprising:
a large number of solar modules integrally fixed with a frame, each solar module comprising a plurality of solar cell groups each having one power generation output, and a plurality of solar cells;
cell group controllers, each being connected to each of the solar cell groups so that the power generation output from each of the solar cell groups is supplied through one cell group controller to an in-module parallel connection line, each cell group controller monitoring a power generation state of the solar cells in one solar cell group;
optimizers provided behind the frame, each being connected to the cell group controllers of one solar module through the in-module parallel connection line and outputting a monitoring/measurement/control signal, each optimizer having a boost circuit that boosts generated voltage input from the solar cell groups in the one solar module;
a junction box having a power/data separator connected to optimizers through an inter-solar-module connection line;
a power conditioner connected to the power/data separator and outputting power from the power/data separator to a grid line;
a relay terminal connected to the power/data separator and collecting data of the cell group controllers separated at the power/data separator to accumulate data of the optimizers;
a remote terminal installed at an integrated management site at a remote site; and
a server that includes a communication control device and carries out an upload/download process of management/control data via a public telecommunication network between the relay terminal and the remote terminal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The monitoring/control system for a solar power generation site according to claim 1, further comprising a wired or wireless communication line that connects between the relay terminal and the power conditioner for carrying out transmission and reception of the management/control data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The monitoring/control system for a solar power generation site according to claim 1, wherein: the remote site comprises a receiving station that receives overlooking data of the power generation site including visible image information and infrared image information of the power generation site obtained by one or both of a satellite and a drone, and a data center that stores the overlooking data thus received; and
the remote terminal having a monitor, and a program for displaying a status analysis result of the power generation site based on input data and the overlooking data stored in the data center, individually or in combination.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The monitoring/control system for a solar power generation site according to claim 3, wherein identification information of each solar module constituting an array of the power generation site and a solar module image constituting the overlooking data are linked to each other, and the solar module a power generation amount of which is no greater than a predetermined value is displayed as a visually easily identifiable image on the monitor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The monitoring/control system for a solar power generation site according to claim 1, wherein each cell group controller has a switch for decoupling the one cell group from the in-module parallel connection line upon detection of a power generation amount falling below a present value.