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US 12,413,178 B2Granted
Rotation system and controller for photovoltaic tracker
AssigneeHuawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.
InventorsSong Wan, Qinwei Liu, Wuben Sun, Yanzhong Zhang, Kai Liu
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Abstract
An image/video capture apparatus is provided, to capture image data of a photovoltaic panel (101) and surroundings, and a controller (502) recognizes a category corresponding to the image data, and generates different instructions to control rotation of a photovoltaic tracker (102), to remove dust or snow accumulating on the photovoltaic panel (101). This does not need continuous heating, but is simple and efficient, saves electric energy, and resolves a technical problem that a conventional snow removal method of heating has low efficiency and wastes electric energy. In addition, a corresponding controller (1200) is further provided.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- obtaining image data related to a photovoltaic panel or environment around the photovoltaic panel, the photovoltaic panel being mounted on a photovoltaic tracker, and rotatable with the photovoltaic tracker, wherein obtaining the image data comprises:
- obtaining daytime images and nighttime images;
- selecting first images from the daytime images as a first verification set and using remaining daytime images as a first training set;
- selecting second images from the nighttime images as a second verification set and using remaining nighttime images as a second training set;
- training a first neural network using the first training set;
- training a second neural network using the second training set;
- and
- classifying a received image as a daytime image or nighttime image and processing the received image using the first neural network or the second neural network based on the classification;
- and
- generating, based on a category corresponding to the processed image from the first neural network or the second neural network, an instruction of a plurality of instructions to control rotation of the photovoltaic tracker, to move the photovoltaic panel in a corresponding manner, the plurality of instructions corresponding to different image data categories.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining image data related to a photovoltaic panel or environment around the photovoltaic panel, the photovoltaic panel being mounted on a photovoltaic tracker, and rotatable with the photovoltaic tracker, wherein obtaining the image data comprises:
- obtaining a plurality of images using an image capture device;
- classifying and marking the plurality of images to create a training set and a verification set;
- uploading the training set and the verification set to a cloud training system;
- training, by the cloud training system, a neural network model using the training set;
- receiving the trained neural network model from the cloud training system at a local controller;
- and
- processing subsequently captured images using the trained neural network model at the local controller;
- and
- generating, based on a category corresponding to the processed image from the trained neural network model, an instruction of a plurality of instructions to control rotation of the photovoltaic tracker, to move the photovoltaic panel in a corresponding manner, the plurality of instructions corresponding to different image data categories.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining image data related to a photovoltaic panel or environment around the photovoltaic panel, the photovoltaic panel being mounted on a photovoltaic tracker and rotatable with the photovoltaic tracker, wherein obtaining the image data comprises:
- obtaining a plurality of images of the photovoltaic panel;
- filtering the plurality of images based on overall brightness and black part proportions to remove images having poor quality and corresponding to nighttime and early morning conditions;
- performing transfer learning by:
- selecting a predetermined number of images from each category of obtained images;
- mixing the selected images with existing training data in equal proportion;
- and
- updating a neural network model based on the mixed images;
- and
- generating, based on a category corresponding to processed image data from the updated neural network model, an instruction of a plurality of instructions to control rotation of the photovoltaic tracker, to move the photovoltaic panel in a corresponding manner, the plurality of instructions corresponding to different image data categories.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.