Reconfigurable solar array for stable output voltage over a range of temperatures with high operational efficiency

A solar power system comprising:

• a reconfigurable solar array formed with a flexible circuit board, the reconfigurable solar array configured to receive solar radiation signals and to convert the solar radiation signals into a direct current (DC) signal;
• and
• a converter configured to receive the DC signal and to produce an application-specific signal based on the DC signal;
• the reconfigurable solar array including:
• a plurality of photovoltaic cells;
• an interconnect circuit including a plurality of switches for interconnecting the plurality of photovoltaic cells;
• an
• a thermostatic feedback control circuit in communication with a temperature sensor, configured to produce a temperature signal in proportion to a temperature of at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic cells and cause at least one of the switches in the interconnect circuit to change state at a preset temperature independent of supply voltage, the temperature sensor including a microstrip trace extending across at least one dimension of the flexible printed circuit board, the microstrip trace having a resistance that varies according to variations in the temperature of the at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic cells.

A method of interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic cells of a reconfigurable solar array including an interconnect circuit having a plurality of switches for interconnecting the plurality of photovoltaic cells, the method comprising:

• producing, with a temperature sensor including a microstrip trace extending across at least one dimension of a flexible printed circuit board used to form the plurality of photovoltaic cells, a temperature signal in proportion to a temperature of at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, the microstrip trace having a resistance that varies according to variations in the temperature of the at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic cells;
• setting the plurality of switches in a first switch state responsive to the temperature exceeding a preset temperature independent of supply voltage, such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells are arranged in serially-connected groups along a plurality of strings that are connected in parallel;
• and
• setting the plurality of switches in a second switch state responsive to the temperature falling below the preset temperature independent of the supply voltage, such that at least one photovoltaic cell in each serially-connected group of each string is disconnected from a respective string and each one of at least some of these photovoltaic cells are reconnected in series to each other to form a new serially-connected group along a new string that is connected in parallel to the other strings.