# US 2010/0147354 A1 · System for controlling power from a photovoltaic array by selectively configurating connections between photovoltaic panels

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- Number: US 2010/0147354 A1
- Document ID: US20100147354A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/352,510
- Filed: 2009-01-12
- Published: 2010-06-17
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-12
- Assignees: Paceco Corp.
- Inventors: Toru Takehara; Shinichi Takada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100147354A1

## CPC

- H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators}
- H02J 7/575: {Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit}
- H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics
- Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
- 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 system for maximizing power output from a photovoltaic array includes a configurable photovoltaic panel having a series-parallel selector and a bypass selector electrically controlled by a node controller. Some embodiments further include a plurality of configurable photovoltaic modules. A configurable photovoltaic panel may selectively be electrically connected to other configurable photovoltaic panels in a series circuit, a parallel circuit, or a combination of series and parallel circuits according to switching states set by the node controller for the bypass selector and series-parallel selector. A number of configurable photovoltaic panels connected in series and a number connected in parallel may optionally be selected in response to a change in an output voltage from a photovoltaic array, for example a voltage change resulting from a change in illumination, thereby causing the output voltage from the photovoltaic array to be greater than or equal to a minimum input voltage for an inverter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising a configurable PV panel comprising:
a PV module having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a series-parallel selector electrically connected to said PV module negative terminal, wherein said series-parallel selector has a series switching state and a parallel switching state;
a first power connector;
a second power connector; and
a selectable circuit path between said first power connector and said second power connector.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said PV module is connected in a series electrical circuit with said selectable circuit path when said series-parallel selector is in said series switching state.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein said PV module is connected in a parallel electrical circuit with said selectable circuit path when said series-parallel selector is in said parallel switching state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein said configurable PV panel further comprises a bypass selector electrically connected to said series-parallel selector and to said first power connector, and said bypass selector has a bypass switching state and a normal switching state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein a voltage output and a current output of said PV module are electrically combined with a voltage and a current on said first power connector when said bypass selector is in said normal switching state.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein a voltage output and a current output of said PV module are electrically isolated from a voltage and a current on said first power connector when said bypass selector is in said bypass switching state.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein said configurable PV panel further comprises:
a node controller;
a bypass selector control line electrically connected to said node controller and to said bypass selector;
a series-parallel selector control line electrically connected to said node controller and to said series-parallel selector;
a control and monitoring input/output connector; and
a control and monitoring input/output bus forming a plurality of electrical connections between said node controller and said control and monitoring input/output connector.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said node controller is adapted to receive commands for changing a switching state of said bypass selector and commands for changing a switching state of said series-parallel selector on said control and monitoring input/output connector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said node controller is adapted to output a first control signal for setting said bypass selector to said normal switching state, a second control signal for setting said bypass selector to said bypass switching state, a third control signal for setting said series-parallel selector to said series switching state, and a fourth control signal for setting said series-parallel selector to said parallel switching state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said node controller is adapted to autonomously change a switching state of said bypass selector and said series-parallel selector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said PV panel further comprises:
a first S-P switch having a series terminal, a parallel terminal, and a common terminal; and
a second S-P switch having a series terminal, a parallel terminal, and a common terminal,
wherein said first S-P switch parallel terminal is electrically connected to said second power connector and to said second S-P switch series terminal, and said second S-P switch parallel terminal is electrically connected to said second power connector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein said PV panel further comprises:
a first bypass switch having a bypass terminal, a normal terminal, and a common terminal; and
a second bypass switch having a bypass terminal, a normal terminal, and a common terminal,
wherein said first S-P switch series terminal is electrically connected to said first bypass switch common terminal, said PV module positive terminal is electrically connected to said second bypass switch normal terminal, said first S-P switch common terminal is electrically connected to said second bypass switch common terminal and to said first power connector, said second S-P switch common terminal is electrically connected to said PV module negative terminal, said first power connector, and said first bypass switch bypass terminal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of configurable PV panels electrically connected in an electrical circuit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of configurable PV panels are selectably electrically connected in a series electrical circuit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of configurable PV panels are selectably electrically connected in a parallel electrical circuit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of configurable PV panels are selectably electrically connected in a combination of series and parallel electrical circuits.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein a number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in series and another number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in parallel are selected to cause an output voltage from the PV array to be greater than or equal to an input voltage specification for an inverter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein a number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in series and another number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in parallel are selected to maximize an amount of power output from the PV array.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein a number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in series and another number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in parallel are selected in response to a change in an amount of illumination incident on said configurable PV panels.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system for reconfiguring electrical connections between PV panels in a PV array of claim 16, wherein a number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in series and another number of configurable PV panels electrically connected in parallel are selected in response to selected configurable PV panels being electrically isolated for purposes of maintenance.