Solar photovoltaic modules with integral wireless telemetry

Abstract

The invention provides a solar photovoltaic (“PV”) module with integral wireless measurement and telemetry, transmitting to a central gateway node. It also provides a solar array constructed using these improved modules and network. These wirelessly monitored modules and the network in which they communicate allow the important state variables of individual modules to be observed remotely, without direct physical access to the array. The monitors measure and report the module voltage, and may also be designed to measure current flow, temperature, and/or other variables of interest. The invention offers valuable savings by immediately revealing trouble, by diagnosing to the specific location of a fault, by reducing losses due to module and string downtime, by reducing labor and capital equipment devoted to ongoing operation and maintenance, and by speeding troubleshooting during initial commissioning of newly built arrays.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.