Method for obtaining information enabling the determination of a characteristic of a power source

Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that in a first phase, current is provided to a load through the inductor, the discharge of the energy stored in the inductor is executed in a second phase and the monitoring of the voltage of the inductor is executed in a third phase wherein a first terminal of the power source is linked to a first terminal of the inductor and wherein the second terminal of the inductor is linked to the second terminal of the power source.

Method for obtaining information enabling the determination of a characteristic like the maximum power point of a power source that may be connected to a direct current converter, characterised in that the method comprises the step of monitoring the voltage on an inductor linked to the power source in order to obtain information enabling the determination of the characteristic of the power source and the current going through the inductor is obtained from a current sensor or derived from the voltage values obtained during the monitoring the voltage on the inductor.