Idealized solar panel
OwnerKent Kernahaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar panel is constructed by electrically connecting one or more banks of solar cells in series, wherein each cell in each bank is electrically connected in series. In some aspects the cells are a quarter of typical full size cells in the direction of current flow. A module senses and controls small signal conduction and total conduction of the panel such that reverse current conduction of a weak or partially shaded cell is prevented, thereby allowing the panel to be constructed without bypass diodes. In some aspects the module prevents damage to the panel by an external inverter's maximum power point experiments; in other aspects the module itself provides maximum power point control.
Claims21
-18. (canceled)
An electronic module (“module”) configured to control the operation of a nonlinear power source (“power source”), comprising:
- a first processor;
- a voltage sensing circuit coupled to the first processor and configured for sensing a magnitude of an output voltage of the module (“Vo”);
- a voltage sensing circuit coupled to the first processor and configured for sensing a magnitude of an output voltage of the power source (“V”);
- an AC component of current sensing circuit coupled to the processor and configured for sensing a magnitude of an alternating current component (“di”) from the power source;
- and
- a power converter connected in electrical series between the power source and a load wherein the first processor is configured to provide a control signal to an input terminal of the power converter, thereby controlling the duty cycle (“Tp/T”) of the power converter.
-77. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.