# US 2014/0150816 A1 · Automatic solar power surface-cleaner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150816 A1 - Document ID: US20140150816A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/761,612 - Filed: 2013-02-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-01 - Assignees: Scott Potter - Applicants: Scott Potter - Inventors: Scott Potter; Dia Potter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150816A1 ## CPC - B08B 6/00: Cleaning by electrostatic means - F24S 40/20: Cleaning; Removing snow - H02S 40/10: Cleaning arrangements - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Various embodiments herein include at least one of systems, methods, and software to facilitate automatic solar power surface-cleaning. Such embodiments include at least one automatic solar power surface-cleaning robot that uses no water or external power, continuously cleans the solar power surfaces and requires no maintenance or external power. The solar power surface-cleaning robot is easy to retrofit in an existing solar power generation plant. An automatic solar power surface-cleaner uses high-voltage AC electric fields to sweep particulates and debris as the robot traverses the surface to be cleaned. Photovoltaic solar cells supply the power for the robot. No external power is required. The robot clamps to the surface to be cleaned at the edges using motor driven rollers. Electronics inside the device generate high-voltage AC that is applied to conductors close to the surface to be cleaned. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-10. (canceled) ### Claim 11 A solar power surface-cleaner system, comprising: a motor; electronics including a first cleaning head, the first cleaning head including: a first positive conductor and a first negative conductor; a second positive conductor and a second negative conductor, wherein the second positive conductor and the second negative conductor are arranged between the first positive conductor and the first negative conductor; a first high-voltage supply connected to the first positive conductor and to the first negative conductor; a second high-voltage supply connected to the second positive conductor and to the second negative conductor; and a controller configured to actuate the motor to move the first cleaning head with respect to the solar power surface, to activate the first high-voltage supply to apply a first multiphase high-voltage waveform to the first positive conductor and to the first negative conductor using a first duty cycle, and to activate the second high-voltage supply to apply a second multiphase high-voltage waveform to the second positive conductor and to the second negative conductor using a second duty cycle, wherein the first duty cycle is out of phase with the second duty cycle; and a power generator including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the power generator is configured to: power the motor to move the first cleaning head with respect to a solar power surface; power the controller; and power the first and second high-voltage supplies to generate a first electrostatic cleaning field around the first cleaning head to move particulates in the same direction as the first cleaning head; wherein moving the first cleaning head with respect to the solar power surface while the first electrostatic cleaning field is generated moves particulates off of the solar power surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the electronics include a second cleaning head configured to clean the at least one photovoltaic cell; and wherein the power generator is configured to power the generation of a second electrostatic cleaning field around the second cleaning head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the electronics include a first cleaning device motion control module configured to move the first cleaning head in at least a first direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the electronics include a first edge detection module configured to detect a first edge of the solar power surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the first cleaning device motion control module is configured to move the first cleaning head in at least a second direction, responsive to the first edge detection module detecting the first edge of the solar power surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the electronics include: a second edge detection module configured to detect a second edge of the solar power surface; and a second cleaning device motion control module configured to: move the first cleaning head in at least a first direction; and move the first cleaning head in at least a second direction, responsive to the second edge detection module detecting the second edge of the solar power surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein: the first edge detector is configured to detect the first edge of the solar power surface at a first time; the second edge detector is configured to detect the second edge of the solar power surface at a second time, the second time occurring later than the first time; and the first cleaning device motion control module is configured to: suspend the motion of the first cleaning head, responsive to the first edge detector detecting the first edge of the solar power surface; and resume the motion of the first cleaning head, responsive to the second edge detector detecting the second edge of the solar power surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the electronics further including a light detection and power management module configured to detect when a voltage level generated by the at least one photovoltaic cell is higher than a first voltage threshold, wherein the first voltage threshold is higher than a minimum voltage required for operation of the power generator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the light detection and power management module is configured to: detect when the voltage level generated by the at least one photovoltaic cell is below a second voltage threshold, wherein the first voltage threshold is higher than the second voltage threshold; provide power to other modules within the electronics, responsive to the light detection and power management module detecting the voltage level generated by the at least one photovoltaic cell is above the first voltage threshold; and remove power from other modules within the electronics, responsive to the light detection and power management module detecting the voltage level generated by the at least one photovoltaic cell is below the second voltage threshold. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a substantially planar housing including: a first planar housing side attached to the first cleaning head and directed toward the solar power surface; and a second planar housing side attached to the at least one photovoltaic cell and directed away from the solar power surface.