# US 2017/0257255 A1 · Methods for orientation and tilt identification of photovoltaic systems and solar irradiance sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0257255 A1 - Document ID: US20170257255A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/598,596 - Filed: 2017-05-18 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-10 - Assignees: Locus Energy, LLC - Applicants: Locus Energy, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Herzig; Matthew Williams; Shawn Kerrigan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170257255A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/026: using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat - F24S 50/20: for tracking - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - F24S 2201/00: Prediction; Simulation - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The present invention relates to methods and systems for identifying PV system and solar irradiance sensor orientation and tilt based on energy production, energy received, simulated energy production, estimated energy received, production skew, and energy received skew. The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting orientation and tilt of a PV system based on energy production and simulated energy production; for detecting the orientation and tilt of a solar irradiance sensor based on solar irradiance observation and simulated solar irradiance observation; for detecting orientation of a PV system based on energy production and energy production skew; and for detecting orientation of a solar irradiance sensor based on solar irradiance observation and solar irradiance observation skew. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer processor implemented method of identifying the orientation and tilt of a renewable energy system, said method comprising the steps of; providing a set of renewable energy systems having at least two renewable energy systems each having an orientation and tilt angle pair to provide a set of orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems in a computer processor; determining environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems to provide environmental conditions at each orientation and tilt known renewable energy system in a computer processor; determining estimated production data by a computer processor based on said environmental conditions at each orientation and tilt angle pair to provide estimated production data for each orientation and tilt angle pair known renewable energy system; storing the orientation and tilt angle pair and estimated-production data in a computer processor; providing at least one orientation and tilt unknown renewable energy system in a computer processor; calculating by said computer processor a correlation for each orientation and tilt unknown renewable energy systems production data to said estimated production data for each orientation and tilt angle pair known renewable energy systems; setting said orientation and tilt for said orientation and tilt unknown renewable energy systems to the most correlated orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems to become a correlated orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems that is part of the set of renewable energy systems having at least two renewable energy systems each having an orientation and tilt angle pair in said computer processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein said renewable energy system is a photovoltaic system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein said environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems are estimated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method as in claim 2, wherein said environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems are observed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein the renewable energy systems' production data is selected from the group consisting of photovoltaic system production data, solar thermal system production data, concentrated solar power system production data and wind turbine production data. ### Claim 6 A computer processor implemented method of identifying the orientation and tilt of a solar irradiance sensor, said method comprising the steps of; providing a set of solar irradiance sensors having at least two solar irradiance sensors each having an orientation and tilt angle pair to provide a set of orientation and tilt known solar irradiance sensors in a computer processor; determining environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known solar irradiance sensors to provide environmental conditions at each orientation and tilt known solar irradiance sensors in a computer processor; determining estimated production data by a computer processor based on said environmental conditions at each orientation and tilt angle pair to provide estimated production data for each orientation and tilt angle pair known solar irradiance sensor; storing the orientation and tilt angle pair and estimated production data in a computer processor; providing at least one orientation and tilt unknown solar irradiance sensor in a computer processor; calculating by said computer processor a correlation for each orientation and tilt unknown solar irradiance sensors production data to said estimated production data for each orientation and tilt angle pair known solar irradiance sensors; setting said orientation and tilt for said orientation and tilt unknown solar irradiance sensor to the most correlated orientation and tilt known renewable solar irradiance sensors to become a correlated orientation and tilt known solar irradiance sensor that is part of the set of set of renewable energy systems having at least two solar irradiance sensors each having an orientation and tilt angle pair in a computer processor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method as in claim 6, wherein said solar irradiance sensor is selected from the group consisting of pyranometer, pyrheliometer and photovoltaic reference cell sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method as in claim 7, wherein said environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems are estimated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method as in claim 7, wherein said environmental conditions for each of the orientation and tilt known renewable energy systems are observed.