Systems, circuits and methods for monitoring and dynamically configuring solar cells
OwnerNagendra Srinivas Cherukupalliinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar power system may comprise a back sheet that comprises an interconnect circuit coupling a plurality of cell tiles. A tiled solar cell, comprising a solar cell and encapsulating and glass layers, is inserted into the cell tiles of the back sheet. Each solar cell is individually addressable through the use of the interconnect circuit. Moreover, the interconnect circuit of the back sheet is programmable and allows for dynamic interconnect routing between solar cells.
Claims20
A system for collecting energy from a plurality of solar cells, the system comprising:
- an interconnect circuit comprising programmable circuit routes for selectively interconnecting a plurality of solar cells to a plurality of solar cell strings, wherein a solar cell string comprises a plurality of operable solar cells coupled in series;
- a monitoring circuit, coupled to the interconnect circuit, for monitoring one or more conditions at the solar cells;
- a control circuit, coupled to the monitoring circuit and the interconnect circuit, for:
- receiving the conditions for each of the solar cells;
- selectively coupling, based on a first set of the conditions, through the programmable circuit routes, a first group of the solar cells to a first of the solar cell strings;
- and
- selectively coupling, based on a second set of the conditions, through the programmable circuit routes, a second group of the solar cells to a second of the solar cell strings.
A method for collecting energy from a plurality of solar cells, the system comprising:
- selectively interconnecting a plurality of solar cells, in an interconnect circuit through a plurality of programmable circuit routes, to a plurality of solar cell strings, wherein a solar cell string comprises a plurality of operable solar cells coupled in series;
- monitoring, in a monitoring circuit, one or more conditions at the solar cells,
- receiving the conditions for each of the solar cells at a control circuit;
- selectively coupling, based on a first set of the conditions, through the programmable circuit routes, a first group of the solar cells to a first of the solar cell strings;
- and
- selectively coupling, based on a second set of the conditions, through the programmable circuit routes, a second group of the solar cells to a second of the solar cell strings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.