# US 8,541,726 B2 · Diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,726 B2 - Document ID: US8541726B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/589,000 - Filed: 2012-08-17 - Published: 2013-06-06 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-30 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: Charles H. Hightower; Jeff E. Frericks; Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan - Inventors: Charles H. Hightower; Jeff E. Frericks; Authi Ariamuthu Narayanan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541726B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/955: {for photovoltaic devices} - G05F 1/67: to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell - H02H 3/18: responsive to reversal of direct current - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02S 50/00: Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - H02J 2101/25: {involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources} - Y02E 10/56: Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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 A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing a solar power array device without blocking diodes, the method comprising: providing a solar module; connecting a circuit breaker to the solar module; connecting a power bus and a controller to the circuit breaker; connecting an inverter to the power bus; sensing with the controller the output voltage and current of the solar module; and determining, with the controller, an amount of shadowing on the solar module by using a combination of the output voltage and the output current of the solar module, wherein when the controller determines that the amount shadowing on the solar module is less than a minimum shadowing threshold level, the controller sends a command to the circuit breaker to prevent current flow into the solar module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inverter is a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) inverter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solar module contains a plurality of solar cells. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in series. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in parallel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in parallel-series combination. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the solar module contains only one solar cell. ### Claim 8 A method for providing a solar power array device without bypass diodes, the method comprising: providing a solar module; connecting a bi-position switch to the solar module; connecting a power bus and a controller to the bi-position switch; connecting an inverter to the power bus; and sensing with the controller the output voltage and current of the solar module, wherein when the controller senses that the maximum power of the solar module is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller sends a command to the bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the inverter is a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) inverter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the solar module contains a plurality of solar cells. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in series. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in parallel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of solar cells are connected in parallel-series combination. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the solar module contains only one solar cell. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the bi-position switch is a latching solenoid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the at bi-position switch is a latching relay. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the bi-position switch is a read relay. ### Claim 18 A method for providing a solar power array device without blocking diodes and bypass diodes, the method comprising: providing a solar module; connecting a circuit breaker and a bi-position switch to the solar module; connecting a power bus and a controller to the circuit breaker and the bi-position switch; connecting an inverter to the power bus; sensing with the controller the output voltage and current of the solar module, wherein when the controller senses that the maximum power of the solar module is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller sends a command to the bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module; and determining, with the controller, an amount of shadowing of the solar module by using a combination of the output voltage and the output current of the solar module, wherein when the controller determines that the amount of shadowing on the solar module is less than a minimum shadowing threshold level, the controller sends a command to the circuit breaker to prevent current flow into the solar module. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the inverter is a direct current/alternating current (DC/AC) inverter. ### Claim 20 A solar power array device without blocking diodes, comprising: a solar module; a circuit breaker; a power bus; a controller; and an inverter, wherein the controller senses output voltage and current of the solar module, wherein the controller determines an amount of shadowing on the solar module by using a combination of the output voltage and the output current of the solar module, when the controller determines that the amount of shadowing on the solar module is less than a minimum shadowing threshold level, the controller sends a command to the circuit breaker to prevent current flow into the solar module.