US 8,712,745 B2 · Automated solar collector installation design including ability to define heterogeneous design preferences

Abstract

Embodiments may include systems and methods to create and edit a representation of a worksite, to create various data objects, to classify such objects as various types of pre -defined “features” with attendant properties and layout constraints. As part of or in addition to classification, an embodiment may include systems and methods to create, associate, and edit intrinsic and extrinsic properties to these objects. A design engine may apply of design rules to the features described above to generate one or more solar collectors installation design alternatives, including generation of on-screen and/or paper representations of the physical layout or arrangement of the one or more design alternatives. Embodiments may also include definition of one or more design apertures, each of which may correspond to boundaries in which solar collector layouts should comply with distinct sets of user-defined design preferences. Distinct apertures may provide heterogeneous regions of collector layout according to the user-defined design preferences.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus configured to generate a solar collector installation layout on a representation of a physical installation worksite comprising at least one geometric object, comprising:

a memory configured to store:
at least one work area representing an allowable solar collector installation region, the allowable solar collector installation region corresponding to sub-areas of the representation of the physical installation worksite in the memory, and
at least one layout aperture, each such layout aperture representing a boundary for application of particular design preferences regarding placement of solar collectors;
and
at least one processor configured to automatically generate, in conjunction with the memory, a layout of solar collectors within the allowable solar collector installation region of the work area and within the layout aperture.

2 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

store a first layout aperture associated with a representation of an installation worksite the representation comprising geometric objects corresponding to physical features at the installation worksite, the first layout aperture associated with a first boundary defined by a user and a first set of design preferences for layout of solar collectors within the first layout aperture;
store a second layout aperture associated with the representation, the second layout aperture associated with a second boundary defined by a user and a second set of design preferences for layout of solar collectors within the second layout aperture;
automatically generate a first partial installation layout for the installation worksite corresponding to the first set of design preferences as applied to geometric objects at least partially within or in proximity to the first layout aperture boundary;
automatically generate a second partial installation layout for the installation worksite corresponding to the second set of design preferences as applied to geometric objects at least partially within or in proximity to the second layout aperture boundary;
and
automatically adjust at least one of the first installation layout and the second installation layout based at least in part on a set of aperture conflict resolution rules, when the conflict resolution rules apply.

3 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that are executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to:

store a classification of at least one geometric object within a representation of an installation worksite as a particular feature, the feature being selected from a set of defined feature classes;
store a set of layout apertures, each layout aperture associated with boundaries and a set of design preferences defined by a user for solar collector placement within that aperture;
automatically place solar collectors within the boundaries of a first one of the layout apertures, the layout of the solar collectors corresponding to the set of design preferences associated with the first layout aperture as applied to the feature, the layout made in accordance with properties associated with the feature;
and
automatically place additional solar collectors within the boundaries of each remaining layout aperture in turn, the layout of each additional solar collector corresponding to the set of design preferences associated with a particular layout aperture as applied to the feature, the layout made in accordance with properties associated with the feature, the placement of each additional solar collector being consistent with the placement of previously-placed solar collectors.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated solar collector installation design including ability to define heterogeneous design preferences

Life of this patent

Automated solar collector installation design including ability to define heterogeneous design preferences

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20