Apparatus having a controllable filter matrix to selectively acquire different components of solar irradiance

An apparatus comprising:

• a filter matrix arranged to receive incident solar irradiance, the filter matrix comprising an array of pixels electrically controllable to provide a selectable field of view to select different irradiance components;
• a photosensor, which is coupled to receive any selected one of the irradiance components from the filter matrix;
• a processor electrically coupled to the photosensor and configured to determine an irradiance measurement from any irradiance component received by the photosensor;
• a module configured to determine a spatial location of at least one of the any selected one of the irradiance components relative to the array of pixels of the filter matrix;
• a controller responsive to the module and configured to:
• supply a control signal to the filter matrix based on the determined spatial location of the irradiance component to pass the any selected one of the irradiance components, wherein the any selected one of the irradiance components comprises a direct irradiance component or a diffuse irradiance component;
• sequentially perform the following:
• 1) during a first time interval actuating a first group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the direct irradiance component and actuating a second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to block the diffuse irradiance component during the first time interval;
• and
• 2) during a second time interval actuating the second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the diffuse irradiance component and actuating the first group of the array of pixels to block the direct irradiance component during the second time interval.

A method for selectively acquiring different components of solar irradiance with a single apparatus, the method comprising:

• arranging a filter matrix to receive incident solar irradiance, the filter matrix comprising an array of pixels electrically controllable to selectively acquire different irradiance components;
• determining a spatial location of at least one of the irradiance components relative to the array of pixels of the filter matrix;
• controlling the filter matrix based on the determined spatial location of the at least one of the irradiance component to pass a selected one of the irradiance components, wherein controlling the filter matrix comprises:
• actuating a first group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the selected one of the irradiance components and actuating a second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to block an unselected one of the irradiance components, wherein the selected one of the irradiance components is a direct irradiance component or a diffuse irradiance component, and wherein the unselected one of the irradiance components is the other of the direct irradiance component or the diffuse irradiance component;
• sequentially performing the following:
• 1) during a first time interval actuating a first group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the direct irradiance component and actuating a second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to block the diffuse irradiance component during the first time interval;
• and
• 2) during a second time interval actuating the second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the diffuse irradiance component and actuating the first group of the array of pixels to block the direct irradiance component during the second time interval.

A method for selectively acquiring different components of solar irradiance with a single apparatus, the method comprising:

• arranging a filter matrix to receive incident solar irradiance, the filter matrix comprising an array of pixels electrically controllable to selectively acquire different irradiance components;
• determining a spatial location of at least one of the irradiance components relative to the array of pixels of the filter matrix;
• controlling the filter matrix based on the determined spatial location of the at least one irradiance component to pass a selected one of the irradiance components, wherein the controlling the filter matrix comprises:
• actuating a first group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the selected one of the irradiance components, and actuating a second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to block an unselected one of the irradiance components, wherein the selected one of the irradiance components is a direct irradiance component or a diffuse irradiance component, and wherein the unselected one of the irradiance components is the other of the direct irradiance component or the diffuse irradiance component;
• sequentially performing the following:
• 1) during a first time interval actuating a first group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the direct irradiance component and actuating a second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to block the diffuse irradiance component during the first time interval;
• 2) during a second time interval actuating the second group of the array of pixels of the filter matrix to pass the diffuse irradiance component and actuating the first group of the array of pixels to block the direct irradiance component during the second time interval;
• and
• measuring the direct irradiance component based on averaging the direct irradiance passed by the first group of the array of pixels during a sequence of first time intervals and measuring the diffuse irradiance component based on averaging the diffuse irradiance component passed by the second group of the array of pixels during a sequence of second time intervals.