Solar Panel Tracking and Performance Monitoring Through Wireless Communication
First Claim
1. A solar panel comprising:
- an assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells;
a top plate configured to affix to a front side (sun up side) of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells;
a back sheet configured to affix to a back side of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells;
a wireless tracking device placed between the top plate and the back sheet of the solar panel, the wireless tracking device comprising a wireless communication interface and a memory; and
an antenna formed on or in the solar panel and in electrical communication with the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device,wherein the memory of the wireless tracking device is configured to store at least identification and identity information of the solar panel or identification and identity information of one or more of the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel, the information stored in the memory being accessible through the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a wireless device is embedded in a solar panel for providing remote tracking and/or performance monitoring of the solar panel. The wireless device may be a wireless tracking device including a memory for storing the identification or identity information of the solar panel or of the individual solar cells forming the panel. The wireless device may be a wireless tracking and monitoring device to provide both tracking and performance monitoring functions. In another embodiment, the wireless device is affixed to the exposed side of the back sheet of the solar panel but within the junction box interface so that the wireless device is enclosed in the junction box housing. In other embodiments, some of the elements of the wireless device may be embedded in the solar panel while other elements are affixed to the exposed back sheet inside the junction box housing.
75 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A solar panel comprising:
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an assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; a top plate configured to affix to a front side (sun up side) of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; a back sheet configured to affix to a back side of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; a wireless tracking device placed between the top plate and the back sheet of the solar panel, the wireless tracking device comprising a wireless communication interface and a memory; and an antenna formed on or in the solar panel and in electrical communication with the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device, wherein the memory of the wireless tracking device is configured to store at least identification and identity information of the solar panel or identification and identity information of one or more of the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel, the information stored in the memory being accessible through the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A solar panel comprising:
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an assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; a top plate configured to affix to a front side (sun up side) of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; a back sheet configured to affix to a back side of the assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells; and a wireless tracking and monitoring device comprising; a wireless communication interface; one or more sensors configured to measure one or more operational parameters of the solar panel or the photovoltaic cells, the one or more sensors generating measured sensor values; a processor configured to process measured sensor values; a memory configured to store at least identification and identity information of the solar panel or identification and identity information of one or more of the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel; and an interface bus coupled between the processor and the memory and between the processor and the wireless communication interface to provide the processed sensor values to the memory or to the wireless communication interface, wherein at least the wireless communication interface and the memory of the wireless tracking and monitoring device are affixed to an exposed side of the back sheet at a location inside the junction box interface, the wireless tracking and monitoring device being enclosed by a junction box housing attached to the junction box interface; an antenna formed on or in the solar panel and in electrical communication with the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking and monitoring device, wherein the information stored in the memory is accessible through the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking and monitoring device. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A system to track and monitor a solar panel array, comprising:
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an array of solar panels, each solar panel comprising an assembly of interconnected photovoltaic cells and a wireless tracking device placed between a top plate and a back sheet of the solar panel, the wireless tracking device comprising a wireless communication interface and a memory, the solar panel further comprising an antenna formed on or in the solar panel and in electrical communication with the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device, wherein the memory of the wireless tracking device is configured to store at least identification and identity information of the solar panel or identification and identity information of one or more of the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel, the information in the memory being accessible through the wireless communication interface of the wireless tracking device; one or more power inverters connected to the array of solar panels; and a wireless communication reader configured to communicate with the wireless tracking device in one or more solar panels to retrieve information stored in the memory of the wireless tracking device through wireless communication. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification