Distributed Power Harvesting Systems Using DC Power Sources
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.
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Citations
338 Claims
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1-30. -30. (canceled)
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31. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from at least one solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as at least part of at least one DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter for at least one DC photovoltaic output; substantially power isomorphically converting said at least one DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output; substantially power isomorphically maximum photovoltaic power point multi mode output controlling operation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter acts to convert said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to at least one DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 105, 106, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 338)
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68. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from at least one solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as at least part of at least one DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter for at least one DC photovoltaic output; converting said at least one DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output through at least at some times a first modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion and at least at some times a second modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion; multi mode output controlling operation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter acts to convert said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic conversion output; controlling high efficiency transformation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter for transition between said first modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion and said second modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to at least one DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 101, 103, 104, 107, 108, 109, 110, 133)
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72. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from at least one solar panel of a string of solar panels; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as at least part of at least one DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter for at least one DC photovoltaic output; multiple panel dedicated substantially power maximum photovoltaic power point converting said at least one DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output; maximum photovoltaic power point multi mode output controlling operation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter acts to convert said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to at least one DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (98, 102)
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134. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as a DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; maximum photovoltaic power point multi mode controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 196, 197, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221)
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166. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as a DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output through at least at some times a first modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion and at least at other times a second modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter into said first and second modalities while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic conversion output; controlling a transformation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter between said first modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion and said second modality of photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion by using a maximum power peak tracking control loop such that substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic output is transferred to said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 198, 199, 200, 201, 222)
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168. An efficient method of solar energy power creation comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a string of solar cells; establishing said DC photovoltaic output as a DC photovoltaic input to a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; multiple cell dedicated substantially power maximum photovoltaic power point converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output; maximum photovoltaic power point multi mode controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (190)
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223. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on the DC photovoltaic input at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck+boost converter and said controlling includes operating said photovoltaic DC-DC converter as a buck converter in a buck mode and as a boost converter in a boost mode; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 283, 284, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307)
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253. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output as to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter;
wherein the photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck+boost converter;converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output using at least some times a buck mode of the photovoltaic DC-DC converter and at least other times a boost mode of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter in said buck and boost modes while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; controlling transitions of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter between said buck and boost mode conversion by using a maximum power peak tracking control such that substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic input is transferred to said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (254, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 278, 279, 280, 282, 285, 286, 287, 288)
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255. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a string of solar cells; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing said maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck+boost converter and said controlling includes operating said DC-DC converter as a buck converter in a buck mode and as a boost converter in a boost mode; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (277, 281)
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308. A method of solar energy power harvesting, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on the DC photovoltaic input at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck/boost converter that efficiently transfers substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic output from said solar panel to said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output - View Dependent Claims (309, 310, 311, 312, 319)
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313. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output as to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter, wherein the photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck/boost converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output at least some times with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter increasing a voltage of the DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel and at least other times with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter decreasing the voltage of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter in said first and second modes while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; controlling, with a maximum power peak tracking control loop, transitions of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter between said increasing and said decreasing of said voltage of said DC photovoltaic output from said solar panel to efficiently transfer substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic input to said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (314, 316, 317, 320)
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315. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a string of solar cells; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing said maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter includes a buck/boost converter that efficiently transfers substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic input to said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (318)
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321. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on the DC photovoltaic input at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter efficiently transfers substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic output from said solar panel to said converted DC photovoltaic output, and said controlling includes increasing a photovoltaic load impedance and decreasing said photovoltaic load impedance without restricting a voltage on said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (322, 323, 324)
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325. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output at least some times with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter increasing a load impedance of the DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel and at least other times with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter decreasing said load impedance of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter to increase and decrease said load impedance of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; controlling, with a maximum power peak tracking control loop, transitions of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter between said increasing and said decreasing of said load impedance of said DC photovoltaic output from said solar panel to efficiently transfer substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic input to said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (327)
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326. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a string of solar cells; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing said maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output, wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC converter efficiently transfers substantially all power of said DC photovoltaic input to said converted DC photovoltaic output, and said controlling includes increasing a photovoltaic load impedance and decreasing said photovoltaic load impedance; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output.
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328. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on the DC photovoltaic input at least some times while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter, wherein said controlling of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter further includes controlling a current of said converted DC photovoltaic output based on an input requirement of said DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (329, 330, 331, 334)
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332. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a solar panel of a plurality of solar panels; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output at least some times with said photovoltaic DC-DC converter increasing a voltage of the DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel and at least other times with said photovoltaic DC-DC-converter decreasing the voltage of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter to increase and decrease said voltage of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel and controlling a current of said converted DC photovoltaic output based on an input requirement of said DC-AC inverter, while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; controlling, with a maximum power peak tracking control loop, efficient transformation of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter between said increasing and said decreasing voltage of said DC photovoltaic output from the solar panel; connecting said converted DC photovoltaic output as part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output. - View Dependent Claims (335)
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333. An efficient method of solar energy power harvesting comprising the steps of:
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creating a DC photovoltaic output from a string of solar cells; connecting said DC photovoltaic output to a DC photovoltaic input of a photovoltaic DC-DC converter; converting said DC photovoltaic input into a converted DC photovoltaic output by closing a maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells; controlling said photovoltaic DC-DC converter by closing said maximum power peak tracking control loop on said photovoltaic output from said string of solar cells while said photovoltaic DC-DC converter converts said at least one DC photovoltaic input into said converted DC photovoltaic output; establishing said converted DC photovoltaic output as at least part of a converted DC photovoltaic input to a DC-AC inverter, wherein said controlling of said photovoltaic DC-DC converter further includes regulating a current of said converted DC photovoltaic output based on an input requirement of said DC-AC inverter; and inverting said converted DC photovoltaic input into an inverted AC photovoltaic output.
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336. A method comprising:
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generating a plurality of direct current (DC) power outputs from a plurality of power sources, respectively; converting the plurality of DC power outputs to a plurality of converted DC power outputs, respectively, each DC power output converted using a different maximum power peak tracking control loop; generating a combined power output from a serial combination of the plurality of converted DC power outputs; regulating voltage or current of the combined power output; and converting the regulated combined power output to an alternating current output.
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337. A method comprising:
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generating a plurality of direct current (DC) power outputs from a plurality of power sources, respectively; converting the plurality of DC power outputs to a plurality of converted DC power outputs using a plurality of DC/DC converters, respectively, each DC/DC converter operable as a buck converter and as a boost converter, and each DC/DC power converter controlled by a different respective maximum power peak tracking control loop that configures the DC/DC converter between buck converter operation and boost converter operation; generating a combined power output from a serial combination of the plurality of converted DC power outputs; and converting the combined power output to an alternating current output.
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Specification