Inverter System Enabling Self-Configuration

• US 20140265579A1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enecsys Limited
• Inventors: Mumtaz, Asim
• Granted Patent: US 9,379,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/43
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/42 Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A method of configuring an installed energy harvesting device to comply with a local grid connection standard is provided. The method identifies a local grid connection standard for an energy harvesting device that has been installed in a physical installation. The method then configures the energy harvesting device to apply the identified grid connection standard. To identify the local gird connection standard, the method determines a physical location for the installation of the energy harvesting device. The method then identifies the local grid connection standard based on the determined physical location.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program executable by at least one processor, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying a grid connection standard for an energy-harvesting device that has been installed in a physical installation; and

configuring the energy-harvesting device to apply the identified grid connection standard.

2. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for determining a physical location for the physical installation, wherein the grid connection standard is identified based on the physical location.

3. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the set of instructions for determining the physical location comprises a set of instructions for receiving the physical location from a user input.

4. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the set of instructions for determining the physical location comprises a set of instructions for receiving the physical location from a handheld device located near the physical installation, the handheld device equipped with a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) receiver, wherein the GPS receiver identifies the physical location.

5. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the set of instructions for determining the physical location comprises a set of instructions for identifying the physical location using a GPS receiver within the energy-harvesting device.

6. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for identifying the grid connection standard comprises a set of instructions for receiving the grid connection standard from a communication gateway connecting the energy-harvesting device to a communication network.

7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the communication gateway identifies the grid connection standard based on a physical location determined by a set of parameters of the communication network.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for identifying the grid connection standard comprises a set of instructions for receiving the grid connection standard from a handheld device located near the physical installation.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the handheld device identifies the grid connection standard based on a physical location of the physical installation.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the handheld device is equipped with a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) receiver, wherein the physical location is determined by the GPS receiver.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the physical location is determined by a user input.

12. An energy harvesting device comprising:

a power converter for converting DC power from a photovoltaic device to AC electricity; and

a controller for configuring, after the energy harvesting device has been installed at a physical location, the power converter based on a grid connection standard.

13. The energy harvesting device of claim 12 further comprising a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) receiver for determining the physical location, wherein the controller is further for identifying the grid connection standard based on the physical location determined by the GPS receiver.

14. The energy harvesting device of claim 13, wherein the controller identifies the grid connection standard through searching a data structure containing information relating to a plurality of grid connection standards.

15. The energy harvesting device of claim 14, wherein the data structure is stored by the energy harvesting device.

16. The energy harvesting device of claim 14, wherein the data structure is stored by a device separate from the energy harvesting device.

17. The energy harvesting device of claim 12, wherein the controller receives the grid connection standard from a device separate from the energy harvesting device.

18. The energy harvesting device of claim 12 further comprising a communication module, wherein the controller uses the communication module for communicating with other devices in a communication network.

19. The energy harvesting device of claim 18, wherein the communication module comprises a wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving wireless signals.

20. The energy harvesting device of claim 18, wherein the communication module performs power line communication.

21. The energy harvesting device of claim 12, wherein the controller comprises at least one processing unit.

22. A method comprising:

identifying a grid connection standard for a plurality of energy-harvesting devices that have been installed in a physical installation; and

applying the identified grid connection standard to the plurality of energy-harvesting devices.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising determining a physical location for the physical installation, wherein the grid connection standard is identified based on the physical location.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the physical location is determined based on a set of network connection parameters.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the physical location is determined through receiving a user input.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the physical location is determined using a global positioning system (“

GPS”

) receiver.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the grid connection standard is identified through searching a data structure based on the determined physical location, wherein the data structure contains information relating to a plurality of grid connection standards.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the data structure is a grid connection standards lookup table.

29. The method of claim 22 further comprising transmitting the grid connection standard to the plurality of energy-harvesting devices.