SOLAR MODULE WITH WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER

• US 20150221785A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd. (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited)
• Inventors: CHENG, Tzu-Huan
• Granted Patent: US 9,947,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar module includes a solar panel and a wireless power transmission module coupled to the solar panel for transmitting power generated by the solar panel wirelessly.

Claims

1. A solar module comprising:

a solar panel; and

a wireless power transmission module coupled to the solar panel for transmitting power generated by the solar panel wirelessly.

2. The solar module of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission module is a RF wireless power transmission module.

3. The solar module of claim 2, wherein the RF wireless power transmission module comprises a RF circuit and a coil.

4. The solar module of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission module is a magnetic resonance wireless power transmission module.

5. The solar module of claim 4, wherein the magnetic resonance wireless power transmission module comprises a magnetic resonance circuit and a coil.

6. The solar module of claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmission module includes a wireless power transmitter circuit and a coil.

7. The solar module of claim 6, wherein the coil is integrated into the solar panel during fabrication of the solar panel.

8. The solar module of claim 7, wherein the solar panel comprises a back metal layer comprising the coil and a back metal contact of the solar panel.

9. The solar module of claim 6, wherein the solar panel comprises one or more silicon solar cells.

10. The solar module of claim 6, wherein the solar panel comprises one or more thin film solar cells and the coil is fabricated in a metal interconnect layer of the one or more thin film solar cells.

11. The solar module of claim 6, wherein the wireless power transmitter circuit comprises one or more IC chips.

12. A system comprising:

solar module comprising a solar panel and a wireless power transmitter electrically coupled to the solar panel for transmitting power generated by the solar panel wirelessly; and

a device comprising a wireless power receiver configured for receiving power transmitted by the wireless power transmitter of the solar module.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the device is a mobile device selected from the group consisting of a tablet computer device, cellular phone, notebook computer, e-book, and a portable gaming device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless power transmitter and wireless power receiver are configured for transfer of power by RF.

15. The solar module of claim 12, wherein the wireless power transmitter and wireless power receiver are configured to transfer power by magnetic resonance.

16. The solar module of claim 12, wherein the wireless power transmitter includes a wireless power transmitter circuit and a coil.

17. The solar module of claim 16, wherein the coil is integrated into the solar panel during fabrication of the solar panel.

18. The solar module of claim 17, wherein the solar panel comprises a back metal layer comprising the coil and a back metal contact of the solar panel.

19. The solar module of claim 16, wherein the solar panel comprises one or more thin film solar cells and the coil is fabricated in a metal interconnect layer of the one or more thin film solar cells.

20. A solar module comprising:

a thin film CIGS solar panel;

a RF or magnetic resonance wireless power transmitter circuit coupled to the solar panel for transmitting power generated by the solar panel wirelessly; and

a coil integrated into the solar panel and electrically coupled to the wireless power transmitter circuit.