System and method for monitoring photovoltaic power generation systems
First Claim
1. A panel sentry in proximity, electrically connected to, and monitoring both a photovoltaic panel and an adjacent electrical device wherein the panel sentry and the photovoltaic panel, in combination, and the adjacent electrical device are within a series string of electrical devices, each having compatible interface and operating characteristics, said panel sentry comprising:
- a source of power;
a first circuit for detecting a voltage of the photovoltaic panel and producing a first signal representing the voltage of the photovoltaic panel;
a second circuit for producing a second signal representing the voltage of the adjacent electrical device in the series string;
an electrical conductor serially connecting a power terminal of the photovoltaic panel directly to a power terminal of the opposite polarity of the adjacent electrical device in the series string;
a second electrical conductor, connected to provide a communication channel between the panel sentry and photovoltaic panel combination and the adjacent electrical device, said second conductor carrying a signal indicating a measured voltage of the adjacent electrical device;
a serial communication device for communicating information to the adjacent electrical device in the series string using at least said second electrical conductor; and
a transmitter for transmitting at least the first and second signals to at least one external device, said transmitter being powered by the source of power.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring photovoltaic power generation systems or arrays, both on a local (site) level and from a central location. The system includes panel and string combiner sentries or intelligent devices, in bidirectional communication with a master device on the site to facilitate installation and troubleshooting of faults in the array, including performance monitoring and diagnostic data collection.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A panel sentry in proximity, electrically connected to, and monitoring both a photovoltaic panel and an adjacent electrical device wherein the panel sentry and the photovoltaic panel, in combination, and the adjacent electrical device are within a series string of electrical devices, each having compatible interface and operating characteristics, said panel sentry comprising:
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a source of power; a first circuit for detecting a voltage of the photovoltaic panel and producing a first signal representing the voltage of the photovoltaic panel; a second circuit for producing a second signal representing the voltage of the adjacent electrical device in the series string; an electrical conductor serially connecting a power terminal of the photovoltaic panel directly to a power terminal of the opposite polarity of the adjacent electrical device in the series string; a second electrical conductor, connected to provide a communication channel between the panel sentry and photovoltaic panel combination and the adjacent electrical device, said second conductor carrying a signal indicating a measured voltage of the adjacent electrical device; a serial communication device for communicating information to the adjacent electrical device in the series string using at least said second electrical conductor; and a transmitter for transmitting at least the first and second signals to at least one external device, said transmitter being powered by the source of power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A panel sentry in proximity, electrically connected to, and monitoring both a photovoltaic panel and an adjacent electrical device wherein the panel sentry and the photovoltaic panel, in combination, and the adjacent electrical device are within a series string of electrical devices, each having compatible interface and operating characteristics, said panel sentry comprising:
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a source of power; a first panel voltage detector detecting a first voltage produced by the first panel and producing a first signal representing the first voltage; a second voltage detector detecting a second voltage produced by the adjacent electrical device and producing a second signal representing the voltage of the adjacent electrical device; a bi-directional communication channel with an at least one external device; a microcontroller, powered by the source of power, in bi-directional communication via said bi-directional communication channel with the external device, said microcontroller being electrically connected to the first panel voltage detector and the second voltage detector, and receiving the first signal from the first voltage detector and the second signal from the second voltage detector, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal to the external device; and a memory storing a digital representation of the first signal and the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A string sentry for monitoring at least one string of photovoltaic panels comprising:
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a source of power; a current detector detecting the total current produced by the string of photovoltaic panels and producing a signal representing the total current; a microcontroller, powered by the source of power, in bi-directional communication with an external device and electrically connected to the current detector and electrically connected to the source of power, the microcontroller receiving the signal from the current detector and transmitting the signal to the external device, said microcontroller further receiving signals indicative of a voltage for at least a first photovoltaic panel and an adjacent photovoltaic panel, where said first and adjacent panels are within the string of photovoltaic panels; and a memory storing a digital representation of the signal representing the current and representation of the voltage for the first photovoltaic panel and the adjacent photovoltaic panel. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for monitoring at least one string of photovoltaic panels comprising:
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collecting, using a string sentry, an average value of a current from a string of photovoltaic panels; storing, in the string sentry, the average value of the current of the string of photovoltaic panels; transmitting the average value of the current from the string sentry to an external computer; using a string voltage detector, separated by at least a fuse from the combined string voltage, to detect the voltage of the string of photovoltaic panels, and producing a string signal representing the string voltage, storing a digital representation of the signal representing the string voltage in the string sentry; and transmitting a value representing the string voltage signal to the external computer, the memory, wherein the external computer compares the received string voltage signal value against at least one other string voltage signal value to detect whether said fuse is open. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification