×

Adaptive solar powered system

  • US 8,563,845 B2
  • Filed: 04/06/2006
  • Issued: 10/22/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of determining a time to deliver an amount of energy to a load in a solar powered system having a solar panel, comprising differentiating artificial light from natural daylight by:

  • (a) providing an energy storage device for receiving energy from said solar panel;

    (b) providing a processor; and

    (c) providing a circuit for sensing photovoltaic output of said solar panel and for signaling said output to said processor to differentiates the artificial light from the natural daylight by;

    (i) periodically measuring a value selected from the group comprising the short circuit current of said solar panel and the open circuit voltage of said solar panel;

    (ii) measuring a rate of change of said value; and

    (iii) determining the onset of day when both of the following conditions are met;

    1. said value is above a predetermined threshold associated with daylight; and

    2. said rate of change is larger than a rate of change for true dawn.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×