Device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter using power line communications
First Claim
1. An inverter array controller for maintaining and communicating with an array of power inverters, each power inverter being configured to convert direct current (DC) power generated by an alternative energy source to alternating current (AC) power, the inverter array controller comprising:
- a power line communication circuitry to communicate with the array of power inverters over a power line connecting the inverter array controller to each of the power inverters of the array of power inverters;
a processing circuitry; and
a memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, result in the inverter array controller;
transmitting, using the power line communication circuitry, a first message to a first power inverter of the array of power inverters;
determining whether a response was received from the first power inverter;
transmitting, by the power line circuitry and in response to failing to receive the response from the first power inverter, a relay message to a second power inverter of the array of power inverters, the relay message including the first message and instructing the second inverter to transmit the first message to the first power inverter; and
receiving, with the power line circuitry and from the second power inverter, a response message transmitted to the second power inverter from the first power inverter, wherein the response message is indicative of a response of the first power inverter to the first message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay inverter may subsequently retransmit a reply received from the non-responsive power inverter to the inverter array controller or to another power inverter of the array of inverters.
185 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An inverter array controller for maintaining and communicating with an array of power inverters, each power inverter being configured to convert direct current (DC) power generated by an alternative energy source to alternating current (AC) power, the inverter array controller comprising:
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a power line communication circuitry to communicate with the array of power inverters over a power line connecting the inverter array controller to each of the power inverters of the array of power inverters; a processing circuitry; and a memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, result in the inverter array controller; transmitting, using the power line communication circuitry, a first message to a first power inverter of the array of power inverters; determining whether a response was received from the first power inverter; transmitting, by the power line circuitry and in response to failing to receive the response from the first power inverter, a relay message to a second power inverter of the array of power inverters, the relay message including the first message and instructing the second inverter to transmit the first message to the first power inverter; and receiving, with the power line circuitry and from the second power inverter, a response message transmitted to the second power inverter from the first power inverter, wherein the response message is indicative of a response of the first power inverter to the first message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 22)
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9. A power inverter of an array of power inverters, each power inverter being configured to convert direct current (DC) power generated by an alternative energy source to alternating current (AC) power, the power inverter comprising:
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a power line communication circuit to communicate with an inverter array controller over a power line connecting the power inverter to the inverter array controller and other power inverters of the array of power inverters; an inverter circuit to convert the DC power to the AC power; and an inverter controller to control operation of the inverter circuit, the inverter controller to; receive a message from the inverter array controller using the power line communication circuit; determine whether the message is a relay message, retransmit, by the power line communication circuit and in response to determining the message is a relay message, the relay message to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of power inverters that has not responded to a previous communication from the inverter array controller; receiving, with the power line communication circuit and in response to retransmitting the relay message, a response from the non-responsive power inverter; and transmit the response, using the power line communication circuit, to the inverter array controller. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for communicating with an array of power inverters, each power inverter being configured to convert direct current (DC) power generated by an alternative energy source to alternating current (AC) power, the method comprising:
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transmitting, by a power line communication circuitry, a first message to a power inverter of the array of power inverters; transmitting, by the power line communication circuitry and in response to failing to receive a response from the power inverter, a relay message to another power inverter of the array of power inverters, the relay message including the first message and instructing the another inverter to transmit the first message to the power inverter; and receiving, with the power line circuitry and from the another power inverter, a response message transmitted to the another power inverter from the power inverter, wherein the response message is indicative of a response of the power inverter to the first message. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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23. A method for handling communications in an array of power inverters, the method comprising:
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determining, on a power inverter, whether a message received from an inverter array controller is a relay message; retransmitting, by a power line communication circuitry of the power inverter and in response to determining the message is a relay message, the relay message to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of power inverters that has not responded to a previous communication from the inverter array controller; receiving, with the power line communication circuitry and in response to retransmitting the relay message, a response from the non-responsive power inverter; and transmitting the response, by the power line communication circuitry, to the inverter array controller. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification