Power point tracking
First Claim
1. A local power converter comprising:
- a power conversion stage to transfer power from a power source to a central power converter having a power point tracking feature; and
a controller configured to manipulate the operating point of the local power converter and further configured to generate an instruction providing a direction in which to move along a power point curve of the central power converter, the instruction causing the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to perform an operation to adjust a voltage or a current to achieve an optimal point for operation of the central power converter, the optimal point for operation of the central power converter determined by the controller of the local power converter.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A local power converter may include a controller to manipulate the operating point of a local power converter to cause the power point tracking feature of a central power converter to operate at a point determined by the controller. In some embodiments, the controller can manipulate the operating point of the local power converter by alternating between at least two modes. In some other embodiments, the controller can manipulate the operating point of the local power converter to provide a substantially constant slope. In some other embodiments, the controller can maintain a substantially constant impedance ratio. In some other embodiments, the controller enables perturbations from the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to reach the power source.
30 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A local power converter comprising:
-
a power conversion stage to transfer power from a power source to a central power converter having a power point tracking feature; and a controller configured to manipulate the operating point of the local power converter and further configured to generate an instruction providing a direction in which to move along a power point curve of the central power converter, the instruction causing the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to perform an operation to adjust a voltage or a current to achieve an optimal point for operation of the central power converter, the optimal point for operation of the central power converter determined by the controller of the local power converter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for operating a system having one or more power sources, a central power converter, and one or more local power converters coupled between the power sources and the central power converter, the method comprising:
-
combining an efficiency characteristic of the central power converter with an efficiency characteristic received from the one or more local power converters for the at least one of the power sources, thereby determining a composite efficiency characteristic for the system; and operating the central power converter for the system at or near a maximum of the composite efficiency characteristic by performing an operation at the one or more local power converters to achieve an optimal point corresponding to the efficiency characteristic received from the one or more local power converters. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A method for operating a system having a power source, a central power converter, and a local power converter coupled between the power source and the central power converter, the method comprising:
-
operating the local power converter in a maximum power point tracking mode to determine the value of a first parameter corresponding to a maximum power point; saving the value of the first parameter; and operating the central power converter in a fixed duty cycle mode using the value of the parameter received from the local power converter, wherein the local power converter reverts to the maximum power point tracking mode when a measured value of the first parameter deviates from the saved value. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
-
Specification