Illumination agnostic solar panel
First Claim
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1. A method to operate a photovoltaic module, the method comprising:
- electrically isolating a plurality of photovoltaic cells and a plurality of power conversion circuits of a photovoltaic module from an external circuit including an external negative line and an external positive line respectively connected to an internal negative line and internal positive line of the photovoltaic module;
determining a line potential across the external negative and positive lines;
determining whether the external circuit includes a battery based on the determined line potential; and
if it is determined that the external circuit includes a battery, initializing operation of the photovoltaic module consistent with the external circuit including a battery;
orif it is determined that the external circuit lacks a battery;
determining that the external circuit includes an inverter; and
initializing operation of the photovoltaic module consistent with the external circuit including an inverter.
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Abstract
In one example, a photovoltaic module includes a plurality of discrete photovoltaic cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, and a substantially electrically conductive and continuous area backsheet. The photovoltaic cells in each cell row are electrically connected in parallel to each other. The cell rows are electrically connected in series to each other and include a first row and a last row. The backsheet forms a current return path between the first and last rows. The photovoltaic cells are configured such that, in operation, current flows substantially uni-directionally through the plurality of photovoltaic cells between the first row and the last row.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method to operate a photovoltaic module, the method comprising:
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electrically isolating a plurality of photovoltaic cells and a plurality of power conversion circuits of a photovoltaic module from an external circuit including an external negative line and an external positive line respectively connected to an internal negative line and internal positive line of the photovoltaic module; determining a line potential across the external negative and positive lines; determining whether the external circuit includes a battery based on the determined line potential; and if it is determined that the external circuit includes a battery, initializing operation of the photovoltaic module consistent with the external circuit including a battery;
orif it is determined that the external circuit lacks a battery; determining that the external circuit includes an inverter; and initializing operation of the photovoltaic module consistent with the external circuit including an inverter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification