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Monitoring of distributed power harvesting systems using DC power sources

  • US 9,644,993 B2
  • Filed: 10/14/2014
  • Issued: 05/09/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:

  • a first power source connected to a power line;

    a first monitoring module comprising a timer, wherein the first monitoring module is configured to collect performance data of the first power source starting from a time when the first power source starts to output power to the power line above a power threshold amount after waking up from a sleep state as detected by the first monitoring module;

    a first transmitter configured to transmit the performance data over the power line;

    a first controller configured to control the first transmitter to transmit the performance data of the first power source over the power line when an elapsed time period from initialization of the timer reaches a transmission time period of the first transmitter;

    a second power source connected to the power line;

    a second monitoring module comprising a second timer, wherein the second monitoring module is configured to collect performance data of these second power source starting from a time when the second power source starts to output power to the power line after waking up from a sleep state as detected by the second monitoring module;

    a second transmitter configured to transmit the performance data of the second power source over the power line; and

    a second controller configured to control the second transmitter to transmit the performance data of the second power source over the power line when an elapsed time period from initialization of the timer reaches a transmission time period of the second transmitter;

    wherein the first controller is configured to control the first transmitter to transmit the performance data of the first power source over the power line when an elapsed time period from initialization of the timer reaches a transmission time period of the first transmitter added to a first random time increment,wherein the second controller is configured to control the second transmitter to transmit the performance data of the second power source over the power line when an elapsed time period from initialization of the second timer reaches a transmission time period of the second transmitter added to a second random time increment, andwherein the first and second random time increments are different from each other to lessen a possibility of collisions in transmissions of performance data of the first power source and the second power source over the power line.

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