Micro-solar insolation circuit

• US 20030094931A1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atom H2o, LLC
• Original Assignee: Solarmate Corporation
• Inventors: Renyolds, Robert Lee
• Granted Patent: US 6,657,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/285
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A micro-solar insolation circuit having a boost regulator or DC-DC converter used to transfer the power available from a solar cell source, at a value close to its optimum, to a load is provided. The micro-solar insolation circuit comprises a comparator for generating an error signal based on a solar cell reference voltage wherein a modulator controller receives the error signal and changes its duty cycle based on the error signal. The modulator controller controls a high-speed switch in association with a synchronous rectifier for loss-less current limiting.

Claims

1. A micro-solar insolation circuit comprising:

a comparator for generating an error signal based on a solar cell reference voltage;

a modulator controller for receiving said error signal wherein said modulator controller controls a duty cycle based on said error signal for low loss current limiting;

wherein said modulator controller controls a high speed switch in association with a synchronous rectifier for low loss current rectification.

2. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said duty cycle of said modulator controller is pulse width modulated.

3. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said duty cycle of said modulator controller is frequency modulated.

4. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said high speed switch is a N channel MOSFET.

5. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said synchronous rectifier is a P channel MOSFET.

6. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said comparator generates said error signal by comparing said solar cell reference voltage to a zener diode voltage reference.

7. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said solar cell reference voltage is adjusted by a resistor divider.

8. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 further comprising a back flow diode.

9. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 wherein said solar cell reference voltage is determined by finding operating temperature at full sun.

17. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 1 further comprising a back flow diode.

10. A micro-solar insolation circuit comprising:

a solar cell array defining a reference voltage;

a comparator for generating an error signal based on said solar cell reference voltage;

a modulator controller for receiving said error signal wherein said modulator controller changes a duty cycle based on said error signal for low loss current limiting; and

a high speed switch in association with a synchronous rectifier for allowing current to ramp up in an inductor based on said duty cycle for low loss current rectification to a load.

11. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said duty cycle of said modulator controller is pulse width modulated.

12. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said duty cycle of said modulator controller is frequency modulated.

13. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said high speed switch is a N channel MOSFET.

14. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said synchronous rectifier is a P channel MOSFET.

15. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said comparator generates said error signal by comparing said solar cell reference voltage to a zener diode voltage reference.

16. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said solar cell reference voltage is adjusted by a resistor divider.

19. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said high speed switch is a N channel MOSFET.

20. The micro-solar insolation circuit of claim 10 wherein said synchronous rectifier is a P channel MOSFET.

18. A micro-solar insolation circuit comprising:

a solar cell array defining a reference voltage;

a comparator for generating an error signal based on said solar cell reference voltage;

a modulator controller for receiving said error signal wherein said modulator controller changes a duty cycle based on said error signal for low loss current limiting wherein said modulator controller is pulse width and frequency modulated; and

a high speed switch in association with a synchronous rectifier for allowing current to ramp up in an inductor based on said duty cycle for low loss current rectification to a load.