Nanosatellite solar cell regulator
First Claim
1. A regulator for peak power tracking of a solar cell, the regulator disposed between the solar cell and a satellite power bus, the regulator comprising, an input current sensor for measuring an input current Iin from the solar cell, a converter for receiving an input voltage Vin at the input current Iin from the solar cell providing input power (Vin)(Iin), the regulator providing an output current Iout, the regulator converting the input power to output power (VBus)(Iout), the output power is communicated onto the power bus having an output bus voltage VBus, the solar cell having a peak power point, and a controller for monitoring the input power and for controlling the converter for providing the peak power output of the solar cells.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solar cell regulator in a nanosatellite includes a pulse width modulated DC-DC boost converter and a peak power tracking controller for converting solar cell power to bus power for charging of system batteries and powering loads while the controller controls the pulse width modulation operation of the converter for sensing solar cell currents and voltages along a power characteristic curve of the solar cell for peak power tracking, for determining any power data point, including a peak power point, an open circuit voltage point, and a short circuit current point along the power characteristic curve of the solar cell, and for communicating the power data to a satellite processor for monitoring the performance of the solar cell during operational use of the satellite.
238 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A regulator for peak power tracking of a solar cell, the regulator disposed between the solar cell and a satellite power bus, the regulator comprising,
an input current sensor for measuring an input current Iin from the solar cell, a converter for receiving an input voltage Vin at the input current Iin from the solar cell providing input power (Vin)(Iin), the regulator providing an output current Iout, the regulator converting the input power to output power (VBus)(Iout), the output power is communicated onto the power bus having an output bus voltage VBus, the solar cell having a peak power point, and a controller for monitoring the input power and for controlling the converter for providing the peak power output of the solar cells.
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4. A regulator for peak power tracking of a solar cell, the regulator disposed between the solar cell and a satellite power bus, the regulator for providing power data of the solar cell to a satellite processor through a data bus, the regulator comprising,
an input current sensor for measuring an input current Iin from the solar cell providing an input voltage Vin, an output current sensor for measuring an output current Iout of the power bus having a bus voltage VBus, a converter for receiving an input voltage Vin and input current Iin from the solar cell providing input power (Vin)(Iin), the regulator providing an output current lout, the regulator converting the input power to output power (VBus)(Iout) conducted to the power bus, the output power is communicated onto the power bus having an output bus voltage VBus, the solar cell having a peak power point, the solar cell having an open circuit voltage, the solar cell having a short circuit current, the solar cell having a power characteristic curve comprising the peak power point and the short circuit current and the open circuit voltage, and a controller for monitoring the input power and for controlling the converter for providing peak power output of the solar cell, the controller reducing the output power when the peak power point is exceeded, the controller monitoring the input power for determining power data comprising the peak power point, the controller for communicating the power data to the satellite processor, the power data comprising a data point on the power characteristic curve.
Specification