Patents by Inventor Billy HINNERS

Billy HINNERS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230179143
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex of a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
  • Patent number: 11386512
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating permit sets. A rules engine can traverse various requirements of a rules data structure in conjunction with rule settings that define permitting rules in effect for a particular jurisdiction to determine a value for each requirement. Document objects may then be created by combining project inputs with the determined values. A composing engine can receive the document objects and populate one or more page templates with the document objects to create a permit set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Charles Buhler, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Zachary Richard Campau, Jacob Wachman, William Colin Adkison, Chris Bunch
  • Patent number: 11387776
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex of a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
  • Patent number: 10635755
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines the optimal configuration for a solar power system by simulating the performance of different solar module arrays projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine selects the optimally-performing solar module array and then simulates the performance of additional solar module subarrays projected onto various regions of the target surface not already covered by the optimally-performing solar module array. The optimal configuration includes the optimally-performing solar module array and one or more optimally-performing solar module subarrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
  • Patent number: 10566927
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex of a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
  • Patent number: 10460360
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Charles Buhler, Jake Wachman
  • Patent number: 10204183
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
  • Publication number: 20160232636
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generating permit sets. A rules engine can traverse various requirements of a rules data structure in conjunction with rule settings that define permitting rules in effect for a particular jurisdiction to determine a value for each requirement. Document objects may then be created by combining project inputs with the determined values. A composing engine can receive the document objects and populate one or more page templates with the document objects to create a permit set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Charles Buhler, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Zachary Richard Campau, Jacob Wachman, William Colin Adkison, Chris Bunch
  • Publication number: 20160004796
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
  • Patent number: 9201987
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: SunRun, Inc.
    Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
  • Publication number: 20150088682
    Abstract: A computing device is equipped with a configuration engine and a solutions engine generates candidate solar power system configurations and corresponding pricing solutions, respectively. The computing device may be one of several computing devices located in a place of public accommodation, such as a retail store. Upon receiving a user selection of a candidate solar power system configuration and a pricing solution the a results engine of the computing device generates a results package for a solar power proposal that includes a signature-ready proposal that the user may execute on site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Charles Buhler, Jake Wachman
  • Publication number: 20140289168
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS, John HOVELL, Charles BUHLER, Jake WACHMAN
  • Publication number: 20140246072
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.
    Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS
  • Publication number: 20140149081
    Abstract: A configuration engine traverses sequential levels of a decision tree in order to iteratively refine a configuration for a solar power system. At each level of the decision tree, the configuration engine determines the outcome of a design decision based on computing the result of a value function. The configuration engine explores configurations that optimize the value function result compared to other configurations, and may also discard less optimal configurations. When a current configuration is considered less optimal than a previous configuration generated at a previous level, the configuration engine discards the current configuration and re-traverses the decision tree starting with the previous configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.
    Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
  • Publication number: 20140130840
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.
    Inventors: Billy HINNERS, Gary WAYNE
  • Publication number: 20130158954
    Abstract: An optimization engine determines the optimal configuration for a solar power system by simulating the performance of different solar module arrays projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine selects the optimally-performing solar module array and then simulates the performance of additional solar module subarrays projected onto various regions of the target surface not already covered by the optimally-performing solar module array. The optimal configuration includes the optimally-performing solar module array and one or more optimally-performing solar module subarrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS