Abstract: Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a signal, having components to be located sense the signal and report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.

Abstract: Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a signal, having components to be located sense the signal and report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.

Abstract: Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a cycling signal, having components to be located sense the cycling signal at the same time, report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.

Abstract: Technologies for communication between an inverter and a solar module are disclosed. The disclosed technologies include monitoring a voltage and/or current of the solar module to determine a corresponding voltage waveform and/or current waveform and determining whether the voltage waveform and/or current waveform includes an encoded message. If a message is encoded in the voltage waveform and/or current waveform, the solar module may perform one or more actions. For example, the solar module may adjust an operating voltage, current, or power, adjust a switching frequency or duty cycle of one or more converters of the solar module, initiate a global maximum power point search, and/or other actions.

Abstract: Electrical component location is provided. Employed location techniques may include providing a cycling signal, having components to be located sense the cycling signal at the same time, report back the sensed signal, and determining relative locations for one or more of the components using the sensed signals reported by the components.

Abstract: An apparatus formed with a plurality of power subsystems, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus is formed with plurality of local controllers to control an operating characteristic of at least one of the plurality of power subsystems. A central controller of the apparatus is configured to receive an indication of an overall power produced by the plurality of power subsystems, selectively command a first local controller of the plurality of local controllers to change a value of the operating characteristic of a first power subsystem of the plurality of power subsystems, receive an indication of a change in the overall power in response to the change in the value of the operating characteristic of the first power subsystem, and store, in memory, the change in the value of the operating characteristic of the first power subsystem if the overall power is increased.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A multipolar solar module may include a string of series-connected solar cells and three or more terminals that are coupled to a module-level power electronic device (MLPE). A first terminal may be coupled to positive end of the string of series-connected solar cells, a second terminal may be coupled to the midpoint of the string of series-connected, and a third terminal may be coupled to the negative end of the string of series-connected solar cells. The voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal may be +Vpanel/2, and the voltage between the third terminal and the second terminal may be ?Vpanel/2. Various topologies may be used inside the MLPE without some components that would be required in a unipolar solar module.

Abstract: Technologies for communication between an inverter and a solar module are disclosed. The disclosed technologies include monitoring a voltage and/or current of the solar module to determine a corresponding voltage waveform and/or current waveform and determining whether the voltage waveform and/or current waveform includes an encoded message. If a message is encoded in the voltage waveform and/or current waveform, the solar module may perform one or more actions. For example, the solar module may adjust an operating voltage, current, or power, adjust a switching frequency or duty cycle of one or more converters of the solar module, initiate a global maximum power point search, and/or other actions.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay inverter may subsequently retransmit a reply received from the non-responsive power inverter to the inverter array controller or to another power inverter of the array of inverters.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: An apparatus formed with a plurality of power subsystems, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the apparatus is formed with plurality of local controllers to control an operating characteristic of at least one of the plurality of power subsystems. A central controller of the apparatus is configured to receive an indication of an overall power produced by the plurality of power subsystems, selectively command a first local controller of the plurality of local controllers to change a value of the operating characteristic of a first power subsystem of the plurality of power subsystems, receive an indication of a change in the overall power in response to the change in the value of the operating characteristic of the first power subsystem, and store, in memory, the change in the value of the operating characteristic of the first power subsystem if the overall power is increased.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay inverter may subsequently retransmit a reply received from the non-responsive power inverter to the inverter array controller or to another power inverter of the array of inverters.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay inverter may subsequently retransmit a reply received from the non-responsive power inverter to the inverter array controller or to another power inverter of the array of inverters.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.

Abstract: A device, system, and method for communicating with a power inverter of an array of inverters includes transmitting a relay message from an inverter array controller to a relay inverter in response to failing to receive a response from at least one power inverter of the array. The relay inverter is configured to retransmit a message from the inverter array controller to a non-responsive power inverter of the array of inverters in response to receiving the relay message. The relay inverter may subsequently retransmit a reply received from the non-responsive power inverter to the inverter array controller or to another power inverter of the array of inverters.