Patents by Inventor Klaus Krause
Klaus Krause 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).
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Patent number: 10693025Abstract: A solar cell panel with a bottom cover plate and an electrically conductive bus bar. A top cover plate having at least one electrically conductive land in communication with a bottom surface of the top cover plate. The land having a height extending from the bottom surface of the top cover plate. An array of rows and columns of solar cell chips lying between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate. Each solar cell chip of the array having an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface. The bus bar in electrical communication with each cathode of each solar cell chip of the array. Each land in electrical contact with each anode of a solar cell chip of the array. An opening formed between adjacent lands wherein the opening extends at least the height of the lands.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
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Publication number: 20170133533Abstract: A solar cell panel with a bottom cover plate and an electrically conductive bus bar. A top cover plate having at least one electrically conductive land in communication with a bottom surface of the top cover plate. The land having a height extending from the bottom surface of the top cover plate. An array of rows and columns of solar cell chips lying between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate. Each solar cell chip of the array having an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface. The bus bar in electrical communication with each cathode of each solar cell chip of the array. Each land in electrical contact with each anode of a solar cell chip of the array. An opening formed between adjacent lands wherein the opening extends at least the height of the lands.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2017Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
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Patent number: 9583658Abstract: A solar cell panel and method of forming a solar cell panel. The method includes a: forming an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of a bottom cover plate; forming an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of a top cover plate, the top cover plate transparent to visible light; and placing an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate, each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, the bus bar electrically contacting each cathode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips and the contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2010Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
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Patent number: 9246028Abstract: A silicon solar cell is manufactured by providing a carrier plate, and by applying a first contact pattern to the carrier plate. The first contact pattern includes a set of first laminar contacts. The silicon solar cell is further manufactured by applying a multitude of silicon slices to the first contact pattern, and by applying a second contact pattern to the multitude of silicon slices. Each first laminar contact of the set of first laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices. The second contact pattern includes a set of second laminar contacts. Each second laminar contact of the set of second laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
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Patent number: 8844801Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for identifying and tracing of items within an assembly or manufacturing process. An individual item identifier (“ID”) is assigned to an item during one or more of an initial assembly step and a manufacturing step. A surface of the item is read to determine a first surface profile of the item which is associated with the individual item ID. The first surface profile and the individual item ID are stored in a database. The surface of the item is read to determine a second surface profile of the item after each manufacturing or assembling process step in which the surface of the item is manipulated. The second surface profile is compared with the first surface profile and the second surface profile is associated with the individual item ID in response to a mismatch between the first surface profile and the second surface profile.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2011Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
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Publication number: 20140202529Abstract: A silicon solar cell is manufactured by providing a carrier plate, and by applying a first contact pattern to the carrier plate. The first contact pattern includes a set of first laminar contacts. The silicon solar cell is further manufactured by applying a multitude of silicon slices to the first contact pattern, and by applying a second contact pattern to the multitude of silicon slices. Each first laminar contact of the set of first laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices. The second contact pattern includes a set of second laminar contacts. Each second laminar contact of the set of second laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
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Patent number: 8735212Abstract: A silicon solar cell is manufactured by providing a carrier plate, and by applying a first contact pattern to the carrier plate. The first contact pattern includes a set of first laminar contacts. The silicon solar cell is further manufactured by applying a multitude of silicon slices to the first contact pattern, and by applying a second contact pattern to the multitude of silicon slices. Each first laminar contact of the set of first laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices. The second contact pattern includes a set of second laminar contacts. Each second laminar contact of the set of second laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
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Patent number: 8631565Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar concentrator cell module assembly within an integrated circuit process, which solar concentrator cell module assembly includes at least one solar device and which solar device includes one printed circuit board and one Fresnel lens. A printed circuit board is assembled according to a pre-defined circuit board base design layout that allows pick and place of a single solar concentrator cell chip onto a circuit board base. Connections are provided for the solar concentrator cell chip in a serialized or a parallelized arrangement on the circuit board base, and a plurality of openings are formed in the circuit board base below a backside of the solar concentrator chip to enable attachment of cooling fingers.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2008Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christian Becker, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Rainer Klaus Krause, Thorsten Muehge, Markus Schmidt
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Patent number: 8614115Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic solar cell device includes the following. A p-n junction having a first doping density is formed. Formation of the p-n junction is enhanced by introducing a second doping density to form high doped areas for a dual emitter application. The high doped areas are defined by a masking process integrated with the formation of the p-n junction, resulting in a mask pattern of the high doped areas. A metallization of the high doped areas occurs in accordance with the mask pattern of the high doped areas.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Carl Radens, Brian C. Sapp
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Patent number: 8486751Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell using a semiconductor wafer having a front side and a rear side, wherein the photovoltaic cell produces electricity when the front side of the semiconductor wafer is illuminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2010Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
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Publication number: 20120179283Abstract: The invention relates to managing performance of solar devices throughout a manufacturing process with multiple manufacturing steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2012Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
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Publication number: 20120160295Abstract: A method for characterizing the electronic properties of a solar cell to be used in a photovoltaic module comprises the steps of performing a room temperature IV curve measurement of the solar cell and classifying the solar cell based on this IV curve measurement. In order to take stress-related effects into account, the solar cells are reclassified depending on the result of an additional measurement conducted on the solar cells under stress. This stress-related measurement may be gained from light induced thermography (LIT) yielding information on diode shunt areas within the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
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Publication number: 20120132703Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for identifying and tracing of items within an assembly or manufacturing process. An individual item identifier (“ID”) is assigned to an item during one or more of an initial assembly step and a manufacturing step. A surface of the item is read to determine a first surface profile of the item which is associated with the individual item ID. The first surface profile and the individual item ID are stored in a database. The surface of the item is read to determine a second surface profile of the item after each manufacturing or assembling process step in which the surface of the item is manipulated. The second surface profile is compared with the first surface profile and the second surface profile is associated with the individual item ID in response to a mismatch between the first surface profile and the second surface profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
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Publication number: 20110130982Abstract: The invention relates to an autonomously working monitoring system (10), a method for monitoring and maintenance of power grid distributed power generation devices (14) and a related computer program product. The system comprises at least one power performance monitoring unit (12) for monitoring, analyzing and storing at least power performance data (70) of at least one power generation device (14); at least one power generation device (14) comprising at least one power generation module (16) for generation of electric power and at least one inverter module (18) for feeding in electric power of said power generation module (16) to a power grid (20); and an external network (22) connecting one or more power generation devices (14) with said power performance monitoring unit (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michael Haag, Nils Haustein, Rainer Klaus Krause, Thorsten Muehge, Joerg Weyerthaeuser
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Publication number: 20110124135Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assembly of solar cell modules by arranging a multitude pre-manufactured, individualized solar cells for forming a matrix of solar cells for the solar cell module; depositing a metallization layer at least partially on at least one surface of the matrix of solar cells for forming the solar cell module; testing electrical function at least of the solar cell module; depositing a passivation layer on a surface of the solar cell module. In another aspect the invention relates to a manufacturing system for a solar cell module and a solar cell module (26) comprising a matrix of pre-manufactured and individualized solar cells and manufactured according to the aforementioned method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Kevin S. Petrarca, Rainer Klaus Krause, Brian C. Sapp
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Publication number: 20110120519Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell using a semiconductor wafer having a front side and a rear side, wherein the photovoltaic cell produces electricity when the front side of the semiconductor wafer is illuminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harlod J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
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Publication number: 20110100451Abstract: A silicon solar cell is manufactured by providing a carrier plate, and by applying a first contact pattern to the carrier plate. The first contact pattern includes a set of first laminar contacts. The silicon solar cell is further manufactured by applying a multitude of silicon slices to the first contact pattern, and by applying a second contact pattern to the multitude of silicon slices. Each first laminar contact of the set of first laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices. The second contact pattern includes a set of second laminar contacts. Each second laminar contact of the set of second laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2009Publication date: May 5, 2011Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
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Publication number: 20110100443Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic solar cell device includes the following. A p-n junction having a first doping density is formed. Formation of the p-n junction is enhanced by introducing a second doping density to form high doped areas for a dual emitter application. The high doped areas are defined by a masking process integrated with the formation of the p-n junction, resulting in a mask pattern of the high doped areas. A metallization of the high doped areas occurs in accordance with the mask pattern of the high doped areas.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Carl Radens, Brian C. Sapp
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Patent number: 7897434Abstract: A method of fabricating solar cell chips. The method includes creating an integrated circuit chip process route for fabricating integrated circuit chips using integrated circuit wafers in an integrated circuit fabrication facility; creating a solar cell process route for fabricating solar cells using solar cell wafers in the integrated circuit fabrication facility; releasing integrated circuit chip wafers and solar cell wafers into tool queues of tools of the an integrated circuit fabrication facility; and processing the solar cell wafers on at least some tools of the integrated circuit fabrication facility used to process the integrated circuit wafers. Also the process used to fabricate the solar cell chips.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2008Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Markus Schmidt, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
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Publication number: 20100304519Abstract: A method of fabricating solar cell chips. The method includes creating an integrated circuit chip process route for fabricating integrated circuit chips using integrated circuit wafers in an integrated circuit fabrication facility; creating a solar cell process route for fabricating solar cells using solar cell wafers in the integrated circuit fabrication facility; releasing integrated circuit chip wafers and solar cell wafers into tool queues of tools of the an integrated circuit fabrication facility; and processing the solar cell wafers on at least some tools of the integrated circuit fabrication facility used to process the integrated circuit wafers. Also the process used to fabricate the solar cell chips.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2010Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Markus Schmidt, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen