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).
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Publication number: 20230179143Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2022Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
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Patent number: 11386512Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Gary Wayne, Charles Buhler, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Zachary Richard Campau, Jacob Wachman, William Colin Adkison, Chris Bunch
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Patent number: 11387776Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 12, 2014Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
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Patent number: 10635755Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 15, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners
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Patent number: 10566927Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
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Patent number: 10460360Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 9, 2014Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Charles Buhler, Jake Wachman
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Patent number: 10204183Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Sunrun, Inc.Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
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Publication number: 20160232636Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2015Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Gary Wayne, Charles Buhler, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Zachary Richard Campau, Jacob Wachman, William Colin Adkison, Chris Bunch
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Publication number: 20160004796Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2015Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
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Patent number: 9201987Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 26, 2012Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: SunRun, Inc.Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
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Publication number: 20150088682Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Gary Wayne, Billy Hinners, John Hovell, Charles Buhler, Jake Wachman
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Publication number: 20140289168Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2014Publication date: September 25, 2014Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS, John HOVELL, Charles BUHLER, Jake WACHMAN
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Publication number: 20140246072Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS
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Publication number: 20140149081Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.Inventors: Billy Hinners, Gary Wayne
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Publication number: 20140130840Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: SUNRUN, INC.Inventors: Billy HINNERS, Gary WAYNE
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Publication number: 20130158954Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Gary WAYNE, Billy HINNERS