Patents by Inventor David B. DeGraaff

David B. DeGraaff 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).

  • Patent number: 11621362
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Tamir Lance, Nathan Beckett, Gilad Almogy, David B. DeGraaff
  • Patent number: 11056997
    Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module can include a PV laminate, a frame coupled to a perimeter of the laminate, a junction box that includes a housing for an electrical connection between a plurality of PV cells of the laminate and a plurality of conductors, and an electronics enclosure coupled to the frame. In embodiments, the electronics enclosure can include electronic circuitry that is electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors and to another photovoltaic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: David B. DeGraaff
  • Publication number: 20210020800
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Tamir Lance, Nathan Beckett, Gilad Almogy, David B. DeGraaff
  • Patent number: 10833214
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Tamir Lance, Nathan Beckett, Gilad Almogy, David B. DeGraaff
  • Publication number: 20170213929
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Tamir Lance, Nathan Beckett, Gilad Almogy, David B. DeGraaff
  • Publication number: 20160380584
    Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) module can include a PV laminate, a frame coupled to a perimeter of the laminate, a junction box that includes a housing for an electrical connection between a plurality of PV cells of the laminate and a plurality of conductors, and an electronics enclosure coupled to the frame. In embodiments, the electronics enclosure can include electronic circuitry that is electrically coupled to the plurality of conductors and to another photovoltaic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventor: David B. DeGraaff
  • Patent number: 9022020
    Abstract: Described herein are solar energy collector systems, components for solar energy collector systems, and methods for installing solar energy collector systems. The components for solar energy collector systems include but are not limited to solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, and various support structures. The solar energy collection systems, solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, support structures, and/or methods may be used, for example, in LFR solar arrays. Drives and drive systems are described herein that may provide improved rotational positioning, movement, and/or rotational positional sensing. For example, drives and drive systems are provided which allow operation through a variable frequency drive. The components and methods described herein may be used together in any combination in a solar collector system, or they may be used separately in different solar collector systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Areva Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann, Lars R. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140352761
    Abstract: Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Ryan Linderman, Doug Rose, Nicholas Boitnott, Keith Johnston, David B. DeGraaff
  • Patent number: 8807128
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are examples and variations of solar energy collector system comprising an elevated linear receiver (5) and first and second reflector fields (10P, 10E) located on opposite sides of, and arranged and driven to reflect solar radiation to, the receiver (5). Also disclosed herein are examples and variations of receivers (5) and reflectors (12a) that may, in some variations, be utilized in the disclosed solar energy collector systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Areva Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, Peter K. Le Lievre, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann
  • Patent number: 8809671
    Abstract: Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sunpower Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Linderman, Doug Rose, Nicholas Boitnott, Keith Johnston, David B. DeGraaff
  • Patent number: 8229908
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates dividing financial data to facilitate simultaneous modifications by multiple users. During operation, the system receives division-criteria, which facilitates dividing financial-data into a first subset and a second subset. Next, the system creates a copy of the financial-data which includes the division-criteria. The system then allows a first user to modify the first subset of the financial-data. The system also sends the copy of the financial-data to a second user, thereby enabling the second user to modify the second subset of the financial-data in the copy of the financial-data to create a change file. Subsequently, the system receives the change file from the second user, wherein the change file comprises modifications to the financial-data. Finally, the system merges the change file into the financial-data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intuit Inc.
    Inventors: David B. DeGraaff, Andrew D. Holmes, Puja Ramani, Teresa L. Roberts, Harold E. Schoolcraft
  • Publication number: 20110132431
    Abstract: Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Ryan Linderman, Doug Rose, Nicholas Boitnott, Keith Johnston, David B. DeGraaff
  • Publication number: 20110005513
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are examples and variations of solar energy collector system comprising an elevated linear receiver (5) and first and second reflector fields (10P, 10E) located on opposite sides of, and arranged and driven to reflect solar radiation to, the receiver (5). Also disclosed herein are examples and variations of receivers (5) and reflectors (12a) that may, in some variations, be utilized in the disclosed solar energy collector systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, Peter K. Le Lievre, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann
  • Patent number: 7653613
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates simultaneous modifications to financial-data by a first user and a second user. During operation, the system creates a copy of a financial-data file. The system then allows the first user to modify the financial-data file. The system also sends the copy of the financial-data file to the second user, thereby enabling the second user to modify the financial-data file to create a change file. Next, the system receives the change file from the second user, wherein the change file includes modifications to financial-data within the financial-data file. Finally, the system merges the change file into the financial-data file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Intuit Inc.
    Inventors: David B. DeGraaff, Andrew D. Holmes, Puja Ramani, Teresa L. Roberts, Harold E. Schoolcraft
  • Publication number: 20090056703
    Abstract: Described herein are solar energy collector systems, components for solar energy collector systems, and methods for installing solar energy collector systems. The components for solar energy collector systems include but are not limited to solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, and various support structures. The solar energy collection systems, solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, support structures, and/or methods may be used, for example, in LFR solar arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Ausra, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann, Lars R. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20090056699
    Abstract: Described herein are solar energy collector systems, components for solar energy collector systems, and methods for installing solar energy collector systems. The components for solar energy collector systems include but are not limited to solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, and various support structures. The solar energy collection systems, solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, support structures, and/or methods may be used, for example, in LFR solar arrays. Improved solar radiation absorbers, receivers and related methods are described here.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann, Lars R. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20090056701
    Abstract: Described herein are solar energy collector systems, components for solar energy collector systems, and methods for installing solar energy collector systems. The components for solar energy collector systems include but are not limited to solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, and various support structures. The solar energy collection systems, solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, support structures, and/or methods may be used, for example, in LFR solar arrays. Drives and drive systems are described herein that may provide improved rotational positioning, movement, and/or rotational positional sensing. For example, drives and drive systems are provided which allow operation through a variable frequency drive. The components and methods described herein may be used together in any combination in a solar collector system, or they may be used separately in different solar collector systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Mills, Philipp Schramek, David B. Degraaff, Peter L. Johnson, Alexander Hoermann, Lars R. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20080270310
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system that provides access to at least a portion of a software product are described. During operation, this system receives purchase information from a first location, where the purchase information includes information about purchased software features to which a user purchased access and where the purchased software features are provided by a first subset of modules in the software product. Next, the system receives an access request from a second location from which the software product can be accessed, where the access request includes an identifier provided to the user when the user purchased access to the purchased software features. Next, the system provides configuration instructions to the second location, where the configuration instructions dynamically enable the first subset of the modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: INTUIT INC.
    Inventors: David B. DeGraaff, Andrew A. Woods, Alvin Hsung-Un Lee, Stephen L. Molloy, Michael A. Meagher, Hunter D. Smith, Richard W. Cook, Gaurav Kotak, Lisa E. Woods
  • Publication number: 20080183711
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates dividing financial data to facilitate simultaneous modifications by multiple users. During operation, the system receives division-criteria, which facilitates dividing financial-data into a first subset and a second subset. Next, the system creates a copy of the financial-data which includes the division-criteria. The system then allows a first user to modify the first subset of the financial-data. The system also sends the copy of the financial-data to a second user, thereby enabling the second user to modify the second subset of the financial-data in the copy of the financial-data to create a change file. Subsequently, the system receives the change file from the second user, wherein the change file comprises modifications to the financial-data. Finally, the system merges the change file into the financial-data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: David B. DeGraaff, Andrew D. Holmes, Puja Ramani, Teresa L. Roberts, Harold E. Schoolcraft
  • Publication number: 20020059289
    Abstract: The methods and systems of the invention involve the generation and use of a cross-linked keyphrase ontology database. The database is generated by defining at least one keyphrase, representing the keyphrase by a keyphrase node in an ontology, cross-linking the keyphrase node to a second keyphrase node, and then repeating the preceding steps for each keyphrase defined. A retrievable object can be indexed in a cross-linked keyphrase ontology database by representing the retrievable object by an object node in an ontology and then cross-linking the object node to a keyphrase node, where the keyphrase node represents a keyphrase in a second ontology and the keyphrase is related to the retrievable object. The cross-linked keyphrase ontology database can be searched by parsing a natural language statement into a structured representation and searching the cross-linked keyphrase ontology database. The cross-linked ontology database can be used for disambiguating syntactically ambiguous natural language statements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Brant Gary Wenegrat, David B. DeGraaff, Jeffrey E. Davitz, Mariya B. Orshansky, Jiye Yu