Patents by Inventor Rainer Klaus Krause

Rainer 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).

  • Patent number: 10693025
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
  • Publication number: 20170133533
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
  • Patent number: 9583658
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harold John Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
  • Patent number: 9246028
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
  • Patent number: 8844801
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
  • Publication number: 20140202529
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
  • Patent number: 8735212
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
  • Patent number: 8631565
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Becker, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Rainer Klaus Krause, Thorsten Muehge, Markus Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8614115
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Carl Radens, Brian C. Sapp
  • Patent number: 8486751
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
  • Publication number: 20120179283
    Abstract: The invention relates to managing performance of solar devices throughout a manufacturing process with multiple manufacturing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
  • Publication number: 20120160295
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
  • Publication number: 20120132703
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rainer Klaus Krause
  • Publication number: 20110130982
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Haag, Nils Haustein, Rainer Klaus Krause, Thorsten Muehge, Joerg Weyerthaeuser
  • Publication number: 20110124135
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Kevin S. Petrarca, Rainer Klaus Krause, Brian C. Sapp
  • Publication number: 20110120519
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harlod J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Brian C. Sapp
  • Publication number: 20110100451
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
  • Publication number: 20110100443
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clevenger, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Kevin S. Petrarca, Gerd Pfeiffer, Kevin M. Prettyman, Carl Radens, Brian C. Sapp
  • Patent number: 7897434
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Markus Schmidt, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen
  • Publication number: 20100304519
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Michael Haag, Harold J. Hovel, Rainer Klaus Krause, Markus Schmidt, Xiaoyan Shao, Steven Erik Steen