IP Library Granted Patent US 8,666,561
Granted Patent B2
US 8,666,561 · App. 12/701,262 · Granted Mar 4, 2014

Method and apparatus for determining a corrected monitoring voltage

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,666,561
App. No.
12/701,262
Granted
Mar 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a corrected monitoring voltage, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing system comprising at least one processor. The method comprises generating power at a first location; monitoring the generated power by measuring a first voltage proximate the first location; measuring a second voltage proximate a second location, the first and the second locations electrically coupled; and determining, based on the measured second voltage, a corrected monitoring voltage to compensate the measured first voltage for a distance between the first and the second locations.

Claims (59)

1. A method for determining a corrected monitoring voltage, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing system comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

generating power at a first location;

monitoring the generated power by measuring a first voltage proximate the first location, wherein measuring the first voltage comprises obtaining a first voltage measurement of the first voltage;

measuring a second voltage proximate a second location, the first and the second locations electrically coupled, wherein measuring the second voltage comprises obtaining a second voltage measurement of the second voltage;

computing a correction coefficient based on the first and the second voltage measurements; and

determining, based on the correction coefficient, a corrected monitoring voltage to compensate the measured first voltage for a distance between the first and the second locations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the first voltage further comprises obtaining a third voltage measurement of the first voltage, and wherein determining the corrected monitoring voltage comprises:

obtaining a first power measurement proximate the first location;

obtaining a second power measurement proximate the first location; and

computing the corrected monitoring voltage based on the first and the second power measurements, the third voltage measurement, and the correction coefficient.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the corrected monitoring voltage is not within an operating range; and

disabling a device generating the power at the first location or performing AC voltage regulation.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining, subsequent to computing the correction coefficient and prior to computing the corrected monitoring voltage, that the correction coefficient is within a correction coefficient range.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the correction coefficient has exceeded a time window; and

setting the correction coefficient to a value of one.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the correction coefficient has not exceeded a time window;

obtaining a third power measurement proximate the first location;

determining whether the third power measurement is within an output power range; and

resultant from determining whether the third power measurement is within the output power range, (i) setting the correction coefficient to a value of one, or (ii) recomputing the correction coefficient based on the third power measurement.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the corrected monitoring voltage is computed as V corr =V 3 *(1−(P 2 *(1−(V 2 /V 1 ))/P 1 )), wherein P 1 =the first power measurement, P 2 =the second power measurement, V 1 =the first voltage measurement, V 2 =the second voltage measurement, and V 3 =the third voltage measurement.

8. An apparatus for determining a corrected monitoring voltage, comprising:

a voltage monitoring module adapted for:

monitoring generated power at a first location by measuring a first voltage proximate the first location, wherein measuring the first voltage comprises obtaining a first voltage measurement of the first voltage;

receiving a second voltage measurement of a second voltage proximate a second location, the second location electrically coupled to the first location;

computing a correction coefficient based on the first and the second voltage measurements; and

determining, based on the correction coefficient, a corrected monitoring voltage to compensate the measured first voltage for a distance between the first and the second locations.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the voltage monitoring module determines the corrected monitoring voltage by (i) obtaining the first and a third voltage measurement of the first voltage, (ii) obtaining a first power measurement proximate the first location, (iii) obtaining a second power measurement proximate the first location, and (iv) computing the corrected monitoring voltage based on the first and the second power measurements, the third voltage measurement, and the correction coefficient.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the voltage monitoring module is further adapted for:

determining that the corrected monitoring voltage is not within an operating range; and

disabling a power generating device that generates the power at the first location or performing AC voltage regulation.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the voltage monitoring module is further adapted for determining, subsequent to computing the correction coefficient and prior to computing the corrected monitoring voltage, that the correction coefficient is within a correction coefficient range.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the voltage monitoring module is further adapted for:

determining that the correction coefficient has exceeded a time window; and

setting the correction coefficient to a value of one.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the voltage monitoring module is further adapted for:

determining that the correction coefficient has not exceeded a time window;

obtaining a third power measurement, the third power measurement measuring the output power from a power generating device that generates the power at the first location;

determining whether the third power measurement is within an output power range; and

resultant from determining whether the third power measurement is within the output power range, (i) setting the correction coefficient to a value of one, or (ii) recomputing the correction coefficient based on the third power measurement.

14. A system for determining a corrected monitoring voltage, the system comprising:

an inverter, adapted for generating power at a first location and monitoring the generated power by measuring a first voltage proximate the first location, wherein measuring the first voltage comprises obtaining a first voltage measurement of the first voltage; and

a measurement unit, adapted for measuring a second voltage proximate a second location, the first and the second locations electrically coupled, wherein measuring the second voltage comprises obtaining a second voltage measurement of the second voltage; wherein the inverter is further adapted for computing a correction coefficient based on the first and the second voltage measurements, and determining, based on the correction coefficient, a corrected monitoring voltage to compensate the measured first voltage for a distance between the first and the second locations.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the inverter determines the corrected monitoring voltage by (i) obtaining the first and a third voltage measurement of the first voltage, (ii) receiving the second voltage measurement, obtained by the measurement unit, of the second voltage, (iii) obtaining a first power measurement proximate the first location, (iv) obtaining a second power measurement proximate the first location, and (v) computing the corrected monitoring voltage based on the first and the second power measurements, the third voltage measurement, and the correction coefficient.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inverter is further adapted for:

determining that the corrected monitoring voltage is not within an operating range; and

disabling power production or performing AC voltage regulation.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inverter is further adapted for determining, subsequent to computing the correction coefficient and prior to computing the corrected monitoring voltage, that the correction coefficient is within a correction coefficient range.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inverter is further adapted for:

determining that the correction coefficient has exceeded a time window; and

setting the correction coefficient to a value of one.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the inverter is further adapted for:

determining that the correction coefficient has not exceeded a time window;

obtaining a third power measurement proximate the first location;

determining whether the third power measurement is within an output power range; and

resultant from determining whether the third power measurement is within the output power range, (i) setting the correction coefficient to a value of one, or (ii) recomputing the correction coefficient based on the third power measurement.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the corrected monitoring voltage is computed as V corr =V 3 *(1−(P 2 *(1−(V 2 /V 1 ))/P 1 )), wherein P 1 =the first power measurement, P 2 =the second power measurement, V 1 =the first voltage measurement, V 2 =the second voltage measurement, and V 3 =the third voltage measurement.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2020
From: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD.; FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
To: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 052022/0954 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041936 FRAME: 0109. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Apr 17, 2017
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD; FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 043339/0856 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS INDUSTRIAL, LTD
Reel/Frame 041958/0820 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: FLEXTRONICS AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 041936/0109 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: OBSIDIAN AGENCY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 041225/0509 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2016
From: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 041210/0283 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2010
From: FORNAGE, MARTIN; DARGATZ, MARV
To: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 023912/0799 →