Power point tracking

1. A local power converter comprising:

a power conversion stage to transfer power from a power source to a central power converter having a power point tracking feature; and

a controller configured to manipulate the operating point of the local power converter and further configured to generate an instruction providing a direction in which to move along a power point curve of the central power converter, the instruction causing the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to perform an operation to adjust a voltage or a current to achieve an optimal point for operation of the central power converter, the optimal point for operation of the central power converter determined by the controller of the local power converter.

2. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to:

determine a maximum power point for the power source;

determine a slope of the power point curve by using a second point apart from the maximum power point of the power point curve for the power source; and

provide the slope to the power point tracking feature of the central power converter.

3. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to permit the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to detect a slope of power curve characteristics of the power source.

4. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to manipulate the operating point of the local power converter by alternating between at least two modes.

5. The local power converter of claim 4 where the modes include:

a first mode for determining a maximum power point of the power source; and

a second mode for influencing the power point tracking feature of the central power converter.

6. The local power converter of claim 5 where:

the first mode comprises a constant power mode; and

the second mode comprises a constant voltage ratio mode.

7. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to manipulate the operating point of the local power converter to provide a constant or substantially constant impedance.

8. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to keep a difference between the operating point of the local power converter and the maximum power point of the power source substantially constant.

9. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is configured to enable perturbations from the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to reach the power source.

10. The local power converter of claim 9 where the local power converter controller is further configured to implement a control loop, where the control loop functions to perturb the power source at a first frequency that the power point tracking feature of the central power converter is substantially insensitive to.

11. The local power converter of claim 10 further configured with instructions that configure the control loop operating on the local power converter to function to:

determine the maximum power point of the power source in response to perturbations at the first frequency; and

control the power point of the local power converter at a second frequency that enables perturbations from the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to reach the power source.

12. The local power converter of claim 11 where the control loop when in operation, serves to:

calculate a voltage ratio for the local power converter; and

calculate a power curve slope value and power curve slope direction in response to the voltage ratio.

13. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to:

observe perturbations from the power point tracking feature of the central power converter; and

manipulate the operating point of the local power converter in response to the observed perturbations.

14. The local power converter of claim 13 where the local power converter controller is further configured to maintain the voltage ratio of the local power converter to cause the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to detect a characteristic power curve shape for the power source.

15. The local power converter of claim 13 where the local power converter controller is further configured to use the observed perturbations to determine a power curve slope direction and slope value.

16. The local power converter of claim 13 where the local power converter controller is further configured to cause the perturbations from the power point tracking feature of the central power converter to reach the maximum power point of the power source.

17. The local power converter of claim 1 where the local power converter controller is further configured to operate in a mode to prevent the power point tracking feature of the central power converter from wandering.

18. The local power converter of claim 17 where operating in the mode comprises operating the local power converter at a fixed duty cycle.

19. The local power converter of claim 17 where the local power converter controller is further configured to save a parameter of the local power converter when entering fixed duty cycle operation.

20. The local power converter of claim 19 where the local power converter controller is further configured to stop operating at a fixed duty cycle when the parameter of the local power converter deviates from the saved value by a threshold.

21. The local power converter of claim 20 where deviating from the threshold is accomplished by instantaneously exceeding a first predetermined limit.

22. The local power converter of claim 20 where deviating from the threshold is accomplished by exceeding a predetermined limit for a predetermined length of time.

23. A method for operating a system having one or more power sources, a central power converter, and one or more local power converters coupled between the power sources and the central power converter, the method comprising:

combining an efficiency characteristic of the central power converter with an efficiency characteristic received from the one or more local power converters for the at least one of the power sources, thereby determining a composite efficiency characteristic for the system; and

operating the central power converter for the system at or near a maximum of the composite efficiency characteristic by performing an operation at the one or more local power converters to achieve an optimal point corresponding to the efficiency characteristic received from the one or more local power converters.

24. The method of claim 23 where:

the efficiency characteristic of the central power converter comprises a first efficiency curve; and

the efficiency characteristic of one of the one or more power sources comprises a second efficiency curve.

25. The method of claim 24 where combining the efficiency characteristics comprises multiplying the first and second efficiency curves.

26. The method of claim 25 where the composite efficiency characteristic is determined on a system-wide basis.

27. The method of claim 23 where the composite efficiency characteristic is determined at a local level.

28. A method for operating a system having a power source, a central power converter, and a local power converter coupled between the power source and the central power converter, the method comprising:

operating the local power converter in a maximum power point tracking mode to determine the value of a first parameter corresponding to a maximum power point;

saving the value of the first parameter; and

operating the central power converter in a fixed duty cycle mode using the value of the parameter received from the local power converter, wherein the local power converter reverts to the maximum power point tracking mode when a measured value of the first parameter deviates from the saved value.

29. The method of claim 28 where:

the local power converter comprises a switching power converter; and

the parameter comprises a duty cycle for the switching power converter.

30. The method of claim 28 where the fixed duty cycle mode enables the central power converter to detect the power curve of the local power source through the local power converter.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

saving the value of a second parameter obtained during maximum power point tracking operation; and

monitoring the second parameter during fixed duty cycle operation.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

comparing the monitored value of the second parameter to the saved value of the second parameter during fixed duty cycle operation; and

changing back to maximum power point tracking operation if the difference between the monitored value and the saved value exceeds a threshold.