IP Library Granted Patent US 11,515,837
Granted Patent B2
US 11,515,837 · App. 17/163,671 · Granted Nov 29, 2022

Solar power system commissioning

Inventors: Richard E. Mellor, Jr. (San Jose, CA); Gaurang Kavaiya (San Jose, CA); Jonathan Tucker Thompson (San Jose, CA); Sandeep Narla (San Jose, CA); Joseph Griffin (San Jose, CA); Rasoul Ghadami (San Jose, CA); Udo Uebel (San Jose, CA); Alvin Cheung (San Jose, CA); Fernando Cervantes (San Jose, CA); Alberto Fonts Zaragoz (San Jose, CA); Troy Yang (San Jose, CA); Daidipya Patwa (San Jose, CA); Rex Liu (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
H02S50/00H02J7/0048H02J7/35H04B3/542H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,515,837
App. No.
17/163,671
Granted
Nov 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Commissioning a solar power monitoring system includes imaging a plurality of labels, wherein each label of the plurality of labels is associated with an electronic component. Further, commissioning the solar power monitoring system includes discovering each electronic component at the same time based on the imaging of the plurality of labels, displaying a list of the discovered electronic components, and commissioning a solar power monitoring system including the discovered electronic components for use.

Claims (41)

1. A method for commissioning a solar power system, comprising:

imaging a plurality of labels, wherein each label of the plurality of labels is associated with an electronic component of a solar module;

discovering each electronic component at the same time based on the imaging of the plurality of labels;

displaying a list of the discovered electronic components; and

commissioning a solar power monitoring system including the discovered electronic components for use, wherein the commissioning includes assigning logical addresses to associate each electronic component with the solar power monitoring system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a power optimizer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a microinverter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more labels includes a unique identifier for identifying each of the electronic components explicitly.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging corresponds to a bulk scanning of the plurality of labels, wherein the bulk scanning reads each of the plurality of labels at the same time.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining a relative position of each solar module in a solar module array based on the bulk scanning.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

mapping the relative position of each solar module in the solar module array to a representation of a roof on which the solar panel system is installed.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

in response to a determination that an electronic component is not functioning properly, indicating on the representation of the roof on which the solar module array is installed which solar panel corresponds to the electronic component that is not functioning properly.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

requesting acknowledgment from each electronic component; and

in response to a determination that an electronic component is not functioning properly, indicating that the electronic component is faulted.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to a determination that an electronic component is not functioning properly, displaying trouble shooting information.

11. A method for commissioning a solar power system, comprising:

discovering electronic components of the solar power system;

mapping the electronic components in a solar power system topology;

determining a health status of the electronic components; and

determining a health status of the solar power system.

12. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , wherein discovery includes determining the electronic components connected to a PV monitoring and control system.

13. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , wherein mapping the electronic components in a solar power system topology comprises associating one or more batteries with one or more inverters of the solar power system.

14. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , wherein determining health status of the electronic components includes obtaining a battery state of charge (SOC); and

determining whether the battery SOC is within an predetermined acceptable range.

15. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , wherein determining health status of the electronic components includes

obtaining a battery state of charge temperature; and

determining whether the battery state of charge temperature is within an acceptable range.

16. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , wherein determining health status of the solar power system includes correlating one or more parameters between the electronic components of the solar power system.

17. The method for commissioning a solar power system according to claim 11 , further comprising updating firmware for electronic components external to a battery.

18. One or more computer readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by an information processing system, cause the system to:

discover electronic components of the solar power system;

map the electronic components in a solar power system topology;

determine a health status of the electronic components; and

determine a health status of the solar power system.

19. The one or more computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the information processing system is a mobile device.

20. The one or more computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the information processing system is a server.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2025
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION; SUNPOWER CORPORATION, SYSTEMS
To: UNIRAC, INC.
Reel/Frame 071302/0904 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2025
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION,
To: UNIRAC, INC.
Reel/Frame 070704/0860 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 14, 2024
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: GLAS AMERICAS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066598/0964 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2022
From: MELLOR JR., RICHARD; KAVAIYA, GAURANG; THOMPSON, JONATHAN TUCKER; NARLA, SANDEEP; GRIFFIN, JOSEPH; GHADAMI, RASOUL; UEBEL, UDO; CHEUNG, ALVIN; CERVANTES, FERNANDO; ZARAGOZ, ALBERTO FONTS; YANG, TROY; PATWA, DAIDIPYA; LIU, REX
To: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061298/0514 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2022
From: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 061422/0566 →