Granted Patent B2

US 12,519,423 · App. 18/642,041 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Inventors: Ron Hadar (Capitola, CA); Shmuel Arditi (Discovery Bay, CA)

Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc.

H02S50/10H02S40/32H02S40/34H10F77/63H10F77/955H02S50/00H02S50/15Y02E10/50

Abstract

Claims (23)

1 . A method implemented in a photovoltaic system, comprising:

connecting an inverter between a power bus of the photovoltaic system and a power grid, wherein the photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each respective photovoltaic module of the photovoltaic modules having a watchdog unit coupled between the respective photovoltaic module and the power bus, the watchdog unit comprising:

a local controller; and

at least one switch coupled between photovoltaic cells of the respective photovoltaic module and the power bus;

wherein the power bus includes a diode coupled in series with the power bus;

monitoring, by the watchdog unit, a communication from a central controller;

determining, by the watchdog unit, whether the communication from the central controller has been interrupted for a time period longer than a predetermined number of allowed skips;

connecting, by the at least one switch, power from the photovoltaic cells of the respective photovoltaic module to the power bus in absence of a determination by the local controller that the communication from the central controller has been interrupted for a time period longer than the predetermined number of allowed skips;

disconnecting, by the at least one switch, power from the photovoltaic cells of the respective photovoltaic module from the power bus in response to a determination by the local controller that the communication from the central controller has been interrupted for a time period longer than the predetermined number of allowed skips; and

bypassing current through a bypass path without passing through the diode when the respective photovoltaic module is disconnected from the power bus.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic system further comprises the central controller.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

performing the communication from the central controller via a wired connection.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

performing the communication from the central controller is via a wireless connection.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

controlling, by the local controller, a duty cycle of the at least one switch to control an output voltage of the respective photovoltaic module.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

powering, by the respective photovoltaic module, the local controller.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, in the local controller, a shutdown signal from the central controller in addition to detecting that the communication from the central controller has been interrupted for a time period longer than a predetermined number of allowed skips.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

disconnecting, by the at least one switch, power from the photovoltaic cells of the respective photovoltaic module from the power bus in response to the local controller receiving the shutdown signal.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (6)

References Cited (264)