Solar energy metering, communications, and control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10466282-B2
Application number	US-201514810423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2015
Priority date	Jul 27, 2015
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media are disclosed for monitoring photovoltaic solar systems. In some examples, the system includes a solar power measurement input for coupling to a solar panel system, a measurement circuit configured to measure power produced by the solar panel system using the solar power measurement input, and a data transmission system. The measurement circuit is configured, by virtue of the measurement circuit including electrical components rated to at least a certain tolerance level, to take revenue-grade power measurements from the solar power measurement input with a level of accuracy that meets a national or international metering standard. The data transmission system is configured to transmit the revenue-grade power measurements from the measurement circuit to a remote system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a solar power measurement input for coupling to a solar panel system;
a measurement circuit configured to take a plurality of power measurements from the solar power measurement input; and
a data communication system configured to transmit the power measurements from the measurement circuit to a remote system, wherein the data communication system comprises a first transmitter configured to transmit on a first protocol and a second transmitter configured to transmit on a second protocol different from the first protocol, and wherein the data communication system is configured to transmit the power measurements on the first transmitter and, in response to detecting unavailability of the first transmitter, switch from transmitting the power measurements on the first transmitter to transmitting the power measurements on the second transmitter;
wherein the data communication system is configured, by virtue of the data communication system comprising two separate power line communication devices, to simultaneously communicate with a broadband home power line network and a low bandwidth inverter power line network, including transmitting the power measurements on the broadband home power line network with a first power line communications device and transmitting the power measurements on the low bandwidth inverter power line network with a second power line communications device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit over a WiFi network and the second transmitter is configured to transmit over a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit over a wireless communications link and the second transmitter is configured to transmit over a wired communications link.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data communication system is configured to adjust the amount of data transmitted or the frequency of transmission or both based on whether the first transmitter is transmitting or the second transmitter is transmitting.

5. The system of claim 1 , comprising a control circuit configured to perform closed or open loop control of one or more devices connected by the data communication system.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising one or more consumption inputs for connecting to a utility line, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to take a plurality of consumption measurements from the consumption inputs and the data communication system is configured to transmit the consumption measurements to the remote system or a different remote system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data communication system is configured, by virtue of a wireless or wired connection to a networking device, to connect to a local area network and to act as a wireless access point to the local area network.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data communication system is configured, by virtue of the data communication system comprising two separate wireless mesh network radios, to simultaneously communicate with a smart meter, a home automation network, and an inverter control system.

9. A method comprising:
taking, by a measurement circuit, a plurality of power measurements from a solar power measurement input coupled to a solar panel system; and
transmitting, by a data communication system, the power measurements from the measurement circuit to a remote system, wherein transmitting the power measurements comprises transmitting, by a first transmitter, on a first protocol and transmitting, by a second transmitter, on a second protocol different from the first protocol, and wherein transmitting the power measurements comprises transmitting the power measurements on the first transmitter and, in response to detecting unavailability of the first transmitter, switch from transmitting the power measurements on the first transmitter to transmitting the power measurements on the second transmitter;
simultaneously communicating, by virtue of the data communication system comprising two separate power line communication devices, with a broadband home power line network and a low bandwidth inverter power line network, including transmitting the power measurements on the broadband home power line network with a first power line communications device and transmitting the power measurements on the low bandwidth inverter power line network with a second power line communications device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit over a WiFi network and the second transmitter is configured to transmit over a cellular network.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first transmitter is configured to transmit over a wireless communications link and the second transmitter is configured to transmit over a wired communications link.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data communication system is configured to adjust the amount of data transmitted or the frequency of transmission or both based on whether the first transmitter is transmitting or the second transmitter is transmitting.

13. The method of claim 9 , comprising performing, by a control circuit, closed or open loop control of one or more devices connected by the data communication system.

14. The method of claim 9 , comprising taking, by the measurement circuit, a plurality of consumption measurements from one or more consumption inputs for connecting to a utility line and transmitting, by the data communication system, the consumption measurements to the remote system or a different remote system.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data communication system is configured, by virtue of a wireless or wired connection to a networking device, to connect to a local area network and to act as a wireless access point to the local area network.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data communication system is configured, by virtue of the data communication system comprising two separate wireless mesh network radios, to simultaneously communicate with a smart meter, a home automation network, and an inverter control system.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Uebel Udo
• Kavaiya Gaurang
• Fischer Kevin
• Lenox Carl
• Scrutchfield Donald

Classifications

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02J13/1337

  involving the use of Internet protocols · CPC title

• H02J13/13

  characterised by the transmission of data to equipment in the power network · CPC title

• H02J3/003

  Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand · CPC title

• Y04S10/123

  the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources · CPC title