Solar power system and communication apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9252680-B2
Application number	US-201213726855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2012
Priority date	Jul 17, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A solar power system includes at least one alternating-current module and a communication apparatus. Each alternating-current module includes a solar panel and an alternating-current inverter. The communication apparatus connects to the alternating-current module and controls stand-alone power-generating operations on the alternating-current module. The communication includes a module connector and a control circuit. The module connector is configured for connecting with the alternating-current module. The alternating-current module can be parallel-connected on a household power grid selectively. The communication apparatus can transmit a stand-alone power-generating command to the alternating-current module. The alternating-current inverter may cancel an anti-islanding protection procedure thereon according to the stand-alone power-generating command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar power system, comprising:
at least one alternating-current module comprising a solar panel and an alternating-current inverter electrically connected with the solar panel; and
a communication apparatus, connected to the at least one alternating-current module, for controlling stand-alone power-generating operations on the at least one alternating-current module, wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
a load connector;
a sensor configured for detecting whether the load connector is connected to a load appliance or not; and
a command unit configured for sending a stand-alone power-generating command to the alternating-current module when the load connector is connected to the load appliance.

2. The solar power system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stand-alone power-generating command is to provide a power from the solar panel to the load appliance.

3. The solar power system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
a judgment unit configured for determining whether a response message responded from the alternating-current module is received or not after the stand-alone power-generating command has been sent to the alternating-current module; and
a warning unit configured for providing a warning message when the response message is not received.

4. The solar power system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein, when the alternating module receives the stand-alone power-generating command, the alternating-current inverter enter an stand-alone power-generating procedure according to the stand-alone power-generating command.

5. The solar power system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
a confirmation unit configured for sending a confirmation message periodically to the alternating-current module during the stand-alone power-generating procedure, the judgment unit judges whether the alternating-current module responses to the confirmation message or not, and the warning unit provides a warning message when the alternating-current module fails to response to the confirmation message.

6. The solar power system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the alternating-current module comprises:
a confirmation unit configured for sending a confirmation message periodically to the communication apparatus during the stand-alone power-generating procedure;
a judgment unit configured for determining whether the communication apparatus responses to the confirmation message or not; and
a warning unit configured for providing a warning message when the communication apparatus fails to response to the confirmation message, and at the same time the alternating-current inverter shuts down.

7. The solar power system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
a judgment unit configured for determining whether a response message responded from the alternating-current module is received or not after the stand-alone power-generating command has been sent to the alternating-current module; and
a warning unit configured for providing a warning message when the response message is not received.

8. The solar power system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein, when the alternating module receives the stand-alone power-generating command, the alternating-current inverter enter an stand-alone power-generating procedure according to the stand-alone power-generating command.

9. The solar power system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
a confirmation unit configured for sending a confirmation message periodically to the alternating-current module during the stand-alone power-generating procedure, the judgment unit judges whether the alternating-current module responses to the confirmation message or not, and the warning unit provides a warning message when the alternating-current module fails to response to the confirmation message.

10. The solar power system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the alternating-current module comprises:
a confirmation unit configured for sending a confirmation message periodically to the communication apparatus during the stand-alone power-generating procedure;
a judgment unit configured for determining whether the communication apparatus responses to the confirmation message or not; and
a warning unit configured for providing a warning message when the communication apparatus fails to response to the confirmation message, and at the same time the alternating-current inverter shuts down.

11. A communication apparatus, comprising:
a module connector configured for connecting to an alternating-current module, the alternating-current module comprising a solar panel and an alternating-current inverter electrically connected to the solar panel; and
a control circuit electrically connected to the module connector for controlling operations on the alternating-current inverter
a load connector; and
a sensor configured for detecting whether the load connector is connected to a load appliance or not,
wherein the control circuit comprises a command unit configured for sending a stand-alone power-generating command to the alternating-current module when the load connector is connected to the load appliance.

12. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the control circuit comprises:
a judgment unit configured for determining whether a response message responded from the alternating-current module is received or not after the stand-alone power-generating command has been sent to the alternating-current module; and
a warning unit configured for providing a warning message when the response message is not received.

13. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, when the alternating-current module receives the stand-alone power-generating command, the alternating-current inverter enter a stand-alone power-generating procedure according to the stand-alone power-generating command,
the control circuit comprises a confirmation unit configured for sending a confirmation message periodically to the alternating-current module during the stand-alone power-generating procedure, the judgment unit judges whether the alternating-current module responses to the confirmation message or not, and the warning unit provides a warning message when the alternating-current module fails to response to the confirmation message.

Assignees

• Au Optronics Corp

Inventors

• Huang Yi-Ming
• Kuo Min-Chien

Classifications

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02J3/388

  Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power · CPC title

• Y10T307/707

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02J2003/388

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J3/383

  Electricity · mapped topic