A direct current (DC) power combiner operable to interconnect multiple interconnected photovoltaic strings is disclosed. The DC power combiner may include a device adapted for disconnecting at least one photovoltaic string from the multiple interconnected photovoltaic strings, each photovoltaic string connectible by a first and second DC power line. The device may include a differential current sensor adapted to measure differential current by comparing respective currents in the first and second DC power lines. A first switch is connected in series with the first DC power line. A control module is operatively attached to the differential current sensor and the first switch. The control module may be operable to open the first switch when the differential current sensor measures the differential current to be greater than a maximum allowed current differential, thereby disconnecting the photovoltaic string from the interconnected photovoltaic strings.

Claims

20 · 2 independent · depth 4

20 granted claims

›1.independentAn apparatus comprising:na differential current sensor configured to measure differential current of at least one photovoltaic string of a plurality o…+8

›2.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to, in response to the differential current sensor measuring the differential c…d2+2

›4.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller circuit is configured to, in response to the at least one photovoltaic string beginning to produce po…d2+1

›5.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second switch comprises at least one of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), an integral diode, a solid …d2

›6.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first switch comprises at least one of a relay and a circuit breaker.d2

›14.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first switch is an electro-mechanical switch and the second switch is a semiconductor.d2

›7.independentA method comprising:nmeasuring a differential current by comparing current in a first DC power line to current in a second DC power line, the first DC…+10

›8.↳ 7The method of claim 7, further comprising:nopening, in response to the differential current being at a greater level than the predetermined current di…d2+2

›9.↳ 7The method of claim 7, further comprising:nclosing, in response to the at least one photovoltaic string beginning to produce power, the second switch …d2+1

›10.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the differential current is indicative of current between the first DC power line and ground.d2

›11.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the differential current is indicative of current between the second DC power line and ground.d2

›12.↳ 7The method of claim 7, further comprising:ninitiating a test, wherein the test comprises injecting current into at least one of the first DC power lin…d2

›18.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the second switch comprises at least one of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), an integral diode, a solid sta…d2

›19.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the first switch comprises at least one of a relay and a circuit breaker.d2

Classifications

8 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section H — Electricity

H02H3/16
H02H7/20
H01L31/02
H01L31/042
H02H3/33
H02J3/00
H02J3/38
H02J1/00

Claim changes

Soon

Coming soonHow the claims changed between publication and grant

See which claims were amended, added or cancelled during examination, with every added and removed word marked.

AmendedAddedCancelledUnchanged

The published claims of this patent are not paired with the granted ones in what we hold.

File wrapper

⤢ drag to zoom

USPTOApplicanthover for detail · click to open

Pendency

4.4 y

1,600 days filing → grant

Office actions

non-final + final

Responses

1 RCE

Examiner

Jagdeep Dhillon

art unit —

Law firm

Law firm · Log in to unlock

Citations: 1,441 back · 3 forward

See the full prosecution history — every USPTO and applicant action on this file, in order.

Term & fees

See the term timeline — pendency span, in-force span, the maintenance fees paid and both computed expiry dates.

Priority chain

1 priority documents

›Priority documents — 1

Type	Document	Date
related publication	US 20120175961 A1	12 Jul 2012

Validity challenges

See the validity challenges on record — reexaminations, IPRs and PGRs, with their institution decisions and outcomes.

Citations

See every patent this one cites and every patent that cites it back — publication, assignee, and how each one was found.