US 11,888,435 B2
Systems and methods for array level terrain based backtracking
Andrew Joseph Morse, Mount Airy, MD (US); and Nagendra Srinivas Cherukupalli, Saratoga, CA (US)
Assigned to FTC Solar, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by FTC Solar, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/172,462.
Application 18/172,462 is a continuation of application No. 17/352,078, filed on Jun. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,621,664.
Application 17/352,078 is a continuation of application No. 17/019,806, filed on Sep. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,108,353, issued on Aug. 31, 2021.
Application 17/019,806 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/928,679, filed on Jul. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,139,775, issued on Oct. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0198459 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); G01J 1/42 (2006.01); G01S 3/786 (2006.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [G01J 1/42 (2013.01); G01S 3/7862 (2013.01); G01J 2001/4266 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A controller for a first tracker of a plurality of trackers in an array, the controller including a physical processor in communication with at least one memory device and a rotation mechanism of the first tracker, the processor programmed to:
determine a first angle for the first tracker based on a shadow model and a position of the sun at a first specific point in time;
determine a relative height for each tracker of the plurality of trackers in the array for the first specific point in time;
adjust the first angle based on executing the shadow model with the plurality of relative tracker heights associated with the plurality of trackers in the array;
determine a first amount of irradiance to be collected based on the first angle, the plurality of relative tracker heights, and the shadow model;
determine a second amount of irradiance to be collected based on the adjusted first angle, the plurality of relative tracker heights, and the shadow model;
compare the first amount of irradiance to be collected with the second amount of irradiance to be collected;
determine whether to transmit instructions for the first angle or the adjusted first angle based on the comparison; and
transmit the determined instructions to the rotational mechanism to change a plane of the tracker.