	US 12,231,079 B2
	Methods and systems for detecting shading for solar trackers
Yang Liu, Mountain View, CA (US); and Chen Li, Fremont, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Nextracker LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on May 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/661,302.
Application 17/115,595 is a division of application No. 15/983,718, filed on May 18, 2018, granted, now 10,892,703, issued on Jan. 12, 2021.
Application 18/661,302 is a continuation of application No. 17/115,595, filed on Dec. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,996,800.
Prior Publication US 2024/0297613 A1, Sep. 5, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); G01S 3/781 (2006.01); G01S 3/782 (2006.01); G05D 3/10 (2006.01); G05D 3/20 (2006.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)

CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [G01S 3/781 (2013.01); G01S 3/782 (2013.01); G05D 3/105 (2013.01); G05D 3/20 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)]

15 Claims

1. A method of operating a solar tracker system, the method comprising:

providing a tracker controller, the tracker controller configured to receive electrical power from a plurality of solar modules, each solar module configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from a Sun, the plurality of solar modules arranged to form a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) strings, each PV string comprising at least two solar modules;

detecting a plurality of power signals generated by the plurality of PV strings and communicated electrically from each of the plurality of PV strings to a plurality of power inputs of the tracker controller;

determining a tilt angle associated with each PV string;

determining that a portion of the plurality of PV strings is shaded based on one or more of the detected power signals being less than a threshold; and

changing the tilt angle of one or more of the PV strings in response to determining that a portion of the plurality of PV strings is shaded.