US 11,774,539 B2
Method for controlling the orientation of a solar tracker based on cartographic models
Jérôme Arliaud, Pourrières (FR); Adrien Crucifix, Marseilles (FR); and Philippe Blanc, Sophia Antipolis (FR)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by NEXTracker Inc., Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/222,742.
Application 17/222,742 is a continuation of application No. 16/903,127, filed on Jun. 16, 2020.
Application 16/903,127 is a continuation of application No. 15/739,667, granted, now 10,684,348, issued on Jun. 16, 2020, previously published as PCT/FR2016/051650, filed on Jun. 30, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 1556228 (FR), filed on Jul. 2, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0223347 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); F24S 50/20 (2018.01); G01S 3/786 (2006.01); G05D 3/10 (2006.01); H02S 50/00 (2014.01); H02S 40/20 (2014.01); H02S 20/10 (2014.01)
CPC G01S 3/7861 (2013.01) [F24S 50/20 (2018.05); G05D 3/105 (2013.01); H02S 20/10 (2014.12); H02S 20/32 (2014.12); H02S 40/20 (2014.12); H02S 50/00 (2013.01); F24S 2201/00 (2018.05); Y02E 10/47 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling an orientation of a solar tracker, the method comprising:
receiving an image of cloud coverage above the solar tracker;
determining an orientation setpoint value for the solar tracker based on the image of cloud coverage and cloud coverage models;
controlling the orientation of the solar tracker by applying the orientation setpoint value,
wherein the cloud coverage models include:
at least one zero-cloud coverage model corresponding to a direct inclination angle calculated based on a position of the Sun; and
at least two non-zero cloud coverage models corresponding to different optimized inclination angles.