US 12,143,065 B2
Systems and methods for an enhanced watchdog in solar module installations
Ron Hadar, Capitola, CA (US); and Shmuel Arditi, Discovery Bay, CA (US)
Assigned to Tigo Energy, Inc., Campbell, CA (US)
Filed by Tigo Energy, Inc., Los Gatos, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/526,793.
Application 16/389,775 is a division of application No. 14/572,458, filed on Dec. 16, 2014, granted, now 10,312,857, issued on Jun. 4, 2019.
Application 17/526,793 is a continuation of application No. 16/389,775, filed on Apr. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,967,930.
Application 14/572,458 is a continuation of application No. 12/628,977, filed on Dec. 1, 2009, granted, now 8,933,321, issued on Jan. 13, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/276,753, filed on Sep. 16, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/275,977, filed on Sep. 3, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2022/0077819 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H02S 50/10 (2014.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/052 (2014.01); H02S 40/32 (2014.01); H02S 40/34 (2014.01); H02S 50/00 (2014.01); H02S 50/15 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 50/10 (2014.12) [H01L 31/02021 (2013.01); H01L 31/052 (2013.01); H02S 40/32 (2014.12); H02S 40/34 (2014.12); H02S 50/00 (2013.01); H02S 50/15 (2014.12); Y02E 10/50 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a watchdog unit coupled between a solar module and a power bus, the power bus configured to connect a plurality of solar modules to an inverter, the watchdog unit having:
a local controller configured to monitor a power line communication from a central controller and determine whether the power line communication has been interrupted for a period longer than a predetermined time or number of allowed skips,
wherein the power line communication is a signal whose modulation represents coded information;
at least one component configured to disconnect the solar module from the power bus in response to a determination by the local controller that the power line communication from the central controller has been interrupted for a period longer than the predetermined time or number of allowed skips; and
a diode coupled in series with the power bus;
wherein the watchdog unit is configured to connect the solar module to the power bus when the power line communication is not interrupted; and
a bypass circuit configured to enable current in the power bus to bypass the solar module when the at least one component disconnects the solar module from the power bus;
wherein the bypass circuit is configured to short the power bus through the watchdog unit such that current in the power bus can bypass the solar module;
wherein the bypass circuit is configured to enable current in the power bus to bypass the diode.