Patent ID: 9240112
Filing Date: 2016-01-19
CPC Classification: G06K,G08B,H02J,H02M,H04N,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A multiple channel DC-to-AC power inverter, comprising: a) at least two DC power input ports; b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid; c) for each DC power input port, a DC-DC boost converter arranged to convert the voltage of a solar panel to a higher DC voltage suitable for inversion; d) a DC power combiner connected to the DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters and allowing the DC-DC boost converters to connect in parallel so that all DC currents are added together; e) a DC-AC inverter connected to said DC power combiner and arranged to invert the DC power to AC power; f) an internal AC powerline that allows the generated AC power to be sent to the grid through an external AC powerline; g) a load interface circuit connected to the DC-AC inverter and to the internal AC powerline, said load interface circuit being arranged to filter high-frequency components out of the DC-AC inverter's AC output; h) a DC power supply connected to the DC power combiner, an AC/DC power supply connected to the external AC powerline, and a power supply selector, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar panels or by the AC/DC power supply with input power from the grid through the external AC powerline; i) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters, DC-AC inverter, and load interface circuit, said microcontroller arranged to perform one or more of measuring input voltage and current, calculating DC input power for each channel, monitoring the DC boost voltage, controlling the DC-DC boost converters, performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each solar panel, performing DC-AC inversion, AC power synchronization, and AC output current control, monitoring AC current and voltage for generated power amount and status, performing powerline communications, performing logic controls such as AC powerline switching and isolation, running the power inverter in a normal mode or night mode based on calculated DC input power, and selecting the DC power supply or AC/DC power supply based on normal or night mode; j) a powerline modem connected to the digital microcontroller and the internal AC powerline through an interface circuitry for transmitting and receiving performance data between the digital microcontroller and the power grid; k) a line sensing circuit connected to the internal AC powerline and the microcontroller for detecting the phase and zero-crossing point of the incoming AC power from the power grid; and 1) a solid state switch connected to said internal AC powerline and external AC powerline, and arranged to disconnect said internal AC powerline from the AC grid during the non-generation time.