Patent ID: 7521630
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: H01L,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A solar panel comprising: n groups of cells with m solar cells in each group, with all m solar cells in each group electrically connected in parallel, and all n groups of cells electrically connected in series between a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal of the panel, with n being a positive integer greater than 2 and m being a positive integer; an array of n-1 capacitors connected in electrical series; and an array of switches; wherein in a first configuration, a first capacitor of the array of n-1 capacitors is connected across the first group of cells, the first group of cells having a negative terminal that is the negative output terminal of the panel, and a second capacitor of the array of n-1 capacitors is connected across the second group of cells, and likewise for the remaining capacitors and groups of cells until an n-1th capacitor of the array of n-1 capacitors is connected across the n-1th group of cells; wherein in a second configuration, the first capacitor is connected across the second group of cells, the second capacitor is connected across the third group of cells, and likewise for the remaining capacitors and groups of cells until the n-1th capacitor is connected across an nth group of cells, the nth group of cells having a positive terminal that is the positive output terminal of the panel; wherein the array of switches is configured to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration; and wherein by repeated connection of the array of n-1 capacitors in the first configuration and in the second configuration, each of the capacitors is charged to a voltage substantially equal to the voltage across a neighboring capacitor, and since voltages that are substantially equal by pairs are all substantially equal to each other, the voltage between the output terminals of the panel is continuously substantially equal to n times the equal voltage across each of the parallel connected groups, regardless of the obstruction of any small number of cells in the panel.