Patent ID: 8004117

Claim:
A distributed power harvesting system comprising: a plurality of power sources each providing DC power; a plurality of converters, each converter comprising: input terminals receiving input voltage from, and coupled to, a respective power source from the plurality of power sources; output terminals for providing an output voltage; circuitry operatively connected to said input terminals and output terminals, wherein said circuitry receives and converts the input voltage to the output voltage, the circuitry comprising a buck portion providing a stepped down output voltage, a boost portion connected to the buck portion and adapted to provide a stepped up output voltage, and a controller selectively engaging the buck portion and/or the boost portion; at least two bypass paths adapted for bypassing at least part of the circuitry; wherein; and a maximum power point tracking circuits coupled to a respective power source for tracking power input from the respective power source, wherein the controller selectively engages the buck portion or the boost portion or both in response to signal from the maximum power point tracking circuit.