Patent ID: 8456865

Claim:
A solar energy converter comprising: a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a first plurality of switching elements coupled to the primary winding of the transformer and configured for coupling to a photovoltaic solar panel; a second plurality of switching elements coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer; and a digital controller coupled to the switching elements and having an input for receiving a DC input signal from the solar panel, the controller functional to determine an operating mode for the converter based on the DC input signal from the solar panel, the controller further comprising a switch signal generator circuit operable to adjust switch states of the switches, the switch state adjustments based on the operating mode, at least one of a plurality of real time converter parameters, the real time converter parameters further comprising the DC input signal, an AC signal for output to a grid, and a current in the primary winding, and a desired configuration for the AC output signal waveform; the controller further comprising a predictive circuit functional to calculate predicted converter parameters further comprising a required peak primary current, a converter on time and a converter switching period, the calculations based on at least one of the real time converter parameters; the controller further comprising a current regulator coupled to receive predicted parameters from the predictive circuit and functional to adjust the converter switch on-time based on the real time peak primary current; the controller further comprising a transition mode regulator coupled to receive predicted parameters from the predictive circuit and functional to adjust the switching period based on a residual primary current, the residual current further comprising a difference between a predicted zero crossing for the primary current and a real time zero crossing for the primary current.