Patent ID: 7962249

Claim:
A central array controller for an energy generating array that comprises a plurality of energy generating devices in a system, each energy generating device coupled to a corresponding local converter, the central array controller comprising: a diagnostic module configured to receive data from each local converter in the array, the data comprising at least one of: device data for the energy generating device corresponding to the local converter and local converter data for the local converter; and a control module configured to send a control signal to each of the local converters based on the data in order to prompt at least one of the local converters to take at least one action identified by the control signal; wherein: each local converter comprises a local controller configured to determine a maximum power point for its corresponding energy generating device; the system is configured to operate in a distributed mode and a centralized mode; and the control signal comprises at least one of: a correction signal that corrects at least one of the maximum power points determined by at least one of the local controllers when the system is in the distributed mode, an enable signal that enables the local controllers in the distributed mode, and a disable signal that disables the local controllers in the centralized mode.