Patent ID: 7960863

Claim:
A method of setting an operating parameter of a photovoltaic element using a maximum power point tracker having a processor and a memory, the method comprising: measuring a first power of a photovoltaic element at a first value of an operating parameter of the photovoltaic element; measuring a second power of the photovoltaic element at a second value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element, wherein the difference between the first and second values of the operating parameter defines a first dither value; measuring a third power of the photovoltaic element at the first value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element; measuring a fourth power of the photovoltaic element at a third value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element, the third value of the operating parameter being different from the second value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element, the difference between the first and third values of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element being equal to a second dither value; measuring a fifth power of the photovoltaic element at the first value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element; calculating a slope of a power-operating parameter curve of the photovoltaic element using the first power of the photovoltaic element, the second power of the photovoltaic element, the fourth power of the photovoltaic element, the fifth power of the photovoltaic element, and the first dither value and the second dither value; calculating a new value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element, wherein the new value of the operating parameter is based at least in part on the first value of the operating parameter and the slope of the power-operating parameter curve of the photovoltaic element; and adjusting a value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element so that the value of the operating parameter of the photovoltaic element is equal to the new value of the operating parameter.