A distributed power system including multiple DC power sources and multiple power modules. The power modules include inputs coupled respectively to the DC power sources and outputs coupled in series to form a serial string. An inverter is coupled to the serial string. The inverter converts power input from the serial string to output power. A signaling mechanism between the inverter and the power module is adapted for controlling operation of the power modules.

The present disclosure provides a display device. A solar cell module is integrated into a body of the display device. A photosensitive control module is configured to detect a brightness value of current ambient light being incident on the display device, and when the detected brightness value meets a predetermined condition, switch a power supply of the display device from a local cell to the solar cell module, so as to supply the electric energy stored in the solar cell module to the display device.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for melting snow from a surface of a power source. The power source may be a photovoltaic (PV) module.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for designing photovoltaic panels are described herein. The photovoltaic panels are composed substrings of photovoltaic cells. The substrings of photovoltaic cells may be oriented in a horizontal fashion with respect to a layout of the photovoltaic panels. In the event of snow coverage, partial shading, mutual shading, and so forth, orienting the substrings of the photovoltaic cells in this manner enables those substrings which are disposed higher up in the photovoltaic panel to resume operation even while those substrings which are disposed lower down in the photovoltaic panel remain covered, shaded or otherwise blocked or impeded from functioning. Accordingly, the overall productivity of a photovoltaic panel designed as described herein is increased. Related apparatus, systems, and methods are also described.

A solar cell module and a method for operating a solar cell module. The solar cell module includes a plurality of strings which are each formed from a plurality of solar cells connected to one another in a series circuit, wherein each string is connected to a bypass circuit assigned thereto. The solar cell module is also characterized in that the bypass circuit has a switching element and is configured to reduce an electrical current inside the string by switching the switching element when a return current occurs within the associated string.

The technology disclosed in this patent document can be used to construct devices with opto-electronic circuitry for sensing and identification applications, to provide untethered devices for deployment in living objects and other applications, and to provide fabrication techniques for making such devices for commercial production. As illustrated by specific examples disclosed herein, the disclosed technology can be implemented to provide fabrication methods, substrates, and devices that enable wireless, inorganic cell-scaled sensor and identification systems that are optically-powered and optically-readout.

A reconfigurable solar array has a plurality of photovoltaic cells and an interconnect circuit including a plurality of switches for interconnecting the photovoltaic cells. A thermostatic feedback control circuit in communication with a temperature sensor is configured to produce a temperature signal that is proportional to a temperature of the photovoltaic cells. The thermostatic feedback control circuit is configured to cause at least one of the switches to change state at a preset temperature that is independent of supply voltage. When the temperature is above the preset temperature, the photovoltaic cells are arranged in a plurality of strings connected in parallel. When the temperature is at or below the preset temperature, at least one photovoltaic cell in each string is disconnected from a respective string and reconnected in series to each other to form a new string connected in parallel to the other strings.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photodiode, a generation circuit, a first control circuit, and a second control circuit. The photodiode is configured to perform avalanche multiplication. The generation circuit is configured to generate a control signal. The first control circuit is configured to be controlled by the control signal to be in a standby state where the avalanche multiplication by the photodiode is possible and in a recharging state for returning the photodiode having performed the avalanche multiplication to the standby state. The second control circuit is configured to count a number of periods in which the avalanche multiplication has occurred among a plurality of periods of the standby state by using the control signal and a signal corresponding to an output of the photodiode.

The embodiment of the present disclosure provides a photovoltaic component control device including at least one bypass module configured to connect in parallel to at least one photovoltaic component; a driving circuit configured to drive the at least one bypass module to operate under control of a controller; a power supply module configured to obtain energy from the at least one photovoltaic component and output the energy to the controller in a case that the at least one photovoltaic component operates normally and the at least one photovoltaic component is bypassed; the controller configured to control an ON state of the at least one bypass module to control whether the at least one photovoltaic component is in a bypass mode. The energy consumption of the control device is greatly reduced, a problem of voltage stress is solved, and the safety performance of the bypass-type control device is improved.

A solar power system is provided for maximizing solar power conversion. The solar power system includes n power units connected in series and n1 DC-DC converting units, and each of the n1 DC-DC converting units is coupled to at least one of n solar power units. Each of the n1 DC-DC converting units is configured to control the correspondingly connected solar power units to operate at a target current generation. The solar power system further includes a controlling unit coupled to the n1 DC-DC converting units. The controlling unit monitors and compares the n currents generated by the n solar power units. Based on the current comparison, the controlling unit determines a series current and controls the n solar power units so that each of the generated photovoltaic currents is substantially equal to the determined series current.