Sun tracking control system for solar collection devices

Abstract

This invention presents a robust design for a sun tracking control system where a capacitor(s) is charged from the solar panel and used to power a tracking control system and motor actuator(s). The control system periodically moves the solar array to a calculated sun position. The control system also monitors the energy stored in the capacitor(s) and makes its move decisions contingent on the level of stored energy. This added level of energy based decisions provide the tracking system a robust operating behavior to accommodate real world operating conditions with a simple rule set.

1 . A control system to activate motors and move one or more solar panels to track the sun where the control system incorporates,
 a super-capacitor energy storage device,   a charging circuit that uses power from said solar panel(s) to charge said super-capacitor,   a microprocessor that is powered by said super-capacitor,   at least one motor powered by said super-capacitor to move the said solar panel(s),   at least one position sensor to determine the relative position of said solar panel(s),   a Global Position Sensor,   a voltage sensing circuit
 whereas said voltage sensing circuit will monitors the voltage of said super-capacitor and communicate said voltage level to said microprocessor and based on pre-determined set point, logically decide to continue providing power, turn on power, or turn off power to said microprocessor based on said voltage level and, 
   a logical program that runs in said micro-processor that,
 will automatically initialize start up upon the application of power and, 
 will periodically read the position, time, and date from said Global Position Sensor and, 
 will calculate the relative current position of the sun and, 
 will determine the current position of said solar panel(s) from said position sensor(s) and, 
 will determine if the position of said solar panel(s) needs to be changed to face the sun and, 
 will goes into a “sleep” mode for a set period of time if no change in position is required and, 
 will determine the available power in said super-capacitor if a change in position is required and, 
 will logically determine weather to move said solar panel(s) to a new position or move said panel to a due South position based on available power stored in said microprocessor and, 
 will cease program execution without damage when power is removed from said micro-processor. 
   
     
     
         2 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where the logical control exhibited by said voltage sensing circuit is provided by the hard logic inherent in an electronics circuit. 
     
     
         3 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where a battery is used instead of said super-capacitor. 
     
     
         4 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where the position information is manually input to said microprocessor and the time and date information are provided by an internal clock. 
     
     
         5 . A control system in accordance with  claim 4  where the position information is manually input to said microprocessor and the time and date information are provided by external data transmitted over radio frequency. 
     
     
         6 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where the position, time and date information are provided by an external source. 
     
     
         7 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where the charging voltage for the said super-capacitor energy storage device is supplemented in whole or in part from an external source other than said tracking solar panel. 
     
     
         8 . A control system in accordance with  claim 3  where the charging voltage for the battery energy storage device is supplemented in whole or in part from an external source other than said tracking solar panel. 
     
     
         9 . A control system in accordance with  claim 1  where said motor(s) are driven by some other power source and only the control logic of said control system is provided as control signals only.