Photovoltaic cells arranged in a pattern

Abstract

As described herein, a photovoltaic film may include a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged to form a frit pattern. The photovoltaic film may be affixed to a transparent substrate to form a film-treated panel. The transparent substrate may be glass, such as a windowpane. The photovoltaic cells may be configured to convert sunlight into electrical energy. The electrical energy may be stored and used to power an electrical device.

1 . A photovoltaic window treatment system, comprising:
 a window, the window having an interior surface and an exterior surface;   a window treatment disposed proximate at least a portion of the interior surface of the window, the window treatment including at least one electrical actuator; and   a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged in a frit pattern on the window, the plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed adjacent to the interior surface of the window between the window and the window treatment, the plurality of photovoltaic cells to provide a voltage output when exposed to sunlight;
 wherein the voltage output of the plurality of photovoltaic cells operatively coupled to the at least one electrical actuator. 
   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 1 , further comprising, one or more energy storage devices operatively coupled to the plurality of photovoltaic cells and to the at least one electrical actuator. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry operatively coupled to the plurality of photovoltaic cells and to the at least one electrical actuator, the control circuitry to position the window treatment with respect to the window. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 3  wherein the control circuitry further comprises voltage measurement circuitry to measure the voltage output of the plurality of photovoltaic cells. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry to further provide at least one output representative of a measured daylight intensity incident on at least a portion of the window, the measured daylight intensity determined using the voltage signal provided by the plurality of photocells. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry positions the window treatment using the measured daylight intensity. 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 3 , further comprising one or more sensors operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cells and to the control circuitry, the one or more sensors to receive at least a portion of the output voltage provided by the plurality of photovoltaic cells. 
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 7  wherein the one or more sensors includes at least one occupancy sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic window treatment system of  claim 7 , the control circuitry including at least one communication interface, the at least one communications interface to communicatively couple the control circuitry to one or more external networks. 
     
     
         10 . A photovoltaic window treatment method, comprising:
 generating an output voltage using a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed proximate at least a portion of an interior surface of a window, the photovoltaic cells positioned between the interior surface of the window and an electrically operated window treatment;   receiving, by control circuitry, at least a portion of the output voltage provided by the plurality of photovoltaic cells;   receiving, by an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the control circuitry and the window treatment, at least a portion of the output voltage provided by the plurality of photovoltaic cells; and   positioning, by the control circuitry via the electrical operator, the window treatment to control a quantity of light admitted to an interior space proximate the window.   
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic window treatment method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 storing at least a portion of the electrical energy produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells in one or more operatively coupled energy storage devices. 
 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic window treatment method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 measuring, by voltage measurement circuitry operatively coupled to the control circuitry, an output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells. 
 
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic window treatment method of  claim 9  wherein positioning the window treatment to control the quantity of light admitted to the interior space proximate the window further comprises:
 positioning, by the control circuitry via the electrical operator, the window treatment based on the measured output voltage of the plurality of photovoltaic cells. 
 
     
     
         14 . The photovoltaic window treatment method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 transferring at least a portion of the output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells to one or more sensors operatively coupled to the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic window treatment method of  claim 14  wherein transferring at least the portion of the output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells to the one or more sensors operatively coupled to the control circuitry further comprises:
 transferring at least a portion of the output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells to one or more occupancy sensors operatively coupled to the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
         16 . A photovoltaic window treatment controller, comprising:
 communications interface circuitry; and   control circuitry, the control circuitry to:
 receive at least a portion of an output voltage produced a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed proximate at least a portion of an interior surface of a window, the photovoltaic cells positioned between the interior surface of the window and an electrically operated window treatment; 
 provide at least a portion of the output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells to an electrical actuator operatively coupled to the electrically operated window treatment; 
 cause an electrical actuator to position electrically operated window treatment to control a quantity of light admitted to an interior space proximate the window. 
   
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 16 , the control circuitry to further:
 store at least a portion of the electrical energy produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells in one or more operatively coupled energy storage devices.   
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 16 , the control circuitry to further:
 measure, by voltage measurement circuitry operatively coupled to the control circuitry, an output voltage produced by the plurality of photovoltaic cells.   
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 18  wherein to position the window treatment to control the quantity of light admitted to the interior space proximate the window, the control circuitry to further:
 position the window treatment based on the measured output voltage of the plurality of photovoltaic cells.