Solar Cells with Built-in Smart Electronics on the Back
This patent describes a solar cell design that integrates electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of the cell to improve performance, especially when parts of the cell are shaded.
Original patent title: “Smart photovoltaic cells and modules”
This patent describes a solar cell design that integrates electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of the cell to improve performance, especially when parts of the cell are shaded. Granted to Solexel in 2016 with 24 claims and 4 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2032.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a "back contact solar cell" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1), which means all the electrical connections are on the back, leaving the front clear to capture more light. It uses two layers of "interdigitated metallization" (Claim 1) on the back. The first layer makes contact with the semiconductor material, while the second layer, placed over a "backplane," collects the power using "base and emitter busbars." Crucially, an "electronic component" with a "bypass switch" (Claim 1) is directly connected to these busbars. This bypass switch automatically reroutes current around a shaded or faulty part of the cell, preventing it from dragging down the performance of the entire solar panel. For example, if a leaf shades one part of the cell, the bypass switch activates, allowing the rest of the cell to continue producing power efficiently.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover solar cells where the electrical contacts are on the front side.
- Does not cover solar cells without an integrated electronic component having a bypass switch.
- Does not cover designs that use only one layer of interdigitated metallization for power extraction.
- Does not cover electronic components that are not electrically connected to at least a base busbar and an emitter busbar.
- Does not cover solar cells where the electronic component is located off the cell or module, rather than integrated.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever bit is placing sophisticated electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of a back-contact solar cell, specifically connecting to the "base and emitter busbars" of the "second interdigitated metallization." This integration allows for finer-grained control and optimization at the individual cell level, which was previously handled at the module or string level, improving overall system resilience to shading.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Smart solar modules with integrated power optimizers
Per-module or per-cell bypass diode implementations
Solar panels designed for partial shading tolerance
Microinverter-equipped solar panels
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Integrating smart electronics directly into solar cells or modules helps solve a major problem in solar power: shading. When even a small part of a traditional solar panel is shaded, the entire panel's output can drop significantly. By including bypass switches and potentially power optimizers (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 7) at the cell level, this technology allows solar panels to produce more electricity, even under less-than-ideal conditions, making solar energy systems more reliable and efficient.
Filed
November 20, 2012
Granted
March 22, 2016
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like SolarEdge and Enphase Energy are leaders in module-level power electronics (MLPE), which includes power optimizers and microinverters that perform similar functions to what this patent describes, though often at the module level rather than strictly cell-level. Major solar panel manufacturers such as Jinko Solar, LONGi Solar, and Trina Solar are also developing and integrating smart features into their modules.
Market impact
This patent's technology contributes to the trend of "smart" solar modules, which significantly improved the energy yield and reliability of solar installations. By mitigating the effects of shading and mismatch, it enabled solar systems to be deployed in more complex environments and increased their overall economic viability, fostering the growth of distributed solar generation.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a "back contact solar cell" (Claim 1), which means all the electrical connections are on the back, leaving the front clear to capture more light. It uses two layers of "interdigitated metallization" (Claim 1) on the back. The first layer makes contact with the semiconductor material, while the second layer, placed over a "backplane," collects the power using "base and emitter busbars." Crucially, an "electronic component" with a "bypass switch" (Claim 1) is directly connected to these busbars. This bypass switch automatically reroutes current around a shaded or faulty part of the cell, preventing it from dragging down the performance of the entire solar panel. For example, if a leaf shades one part of the cell, the bypass switch activates, allowing the rest of the cell to continue producing power efficiently.
The clever bit
The clever bit is placing sophisticated electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of a back-contact solar cell, specifically connecting to the "base and emitter busbars" of the "second interdigitated metallization." This integration allows for finer-grained control and optimization at the individual cell level, which was previously handled at the module or string level, improving overall system resilience to shading.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover solar cells where the electrical contacts are on the front side.
- Does not cover solar cells without an integrated electronic component having a bypass switch.
- Does not cover designs that use only one layer of interdigitated metallization for power extraction.
- Does not cover electronic components that are not electrically connected to at least a base busbar and an emitter busbar.
- Does not cover solar cells where the electronic component is located off the cell or module, rather than integrated.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
14/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
16/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$48K – $153K
Midpoint $96K · 6.4 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
24 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Moslehi, M. M., & Wingert, M. (2016). Solar Cells with Built-in Smart Electronics on the Back (U.S. Patent No. 9,293,619). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9293619/smart-photovoltaic-cells-and-modules
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Solar Cells with Built-in Smart Electronics on the Back cover?
This patent describes a solar cell design that integrates electronic components, like a bypass switch, directly onto the back of the cell to improve performance, especially when parts of the cell are shaded.
Who owns patent US 9293619?
Solexel owns this patent, granted in 2016.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on November 20, 2032, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9293619 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 4 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Integrating smart electronics directly into solar cells or modules helps solve a major problem in solar power: shading. When even a small part of a traditional solar panel is shaded, the entire panel's output can drop significantly. By including bypass switches and potentially power optimizers (Claim 7) at the cell level, this technology allows solar panels to produce more electricity, even under less-than-ideal conditions, making solar energy systems more reliable and efficient.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover solar cells where the electrical contacts are on the front side.
Patent monitoring