{
  "patent_number": "US 9293619",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Solar Cells with Built-in Smart Electronics on the Back",
  "original_title": "Smart photovoltaic cells and modules",
  "summary": "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.",
  "what_it_does": "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.",
  "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."
  ],
  "filed": "2012-11-20",
  "granted": "2016-03-22",
  "expires": "2032-11-20",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Solexel",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/solexel",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Mehrdad M. Moslehi",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/mehrdad-m-moslehi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Michael Wingert",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/michael-wingert"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 4,
  "tags": [
    "energy",
    "semiconductors",
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "A back contact solar cell comprises an active semiconductor absorber for use in a back contact solar cell having a light capturing front side and a backside opposite the light capturing front side. A first interdigitated metallization is positioned over the backside of the active semiconductor absorber. The first interdigitated metallization forming base and emitter contact metallization of the back contact solar cell. A backplane is positioned over the backside of the active semiconductor absorber and the first interdigitated metallization. A second interdigitated metallization is positioned over the backplane. The second interdigitated metallization is connected to the first interdigitated metallization for extracting photovoltaic power from the active semiconductor absorber. The second interdigitated metallization has base and emitter busbars over the backplane for electrical connection. An electronic component is electrically connected to at least a base busbar and at least an emitter busbar of the second interdigitated metallization. The electronic component has a bypass switch.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9293619/smart-photovoltaic-cells-and-modules",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9293619/smart-photovoltaic-cells-and-modules/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9293619",
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}