# 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. - **Patent:** US 9293619 - **Original title:** Smart photovoltaic cells and modules - **Owner:** Solexel - **Granted:** 2016 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 4 - **Field:** energy, semiconductors, consumer_electronics, telecommunications, software ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Smart solar modules with integrated power optimizers 2. Per-module or per-cell bypass diode implementations 3. Solar panels designed for partial shading tolerance 4. Microinverter-equipped solar panels ## Why it matters 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. ## 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. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9293619/smart-photovoltaic-cells-and-modules **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9293619 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Make Solar Troughs Catch More Sunlight at Their Ends](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8049150/solar-collector-with-end-modifications) — This patent describes adding special reflective extensions and caps to the ends of a single-axis tracking solar trough to capture more sunlight that would otherwise be lost, making the collector more efficient. - [How Satellite Swarms Keep Their Solar Panels and Antennas Pointed Correctly](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11623768/super-heavy-booster) — A system for managing large satellite arrays in orbit that balances the need to point solar panels at the sun and antennas at the Earth while keeping the structure stable. - [How the First Practical Silicon Solar Cell Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2780765/solar-cell-photovoltaic) — A 1954 invention by Bell Labs researchers that created the first silicon-based solar cell capable of converting sunlight into enough electricity to power everyday devices. - [How Amorphous Silicon Changed Solar Power](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4064521/semiconductor-device-having-a-body-of-amorphous-silicon) — This 1976 patent describes using a specific form of non-crystalline silicon to create cheap, thin semiconductor devices like solar cells. - [How Solar Sails Use Moving Vanes to Steer in Space](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11905044/starlink-rv-roaming) — A solar sail design that uses multiple independently moving reflective vanes made of shape-memory materials to steer spacecraft using only the pressure of sunlight.