Frederick E Lukens
Engineers at Washington Cir, Littleton, CO

5923100, Jul 13, 1999

Mar 31, 1997

8/828698

Frederick E. Lukens - Littleton CO
Robert L. Moser - Littleton CO

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Bethesda MD

G05F 500

307 66

A system for controlling power supplied by a solar array panel to one of either a load or a battery for optimal power consumption is disclosed. The solar array power control system of the present invention includes a power stage for directing the solar array to discharge an appropriate amount of current, a signal conditioner for receiving and conditioning voltage and current signals from the solar array and determining the signs of the time derivatives of solar array voltage and power, a processor for evaluating the signs of the time derivatives of solar array power voltage and for directing operation of either a battery current control mode or a peak power tracking mode and a high gain amplifier for directing an appropriate voltage to the power stage according to the operating mode. The signal conditioner, processor and high gain amplifier cooperate to determine whether the solar array is capable of supplying the power demanded by at least one of the battery and the load. When it has been determined that the required power level to be supplied from the solar array is within the capability of the solar array, the system commands the solar array to discharge the exact power demanded.