Claims:CLAIMS
I/We Claim:
1. A solar tracking device (100) comprising:
a solar panel (102) to generate an electrical energy from a solar energy;
a first pair of light sensors (104a-104b) installed at a first edge of the solar panel (102), to sense a first intensity of light falling on the solar panel (102) from an east direction;
a second pair of light sensors (104c-104d) installed at a second edge of the solar panel (102), to sense a second intensity of light falling on the solar panel (102) from a west direction;
a control unit (108) connected to the first pair of light sensors (104a-104b) and the second pair of light sensors (104c-104d), wherein the control unit (108) is configured to:
receive the first sensed intensity of light from the first pair of the light sensors (104a-104b) and the second sensed intensity of light from the second pair of light sensors (104c-104d);
compare the first intensity of light with the second intensity of light; and
actuate a first servo motor (106a) and a second servo motor (106b) to rotate the solar panel (102) in a commanded direction for alignment of the solar panel (102) in a direction of a sun based on the compared result.
2. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pair of light sensors (104a-104b) and the second pair of light sensors (104c-104d) are Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensors.
3. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commanded direction is selected from one of, a clockwise direction, or an anticlockwise direction.
4. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (108) is powered by a power source (112) selected from one of, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, an external battery, or a combination thereof.
5. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a storage battery (114) connected to the solar panel (102), to store the electrical energy generated by the solar panel (102).
6. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar panel (102) is aligned perpendicular to the sun to receive the solar energy.
7. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar panel (102) is mounted on a solar panel mounting structure (206) such that the solar panel mounting structure (206) is capable to raise the solar panel (102) at a pre-defined angle to receive the solar energy.
8. A method (400) of aligning a solar panel (102) based on a tracked location of a sun, wherein the method (400) comprising steps of:
receiving, by a data receiving module (300), a first sensed intensity of light from a first pair of light sensors (104a-104b) and a second sensed intensity of light from a second pair of light sensors (104c-104d);
comparing, by a comparison module (302), the first intensity of light with the second intensity of light; and
actuating, by a motor control module (306), a first servo motor (106a) and a second servo motor (106b) to rotate the solar panel (102) in a commanded direction for alignment of the solar panel (102) in a direction of the sun based on the compared result.
9. The method (400) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the commanded direction is selected from one of, a clockwise direction, or an anticlockwise direction.
10. The method (400) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a step of storing an electrical energy generated by the solar panel (102) in a storage battery (114).

Date: 24 March, 2021
Place: Noida
Dr. Keerti Gupta
Agent for the Applicant
(IN/PA-1529)

, Description:FORM 2

THE PATENT ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&

THE PATENTS RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10, and rule 13)

SOLAR TRACKING DEVICE FOR SOLAR PANEL

APPLICANT(S)
NAME: A RAJESHWAR RAO
NATIONALITY: INDIAN
ADDRESS: S R ENGINEERING COLLEGE, ANANTHASAGAR (V), HASANPARTHY (M), WARANGAL, TELANGANA 506371

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a tracking device and particularly to a sun tracking device for solar panels.
Description of Related Art
[002] In globalization era, a demand of electricity keeps on increasing year by year, which further impacts on a loss of main resources to produce an electrical energy. As an example, the Earth receives approximately 84 Terawatts of power and consumes about 12 Terawatts of the power per day. Mankind has explored various ways and technologies for production of the electrical energy by using renewable energy resources. One of, a most promising renewable energy resource that is characterized by a huge potential of conversion into the electricity is solar energy. The solar energy is the energy consequent from a sun in a form of solar radiations. Traditionally, a solar panel has been used to convert the solar energy into the electrical energy through a photovoltaic effect. The solar panel can be used either as a stand-alone system and/or as a large system connected to electricity grids. However, in the traditional approach, mounting structures of the solar panel have been fixedly installed at a particular location to receive the solar radiations from the sun. In such approaches, the solar panel is able to receive the light from the sun, only if the sun is in a direction of the solar panel. Various solar tracking devices have been developed to overcome the aforementioned issue.
[003] Conventionally, the solar tracking device used to receive the solar energy from the sun, uses a heliostat comprising a movable mirror that keeps reflecting sunlight towards a pre-determined target. However, the mirror stops working in case any object comes in between the mirror and the sun. This problem may lead to a reduction in an accuracy of the solar tracking device as solar cell applications require a high degree of the accuracy to receive a continuous light from the sun. Further, such solar tracking devices involves a complex tracking mechanism that cannot work if a greater number of solar panels are arranged in the device, which makes such solar tracking devices less reliable.
[004] There is thus a need for an advanced and more-effective solar tracking device that can administer the drawbacks faced by conventional solar tracking devices.
SUMMARY
[005] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a solar tracking device comprising: a solar panel to generate an electrical energy from a solar energy. The solar tracking device further comprises: a first pair of light sensors, installed at a first edge of the solar panel, to sense a first intensity of light falling on the solar panel from an east direction. The solar tracking device further comprises: a second pair of light sensors, installed at a second edge of the solar panel, to sense a second intensity of light falling on the solar panel from a west direction. The solar tracking device further comprises: a control unit connected to the first pair of light sensors and the second pair of light sensors. The control unit is configured to: receive the first sensed intensity of light from the first pair of light sensors and the second sensed intensity of light from the second pair of light sensors; compare the first intensity of light with the second sensed intensity of light; and actuate a first servo motor and a second servo motor to rotate the solar panel in a commanded direction for alignment of the solar panel in a direction of a sun based on the compared result.
[006] Embodiments of the proposed invention may provide a computer-implemented method of aligning a solar panel based on a tracked location of a sun. The method comprising steps of: receiving, by a data receiving module, a first sensed intensity of light from a first pair of light sensors and a second sensed intensity of light from a second pair of light sensors; comparing, by a comparison module, the first intensity of light with the second sensed intensity of light; and actuating, by a motor control module, a first servo motor and a second servo motor to rotate a solar panel in a commanded direction for alignment of the solar panel in a direction of the sun based on the compared result.
[007] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a number of advantages depending on its particular configuration. First, embodiments of the present application provide a solar tracking device that automatically adjusts a face of a solar panel in a direction of a sun, which in turn increases an efficiency of generating an electricity from a solar energy. Next, embodiments of the present invention provide an affordable solar tracking device that orients the solar panel towards the sun to generate the electricity with a higher accuracy. Next, embodiments of the present invention provide the solar tracking device that reduces a long-term maintenance cost as the maintenance of the tracking device is very easy.
[008] Further, embodiments of the present invention provide the solar tracking device that maintains a constant exposure to sunlight throughout a day. Next, embodiments of the present invention provide the solar tracking device that generates more electricity in a same amount of space as used by fixed-tilt systems, which in turn makes the solar tracking device ideal for optimizing a land usage. Further, embodiments of the present invention provide a cheap and a reliable solar tracking device that is suitable for a rural usage.
[009] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0010] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1A illustrates a block diagram of a solar tracking device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 1B illustrates a first pair of light sensors, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 1C illustrates a first servo motor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 1D illustrates a block diagram of the first servo motor connected with a control unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 1E illustrates the control unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 1F illustrates a schematic representation of the solar tracking device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2A illustrates an initial position of a solar panel of the solar tracking device, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2B illustrates the solar panel positioned towards a sun, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates components of the control unit of the solar tracking device, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of a method of aligning a solar panel based on a tracked location of a sun, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0024] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.
[0025] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0026] FIG. 1A illustrates a solar tracking device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the solar tracking device 100 may be a dual-axis tracking device that may maximize an energy production. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar tracking device 100 may be a single-axis tracking device that may track a movement of the sun from an east direction to a west direction during a daytime. In an embodiment of the present invention, the solar tracking device 100 may be monitored from a long range, by adding a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) device (not shown).
[0027] Further, the solar tracking device 100 may comprise a solar panel 102, a first pair of light sensors 104a-104b, a second pair of light sensors 104c-104d, a first servo motor 106a, a second servo motor 106b, a control unit 108, a memory 110, a power source 112, and a storage battery 114.
[0028] The solar tracking device 100 may be configured to automatically adjust a face of a solar panel 102 in a direction of a sun, which in turn increases an efficiency of generating an electricity from the solar energy. The solar panel 102 may be mounted on a solar panel mounting structure 206 (as shown in Fig. 2A) that may raise the solar panel 102 at a pre-defined angle to receive the solar energy from the sun, in an embodiment of the present invention. The solar panel 102 may comprise photovoltaic cells that may be arranged in a pre-defined order to convert the received solar energy to an electrical energy. As an example, when light rays from the sun hits the photovoltaic cells, then the photovoltaic cells causes electrons to be set into a motion to initiate a flow of an electric current to generate the electrical energy. The photovoltaic cells may be made up of a semiconductor material such as silicon, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be placed at a first edge of the solar panel 102, to sense a first intensity of light that may be falling on the solar panel 102 from the east direction. The first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may convert the sensed first intensity of light into a first analog value, in an embodiment of the present invention. The first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be, but not limited to, photodiodes, phototransistors, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be Light Dependent Resistors (LDR). Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. Further, the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be placed at a second edge of the solar panel 102, to sense a second intensity of light that may be falling on the solar panel 102 from the west direction. The second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may convert the sensed second intensity of light into a second analog value, in an embodiment of the present invention. The second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be, but not limited to, the photodiodes, the phototransistors, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be the Light Dependent Resistors (LDR). Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0030] Further, according to embodiments of the present invention, the first servo motor 106a may be attached to a first side of the solar panel 102 and the second servo motor 106b may be attached to a second side of the solar panel 102. The first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may be capable of rotating the solar panel 102 in a direction such as but not limited to, a clockwise direction, an anticlockwise direction based on a commanded direction generated by the control unit 108, in an embodiment of the present invention. The first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may rotate the solar panel 102 for aligning the solar panel 102 in a direction of the sun, in an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar panel 102 may be aligned perpendicular to the sun for maximum energy conversion. The first servo-motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may be, but not limited to, a Direct current (DC) servo motor, an Analog Current (servo motor), and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the first servo-motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0031] The first servo-motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may be closed loop servo motors that may use a position feedback to control a motion. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first servo-motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may be used in a combination with a Propagational Integral Derivative (PID) control algorithm, that may enable the first servo-motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b to achieve the commanded position with accuracy and in a less time.
[0032] According to embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 108 may be connected to the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b and the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d. The control unit 108 may be configured to process the first analog value of the first intensity of light and the second analog value of the second intensity of light to generate the command direction. The control unit 108 may be further configured to execute computer readable instructions stored in the memory 110 to generate the command direction. The control unit 108 may be, but not limited to, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a development board, a digital signal processor, and alike. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 108 may be an Arduino Uno board. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the control unit 108, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. The control unit 108 may further be connected to the power source 112 that may supply a power to the control unit 108. In an an embodiment of the present invention, the power source 112 may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or an external power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the external power source may be an external battery of a pre-defined voltage. The pre-defined voltage may be in a range of 7 Volts (V) to 20 Volts (V). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pre-defined voltage may be 9 Volts (V). Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the power source 112, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. Further, components of the control unit 108 will be explained in detail in conjunction with FIG. 4.
[0033] Further, the memory 110 may be a non-transitory data storage medium that may be configured to store the computer readable instructions. In an embodiment of the present invention, non-limiting examples of the memory 110 may be a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random-Access Memory (RAM), an Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a hard drive, a removable media drive for handling memory cards. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the memory 110 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0034] The storage battery 114 may be connected to the solar panel 102, to store the electrical energy generated by the solar panel 102, in an embodiment of the present invention. The storage battery 114 may store the electrical energy in a chemical form and may further convert the chemical energy into the electrical energy when required. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage battery 114 may be a lithium-ion battery. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the storage battery 114 that may be capable to store the electrical energy generated by the solar panel 102 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0035] FIG. 1B illustrates the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be the Light Dependent Resistors (LDR). As used herein, the term “LDR” may be a photoresistor whose resistance value depends on an intensity of light. The first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be made up of a semiconductor material having a high resistivity, in an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor material may be a cadmium sulphide. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the semiconductor material that may be having the high resistivity including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.
[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, the resistance value may get decreased when the intensity of light falling on the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b exceeds a threshold frequency. In such embodiment of the present invention, the resistance value may be 20000000 ohms. As an example, when the intensity of light falling on the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b exceeds the threshold frequency, then photons absorbed by the semiconductor material may provide enough energy to bound electrons to jump into a conduction band to free the bounded electrons. The free electrons may conduct an electricity that may decrease the resistance value. In another embodiment of the present invention, the resistance value may get increased, when the intensity of light falling on the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b is less than the threshold frequency. In such embodiment of the present invention, the resistance value may be 5000 ohms.
[0037] FIG. 1C illustrates the first servo motor 106a, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first servo motor 106a may be having a first power wire 116a, a first ground wire 116b and a first control wire 116c. The first power wire 116a may be a positive voltage wire that powers the first servo motor 106a. The positive voltage may be 5V, in an embodiment of the present invention. The first power wire 116a may be of a red color. The first ground wire 116b may be a common ground wire for a motor and a logic. The first ground wire 116b may be of a brown color. The first control wire 116c may be an input wire of the control unit 108. The first control wire 116c may be of an orange color.
[0038] FIG. 1D illustrates a block diagram of the first servo motor 106a connected with the control unit 108, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first servo motor 106a may comprise an encoder 120, a servo driver 122 and a motor 124. The encoder 120 may be a position sensor that may sense an actual position of the motor 124 and further transmits the sensed actual position as a feedback signal to the servo driver 122. Further, the servo driver 122 may be a motor controller that may compare the received actual position and the commanded position received from the control unit 108. In an embodiment of the present invention, the servo driver 122 may generate an error signal, in case the actual position is not matched with the commanded position. In such embodiment of the present invention, the servo driver 122 may actuate the motor 124 to rotate in one of, the clockwise direction or the anti-clockwise direction to position the solar panel 102 (as shown in FIG. 1A) perpendicular to the sun. In another embodiment of the present invention, the servo driver 122 may deactivate the motor 124, when the commanded position is achieved.
[0039] FIG. 1E illustrates the control unit 108, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 108 may be an Arduino Uno board. As used herein, the Arduino Uno may be an open-source microcontroller board that may be based on a Microchip ATMega328p microcontroller and developed by Arduino.cc. The ATmega328 on the Arduino Uno may be pre-programmed with a boot loader that may enable an uploading of a new code without a need of an external hardware programmer. The bootloader may communicate using a STK500 communication protocol to upload or download hex files to the Arduino Uno. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Arduino Uno may be a Atmega16U2 that may be programmed as a USB to a serial convertor. Further, the control unit 108 may be equipped with sets of digital and analog Input/Output (I/O) pins that may be interfaced to various expansion boards and circuits.
[0040] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 108 may have 14 digital pins and 6 analog pins. The control unit 108 may be programmable with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) through a type B USB cable. A program for the control unit 108 may be written in any programming language such as a Java that may produce a binary machine code for the control unit 108. The IDE may include a code editor that may be having features such as, but not limited to, a text cutting, a text pasting, a text searching, a text replacing, an automatic indenting, a brace matching, syntax highlighting and so forth. Further, the IDE may also provide a one-click mechanism to compile and upload programs to the control unit 108. The IDE may also include a message area, a text console, a toolbar with buttons for common functions and a hierarchy of operation menus.
[0041] Further, a program that may be written with the IDE for the control unit 108 may be represented as a sketch. The sketch may be saved on a development computer as text files with a file extension of .ino and the IDE saves the sketch with an extension of .pde. The IDE may support the programming languages such as, C and C++ by using special rules of a code structuring. Further, the IDE may supply a software library from a wiring project that may provide common input and output procedures.
[0042] FIG. 1F illustrates a schematic representation of the solar tracking device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first servo motor 106a may be having three wires: the first power wire 116a, the first ground wire 116b and the first control wire 116c, as discussed above. The second servo motor 106b may be having a second power wire 118a, a second ground wire 118b, and a second control wire 118c. The first power wire 116a of the first servo motor 106a and the second power wire 118a of the second servo motor 106b may be connected to a supply (VCC) pin of a second In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) header on the control unit 108. Further, the first ground wire 116b of the first servo motor 106a and the second ground wire 118b of the second servo motor 106b may be connected to a ground pin (GND) of the second ICSP header on the control unit 108. The first control wire 116c of the first servo motor 106a may be connected to a GND pin on the control unit 108 and the second control wire 118c of the second servo motor 106b may be connected to a digital pin on the control unit 108.
[0043] Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, one of the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b may be having three wires such as a third power wire 126a, a third ground wire 126b, and a third control wire 126c. In another embodiment of the present invention, one of the second pair of the light sensors 104c-104d may also be having three wires such as a fourth power wire 128a, a fourth ground wire 128b, and a fourth control wire 128c. The third power wire 126a of the one of the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b and the fourth power wire 128a of the one of the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be connected to a supply (VCC) pin of a first In-Circuit Serial Programming (ICSP) header on the control unit 108. Further, the third ground wire 126b of the one of the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b and the fourth ground wire 128b of the one of the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be connected to corresponding GND pins on the control unit 108. The third control wire 126c of the one of the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b and the fourth control wire 128c of the one of the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d may be connected to an analog input 0 (A0) and an analog input 1 (A1) on the control unit 108.
[0044] FIG. 2A illustrates an initial position of the solar panel 102 of the solar tracking device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The solar tracking device 100 may be having a supporting structure 200 to hold components of the solar tracking device 100, as discussed in the FIG. 1A. In an embodiment of the present invention, the supporting structure 200 may be having a base area 202 that may enable a user to place the control unit 108 on the base area 202. Further, the supporting structure 200 may be having legs 204a-204b (hereinafter referred to as the legs 204) and a supporting rod (not shown). In an embodiment of the present invention, the supporting structure 200 may be having a table shaped structure. Further, the solar panel mounting structure 206 may be made up of a material such as, but not limited to, a wood, polymers, a stainless steel, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the material for the solar panel mounting structure 206 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solar panel mounting structure 206 may be in a horizontal position. Further, the solar panel mounting structure 206 may be affixed to the rod of the supporting structure 200. Further, the first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may be attached at ends of the rod, to rotate the solar panel mounting structure 206 along with the solar panel 102 in one of, the commanded direction. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b (as shown in FIG. 1A) may be enclosed with corresponding cover sets 208a-208b (hereinafter referred to as the cover sets 208) to protect the components such as, the servo driver 122 (as shown in FIG. 1D) and the motor 124 (as shown in FIG. 1D). In an embodiment of the present invention, the solar tracking device 100 uses a hard and a solid material in order to withstand an extreme weather condition such as a strong windy day.
[0045] FIG. 2B illustrates the solar panel 102 positioned towards the sun, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the solar panel mounting structure 206 along with the solar panel 102 may be in a tilted position to receive the solar energy from the sun.
[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates components of the control unit 108 of the solar tracking device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The components may be a data receiving module 300, a comparison module 302, a command generation module 304, and a motor control module 306.
[0047] The data receiving module 300 may be configured to receive the first sensed intensity of light from the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b (as shown in FIG. 1A) and the second sensed intensity of light from the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d (as shown in the FIG. 1A). The data receiving module 300 may be configured to transmit the first sensed intensity of light and the second sensed intensity of light to the comparison module 302.
[0048] The comparison module 302 may be configured to compare the first sensed intensity of light with the second sensed intensity of light, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the comparison module 302 may be configured to determine a location of the sun in the east direction, when the first sensed intensity of light is greater than the second sensed intensity of light. In another embodiment of the present invention, the comparison module 302 may be configured to determine the location of the sun in the west direction, when the first sensed intensity of light is less than the second sensed intensity of light. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the comparison module 302 may be configured to determine the location of the sun in a middle, when the first sensed intensity of light is approximately equal to the second sensed intensity of light. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the comparison module 302 may be configured to enable the data receiving module 300 to continue receiving the first sensed intensity of light from the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b (as shown in FIG. 1A) and the second sensed intensity of light from the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d (as shown in the FIG. 1A), when the determined location of the sun is in the middle. In another embodiment of the present invention, the comparison module 302 may be configured to generate a command generation signal, when the determined location of the sun is in one of, the east direction or the west direction. The comparison module 302 may be configured to transmit the generated command generation signal to the command generation module 304.
[0049] The command generation module 304 may be configured to generate a command direction based on the generated command generation signal. The command generation module 304 may be configured to transmit the generated command direction to the motor control module 306 that may be configured to actuate the first servo motor 106a (as shown in FIG. 1A) and the second servo motor 106b (as shown in the FIG. 1A) to rotate in one of, the clockwise direction or the anti-clockwise direction based on the commanded direction. In an embodiment of the present invention, a rotation of the first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b may enable the solar panel mounting structure 206 having the solar panel 102 to rotate in one of, the clockwise direction or the anti-clockwise direction based on the compared result.
[0050] FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart of a method 400 of aligning the solar panel 102 based on a tracked location of the sun, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0051] At step 402, the solar tracking device 100 may receive the first sensed intensity of light from the first pair of light sensors 104a-104b and the second sensed intensity of light from the second pair of light sensors 104c-104d.
[0052] At step 404, the solar tracking device 100 may compare the first sensed intensity of light with the second sensed intensity of light. If the first sensed intensity of light is not equal to the second sensed intensity of light, then the method 400 may proceed to a step 406, otherwise, the method 400 may return to the step 402.
[0053] At the step 406, the solar tracking device 100 may check if the first sensed intensity of light is greater than the second sensed intensity of light, then the method 400 may proceed to a step 408, otherwise the method 400 may proceed to a step 410.
[0054] At the step 408, the solar tracking device 400 may determine the direction of the sun as the east direction. At the step 410, the solar tracking device 100 may determine the direction of the sun as the west direction.
[0055] At step 412, the solar tracking device 100 may actuate the first servo motor 106a and the second servo motor 106b to rotate the solar panel 102 in one of, the clockwise direction or the anti-clockwise direction, based on the determined direction of the sun.
[0056] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[0057] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope the invention is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.