One example embodiment includes a PV module comprising a conductive backsheet, a substantially transparent front plate, a plurality of PV cells, a plurality of conductive spacers, and a power conversion device. The PV cells can be disposed between the conductive backsheet and the front plate and can be arranged in a plurality of rows. The PV cells within each row can be connected to each other in parallel and the rows can be connected in series. The PV cells can be interconnected between the conductive spacers. The power conversion device can be redundantly connected to the PV cells via a last conductive spacer connected to a last row. The power conversion device can substantially maintain a maximum peak power of the PV module and can convert a lower voltage collectively generated by the PV cells to a predetermined stepped up voltage greater than or equal to 12 volts.

Redundant electrical architecture for photovoltaic modules

A compact analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system suitable for high-resolution gamma-ray detectors has been developed around the Burr Brown PCM78P 16-b audio ADC. An associated application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), handling four ADCs, provides sliding scale circuitry, lower threshold adjustment, channel number identification, and zero suppression. The conversion time is 4.5 mu s, and the differential nonlinearity, for 13-b resolution, is less than +or-0.8%. >

Analog to digital converter

A converter for converting a high frequency video input signal to a digital signal by detecting the peak voltages of the input signal. A video input signal fans out to a plurality of comparators of which each are connected to a resistive ladder of equal resistors values. One end of the resistive ladder is connected with a positive reference voltage and the other end is connected with a negative reference voltage. Real time is divided into sampling bins determined by the cycle time of a clock and, within each bin, the digital output from a plurality of master-slave flip-flops shows the maximum level reached by the video input signal. The outputs from the flip-flops go to a pair of priority encoders and a multiplexer for indicating in digital form the highest point reached on the resistive ladder.

Converter for converting a high frequency video signal to a digital signal

A digital multimeter having a tone generating circuitry and operable in a tone mode of operation for providing an audible indication when a measured electrical characteristic has a predetermined relationship with a reference value. The audible indication may be provided when a voltage level exceeds a preselectable limit, such as 1 or 2 volts. Predetermined limits for resistance values may also be selected for actuation of the audible tone. The device may be utilized as a conventional multimeter when the tone mode is non-operative.

Multimeter with tone indication

Noise rejection in an integrating type of analogue to digital converter is improved by effecting the integration in accordance with a variable weighting function, preferably a step function. Functions are described which flatten the response versus frequency curve in the neighborhood of the zeroes and introduce more zeroes into this curve. The weighting may be introduced by scaling either on the analogue side or the digital side of the instrument.

Integrating measurements with noise reduction

A quantum radiometer is provided for use with different photovoltaic cells in probes, each with a different wavelength filter. Temperature compensating, calibrating and scaling resistors mounted in a given probe comprise a voltage divider connected to the output of a low input impedance amplifier. The cell in the probe is connected directly to the input of the amplifier. A switch converts the arrangement of the resistors in the voltage divider to change the output from radiant power (watts) to photocurrent (optical amperes or photons/second). A digital display unit connected to the output of the voltage divider provides numerical display with a fixed radix point and a constant scaling factor. A variable exponent for the scaling factor is changed automatically as the gain of the amplifiers is altered to (1) provide in the display a nonzero digit in the most significant position and (2) prevent a carry out of the most significant digit position. Offset current may be introduced at the voltage divider, such as to introduce a conversion constant.

Irwin Wunderman

Papers

Electronic metering system