CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 201811219710.8 filed in People's Republic of China (PRC) on Oct. 19, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to solar energy detection, and in particular to a solar energy detection module and solar panel.

2. Description of the Related Art

Solar panels are currently one kind of important renewable energy devices.

In the current practice, when the solar panel is in use, the user needs to perform multiple monitoring operations in the field, or install additional equipment for detection. These monitoring operations are usually time consuming and increase the user's management burden and cost.

In addition, for a conventional design approach, if it is required to have a solar panel embedded with an additional detection device, the original structure of the solar panel, such as its physical size and shape, will have to change inevitably. For example, an additional space has to be formed in the structure of the original solar panel to accommodate a detecting device, thus increasing the thickness of the solar panel with the detecting device, wherein the additional space causes the thickness to be increased at the position of the solar panel on which the detecting device is disposed. Further, in order to form the additional space in the solar panel, it is required to change the original structure of the solar panel at the position corresponding to the additional space, for example, by locally removing or omitting active components from the structure of the original solar panel to generate the additional space. In this way, for the design and manufacturing process of the solar panel, the complexity becomes greater, and the cost increases accordingly.

Therefore, it is desirable to have improvements on the solar panel and related monitoring technology to facilitate monitoring efficiency and reduce users' management burden.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the invention is to provide a solar energy detection module and a solar panel, which can utilize a structure with reduced complexity to provide detection, to perform monitoring for surface shading level or other monitoring, so as to facilitate detection efficiency and reduce users' management burden.

To achieve at least the above objective, a solar energy detection module, includes: a backsheet, a first encapsulation layer, a first photovoltaic unit, a light source, a second encapsulation layer, and a transparent layer. The first encapsulation layer is disposed above the backsheet. The first photovoltaic unit is disposed above the first encapsulation layer. The light source is disposed above the first encapsulation layer. The second encapsulation layer is disposed above the first photovoltaic unit and the light source. The transparent layer is disposed above the second encapsulation layer. The light source is configured to emit light toward the transparent layer. The first photovoltaic unit is arranged to be able to receive light emitted from the light source. The first photovoltaic unit is utilized to generate an electrical signal indicating intensity of light that the first photovoltaic unit receives.

In an embodiment, the light source is disposed beside at least one side of the first photovoltaic unit; the second encapsulation layer is disposed above the first encapsulation layer; the first photovoltaic unit and the light source are disposed underneath the second encapsulation layer.

In an embodiment, number of the first photovoltaic unit is plural and the light source is disposed among the first photovoltaic units.

In an embodiment, number of the light source is plural and the light sources are disposed beside at least two sides of the first photovoltaic unit.

In an embodiment, when the light source is off, the first photovoltaic unit is utilized for generating an electrical signal indicating intensity of light from outside the solar energy detection module; when the light source is on, if a surface of the transparent layer is shaded by an external thing, the first photovoltaic unit is utilized for generating an electrical signal indicating intensity of light including light reflected or scattered by the external thing on the surface of the transparent layer.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a detection processing unit, electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit and the light source, for outputting a signal indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer, based on the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is on.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a detection processing unit detection processing unit is electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit and the light source, for controlling turning on or off of the light source, and for outputting a signal indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer, based on the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is on and the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is off.

In an embodiment, the detection processing unit further includes a signal detector and a controller. The signal detector, electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit, is utilized for detecting the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit to output a detection signal accordingly controller is electrically coupled to the signal detector and the light source, wherein the controller is utilized for outputting a signal indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer, based on the detection signal outputted by the signal detector when the light source is on and the detection signal generated by the signal detector when the light source is off.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a detection processing unit. The detection processing unit, electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit and the light source, is used for controlling turning on or off of the light source, and for obtaining a value indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer, based on the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is on and the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is off; wherein the detection processing unit determines an irradiance value based on the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is off, wherein the detection processing unit further outputs an irradiance value for the transparent layer without surface shading, based on the irradiance value and the value of the surface shading level.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a calibration photovoltaic unit and a non-transparent layer. The calibration photovoltaic unit is disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer. The non-transparent layer is disposed above the calibration photovoltaic unit and is arranged to reflect a portion of the light emitted by the light source toward the calibration photovoltaic unit. The calibration photovoltaic unit is utilized for generating an electrical signal indicating intensity of light received by the calibration photovoltaic unit.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a detection processing unit. The detection processing unit, electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit, the calibration photovoltaic unit, and the light source, is utilized for controlling turning on or off of the light source, and for outputting a signal indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer, based on the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is on, the electrical signal generated by the calibration photovoltaic unit, and the electrical signal generated by the first photovoltaic unit when the light source is off.

In an embodiment, the solar energy detection module further includes a power storage unit. The power storage unit, electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic unit and the light source, is utilized for storing electricity generated by the first photovoltaic unit in a power storage mode, and providing electricity to the light source and the detection processing unit in a detection mode so as to output a signal indicating a surface shading level of the transparent layer.

To achieve at least the above objective, the invention further provides a solar panel, including a backsheet, a first encapsulation layer, a first photovoltaic unit, a plurality of second photovoltaic units, a light source, a second encapsulation layer, and a transparent layer. The first encapsulation layer is disposed above the backsheet. The first photovoltaic unit is disposed above the first encapsulation layer. The second photovoltaic units are disposed above the first encapsulation layer. The light source is disposed above the first encapsulation layer. The second encapsulation layer is disposed above the first photovoltaic unit, the second photovoltaic units, and the light source. The transparent layer is disposed above the second encapsulation layer. The light source is configured to emit light toward the transparent layer. The first photovoltaic unit is arranged to be able to receive light emitted from the light source. The first photovoltaic unit is utilized to generate an electrical signal indicating intensity of light that the first photovoltaic unit receives.

Further, in some embodiments of a solar panel, the solar panel may be implemented as including the solar energy detection module and a plurality of second photovoltaic units. The solar energy detection module, for example, may be any one of the aforementioned embodiments or combination thereof. The second photovoltaic units are disposed between the first encapsulation layer and the second encapsulation layer.

In summary, each of the above embodiments can by implemented as the solar energy detection module or the solar panel, which can utilize a structure with reduced complexity to provide detection, to perform monitoring for surface shading level of the transparent layer or other monitoring, so as to facilitate detection efficiency and reduce users' management burden.

