JP3500566B2 - Solar cell theft detection circuit and solar cell switchboard - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solar cell theft detection circuit in a remote device for remote measurement, remote monitoring, remote control and the like using a solar cell, and a solar cell switchboard equipped with the theft detection circuit.

A large number of remote devices such as telemeters using solar cells, which collect remote observation data such as rainfall and water level, are operating nationwide. These remote devices are installed in various places such as remote areas in the mountains or on the water.So, when installing them in places where it is difficult to supply commercial power, solar cells are used for the remote devices. It

Solar cells are expensive and, due to their function,
The solar cell is sometimes stolen because it is installed outdoors without being stored in a protective case or the like so as to efficiently capture sunlight.

In many cases, a remote station in which a remote device such as a telemeter is installed is operated unattended, and a remote device operated by a solar cell is designed to supply power to a load even at night or in bad weather. A backup storage battery is provided, and even if there is no solar cell, the backup storage battery continues to operate for several days to one month, so even if the solar cell is stolen, it will not be immediately detected, and measures for the theft of the solar cell will be taken. However, the backup storage battery cannot be unexpectedly and suddenly consumed due to the theft of the solar cell, which leads to a system down of a remote device such as a telemeter and a failure to observe important data.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a circuit diagram of a conventional solar battery switchboard. In the solar cells SB1 to SBn, a plurality of solar cells SB1 to SBn are connected in series so as to obtain a predetermined power generation voltage, and the power supply lines 4-2 and 4 in the solar cell switchboard 4-1 are connected.
-3 is connected.

Each of the solar cells SB1 to SB connected in series
Bypass diodes BD1 to BDn are connected in parallel to n, and even if a part of the solar cells SB1 to SBn is in the shade, the solar cells in the shade are bypassed so that the current flows, thereby This prevents deterioration of the power generation function of the batteries SB1 to SBn as a whole.

A power supply line 4- is provided in the solar cell switchboard 4-1.
Backflow prevention diode RPD on either one of 2, 4-3
In addition to the output terminals of the power supply lines 4-2 and 4-3, a connection terminal for connecting the backup storage battery BATT is provided, and the connection terminal is connected to the power supply lines 4-2 and 4-3. Has been done.

Therefore, the backup storage battery BATT is connected between the power supply lines 4-2 and 4-3 so that the backup storage battery BATT can also supply power to the load r. Therefore, the solar cells SB1 to SBn at night or in cloudy weather.
Even when the power generation voltage of 1 decreases, the power is stably supplied to the load r.

The backupable time by the backup storage battery BATT is generally about one month so that a remote device such as a telemeter in Japan can sufficiently withstand long-term unseasonable weather.

The electricity generated by the solar cells SB1 to SBn is supplied to the load r via the backflow prevention diode RPD. The backflow prevention diode RPD is a backup storage battery BATT at night when the solar cell is not generating power.
To the solar cells SB1 to SBn so that the current does not flow backward.

[0011]

Solar cells SB1 to SB
If n is stolen or damaged, power is supplied to the load r only by the backup storage battery BATT, but eventually the load r stops functioning due to exhaustion of the battery.

The remote device such as a telemeter which is fed from the solar cell distribution board 4-1 usually has a function of detecting a drop in the feeding voltage, but the backup storage battery BATT is provided.
Since the decrease in the power supply voltage cannot be detected until the power consumption of the solar cell becomes considerably large, the damage due to the theft of the solar cell cannot be revealed until several days to one month has passed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a solar cell theft detection circuit for immediately detecting the theft of a solar cell and a solar cell switchboard equipped with the theft detection circuit in a remote device using a solar cell. .

[0014]

A solar cell theft detection circuit according to the present invention comprises: (1) a theft detection current supply power source which is provided separately from the solar cell, and the solar cell from the theft detection current supply power source. A theft detection current, and a theft detection current detection circuit for detecting the theft detection current, wherein the theft detection current detection circuit is configured such that the theft detection current is lower than a predetermined current. Is detected and the detection result is output.

(2) A bypass diode is connected in parallel to the solar cell, the cathode terminal of the bypass diode is connected to the positive terminal of the solar cell, and the anode terminal of the bypass diode is connected to the negative terminal of the solar cell.

Further, (3) means for causing the theft detection current sent from the theft detection current supply power source to flow through a connection switch which operates in response to a connection instruction signal.

The solar cell switchboard of the present invention is (4)
The solar cell theft detection circuit according to (1), (2) or (3) above, a connection terminal for connecting the solar cell, and a power supply terminal to a load.

(5) A backup storage battery connected between the positive electrode power supply line and the negative electrode power supply line from the solar cell,
Normally, connect the positive electrode terminal side of the solar cell to the positive electrode power supply line and the negative electrode terminal side of the solar cell to the negative electrode power supply line, and respond to the switching instruction signal to detect the theft detection current from the backup storage battery. A change-over switch for switching the connection so that a theft detection current flows through the circuit through the circuit, and a theft detection current detection circuit which detects that the theft detection current has dropped below a predetermined current and outputs the detection result. And a connection terminal for connecting the solar cell and a power supply terminal for the load.

(6) As a connection instruction signal or a switching instruction signal for operating the connection switch or the changeover switch, a detection signal for detecting that the current consumption of the load has increased above a predetermined current is used.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a solar cell theft detection circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Multiple solar cells SB
Solar cells SB1 to SBn in which 1 to SBn are connected in series
However, the power supply lines 1-2, 1- in the solar cell switchboard 1-1
3 is connected.

Each solar cell SB1 to SB connected in series
Bypass diodes BD1 to BD connected in parallel to n
The function of n is the same as that in FIG. 4 described above.
Further, the functions of the backflow prevention diode RPD and the backup storage battery BATT are the same as those in FIG. 4 described above, and therefore, duplicated description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, a solar cell switchboard 1-1
In, the power supply line 1-from the solar cells SB1 to SBn
A theft detection circuit composed of a series circuit of a theft detection current supply power supply 1-4 for detecting the theft of the solar cell and a theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 is connected between 2 and 1-3 to prevent theft. A theft detection current is supplied from the detection current supply power source 1-4 through the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 and the solar cells SB1 to SBn, and the current is detected in the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5. It is configured to detect that the current has dropped below a predetermined current and output the detection result to the outside.

The polarity of the current supply power supply 1-4 for theft detection is
In order not to cancel out with the voltages of the solar cells SB1 to SBn, the negative electrode side of the theft detection current supply power source 1-1 is connected to the positive electrode side power supply line 1-2 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn. The positive electrode side of the theft detection current supply power source 1-4 is connected to the negative electrode side power supply line 1-3.

In the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5, the detection current from the theft detection current supply power source 1-4 is applied to the solar cell S.
The solar cell SB may be provided at any position in the path that flows through B1 to SBn, but for the following reason.
It is preferable to provide it between the feeder lines 1-2 and 1-3 of 1 to SBn.

The theft detection power source 1-4 is a solar cell SB1.
~ SBn is provided so that the theft detection current flows through the solar cells SB1 to SBn even when the output voltage is reduced at night or the like. In order to reduce the consumption current, the theft detection current is used. It is necessary to interpose a high impedance element in the path through which

The high impedance element is connected to the solar cell S.
Positive electrode side feeder line 1-2 or negative electrode side feeder line 1 of B1 to SBn
-3, the voltage and the power supplied from the solar cells SB1 to SBn to the load r will be reduced. Therefore, high impedance is provided in the middle of the power supply lines 1-2 and 1-3 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn. It is improper to provide an element, and it must be interposed in the path through which the detection current flows between the power supply lines 1-2 and 1-3 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn.

If the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 is provided in the path between the power supply lines 1-2 and 1-3 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn, where the theft detection current flows, the theft detection is performed. Current detection circuit 1-5 can also be used as the above-mentioned high impedance element, and the theft detection current detection circuit 1
The current flowing through -5 becomes a minute current, and the circuit can be downsized.

On the other hand, the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 is
When provided in the middle of the positive electrode side power supply line 1-2 or the negative electrode side power supply line 1-3 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn, the solar cell SB1
The power supply current from SBn to the load r also flows in the theft detection current detection circuit unit 1-5, which causes a large power loss in the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5.

Therefore, a series circuit of the theft detection current supply power source 1-4 and the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 is connected between the power supply lines 1-3 and 1-4 of the solar cells SB1 to SBn. Most preferably, it is configured.

Further, when the backup storage battery BATT is connected through the backflow prevention diode RPD, the current from the backup storage battery BATT is prevented from flowing into the theft detection current detection circuit 1-2. A series circuit of the theft detection current supply power source 1-4 and the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 is connected in the middle of the power supply line between the solar cells SB1 to SBn and the backflow prevention diode RPD.

When the solar cells SB1 to SBn are removed due to theft or the like, the path through which the theft detection current flows is cut off, so that the theft detection current does not flow, and the theft detection current detection circuit 1-5 detects the theft. A decrease in the detection current is detected and the detection result is output to the outside.

FIG. 2 shows a theft detection circuit for a solar cell according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the solar cell SB
1 to SBn are connected to a solar battery switchboard 2-1 and the solar battery switchboard 2-1 shows a configuration example in which power is supplied to a telemeter observation device 2-6 as a load device.

The telemeter observing device 2-6 is regularly polled (for example, every 10 minutes to 1 hour) from a remote monitoring station. Polled telemeter observation device 2
-6 sends back observation data such as rainfall amount and water level to the monitoring station, but sends back ground to the relay RLS for the connection switch that connects the theft detection circuit by the return sending contact 2-61 that makes at the sending back timing. To do.

Further, the load of the telemeter observing device 2-6 or the like detects that the current consumption of the load exceeds a predetermined current by utilizing the fact that the current consumption increases during operation such as transmission of observation data. Alternatively, the relay RLS for the theft detection circuit connection switch may be configured to operate.

The relay RLS operates in response to a connection instruction signal by the earth transmission of the return transmission contact 2-61 in the telemeter observation device 2-6, and its contact switch rls.
To connect the connection lines with the solar cells SB1 to SBn to the power supply line 2
-2 is switched to the theft detection circuit including a series circuit of the theft detection current supply power supply 2-4 and the relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 2-5.

At this time, if the solar cells SB1 to SBn are normally connected to the solar cell switchboard 2-1, the theft detection current sent from the theft detection current supply power source 2-4 is the theft detection current. The current flows through the relay RLG of the detection circuit 2-5 and the solar cells SB1 to SBn, and the relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 2-5 operates by the current.

Relay R of the current detection circuit 2-5 for theft detection
By the operation of LG, a signal indicating that the solar cell is normally connected is sent to the telemeter observation device 2-6 by the make of the contact switch rlg.

On the other hand, when the solar cells SB1 to SBn are stolen and separated from the solar cell switchboard 2-1, the theft detection current sent from the theft detection current supply power source 2-4 is the theft detection current. Relay RLG of detection circuit 2-5
Therefore, the relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 2-5 does not operate, its contact switch rlg remains in the break state, and a signal indicating that the solar cell is not connected to the telemeter observation device 2-6. Is sent.

The contact switch r of the relay RLS
By ls, the connection line with the solar cells SB1 to SBn is connected from the power supply line 2-2 to the theft detection current supply power source 2-4 and the theft detection current detection circuit 2-5. In place of the configuration for switching to, the connection line with the solar cells SB1 to SBn is kept connected to the power supply line 2-2, and the connection line with the solar cells SB1 to SBn is detected by the contact switch rls of the relay RLS. It may be configured to be connected to a theft detection circuit composed of a series circuit of a current supply power supply 2-4 and a relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 2-5.

Further, the sum of the voltage of the theft detection current supply power supply 2-4 and the generated voltage of the solar cells SB1 to SBn at the time of receiving light is applied to the relay RLG of the detection current detection circuit 2-5. Therefore, it goes without saying that the relay RLG of the current detection circuit for theft detection 2-5 has a withstand voltage equal to or higher than its maximum voltage.

Relay R of the current detection circuit 2-5 for theft detection
The contact information of LG is returned together with the observation data from the telemeter observation device 2-6 to the monitoring station, and the monitoring station determines whether the solar cells SB1 to SBn are normally connected or removed due to theft or the like by this information bit. To do.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG.
Compared with the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, a theft detection circuit for detecting the theft of the solar cell in the solar cell switchboard 2-1 when collecting data from a remote device such as the telemeter observation device 2-6 is provided. Since the operation is performed, the current consumption of the theft detection current supply power source can be saved.

FIG. 3 shows a theft detection circuit for a solar cell according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a theft detection current for detecting the theft or the like of a solar cell is supplied from a backup storage battery BATT.
This eliminates the need to separately provide a current supply power source for theft detection.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the telemeter observing device 2-6 operates in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and since its configuration is also the same, duplicate description will be omitted.

The open / closed state of the contacts of each relay of the solar cell switchboard 3-1 becomes the state shown in FIG. 3 when the telemeter observation device 2-6 is not polled, and the generated voltage from the solar cells SB1 to SBn. Is the power supply line 3-2, 3
-3, power is supplied to the telemeter observation device 2-6 via the backflow prevention diode RPD.

When the switching relay RLS in the solar cell switchboard 3-1 operates in response to the switching instruction signal by the ground transmission of the return transmission contact 2-61 in the telemeter observation device 2-6, its contact switch rls1 and With the contact switch rls2, the connection lines with the solar cells SB1 to SBn are disconnected from the power supply lines 3-2 and 3-3, and the backup storage battery BATT and the series circuit including the relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 3-5 are separated. The connection lines to the solar cells SB1 to SBn are connected to the theft detection circuit.

At this time, if the solar cells SB1 to SBn are normally connected to the solar cell switchboard 3-1, the backup storage battery BATT positive electrode → theft detection current detection circuit 3-5 relay RLG → contact rls2 → Solar cell SB1
~ SBn → contact rls1 → backup storage battery BAT
A theft detection current flows to the negative electrode of T, and the relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 3-5 operates by the current.

Relay R of the current detection circuit 3-5 for theft detection
When the LG operates, a signal indicating that the solar cell is normally connected is sent to the telemeter observation device 2-6 by making the contact switch rlg.

On the other hand, if the solar cells SB1 to SBn are removed from the solar cell switchboard 3-1 and are not connected,
The theft detection current sent from the backup storage battery BATT is the relay RL of the theft detection current detection circuit 3-5.
Since it does not flow to G, the relay RLG of the current detection circuit for theft detection 3-5 becomes inoperative, its contact switch rlg remains in the break state, and the telemeter observation device 2-6.
A signal indicating that the solar cell is not connected is sent to.

The relay RLG of the theft detection current detection circuit 3-5 is replaced by a structure provided between the positive electrode side of the backup storage battery BATT and the contact switch rls2.
The same operation is performed even if the configuration is provided between the negative electrode side of the backup storage battery BATT and the contact switch rls1.

Here, the above-mentioned relay RLS and relay R
As a switch using LG, a switch circuit using a transistor can be used in addition to a switch element such as an electromagnetic relay or a photo MOS relay.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By passing the current for theft detection through the solar cell and detecting the presence or absence of the current for theft detection, it is possible to immediately detect the theft of the solar cell, and to report to the police or use a remote device such as a telemeter. It is possible to take swift countermeasures such as avoiding system stoppages in advance, and to suppress the spread of damage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a solar cell theft detection circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a solar cell theft detection circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a theft detection circuit for a solar cell according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a circuit of a conventional solar cell switchboard.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-1 Solar cell switchboard Feed line in 1-2, 1-3 1-4 Current supply power supply for theft detection 1-5 Theft detection current detection circuit SB1-SBn solar cells BD1 to BDn bypass diode RPD backflow prevention diode Storage battery for BATT backup

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 31/04-31/078 G08B 13/00-13/26 H02J 7/35

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A theft detection current supply power source provided separately from the solar cell, a means for supplying a theft detection current from the theft detection current supply power source through the solar cell, and a detection of the theft detection current. And a theft detection current detection circuit, wherein the theft detection current detection circuit has a configuration for detecting that the theft detection current has dropped below a predetermined current and outputting the detection result. Solar cell theft detection circuit. 2. A bypass diode is connected in parallel to the solar cell, a cathode terminal of the bypass diode is connected to a positive terminal of the solar cell, and an anode terminal of the bypass diode is connected to a negative terminal of the solar cell. The solar cell theft detection circuit described. 3. A means for flowing the theft detection current sent from the theft detection current supply power source through a connection switch which operates in response to a connection instruction signal. The solar cell theft detection circuit described. 4. A solar cell switchboard comprising the solar cell theft detection circuit according to claim 1, 2, or 3, a connection terminal for connecting the solar cell, and a power supply terminal to a load. 5. A backup storage battery connected between a positive electrode power supply line and a negative electrode power supply line from a solar cell, and normally, the positive electrode terminal side of the solar cell is the positive electrode power supply line and the negative electrode terminal side of the solar cell is A switch that connects to the negative power supply line and responds to a switching instruction signal to switch the connection from the backup storage battery so that a theft detection current flows to the solar cell via a theft detection current detection circuit, and Features a current detection circuit for theft detection that detects when the current for theft detection has dropped below a predetermined current and outputs the detection result, a connection terminal that connects the solar cell, and a power supply terminal to the load And solar cell switchboard. 6. The detection signal for detecting that the consumption current of the load has increased to a predetermined current or more is used as the connection instruction signal or the switching instruction signal for operating the connection switch or the changeover switch. The solar cell switchboard according to 4 or 5.