PLC and mesh-based photovoltaic micro-inverter station communication system and method

Abstract

The application relates to a photovoltaic micro-inverter communication system and method based on PLC and Mesh. The system comprises a PLC gateway, at least one PLC extender and a plurality of micro-inverter terminals. The PLC gateway is connected with the PLC extender through a PLC carrier, is used for converging data and uploading the data to a remote platform, the PLC extender is connected with the plurality of micro-inverter terminals through a wireless Mesh network, is used for receiving data sent by the micro-inverter terminals, performing signal conversion and forwarding to the PLC gateway, and the micro-inverter terminal is used for controlling photovoltaic energy conversion and data acquisition and uploading data to the PLC extender through the wireless Mesh network. The scheme can support the access of a large number of micro-inverter terminals at the same time, can overcome the shielding of wireless signals by obstacles such as walls, and can realize stable and reliable communication in a complex scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology for micro-inverter power stations, and in particular to a communication system and method for photovoltaic micro-inverter power stations based on PLC and Mesh. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of photovoltaic power generation technology, micro inverter power stations are increasingly widely used in industrial and commercial scenarios due to their advantages such as distributed layout and high power generation efficiency. Micro inverter power stations are usually deployed in complex environments such as rooftops, and their communication systems need to meet requirements such as multi-device access, long-distance transmission, and strong wall penetration capabilities.

[0003] Currently, the networking communication of micro inverter power stations mainly adopts power line communication (PLC) technology or wireless local area network (Wi-Fi) technology. Among them, PLC technology uses power lines for data transmission, eliminating the need for additional wiring, but its number of access nodes is limited, making it difficult to support the networking needs of large-scale micro inverter power stations. While Wi-Fi technology offers flexible deployment, its signal attenuates significantly when penetrating walls or transmitting over long distances, leading to unstable communication between rooftop equipment and indoor control units.

[0004] Therefore, existing single communication methods struggle to balance device scale and signal penetration, failing to simultaneously meet the stable communication requirements of large-scale, multi-obstacle environments in industrial and commercial settings. Based on this, it is necessary to provide a micro-inverter power station communication system capable of simultaneously supporting large-scale device access and adapting to complex obstructed environments. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, this application addresses the aforementioned technical problems by providing a communication system and method for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh.

[0006] In one aspect, this application provides a photovoltaic micro inverter power station communication system based on PLC and Mesh, the system including a PLC gateway, at least one PLC extender, and multiple micro inverter terminals;

[0007] The PLC gateway is connected to the PLC extender via a PLC carrier and is used to receive data forwarded by the PLC extender and send it to a remote platform via a wireless network.

[0008] The PLC extender is connected to the multiple micro-inverter terminals via a wireless mesh network, and is used to receive data sent by the micro-inverter terminals, perform signal conversion, and forward it to the PLC gateway;

[0009] The micro-inverter terminal is used to control the execution of photovoltaic energy conversion and data acquisition, and to upload data to the PLC extender through the wireless mesh network.

[0010] In one embodiment, the PLC gateway is also used to receive control commands from the remote platform and send them to the PLC extender.

[0011] In one embodiment, the PLC extender is also used to receive control commands from the PLC gateway, perform signal conversion, and send them to the target micro-inverter terminal via the wireless mesh network.

[0012] In one embodiment, the PLC gateway includes a first main control chip, a first PLC communication module, and a network backhaul module;

[0013] The first main control chip is used to control the protocol conversion and data routing between the first PLC module and the network backhaul module;

[0014] The first PLC communication module is used to communicate with the PLC expander;

[0015] The network backhaul module is used to communicate with the remote platform.

[0016] In one embodiment, the PLC extender includes a second main control chip, a second PLC communication module, and a first wireless Mesh module;

[0017] The second main control chip is used to control the protocol conversion and data routing between the second PLC communication module and the first wireless Mesh module;

[0018] The second PLC communication module is used to communicate with the PLC gateway;

[0019] The first wireless mesh module is used to communicate with the micro-inverter terminal.

[0020] In one embodiment, the microinverter terminal includes a third main control chip, a photovoltaic inverter module, a data acquisition module, and a second wireless Mesh module;

[0021] The third main control chip is used to control the operation of the photovoltaic inverter module and process the operating data collected by the data acquisition module;

[0022] The photovoltaic inverter module is used to convert the photovoltaic DC input into AC output;

[0023] The data acquisition module is used to collect the operating data of the photovoltaic inverter module;

[0024] The second wireless mesh module is used to communicate with the PLC extender through the wireless mesh network under the control of the third main control chip.

[0025] In one embodiment, the PLC gateway, the PLC extender, and the micro-inverter terminal further include a memory for caching data under the control of the main control chip of the corresponding device and for managing the cached data.

[0026] In one embodiment, the PLC gateway is deployed in an indoor environment, and the PLC extender and the micro-inverter terminal are deployed in an unobstructed area on the roof.

[0027] Secondly, this application also provides a communication method for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh, applied to a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system. The system includes a PLC gateway, at least one PLC extender, and multiple micro-inverter terminals. The PLC gateway is connected to the PLC extender via a PLC carrier, and the PLC extender is connected to the multiple micro-inverter terminals via a wireless Mesh network. The method includes:

[0028] The micro-inverter terminal is controlled to collect operating data and send it to the PLC extender through the Mesh network;

[0029] The PLC extender is controlled to convert the received Mesh network protocol-based operating data into PLC carrier protocol-based operating data.

[0030] The PLC extender is controlled to send the converted operating data to the PLC gateway via a PLC carrier.

[0031] The PLC gateway is controlled to process the data and send it to the remote platform.

[0032] In one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0033] The remote platform is controlled to send control commands to the PLC gateway;

[0034] The PLC gateway is controlled to send the control commands to the target PLC extender via the PLC carrier using the PLC carrier protocol.

[0035] The PLC extender is controlled to perform protocol conversion on the received instructions based on the PLC carrier protocol to obtain instructions based on the Mesh network protocol;

[0036] The PLC extender is controlled to send the converted instructions to the target micro-inverter terminal for execution via the Mesh network.

[0037] The aforementioned PLC- and Mesh-based photovoltaic micro-inverter communication system and method, through a three-level distributed architecture, effectively overcomes the limitations of single communication technologies. The PLC extender connects to the indoor gateway via a PLC carrier wave, avoiding signal attenuation caused by wall obstructions; simultaneously, it flexibly networks with outdoor micro-inverter terminals through a wireless Mesh network, enabling expansion of the number of connected terminals. In complex industrial and commercial scenarios, this system achieves the technical effects of increasing communication scale, ensuring wall penetration capability, and improving overall system stability. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is an architecture diagram of a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system based on PLC and Mesh in one embodiment;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the data upload process of a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system in one embodiment;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the instruction issuance process of a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a PLC gateway in one embodiment;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a PLC expander in one embodiment;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the micro-inverter terminal in one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0046] In this embodiment, a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system based on PLC and Mesh is described, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the system adopts a three-level distributed architecture, including a PLC gateway 100, at least one PLC extender 200, and multiple micro-inverter terminals 300.

[0047] Power Line Communication (PLC) technology is a communication technology that uses power lines as the physical medium for data transmission. It can achieve medium- to long-distance data transmission with good wall penetration capabilities, and has high environmental adaptability and anti-interference ability. Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) technology is a multi-hop network technology that uses wireless networking and allows network nodes to forward data to each other. It offers flexible network topology and is suitable for scenarios with dense equipment, obstructions, or the need for flexible expansion of access points. This invention integrates PLC technology and wireless mesh network technology to construct a hybrid communication architecture. PLC technology is responsible for building a stable and reliable backbone communication link between the PLC gateway and the PLC extender, using power lines to overcome the obstruction of fixed obstacles such as walls, achieving reliable connections between indoor and outdoor devices. Wireless mesh network technology is responsible for building a flexible, high-density terminal access network between the PLC extender and multiple micro-inverter terminals. By deploying it close to each other in unobstructed areas like rooftops, it avoids the attenuation problem of long-distance wireless transmission and supports concurrent access by a large number of terminal devices.

[0048] Specifically, the PLC gateway is deployed indoors, connecting to the PLC extender via a PLC carrier wave. It receives data forwarded by the PLC extender and transmits it to a remote platform via a wireless network. The PLC extender and micro-inverter terminals are deployed in an unobstructed area on the roof. The PLC extender connects to multiple micro-inverter terminals via a wireless mesh network, receiving data from the micro-inverter terminals, performing signal conversion, and forwarding it to the PLC gateway. The micro-inverter terminals perform photovoltaic energy conversion and data acquisition, and upload data to the PLC extender via the wireless mesh network.

[0049] During the operation of a photovoltaic system, the communication process in the data upload direction is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, each micro-inverter terminal performs photovoltaic energy conversion and collects operating data of the photovoltaic inverter, such as input / output voltage, current, temperature, and power. This operating data is processed and encapsulated to form data packets suitable for wireless transmission.

[0050] Subsequently, the microinverter terminal sends data packets to the PLC extender with which it has established a wireless mesh network connection via wireless mesh communication. It should be noted that nodes in the wireless mesh communication network can forward data to each other. Within this network, if the direct wireless link between the microinverter terminal and the target PLC extender is of poor quality or interrupted, data packets can be relayed through other adjacent microinverter terminals or PLC extenders. This mechanism creates redundant links, significantly enhancing the network robustness and stability of the terminal access layer and avoiding communication interruptions caused by single-point link failures.

[0051] The PLC extender receives Mesh data packets from one or more micro-inverter terminals and performs protocol conversion, transforming the Mesh network protocol-based data packets into PLC carrier communication protocol data unsuitable for power line transmission. Optionally, the PLC extender's built-in memory can cache the data before and after conversion and manage the cached data to ensure the continuity of data forwarding.

[0052] After completing the protocol conversion, the PLC extender transmits the converted data via power line carrier to the indoor PLC gateway through its PLC communication module. Multiple PLC extenders can work in parallel to aggregate data from a large number of micro-inverter terminals to a single PLC gateway, thereby expanding the number of terminal devices that a single gateway can manage and overcoming the bottleneck of limited access capacity in traditional single PLC technology.

[0053] The PLC gateway receives data from one or more PLC extenders through its PLC communication module, summarizes, parses, and repackages the data, processing it into a format suitable for uploading to a remote monitoring platform via a wide area network. The data is then uploaded to the remote platform via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or 4G / 5G, completing the data upload process.

[0054] The aforementioned PLC- and Mesh-based photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system utilizes PLC technology to ensure backbone link stability, wireless Mesh communication technology to enable flexible terminal access, and redundant link design to reduce the risk of failure. This not only effectively extends communication distance and avoids wall obstruction, but also expands network scale through the multi-access capability of extenders, meeting the networking needs of large-scale industrial and commercial power stations and ensuring reliable transmission of communication tasks in large-scale and complex environments.

[0055] It is understood that the communication in this system is bidirectional. The remote monitoring platform not only needs to receive the operating data uploaded by the micro-inverter terminals, but also needs to issue control commands to specific or all terminals to achieve the monitoring, management, and control of the power plant. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLC gateway is used to receive control commands from the remote platform and send them to the PLC extender.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, the system also supports the command delivery process from the remote platform to the microinverter terminal.

[0057] Specifically, the remote platform generates control commands for the target micro-inverter terminal and sends these commands to the indoor PLC gateway via the Internet, mobile communication networks, or other means. The PLC gateway parses and converts the commands into protocol-compatible data frames, encapsulates them into data frames suitable for the PLC carrier communication protocol, and sends them to the PLC extender via the PLC network.

[0058] The PLC extender receives control commands from the PLC gateway, performs signal conversion, transforms data based on the PLC carrier protocol into a data packet format suitable for transmission in a wireless mesh network, and sends it to the target micro-inverter terminal via the wireless mesh network. If a direct and stable wireless link exists between the target micro-inverter terminal and the current PLC extender, the data packet will be delivered directly; if the direct link is poor, the data packet can be relayed by other micro-inverter terminals or extenders in the network until it reaches the target terminal.

[0059] Ultimately, the target microinverter terminal receives the instruction data packet through its own wireless mesh communication module, parses the communication packet to obtain the specific control instructions, and executes the corresponding operation. After execution, the microinverter terminal can choose to generate response data and, following the aforementioned data upload process, transmit the execution result back to the remote platform via the PLC extender and PLC gateway.

[0060] In this embodiment, the issuance of instructions and the uploading of data constitute a complete communication link for the system. Through this three-level network architecture, efficient operation and maintenance and centralized control can be achieved in complex scenarios.

[0061] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the PLC gateway 100 includes a first main control chip 101, a first PLC communication module 102, and a network feedback module 103.

[0062] The first main control chip 101 is the core of the PLC gateway's operation and control, used to control protocol conversion and data routing between the first PLC module and the network backhaul module. The first PLC communication module 102 is the functional unit for physical connection and data transmission / reception between the PLC gateway and the PLC network, used for communication with the PLC extender. It typically includes a carrier modulation / demodulation chip, coupling circuit, signal amplification and filtering circuit, etc. The network backhaul module 103 is the interface unit for establishing a connection between the PLC gateway and the remote platform, used for communication with the remote platform. Considering the diversity of field deployment environments, it can be one or more combinations of Ethernet interface, Wi-Fi wireless module, and 4G / 5G mobile communication module. In addition, the hardware implementation of the PLC gateway typically includes necessary auxiliary units to ensure its stable operation, such as a power supply module providing stable voltage to the various components within the gateway, and memory.

[0063] Specifically, in the data upload direction, the first main control chip receives data frames uploaded by the PLC extenders from the first PLC communication module, parses and decapsulates them, aggregates and processes data reported by multiple PLC extenders, and then sends them to the remote platform through the network return module. In the command sending direction, the first main control chip controls the network return module to receive commands from the remote platform, parses and encapsulates them according to the protocol, and then sends them to the target PLC extender through the first PLC communication module.

[0064] Through the coordinated operation of the first main control chip, the first PLC communication module, and the network backhaul module, the PLC gateway realizes the conversion of internal and external network protocols and the reliable relay of data streams, providing a stable and flexible uplink path for the entire micro-reverse power station communication system.

[0065] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the PLC extender 200 includes a second main control chip 201, a second PLC communication module 202, and a first wireless Mesh module 203.

[0066] The second main control chip 201 is responsible for coordinating the work of various internal modules and executing core protocol conversion and data routing logic. The second PLC communication module 202 is the functional unit that connects to the physical layer of the PLC gateway. It typically integrates a carrier modulation / demodulation chip and coupling circuitry to send and receive data frames conforming to the PLC communication protocol over the power line medium. The first wireless mesh module 203 is the interface for wireless networking communication between the extender and the rooftop micro-inverter terminal group. It typically includes a mesh network RF chip, power amplifier circuitry, and a dedicated antenna, responsible for building a multi-hop wireless mesh network to flexibly and reliably connect a large number of terminal devices.

[0067] Specifically, in the data upload path, the first wireless Mesh module receives data packets encapsulated in the Mesh protocol from one or more micro-inverter terminals and delivers them to the second main control chip. The second main control chip parses, aggregates, or sorts these data packets, and then performs a conversion from the wireless Mesh network protocol to the power line carrier communication protocol. The converted data is encapsulated in PLC frame format, modulated onto the power line by the second PLC communication module, and sent to the PLC gateway. In the command delivery path, the second PLC communication module receives PLC data frames addressed to this extender from the PLC gateway on the power line, demodulates them, and transmits them to the second main control chip. The second main control chip parses the original control commands, completes the conversion from the PLC protocol to the Mesh protocol, and finally forwards them to the target micro-inverter terminal in the wireless Mesh network through the first wireless Mesh module.

[0068] Through the collaboration of the second main control chip, the second PLC communication module, and the first wireless Mesh module, the connection between the two heterogeneous networks, PLC and Mesh, was realized, solving the technical difficulties of signal penetration through walls and large-scale access, significantly improving the coverage of the entire communication network and expanding the network scale.

[0069] In another exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the micro-inverter terminal 300 includes a third main control chip 301, a photovoltaic inverter module 302, a data acquisition module 303, and a second wireless Mesh module 304.

[0070] The third main control chip 301 is the control core of each module in the micro-inverter terminal. Its functions include controlling the operation of the photovoltaic inverter module and processing the operating data collected by the data acquisition module. The photovoltaic inverter module 302 converts the photovoltaic DC input to AC output, typically including a DC-DC boost circuit, a DC-AC full-bridge inverter circuit, and corresponding filtering and protection circuits, and is directly connected to the photovoltaic module. The data acquisition module 303 collects the operating data of the photovoltaic inverter module and typically consists of an analog front-end, voltage / current sensors, temperature sensors, and an analog-to-digital converter. The second wireless mesh module 304 is the interface for the micro-inverter terminal to access the system communication network. Under the control of the third main control chip, it communicates with the target PLC extender via the wireless mesh network. When network communication is poor, it communicates with nearby PLC extenders or other micro-inverter terminals.

[0071] When the microinverter terminal is running, the data acquisition module continuously collects operating data from the photovoltaic inverter module. Subsequently, the third main control chip processes this data; part of it is used for real-time precise control of the photovoltaic inverter module's operation, while the other part is transmitted to the wireless mesh network via the second wireless mesh module, and then relayed through the PLC extender to the remote platform. Conversely, downlink control commands also reach the third main control chip through this communication path and are executed.

[0072] In this embodiment, the micro-inverter terminal has an independent main control chip, which together with the PLC extender and PLC gateway forms a three-layer network, enabling stable and large-scale networking of micro-inverter power stations in complex scenarios.

[0073] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the PLC gateway, PLC extender, and microinverter terminal are all equipped with dedicated memory. This memory, managed by the main control chip of each device, is used to cache data to be forwarded or responded to.

[0074] Specifically, this memory possesses one or more of the following functions. To address the potential momentary instability issues in wireless mesh networks or PLC communication links caused by environmental interference, when the device detects poor communication link quality or a temporary interruption in its transmission direction, its main control chip temporarily stores the data packets that need to be transmitted in real time into this memory. After confirming that communication has been restored, the cached data is read. When multiple data packets to be transmitted are cached, the main control chip can dynamically sort the cache queue according to the data packet type or preset priority rules and send them in order, thereby ensuring that critical information can be reported in a timely manner. Furthermore, the main control chip can temporarily store multiple data samples collected in a short period in the memory and perform certain preprocessing, thereby reducing the number of data packets transmitted on the wireless channel and saving network bandwidth.

[0075] The modules in the aforementioned PLC and Mesh-based photovoltaic micro-inverter communication system can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in the processor of a computer device in hardware form or independent of it, or stored in the memory of a computer device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.

[0076] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a communication method for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh, applied to the aforementioned photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system. The solution provided by this method is similar to the solution described above; therefore, the specific limitations in one or more embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations of the communication system described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, a communication method for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh is provided, including the following steps:

[0078] Step S401: Control the micro-inverter terminal to collect operating data and send it to the PLC extender through the Mesh network.

[0079] Step S402: Control the PLC extender to perform protocol conversion on the received Mesh network protocol-based operating data to obtain operating data based on the PLC carrier protocol.

[0080] Step S403: Control the PLC extender to send the converted operating data to the PLC gateway via the PLC carrier.

[0081] Step S404: Control the PLC gateway to process the data and send it to the remote platform.

[0082] In another embodiment, the above method further includes:

[0083] Step S501: Control the remote platform to send control commands to the PLC gateway.

[0084] Step S502: Control the PLC gateway to send control commands to the target PLC extender via the PLC carrier protocol.

[0085] Step S503: Control the PLC extender to perform protocol conversion on the received PLC carrier protocol-based instructions to obtain instructions based on the Mesh network protocol.

[0086] Step S504: Control the PLC extender to send the converted instructions to the target micro-inverter terminal for execution via the Mesh network.

[0087] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile memory and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, artificial intelligence (AI) processors, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0089] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this application.

[0090] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A communication system for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh, characterized in that, The system includes a PLC gateway, at least one PLC extender, and multiple micro-inverter terminals. The PLC gateway is connected to the PLC extender via a PLC carrier and is used to receive data forwarded by the PLC extender and send it to a remote platform via a wireless network. The PLC extender is connected to the multiple micro-inverter terminals via a wireless mesh network, and is used to receive data sent by the micro-inverter terminals, perform signal conversion, and forward it to the PLC gateway; The micro-inverter terminal is used to control the execution of photovoltaic energy conversion and data acquisition, and to upload data to the PLC extender through the wireless mesh network.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PLC gateway is also used to receive control commands from the remote platform and send them to the PLC extender.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The PLC extender is also used to receive control commands from the PLC gateway, perform signal conversion, and send them to the target micro-inverter terminal through the wireless Mesh network.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PLC gateway includes a first main control chip, a first PLC communication module, and a network backhaul module; The first main control chip is used to control the protocol conversion and data routing between the first PLC module and the network backhaul module; The first PLC communication module is used to communicate with the PLC expander; The network backhaul module is used to communicate with the remote platform.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PLC extender includes a second main control chip, a second PLC communication module, and a first wireless Mesh module; The second main control chip is used to control the protocol conversion and data routing between the second PLC communication module and the first wireless Mesh module; The second PLC communication module is used to communicate with the PLC gateway; The first wireless mesh module is used to communicate with the micro-inverter terminal.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro-inverter terminal includes a third main control chip, a photovoltaic inverter module, a data acquisition module, and a second wireless Mesh module; The third main control chip is used to control the operation of the photovoltaic inverter module and process the operating data collected by the data acquisition module; The photovoltaic inverter module is used to convert the photovoltaic DC input into AC output; The data acquisition module is used to collect the operating data of the photovoltaic inverter module; The second wireless mesh module is used to communicate with the PLC extender through the wireless mesh network under the control of the third main control chip.

7. The system according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that, The PLC gateway, the PLC extender, and the micro-inverter terminal also include a memory for caching data under the control of the main control chip of the corresponding device and for managing the cached data.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PLC gateway is deployed indoors, while the PLC extender and the micro-inverter terminal are deployed in an unobstructed area on the roof.

9. A communication method for a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station based on PLC and Mesh, applied to a photovoltaic micro-inverter power station communication system, the system comprising a PLC gateway, at least one PLC extender, and multiple micro-inverter terminals, wherein the PLC gateway is connected to the PLC extender via a PLC carrier, and the PLC extender is connected to the multiple micro-inverter terminals via a wireless Mesh network, characterized in that... The method includes: The micro-inverter terminal is controlled to collect operating data and send it to the PLC extender through the Mesh network; The PLC extender is controlled to convert the received Mesh network protocol-based operating data into PLC carrier protocol-based operating data. The PLC extender is controlled to send the converted operating data to the PLC gateway via a PLC carrier. The PLC gateway is controlled to process the data and send it to the remote platform.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The remote platform is controlled to send control commands to the PLC gateway; The PLC gateway is controlled to send the control commands to the target PLC extender via the PLC carrier using the PLC carrier protocol. The PLC extender is controlled to perform protocol conversion on the received instructions based on the PLC carrier protocol to obtain instructions based on the Mesh network protocol; The PLC extender is controlled to send the converted instructions to the target micro-inverter terminal for execution via the Mesh network.

Images