Prior art — US Patent 8796884B2

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 8796884B2, I will examine the "Prior art citations" section on its Google Patents page.

Prior Art for US Patent 8796884B2

Based on the "Prior art citations" section of the Google Patents page for US8796884B2, here are the cited patent references:

US Patent Documents:

US20080316773A1
- Full Citation: US20080316773A1 - Systems and methods for power conversion.
- Publication Date: 2008-12-25 (Application filed: 2008-06-20)
- Brief Description: This patent application describes systems and methods for power conversion, particularly for converting DC power from sources like solar panels to AC power for a grid. It addresses issues of power oscillation and ripple on DC-link capacitors, proposing techniques to mitigate these problems, including systems that produce a nearly constant average power from a DC power source.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Without the full claim text of US8796884B2, specific claim anticipation cannot be definitively determined. However, US20080316773A1 appears to be highly relevant as it discusses power conversion, ripple reduction, and constant average power from DC sources to AC grids, which are central themes in the abstract and detailed description of US8796884B2 (e.g., constant power control, energy storage, DC/AC conversion).
US7564703B2
- Full Citation: US7564703B2 - System and method for energy harvesting and power conversion.
- Publication Date: 2009-07-21 (Application filed: 2006-05-30)
- Brief Description: This patent describes an energy harvesting and power conversion system that can convert power from various sources (e.g., solar, wind, fuel cells) to a form suitable for a load or grid. It focuses on isolating power sources from load dynamics and optimizing power transfer.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is broadly relevant to the general field of energy conversion from renewable sources to loads/grids, as described in US8796884B2. The concept of isolating power sources from load dynamics is a recurring theme in both documents.
US7064985B2
- Full Citation: US7064985B2 - Grid-connected inverter with maximum power point tracking and energy storage management.
- Publication Date: 2006-06-20 (Application filed: 2004-03-31)
- Brief Description: This patent details a grid-connected inverter system that incorporates maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and manages energy storage to provide power to an electrical grid. It specifically addresses issues related to power flow and efficiency in such systems.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8796884B2 mentions MPPT and energy storage for DC to AC conversion, which aligns with the subject matter of US7064985B2. The management of energy storage, particularly for smoothing power flow to a grid, could be a point of overlap.
US20060012906A1
- Full Citation: US20060012906A1 - Microinverter for photovoltaic applications.
- Publication Date: 2006-01-19 (Application filed: 2004-07-16)
- Brief Description: This patent application describes a microinverter specifically designed for photovoltaic applications, converting DC power from a single solar module into AC power suitable for feeding into an electrical grid.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8796884B2 discusses energy conversion systems, including those for PV panels and distributed inverters (microinverters). The concept of microinverters in PV systems is directly addressed by US20060012906A1.
US20050219894A1
- Full Citation: US20050219894A1 - Solar inverter with reduced ripple.
- Publication Date: 2005-10-06 (Application filed: 2004-03-31)
- Brief Description: This patent application focuses on solar inverters designed to reduce ripple in the DC power stage, aiming to improve efficiency and component lifespan.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Ripple reduction is a significant aspect highlighted in US8796884B2, particularly in relation to improving efficiency and reducing the size/cost of energy storage components. This prior art directly addresses "reduced ripple" in solar inverters.

Foreign Patent Documents:

WO2006004928A2
- Full Citation: WO2006004928A2 - DC/AC inverter.
- Publication Date: 2006-01-12 (Application filed: 2005-07-07)
- Brief Description: This international publication describes a DC/AC inverter, a fundamental component in energy conversion systems for grid-tie applications.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As US8796884B2 deals with DC/AC conversion, this document is relevant to the general architecture and functionality of inverters.
WO2008064434A1
- Full Citation: WO2008064434A1 - Photovoltaic power conditioner.
- Publication Date: 2008-06-05 (Application filed: 2007-11-28)
- Brief Description: This international publication relates to photovoltaic power conditioners, which include functionalities like DC/DC conversion, DC/AC inversion, and power optimization for solar energy systems.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This document is directly relevant to the core application area of US8796884B2, which is energy conversion for photovoltaic systems, encompassing various power conditioning aspects.
WO2008070966A1
- Full Citation: WO2008070966A1 - Multi-module power converter having a voltage ripple reducer.
- Publication Date: 2008-06-19 (Application filed: 2007-12-07)
- Brief Description: This international publication describes a power converter system, potentially for multiple modules, which includes a feature to reduce voltage ripple.
- Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Given that US8796884B2 emphasizes ripple reduction and can be applied to multi-source systems, this document is highly relevant due to its focus on ripple reduction in multi-module power converters.

Non-Patent Literature:
No non-patent literature citations are explicitly listed in the "Prior art citations" section on the Google Patents page for US8796884B2.