Wireless solar shingle panel and a method for implementing same

Abstract

A shingle and method is provided, wherein the shingle includes a shingle back having at least one back conductive trace and a shingle front configured to securely include at least one solar cell. The shingle front includes at least one front conductive trace configurable such that when the shingle front includes a solar cell, the solar cell is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion. At least one of the back conductive traces is conductively connected to at least one of the front conductive traces. The back conductive traces and the front conductive traces are configured such that when the shingle is associated with a like shingle, the back conductive trace of the like shingle is conductively connected to the at least one front conductive trace of the shingle to be in a series fashion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A roofing shingle, the shingle comprising:
 a shingle back, said shingle back including at least one back conductive trace; and   a shingle front configured to securely include at least one solar cell, said shingle front having at least one front conductive trace,   wherein said at least one front conductive trace is configurable such that when said shingle front includes said at least one solar cell, said at least one solar cell is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion,   wherein at least one of said at least one back conductive trace is conductively connected to at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and   wherein said at least one of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one of said at least one front conductive trace are configured such that when said shingle is associated with a like shingle, the at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle in a series fashion.   
     
     
         2 . The shingle of  claim 1 , wherein when said like shingle is associated with said shingle, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle via a conducting apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The shingle of  claim 2 , wherein said conducting apparatus is a resilient member. 
     
     
         4 . The shingle of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace, said at least one back conductive trace and said resilient member are constructed from an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         5 . The shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace include a plurality of protruding members such that when said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively associated with said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle, said plurality of protruding members of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace frictionally interact to secure said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace together. 
     
     
         6 . The shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace are configurable via removing a desired portion of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace. 
     
     
         7 . The shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one back conductive trace includes a back conductive trace start and a back conductive trace end and wherein said at least one front conductive trace includes a front conductive trace start and a front conductive trace end. 
     
     
         8 . The shingle of  claim 7 , wherein said front conductive trace end is electrically connected to said back conductive trace start such that said at least one back conductive trace is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion. 
     
     
         9 . The shingle of  claim 1 , wherein when said solar cell is connected to said shingle, electrical leads of said solar cell are connected to said at least one front conductive trace, wherein a portion of said at least one front conductive trace between said electrical leads is removed such that said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion. 
     
     
         10 . A shingle system configured for installation on a roof of a building, the shingle system comprising:
 a plurality of shingles, wherein each of said plurality of shingles includes,
 a shingle back having at least one back conductive trace, and 
 a shingle front having at least one front conductive trace, said shingle front being configurable to electrically connect at least one solar cell to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion, and 
 wherein said shingle back and said shingle front are configured such that when a shingle of said plurality of shingles is associated with a like shingle of said plurality of shingles, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively associated with said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle in a series fashion. 
   
     
     
         11 . The shingle system of  claim 10 , wherein when said like shingle is associated with said shingle, said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively connected to said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle via a conducting apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The shingle system of  claim 11 , wherein said conducting apparatus is a resilient member. 
     
     
         13 . The shingle system of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace, said at least one back conductive trace and said resilient member are constructed from an electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The shingle system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace include a plurality of protruding members such that when said at least one back conductive trace of said like shingle is conductively associated with said at least one front conductive trace of said shingle, said plurality of protruding members of said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace frictionally interact to secure said at least one back conductive trace and said at least one front conductive trace together. 
     
     
         15 . The shingle system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace are configurable via removing a desired portion of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace. 
     
     
         16 . The shingle system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one back conductive trace includes a back conductive trace start and a back conductive trace end and wherein said at least one front conductive trace includes a front conductive trace start and a front conductive trace end. 
     
     
         17 . The shingle system of  claim 16 , wherein said front conductive trace end is electrically connected to said back conductive trace start such that said at least one back conductive trace is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion. 
     
     
         18 . The shingle system of  claim 10 , wherein when said solar cell is connected to said shingle, electrical leads of said solar cell are connected to said at least one front conductive trace, wherein a portion of the said at least one front conductive trace between said electrical leads is removed such that said solar cell is connected to said at least one front conductive trace in a series fashion. 
     
     
         19 . A method for implementing a wireless solar shingle system, the wireless solar shingle system including a shingle having a shingle back which includes at least one back conductive trace, and a shingle front having at least one front conductive trace, the shingle front being configurable to electrically connect at least one solar cell to the at least one front conductive trace in an electrically series fashion, the method comprising:
 positioning a plurality of first layer shingles on a structure surface to form a first layer;   anchoring said plurality of first layer shingles to said structure surface such that said plurality of first layer shingles are electrically connected to adjacent first layer shingles in series fashion via at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace;   positioning a plurality of second layer shingles on said structure surface to form a second layer; and   anchoring said plurality of second layer shingles to said structure surface such that said plurality of second layer shingles are electrically connected to said adjacent second layer shingles and said first layer in series fashion via at least one of said at least one front conductive trace and said at least one back conductive trace.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the shingle includes a shingle front and a shingle back and is fabricating by,
 depositing an electrically conductive material on the shingle front to form a front trace, wherein said front trace includes a front trace start and a front trace end;   depositing an electrically conductive material on said shingle back to form a back trace, wherein said back trace includes a back trace start and a back trace end; and   connecting said back trace start with said front trace end such that said back trace end is connected with said front trace start via a series connection.