1. A method of operating a computer system having a client, a first service and a second service, the method comprising:
a) receiving with the first service a request for network access from the client;
b) in response to the request for network access, sending a request for status from the first service to the second service, the request for status identifying the client;
c) receiving at the first service information about the status of the client from the second service; and
d) making a determination relating to network access for the client, the determination being based at least in part on the received information about the status.
2. The method of operating a computer system of claim 1, wherein the second service executes on an update server and the method further comprises:
e) sending a software update from the update second server to the client.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending a software update comprises sending the software update prior to receiving the request for network access.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the status of the client comprises information about the software update status of the client and wherein sending the software update comprises sending the software update after making a determination relating to network access and wherein the method further comprises:
f) granting network access to the client after sending the software update.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a request for network access comprises receiving an identifier of the update server.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for network access comprises receiving an indication of the time at which the client last downloaded a catalogue of available software updates.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a statement of health by taking actions comprising scanning the client to determine whether it includes software operating according to a predetermined policy.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a request for network access comprises receiving the statement of health.
9. A method of operating a computer system having a client and a server, the method comprising:
a) sending a request for network access from the client to the server;
b) in response to the request for access, identifying a category of software update available but not installed on the client, the category of software update being one of an enumerated set of software update classifications; and
c) making a determination relating to network access for the client based on the category of the software update.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the enumerated set comprises: critical, important, moderate and low.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the computer system further comprises a second server and identifying the category of software update comprises receiving an indication of the category at the server from the second server.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein making a determination is performed by the server.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein:
i) the method further comprises executing an agent on the client to obtain an indication of operational status of the client; and
ii) sending a request for network access comprises communicating the indication of operational status of the client to the server.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying a category of software update comprises receiving at the server information on software updates available to the client separate from the indication of operational status of the client.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising establishing a policy according to a method of establishing a policy comprising:
i) displaying a user interface including a list of severity ratings; and
ii) receiving through the user interface user input specifying a severity rating in the list of the severity ratings; and
wherein making a determination comprises determining that the category of the software update matches the severity rating specified in the user input.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method of establishing a policy further comprises receiving through the user interface policy attributes concerning at least one of antivirus protection, a firewall and spyware protection.
17. A method of operating a computer system having a client, a first service and a second service, the method comprising:
a) receiving with the first service a request for network access from the client, the request for network access including a first time value indicative of the time at which the client was updated;
b) receiving with the first service information from the second service a second time value indicating when an update for the client was available; and
c) making a determination relating to network access for the client based at least in part on the first time value and second time value.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein making a determination comprises comparing the difference between the first time and the second time to a predetermined policy.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
d) in response to the determination relating to network access, obtaining an update for the client; and
e) repeating a), b) and c) following d).
20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving with the first service a request for network access from the client, comprises receiving a request for network access including a first time value indicative of the time at which the client obtained a catalogue of available updates.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A solar concentrator module comprising a heat spreader layer, upper and lower adhesive layers, photovoltaic cell array layer laminated between the upper and lower adhesive layers, a cover layer and a voltage stand off layer.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic cell array is divided and laminated between the upper and lower layers.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising stress relief slots or grooves in the heat spreader layer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heat spreader layer is an aluminum sheet adhesive bonded to the voltage stand off layer.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the photovoltaic cell array comprises cells derived by dividing commercial planar silicon cells into equal sized smaller parts.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is glass.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage stand off layer is a polyester sheet.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising rows of cells with metal grids including n and p collection grids on a back side.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising cells with n grid lines running to an n bus on one cell edge and p grid lines running to a p bus on an opposite cell edge.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein both grid line types are plated to a thickness thereby allowing for good current flow.
11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the divided cells are series connected in rows with connectors between busses.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the series connected cells are laminated into a circuit assembly.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the heat spreader layer is laminated on a backside of the circuit assembly.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the stress relief slits or grooves accommodate differences in thermal expansion coefficient between the heat spreader layer and adjacent layers.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising mirrors mounted between the cell rows, wherein the slits or grooves run from the cells toward the mirrors mounted between the cell rows to avoid interference with heat flow directions.
16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the circuit assembly comprises thirty-six cell circuits in a four by nine cell array.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cells are approximately 5\u2033 long each.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the module has dimensions of approximately 21\u2033 by 47\u2033.
19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the circuit assembly comprises seventy-two cells in a six by twelve cell array.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the module has dimensions of approximately 31\u2033 by 62\u2033.
21. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising mirrors mounted on the module.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mirrors comprise two facets per face of each mirror.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein end mirrors comprise a face with two facets.
24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mirrors are selected from the group consisting of coatings, sheet metal, silvered glass mounted onto plastic extrusions, silvered tape coatings rolled onto aluminum sheets prior to bending into proper shapes, and combinations thereof.
25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the mirrors are then tied together in an array with end clips wherein the mirrors fit into slots in the end clips with the slots setting the mirror spacing reproducibly.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a metal frame surrounding the laminated circuit, wherein the mirror array is coupled to the metal frame to form a sunlight concentrating mirror module.
27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the mirror array replaces single crystal cell areas.
28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein an array of linear mirrors with generally triangular cross sections are located between the cell rows and wherein the mirror facets deflect sun rays down to the rows of the divided cells.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising cell rows with plastic sheet spacers between the cell rows to reproducibly fix row spacings.
30. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the divided cells are derived by cutting planar silicon cells into thirds.
31. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the divided cells are derived by cutting planar silicon cells into halves, wherein the module comprises rows of half solar cells separated by rows of mirrors, and wherein the mirrors deflect sunlight down to the cells.
32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the cells are mounted on a metal sheet heat spreader.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the cell and mirror array sunlight-collection-area is same as the heat spreader sheet area.
34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the heat spreader sheet moves heat from under the cells to areas underneath the mirrors for uniform heat removal by contact with air.
35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the planar silicon cells divided in half have a metal collection grid on a front side with grid lines connected to two current busing lines.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the cells are cut in half and wherein current busing lines remain on each half.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the half-cells are separated by intermediate rows of mirrors.
38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the module is a sunlight concentrating mirror-module.
39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein a width of the row spacer sets a cell row spacing equal to a mirror spacing set by the slots in the end clip to within about+\u22122 mm.
40. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the module comprises layers selected from the group consisting of glass substrate layers, polymer layers, layers of series connected cell rows of divided cells, row spacers, voltage standoff layers, adhesive layers, heat spreader layers, and combinations thereof.
41. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the module comprises sequentially glass substrate layer, first polymer layer, layer of series connected rows of divided cells, row spacer, second polymer layer, voltage stand off layer, adhesive layer, heat spreader layer, and further comprising stress relief slots or grooves.
42. A solar power module apparatus comprising a circuit assembly, photovoltaic cell array layer in the circuit assembly, and linear mirrors in the circuit assembly for deflecting sun rays to the rows of solar cells.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the circuit assembly comprises linear extrusions.
44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the linear extrusions include side wall extrusions disposed along boundaries of the circuit assembly.
45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the circuit assembly further comprises inner mirrors having triangular cross-sections.
46. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising a back panel in the circuit assembly.
47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the back panel is a metal sheet.
48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the photovoltaic cell array layer comprises rows of series connected solar cells derived from divided commercial planar silicon cells comprising parts of equal size mounted on the metal sheet.
49. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising a metal frame and end plates surrounding the circuit assembly.
50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein an area of the cells is less than a total area of the module.
51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the mirrors are disposed between rows of the linear silicon-cell circuits.
52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising linear extrusions on the circuit assembly, and wherein the mirrors are mounted on faces of the linear extrusions for deflecting sun rays impinging on each mirror onto the linear silicon-cell circuits.
53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the linear extrusions include side-wall extrusions.
54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the linear extrusions include inner extrusions with triangular cross-sections.
55. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising slots in the side wall extrusions, wherein the back panel is coupled to the slots in the side wall extrusions.
56. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising end to end fastener openings in the linear extrusions and fasteners disposed in the fastener openings for coupling the circuit assembly, the linear mirrors on the linear extrusions, the back panel and the end plates.
57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising a heat spreader layer.
58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising a voltage stand off layer.
59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the heat spreader layer is an aluminum sheet bonded to the voltage stand off layer.
60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the voltage stand off layer is a polyester sheet.
61. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising a transparent cover.
62. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the transparent cover is a glass plate.
63. The apparatus of claim 58, further comprising slots or grooves in the heat spreader layer.
64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the slots or grooves are stress relief devices that accommodate differences in thermal expansion coefficient between the heat spreader layer and adjacent layers.
65. A method of assembling a planar concentrator solar power module comprising dividing commercial planar photovoltaic cells into smaller parts of equal size, mounting the divided cells on a heat spreader plate and forming a circuit element, bonding the heat spreader plate to a voltage stand off sheet, connecting the cells in series to form linear circuit rows, mounting linear mirrors on the plate, alternating the linear circuit rows and the linear mirrors in the circuit element, deflecting sun rays with the linear mirrors on to the linear circuit rows, concentrating solar energy into the linear circuit rows and providing optimal thermal energy management.
66. The method of claim 65, further comprising transferring waste heat generated from the concentrating solar energy to the heat spreader plate, spreading the waste heat laterally through the heat spreader plate and causing a temperature of the heat spreader plate to be uniform.
67. The method of claim 65, wherein the mounting the cells on the heat spreader plate comprises providing slots or grooves between alternating circuits and allowing a temperature of the heat spreader plate to be uniform.
68. The method of claim 65, further comprising mounting linear extrusions as a frame around the heat spreader plate and mounting the linear mirrors to the linear extrusions and mounting the linear circuit rows between the mirrors.
69. The method of claim 68, further comprising allowing for optimal seasonal alignment by providing linear mirrors longer than the linear circuit rows, aligning the mirror focal line in a northsouth direction and giving a tracking tolerance in northsouth direction corresponding to a movement of the sun.
70. A concentrator solar power module apparatus comprising a planar heat spreader base, an aligned array of linear photovoltaic cell circuits of divided cells of equal size derived from commercial planar silicon cells on the heat spreader base, an aligned array of linear concentrator elements for directing solar radiation on the aligned array of linear photovoltaic cell circuits, the linear photovoltaic circuits being in thermal contact with the heat spreader base and being electrically isolated from the heat spreader base, wherein an area of the heat spreader base is equal to a total module area for efficient heat spreading and heat removal.