Electric vehicle configuration and operation based on energy supply and demand

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for configuring a vehicle according to energy requirements of an energy supply (e.g., an electrical grid) are disclosed herein. The energy configuration system may determine an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with the power supply, where the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply, the energy plan including a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply and / or for extracting charge from the supply. The energy configuration system may then generate movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to vehicles and, more particularly, to electric / hybrid vehicles that are capable of storing electricity onboard the vehicle (e.g., in a battery) and drawing electricity from or distributing electricity to an external power supply (e.g., distributing electricity to / drawing electricity from an electrical grid via a charging station). Background Art

[0002] In recent years, consumers and manufacturers have been moving away from combustion engine vehicles toward electric or hybrid vehicles. Electric and / or hybrid vehicles typically include some form of energy storage device, such as a battery, that provides the vehicle with a source of energy for operating the vehicle. For hybrid vehicles, the vehicle itself can generate / renew energy for the energy storage device by operating the internal combustion engine. Additionally, the vehicle can be connected to a charging station to recharge the energy storage device. For fully electric vehicles, the vehicle's energy storage device must be replaced (e.g., a depleted battery is replaced with a charged battery) or the energy storage device must be recharged by connecting the vehicle to a charging station, where energy can be drawn from the energy grid to recharge the battery.

[0003] At the same time, the energy grid to which electric and / or hybrid vehicles may be connected may not necessarily be consistent in terms of the available power supply and actual power demand of the energy grid. For example, the energy grid may be powered by alternative energy sources such as wind and solar energy, which may be weather-dependent, resulting in a potential shortage in the energy grid when demand becomes higher than the currently available supply (e.g., when wind speeds and / or solar radiation levels are low). Alternatively, if the weather is particularly favorable for power generation (e.g., high winds and / or favorable solar radiation levels), the energy grid may have an excess supply of power, particularly when demand is lower than the currently available supply. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] In the drawings, like reference numerals generally refer to the same components throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, with emphasis instead generally being placed on illustrating the exemplary principles of the present disclosure. In the following description, various exemplary aspects of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0005] Figure 1 An example of an energy configuration system is shown that can generate an energy plan for a vehicle and generate movement instructions for the vehicle, wherein the energy plan takes into account requirements of an energy supply source;

[0006] Figure 2 An exemplary schematic diagram of an apparatus for generating an energy plan for a vehicle and generating movement instructions for the vehicle, wherein the energy plan takes into account requirements of an energy supply source; and

[0007] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart depicts an exemplary method for generating an energy plan for a vehicle and generating movement instructions for the vehicle, wherein the energy plan takes into account requirements of an energy supply source. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, exemplary details and features.

[0009] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs.

[0010] Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that unless otherwise noted, like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

[0011] The phrases "at least one" and "one or more" may be understood to include numerical quantities greater than or equal to one (e.g., one, two, three, four, [ . . . ], etc.). The phrase "at least one of" with respect to a set of elements may be used herein to mean at least one element from the group consisting of the elements. For example, the phrase "at least one of" with respect to a set of elements may be used herein to mean a selection of: one of the listed elements, one of a plurality of listed elements, a plurality of individual listed elements, or a plurality of elements from a plurality of individual listed elements.

[0012] The words "plurality" and "a plurality" in the specification and claims clearly refer to quantities greater than one. Thus, any phrase that explicitly invokes the above words referring to a quantity of elements (e.g., "a plurality of (elements)", "a plurality of (elements)") clearly refers to more than one of the elements. For example, the phrase "a plurality" can be understood to include a numerical quantity greater than or equal to two (e.g., two, three, four, five, [...], etc.).

[0013] The phrases "group of," "set of," "collection of," "series of," "sequence of," "grouping of," and the like in the specification and claims, if any, refer to a quantity equal to or greater than one, i.e., one or more. The terms "proper subset," "reduced subset," and "smaller subset" refer to a subset of a set that is not equal to the set, illustratively referring to a subset of a set that contains fewer elements than the set.

[0014] As used herein, the term "data" may be understood to include information in any suitable analog or digital form, for example, information provided in the form of a file, a portion of a file, a collection of files, a signal or stream, a portion of a signal or stream, a collection of signals or streams, or the like. Additionally, the term "data" may also be used to refer to a reference to information, for example, in the form of a pointer. However, the term "data" is not limited to the aforementioned examples, but may take various forms and represent any information as understood in the art.

[0015] For example, the term "processor" or "controller" used in this article can be understood as any kind of technical entity (e.g., hardware, software, and / or a combination of the two) that allows data to be processed. Data can be processed according to one or more specific functions performed by the processor or controller. In addition, the processor or controller used in this article can be understood as any kind of circuit, for example, any kind of analog or digital circuit. The processor or controller can therefore be or can include the following items: analog circuit, digital circuit, mixed signal circuit, software, firmware, logic circuit, processor, microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), integrated circuit, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc., or any combination of these. Any other kind of implementation of each function, which will be described in more detail below, can also be understood as a processor, controller, or logic circuit. It is to be understood that any two (or more) of the processors, controllers, or logic circuits detailed herein can be implemented as a single entity with equivalent functions, and conversely, any single processor, controller, or logic circuit detailed herein can be implemented as two (or more) separate entities with equivalent functions.

[0016] As used herein, "memory" is understood to be a computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium) in which data or information can be stored for retrieval. References to "memory" herein may therefore be understood to refer to volatile or non-volatile memory, including: random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state storage devices, magnetic tape, hard drives, optical drives, 3D XPoint TM , etc., or any combination thereof. Registers, shift registers, processor registers, data buffers, etc. are also encompassed by the term "memory" in this document. The term "software" refers to any type of executable instructions, including firmware.

[0017] Unless otherwise specified, the term "send" encompasses both direct transmission (point-to-point) and indirect transmission (via one or more intermediate points). Similarly, the term "receive" encompasses both direct reception and indirect reception. In addition, the terms "send," "receive," "transmit," and other similar terms encompass both physical transmission (e.g., transmission of radio signals) and logical transmission (e.g., transmission of digital data via a logical software-level connection). For example, a processor or controller can send or receive data in the form of radio signals via a software-level connection with another processor or controller, where the physical transmission and reception are handled by radio layer components such as RF transceivers and antennas, and the logical transmission and reception via the software-level connection are performed by the processor or controller. The term "transmit" encompasses one or both of sending and receiving, i.e., unidirectional or bidirectional communication in one or both of the incoming and outgoing directions. The term "compute" encompasses both "direct" computation via mathematical expressions / formulas / relationships and "indirect" computation via lookups or hash table and other array indexing or search operations.

[0018] "Vehicle" may be understood to include any type of driven object. For example, a vehicle may be a driven object having a combustion engine, a reaction engine, an electric drive object, a hybrid drive object, or a combination thereof. A vehicle may be or may include a car, a bus, a minibus, a van, a wagon (or truck), a mobile home, a vehicle trailer, a motorcycle, a bicycle, a tricycle, a train locomotive, a train car, a mobile robot, a personal transporter, a boat, a ship, a submersible, a submarine, an unmanned aerial vehicle, an airplane, or a rocket, etc. As used herein, reference to "electric vehicle," "EV," and "hybrid vehicle" includes any type of vehicle having an energy storage device (e.g., a battery) capable of operating (e.g., propelling) the vehicle, regardless of whether there are other energy sources. If there are other energy sources, the vehicle may utilize other energy sources (e.g., sources such as combustion engines, solar panels, etc.) to operate instead of or in addition to the other energy sources.

[0019] The term "autonomous vehicle" may describe a vehicle that is capable of implementing at least one vehicle maneuver without driver input. A vehicle maneuver may describe or include changes in one or more of the vehicle's steering, braking, acceleration / deceleration, etc. A vehicle may be described as autonomous even if it is not fully autonomous (e.g., fully operable with or without driver input). Autonomous vehicles may include those that operate under driver control during certain periods of time and without driver control during other periods of time. Autonomous vehicles may also include vehicles that control only certain aspects of vehicle navigation, such as steering (e.g., to maintain the vehicle's course between lane constraints) or certain steering operations in certain circumstances, but may leave other aspects of vehicle navigation (e.g., braking in certain circumstances) to the driver in other circumstances. Autonomous vehicles may also include vehicles that share control of one or more aspects of vehicle maneuver implementation / planning in certain circumstances (e.g., manual, such as in response to driver input), as well as vehicles that control one or more aspects of vehicle maneuvering in certain circumstances (e.g., hands-off, such as independent of driver input). Autonomous vehicles may also include vehicles that control one or more aspects of vehicle navigation in certain circumstances, such as under certain environmental conditions (e.g., spatial regions, road conditions). In some aspects, an autonomous vehicle may handle some or all aspects of braking, speed control, velocity control, and / or steering of the vehicle.

[0020] Automated vehicles may include those that can operate without a human driver. The autonomy level of a vehicle may be described or determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) level of the vehicle (e.g., as defined by the SAE, such as in SAE J3016 2018: Classification and Definitions of Terms Relating to Driving Automation Systems for Road-Mounted Motor Vehicles) or other relevant professional organizations. The SAE levels may have values ​​ranging from a lowest level (e.g., Level 0 (illustratively, substantially no driving automation)) to a highest level (e.g., Level 5 (illustratively, full driving automation)).

[0021] As described above, hybrid and electric vehicles can connect to charging stations to replenish their energy storage devices (e.g., one or more batteries), where energy can be drawn from the energy grid via the charging stations to replenish the energy storage devices (e.g., to charge the batteries). Furthermore, charging stations can be bidirectional, meaning that energy can be unloaded (e.g., distributed) from the energy storage devices of electric vehicles to the energy grid. It should be understood that there is often a monetary cost associated with transferring energy, where this cost may fluctuate depending on supply and demand. For example, high demand on the energy grid and low supply may mean a correspondingly higher cost for the vehicle to draw energy from the grid. At the same time, distributing energy from the vehicle to the grid during periods of high demand and low supply may result in a higher sales price for the vehicle owner. In certain circumstances, such as when the energy produced by the energy grid far exceeds current demand and the cost of reducing energy production on the grid is too high, the "cost" of drawing energy may become negative, meaning that the grid may pay a fee to draw energy from the grid to avoid having to reduce energy production. A similar situation may arise when the grid requires additional storage to unload energy from the grid to stabilize the grid, in which case the grid may offer additional incentives to consumers who draw energy from the grid. Thus, from a supply and demand perspective, depending on the energy requirements of the energy grid, there may be associated costs or windfalls associated with transferring energy to / from the energy grid.

[0022] Conventional electric vehicles do not consider this type of energy grid information when operating the vehicle or planning a route to a destination. Instead, electric vehicles typically optimize power consumption to ensure that the vehicle uses the least amount of power to reach its destination (e.g., the vehicle's energy-efficient routing, energy-efficient operating mode, etc.). Alternatively, an electric vehicle may select a route based on the location / availability of compatible charging stations. However, neither of these approaches can determine the vehicle's operating parameters or plan the vehicle's route based on the power grid's current / forecasted energy requirements. Furthermore, while some power grids may have the capability to receive information regarding the current battery capacity of vehicles currently connected to the grid (e.g., batteries currently being charged / discharged from the grid), this information is only used to ensure that the battery is charged to a target battery capacity (e.g., 70%-90% of capacity) and provides a very limited range within which the grid can adjust its energy supply / receipt to the battery. Furthermore, battery information from the vehicle is unavailable when the vehicle is disconnected from the grid.

[0023] Compared to conventional systems, the energy configuration system disclosed below uses the current / forecasted energy requirements of the energy grid to determine the operating parameters of the vehicle and / or plan the vehicle's route, allowing the vehicle to include the current / forecasted energy cost as part of its planning system and allowing the energy grid to send a request to the vehicle, hoping to match its current / forecasted energy supply with its current / forecasted energy demand. The energy configuration system disclosed in more detail below can use the energy grid's information about the current and forecasted energy availability and related prices in the energy grid to adjust the vehicle's driving behavior, route planning, and charging / discharging planning. The disclosed energy configuration system can also allow for optimization of charging costs (or windfalls) and can also balance the energy grid's undersupply, oversupply, underdemand, or overdemand by adjusting the vehicle's behavior, route, and charging planning. By docking the energy grid's requirements with the vehicle's planning, electric vehicles can become an important part of the energy grid's infrastructure, allowing for a more stable energy supply when connected to the energy grid and allowing vehicle owners to reduce energy costs or earn a profit.

[0024] Figure 1 An energy configuration system 110 is shown that interfaces with an energy supply source 120 (e.g., an electrical grid that supplies electricity and can be powered by windmills, solar panels, traditional power plants, and / or other energy sources) to obtain energy supply information related to the energy supply source 120, such as the energy requirements of the energy supply source 120 (e.g., demand level, supply level, energy cost, etc.). The energy configuration system 110 can also interface with a vehicle 130 to obtain information related to the vehicle 130, such as operating parameters, destination information, preferences, etc. The energy configuration system 110 can also receive information from other sources 140 (e.g., map information, traffic information, hazard information, etc.). The energy configuration system 110 can then use this information to generate an energy plan for the vehicle 130 (e.g., the time, location, amount, plan, etc. for the vehicle 130 to extract electrical energy from the energy supply source 120 or the vehicle 130 to distribute electrical energy to the energy supply source 120). Based on the energy plan, the energy configuration system 110 can then generate movement instructions for the vehicle 130 that help implement the energy plan.

[0025] The energy configuration system 110 can perform any number of energy-related functions, including battery storage optimization, route planning optimization, and estimation of energy production and consumption. The energy configuration system 110 can also manage multiple vehicles that can be part of a coordinated service network (e.g., vehicles operating as a fleet (such as a taxi service or a car sharing service)). Therefore, references to a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 130) herein should be understood to also cover multiple vehicles.

[0026] For battery storage optimization functionality, for example, the battery of vehicle 130 can be understood as an energy storage resource for energy source 120, where vehicle 130 can optimize the use of its battery (e.g., determine an energy plan for vehicle 130) in conjunction with the energy requirements of energy source 120 and in conjunction with minimizing costs to vehicle 130 (or maximizing windfall) or other predefined goals / priorities. For example, vehicle 130 can prioritize economic benefits, where the goal is to minimize costs (e.g., costs associated with extracting electricity from energy source 120) and maximize windfall (e.g., profits earned from distributing electricity to energy source 120). This functionality does not simply provide for route planning based on the location of charging stations. Rather, battery storage optimization can be based on actual and predicted requirements of energy source 120 over time, which can include, for example, expected / forecasted demand levels at a specific time in the future, expected / forecasted supply levels at a specific time in the future, expected / forecasted energy windfalls / costs at a specific time in the future, etc. This allows for the generation of an energy plan that takes into account the requirements of energy source 120. In this way, usage of the vehicle 130 may be optimized for the benefits that the vehicle 130 may provide to the energy supply 120 (eg, in terms of offloading energy from the vehicle 130 to the energy supply 120 or vice versa).

[0027] For example, when a user of a car wants to drive to a target destination, a conventional route planner typically takes into account the time to reach the destination, user preferences, energy consumption, the location of charging stations, etc. Therefore, a conventional route planner can optimize the time to reach the target destination by finding the fastest route that meets the user's preferences (including locating charging stations along the route to charge the battery so that there is enough energy to reach the destination). In contrast, the energy configuration system 110 can take into account the ability of the vehicle 130 to act as a storage unit (to unload energy from the energy supply source 120) or an energy source (e.g., to supply power to the energy supply source 120). When considering the storage / source capacity of the vehicle 130 and the requirements of the energy supply source 120 (such as energy price), the energy configuration system 110 can make improved decisions about how, when, and in what manner the battery of the vehicle 130 is used.

[0028] For example, if the energy supply source 120 is currently overproducing energy (e.g., such that the energy supply source 120 needs to offload energy, where the "cost" of extracting energy for the vehicle owner may be negative), the energy configuration system 110 may use a route that can reach the target destination in a faster time so that the battery of the vehicle 130 can be connected to the energy supply source 120 more quickly. As another example, the energy configuration system 110 may use an energy-inefficient route so that the vehicle 130 has a higher level of battery storage capacity (e.g., an empty battery) at the destination. Even though this route consumes more energy to reach the target destination, it may be more profitable from the perspective of the vehicle 130, where the energy supply source 120 can pay money to extract energy from the energy supply source. Alternatively, if the energy demand of the energy supply source 120 is high, such that it pays a high price to receive energy from an external source (such as the battery of the vehicle 130), then from the perspective of the vehicle 130, it may be more profitable to adjust the route so that the vehicle 130 can offload energy from its battery to the energy supply source 120 as quickly as possible.

[0029] The energy configuration system 110 may use an optimization algorithm that considers any number of factors to maximize a total benefit, which may be the sum of the cost of extracting energy from the energy grid (e.g., extracting energy from the energy supply source 120 to the vehicle 130) and the cost of distributing energy to the energy grid (e.g., supplying energy from the vehicle 130 to the energy supply source 120). The cost of extracting energy from the energy grid may be the current price (C) per unit of energy at the time of extraction (t). withdraw ), so the charging price (C withdraw，t ) multiplied by the amount of energy extracted at that time (E withdrawn,t The cost for supplying energy to the energy grid may be the current price at the time of supply (C supply ), and is therefore the price allocated to the energy grid (C supply，t ) multiplied by the amount of energy allocated to the energy grid at that time (E supplied，t ). It will be appreciated that the price per unit of energy may depend on market factors and the specific requirements of the energy supplier, while the amount of energy extracted / distributed may depend on the driving profile of the vehicle 130, battery capacity, route, etc. The configuration system 110 may solve an optimization problem (e.g., a nonlinear optimization problem) such as maximizing a function (f) that may depend on a plurality (n) of parameters (x) that may be subject to an arbitrary number (m) of constraints (g):

[0030] Maximize f(x1,x2,x3,…,x n ),

[0031] Subject to m constraints g j (x1,x2,x3,…,x n )≤b j for j∈{1,…,m}

[0032] The various parameters (x) may include any number (n) of factors, including, but not limited to, for example: the price (current / forecast) of extracting energy from the energy supply source, the price (current / forecast) of allocating energy to the energy supply source, the amount of energy to be extracted from the energy supply source (current / forecast), the amount of energy to be allocated to the energy supply source (current / forecast), the route, the driving profile of the vehicle, etc. The optimization problem may also be subject to any number (m) of constraints (g), including, but not limited to, for example: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time of the vehicle at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time of the vehicle at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption of the vehicle to reach the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption of the vehicle to reach the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the vehicle's storage battery can be filled, a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted, a total capacity of the storage battery, etc.

[0033] It should also be understood that the information provided to the energy configuration system 110 (e.g., from the vehicle 130 or from other sources 140) may also include information about private energy production / consumption sources from which energy can be supplied to the vehicle 130 or to which the vehicle 130 can allocate energy. For example, the owner of the vehicle 130 may have solar panels at home that are used to supply electricity to the home and charge the battery of the vehicle 130. This external energy source can be one of the various parameters and / or constraints discussed above for the optimization problem, where, for example, the private energy production / consumption source and the planned use of the private energy source (e.g., planned activities that can consume energy from the private energy source, such as running a washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, etc.) can be considered as part of the optimization problem.

[0034] By solving the optimization problem, the energy configuration system 110 can determine the optimal route, determine the optimal driving profile parameters, and / or determine specific movement instructions for the vehicle 130 (e.g., to follow the planned route, set the vehicle's driving speed, set the vehicle's stopping time, set the vehicle's destination (e.g., intermediate stops), set the vehicle's driving style, set the distance the vehicle is to travel, etc.). By following the movement instructions, the vehicle 130 is able to achieve optimization, for example, to reach the target destination and supply energy to / extract energy from the energy supply source 120 in a manner that meets the requirements of the energy supply source 120 and / or provides improved energy-related costs (or windfalls) for the vehicle 130.

[0035] As described above, part of the optimization can include route planning optimization, in which the energy configuration system 110 can optimize the vehicle's actual route and driving style. For example, this can include scheduling along the route, when to travel, the vehicle's destination (or intermediate destinations), etc. For example, a vehicle 130 (e.g., a user or owner of the vehicle 130) can input (e.g., via a graphical user interface) a set of planned trips and constraints associated with those trips (e.g., earliest / latest start times, dates by which the trips must be completed, etc.). Then, as an output of the optimization problem, the energy configuration system 110 can determine the optimal date / time for the trips and a route that provides the optimal power consumption in order to reach the destination with the required battery capacity. The route can include intermediate stops, such as at charging stations, which allow the vehicle 130 to charge / discharge its battery at the optimal time relative to the requirements of the energy supply source 120 and / or provide the vehicle 130 with improved energy-related costs (or windfalls). These types of route planning optimization functions may be particularly useful for vehicles that are collectively managed as part of a fleet (e.g., a taxi service, a car-sharing service, a delivery truck fleet, etc.), where the vehicles may be parked in different locations, used at different times, and may have different battery capacities. For example, for a logistics fleet of electric trucks, such trucks may have high-capacity batteries, so that even small changes in energy prices can significantly differ the optimization problem and the overall energy-related costs (or windfalls) of the vehicles.

[0036] Furthermore, for a group of vehicles that can be centrally managed as a fleet, the fleet configuration can be adjusted based on the requirements of the energy supply source 120. For example, the energy supply source 120 may have or anticipate a higher energy demand than it can supply, and thus may require an additional (e.g., external) energy source. The fleet can be informed of this additional energy requirement (e.g., in a notification from the energy supply source 120 or by monitoring the status of the energy supply source 120), and the energy configuration system 110 can optimize the utilization of its fleet in such a way that the vehicles in the fleet are able to supply additional power to the energy supply source 120 at the requested / optimal time. Similarly, the energy configuration system 110 can also adjust the routes of the vehicles in the fleet in response to the requirements of the energy supply source 120. For example, a taxi fleet can change the way it serves a given geographic area; for example, instead of driving clockwise, the vehicles in the fleet can drive counterclockwise to optimize the locations where energy can be distributed from the fleet vehicles to the energy supply source 120. It should be understood that these requirements of the energy supply source 120 and / or the configuration of the fleet can also include a spatial-temporal component. For example, the energy configuration system 110 can monitor the status of energy supply sources 120 in specific geographic areas at specific times and adjust the positions of individual vehicles in the fleet to adapt to the energy demand of the energy supply sources 120 in these specific areas at specific times. For example, the fleet can reposition certain vehicles so that they are parked at charging stations in areas and times with higher energy demand.

[0037] It should be understood that the energy configuration system 110 may include a memory for storing any of the information discussed above, including, for example, the optimization problem / function, parameters of the optimization problem / function, constraints on the optimization problem / function, information received from the energy supply source 120, information received from the vehicle 130, information received from other sources 140, movement instructions, etc. It should also be understood that the energy configuration system 110 may include a transmitter and / or receiver (e.g., a transceiver) for communicating (e.g., wirelessly) with the energy supply source 120, other sources 140, and / or vehicle 130.

[0038] Figure 2 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus 200 for generating an energy plan for a vehicle and generating movement instructions for the vehicle, wherein the energy plan takes into account the requirements of the energy supply source. The apparatus 200 may include the energy configuration system described above (e.g., Figure 1 Any features of the energy configuration system 110) discussed. Figure 2The energy configuration system can be implemented as a device, method, and / or computer-readable medium that, when executed, performs the features of the energy configuration system described above. It should be understood that device 200 is merely an example and other configurations may exist, such as including different components or additional components.

[0039] Device 200 includes a processor 210. In addition to or in combination with any of the features described in the following paragraphs, processor 210 is configured to determine an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply source, the energy plan including a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. In addition to or in combination with any of the features described in the following paragraphs, processor 210 is further configured to generate movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0040] Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding paragraph with respect to device 200, the energy requirement may include a cost associated with extracting charge from the supply source or a cost associated with distributing charge to the supply source. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding paragraph with respect to device 200, the cost may include a forecasted cost associated with extracting charge from the supply source at a future time or a forecasted cost associated with distributing charge to the supply source at a future time. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding paragraph with respect to device 200, the energy requirement may include an amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding paragraph with respect to device 200, the amount of available energy may include a forecasted amount of available energy provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the previous paragraph, the energy plan may include times or locations for extracting charge from or distributing charge to a supply source.

[0041] Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the two preceding paragraphs with respect to device 200, the vehicle may be configured to extract charge from or distribute charge to a supply source via a charging station. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the two preceding paragraphs, the plan for distributing charge to (or extracting charge from) a supply source may include at least one of the following: a time of distribution (or extraction), a location of distribution (or extraction), and an amount of charge associated with the distribution (or extraction). Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the two preceding paragraphs, the movement instructions may include at least one of the following: a planned route for the vehicle, a speed at which the vehicle is to travel, a time at which the vehicle is to stop, a destination for the vehicle, a driving style for the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

[0042] Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding three paragraphs with respect to device 200, the energy plan may be further based on additional parameters, the additional parameters including one or more of: a predefined destination for the vehicle, a predefined driving profile for the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the vehicle's storage battery can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding three paragraphs, processor 210 being configured to determine the energy plan may include processor 210 being configured to prioritize the plans based on the additional parameters and according to predefined criteria associated with the plans and the additional parameters.

[0043] Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the four preceding paragraphs with respect to device 200, the power supply source may include an electrical grid to which the vehicle may be connected in order to discharge or charge the vehicle's electrical storage device. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the four preceding paragraphs, the electrical storage device may include a rechargeable battery. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the four preceding paragraphs, device 200 may further include a vehicle battery 240, wherein battery 240 may be configured to distribute charge from the battery to the supply source or to extract charge from the supply source to the battery. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the four preceding paragraphs, device 200 may further include a memory 230 configured to store at least one of the following: a movement instruction, an energy plan, and a function that associates the energy plan with the movement instruction. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding four paragraphs, the device 200 may further include a wireless transceiver 220 configured to receive an energy request (e.g., from a provider of an electrical power supply) and / or send movement instructions to the vehicle. Furthermore, in addition to or in combination with any of the features described in this or the preceding four paragraphs, the energy request may include a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

[0044] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart of a method 300 for generating an energy plan for a vehicle and generating movement instructions for the vehicle is depicted, wherein the energy plan takes into account the requirements of the energy supply source. The method 300 can implement the energy configuration system described above (including but not limited to the above Figure 1 The energy configuration system 110 discussed above and / or Figure 2 Any feature of the device 200 discussed).

[0045] Method 300 includes, at 310, determining an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply source, the energy plan including a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. Method 300 also includes, at 320, generating movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0046] In the following, various examples are provided, which may include the above-mentioned references Figures 1 to 3One or more features of the described energy configuration system. It is contemplated that aspects described with respect to the apparatus may also be applicable to the described method(s), and vice versa.

[0047] Example 1 is a device for configuring a vehicle, the device comprising a processor configured to determine an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply source, the energy plan comprising a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. The processor is further configured to generate movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0048] Example 2 is the apparatus of Example 1, wherein the energy requirement comprises a cost associated with extracting charge from the supply or a cost associated with distributing charge to the supply.

[0049] Example 3 is the device of Example 2, wherein the cost comprises a forecasted cost associated with drawing charge from the supply source at a future time or a forecasted cost associated with dispensing charge to the supply source at a future time.

[0050] Example 4 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the energy requirement comprises an amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

[0051] Example 5 is the apparatus of Example 4, wherein the available energy amount includes a forecasted available energy amount provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time.

[0052] Example 6 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 5, wherein the energy plan includes times or locations for extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply source.

[0053] Example 7 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle is configured to draw charge from or distribute charge to the supply source via a charging station.

[0054] Example 8 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the energy plan further includes a plan for extracting charge from the supply source.

[0055] Example 9 is a device described in any of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the plan for allocating charge to the supply source (or extracting charge from the supply source) includes at least one of the following items: the time of the allocation (or extraction), the location of the allocation (or extraction), and the amount of charge associated with the allocation (or extraction).

[0056] Example 10 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the movement instruction includes at least one of the following items: a planned route of the vehicle, a driving speed of the vehicle, a stopping time of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle, a driving style of the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

[0057] Example 11 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the energy planning is further based on additional parameters, the additional parameters comprising one or more of: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the storage battery of the vehicle can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted.

[0058] Example 12 is the device of Example 11, wherein the processor is configured to determine the energy plan includes: the processor is configured to prioritize the plan based on the additional parameter and according to predefined criteria associated with the plan and the additional parameter.

[0059] Example 13 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 1 to 12, wherein the power supply source includes a power grid to which the vehicle can be connected in order to discharge the vehicle's power storage device or charge the vehicle's power storage device.

[0060] Example 14 is the apparatus of Example 13, wherein the electrical storage device comprises a rechargeable battery.

[0061] Example 15 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 14, further comprising a battery of the vehicle, wherein the battery is configurable to distribute charge from the battery to the supply source or to extract charge from the supply source to the battery.

[0062] Example 16 is the device of any one of Examples 1 to 15, further comprising a memory configured to store at least one of the following items: the movement instruction, the energy plan, and a function associating the energy plan with the movement instruction.

[0063] Example 17 is the device of any one of Examples 1 to 16, further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to receive the energy requirement (e.g., from a provider of the power supply source) or to send the movement instruction to the vehicle.

[0064] Example 18 is the apparatus of any of Examples 1 to 17, wherein the energy requirement comprises a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

[0065] Example 19 is a method for configuring a vehicle, the method comprising: determining an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply source, the energy plan including a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. The method further comprises: generating movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0066] Example 20 is the method of Example 19, wherein the energy requirement includes a cost associated with extracting charge from the supply source or a cost associated with distributing charge to the supply source.

[0067] Example 21 is the method of Example 20, wherein the cost comprises a forecasted cost associated with drawing charge from the supply source at a future time or a forecasted cost associated with dispensing charge to the supply source at a future time.

[0068] Example 22 is the method of any of Examples 19 to 21, wherein the energy requirement includes an amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

[0069] Example 23 is the method of Example 22, wherein the available energy amount includes a forecasted available energy amount provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time.

[0070] Example 24 is the method of any of Examples 19 to 23, wherein the energy plan includes times or locations for extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply source.

[0071] Example 25 is the method of any of Examples 19 to 24, wherein the vehicle is configured to draw charge from or distribute charge to the supply source via a charging station.

[0072] Example 26 is the method of any of Examples 19 to 25, wherein the energy plan further includes a plan for extracting charge from the supply source.

[0073] Example 27 is a method described in any one of Examples 19 to 26, wherein the plan for allocating charge to the supply source (or extracting charge from the supply source) includes at least one of the following items: the time of the allocation (or extraction), the location of the allocation (or extraction), and the amount of charge associated with the allocation (or extraction).

[0074] Example 28 is the method of any one of Examples 19 to 27, wherein the movement instruction includes at least one of the following items: a planned route of the vehicle, a driving speed of the vehicle, a stopping time of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle, a driving style of the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

[0075] Example 29 is a method described in any one of Examples 19 to 28, wherein the energy planning is further based on additional parameters, the additional parameters comprising one or more of: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the storage battery of the vehicle can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted.

[0076] Example 30 is the method of Example 29, wherein the means for determining the energy plan comprises means for prioritizing the plan based on the additional parameter and according to predefined criteria associated with the plan and the additional parameter.

[0077] Example 31 is the method of any one of Examples 19 to 30, wherein the power supply source includes a power grid to which the vehicle can be connected in order to discharge the vehicle's power storage device or charge the vehicle's power storage device.

[0078] Example 32 is the method of Example 31, wherein the electrical storage device includes a rechargeable battery.

[0079] Example 33 is the method of any one of Examples 19 to 32, wherein the device further comprises: a device for distributing charge from the battery of the vehicle to the supply source, or a device for extracting charge from the supply source to the battery.

[0080] Example 34 is the method of any one of Examples 19 to 33, further comprising storing (e.g., in a memory) at least one of the following: the movement instruction, the energy plan, and a function associating the energy plan with the movement instruction.

[0081] Example 35 is the method of any one of Examples 19 to 34, further comprising: receiving the energy requirement (e.g., from a provider of the power supply source) (e.g., via a wireless transceiver), or sending the movement instruction to the vehicle (e.g., via a wireless transceiver).

[0082] Example 36 is the method of any of Examples 19 to 35, wherein the energy requirement comprises a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

[0083] Example 37 is an apparatus for configuring a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: means for determining an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the supply source, the energy plan comprising a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. The apparatus further comprises: means for generating movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0084] Example 38 is the apparatus of Example 37, wherein the energy requirement comprises a cost associated with extracting charge from the supply or a cost associated with distributing charge to the supply.

[0085] Example 39 is the apparatus of Example 38, wherein the cost comprises a forecasted cost associated with extracting charge from the supply at a future time or a forecasted cost associated with distributing charge to the supply at a future time.

[0086] Example 40 is the apparatus of any of Examples 37 to 39, wherein the energy requirement comprises an amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

[0087] Example 41 is the apparatus of Example 40, wherein the available energy amount comprises a forecasted available energy amount provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time.

[0088] Example 42 is the apparatus of any of Examples 37 to 41, wherein the energy plan includes a time or location for extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply source.

[0089] Example 43 is the apparatus of any of Examples 37 to 42, wherein the vehicle is configured to draw charge from or distribute charge to the supply source via a charging station.

[0090] Example 44 is the apparatus of any of Examples 37 to 43, wherein the energy plan further comprises a plan for extracting charge from the supply source.

[0091] Example 45 is an apparatus as described in any of Examples 37 to 44, wherein the plan for allocating charge to the supply source (or extracting charge from the supply source) includes at least one of the following items: the time of the allocation (or extraction), the location of the allocation (or extraction), and the amount of charge associated with the allocation (or extraction).

[0092] Example 46 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 37 to 45, wherein the movement instruction includes at least one of the following items: a planned route of the vehicle, a driving speed of the vehicle, a stopping time of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle, a driving style of the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

[0093] Example 47 is an apparatus as described in any one of Examples 37 to 46, wherein the energy planning is further based on additional parameters, the additional parameters comprising one or more of: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the storage battery of the vehicle can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted.

[0094] Example 48 is the apparatus of Example 47, wherein determining the energy plan comprises prioritizing the plan based on the additional parameter and according to predefined criteria associated with the plan and the additional parameter.

[0095] Example 49 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 37 to 48, wherein the power supply source includes a power grid to which the vehicle can be connected to discharge or charge the power storage device of the vehicle.

[0096] Example 50 is the device of Example 49, wherein the electrical storage device includes a rechargeable battery.

[0097] Example 51 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 37 to 50, further comprising: a device for distributing charge from the battery of the vehicle to the supply source, or a device for extracting charge from the supply source to the battery.

[0098] Example 52 is an apparatus as described in any of Examples 37 to 51, further comprising: an apparatus for storing (e.g., in a memory) at least one of the following items: the movement instruction, the energy plan, and a function associating the energy plan with the movement instruction.

[0099] Example 53 is the apparatus of any one of Examples 37 to 52, further comprising: a device for receiving the energy requirement (e.g., from the provider of the power supply source) (e.g., via a wireless transceiver), or a device for sending the movement instruction to the vehicle (e.g., via a wireless transceiver).

[0100] Example 54 is the apparatus of any of Examples 37 to 53, wherein the energy requirement comprises a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

[0101] Example 55 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to: determine an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, wherein the vehicle is capable of distributing charge to the electrical power supply source, the energy plan comprising a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source. The instructions further cause the one or more processors to: generate movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

[0102] Example 56 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of Example 55, wherein the energy requirement comprises a cost associated with extracting charge from the supply source or a cost associated with distributing charge to the supply source.

[0103] Example 57 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of Example 56, wherein the cost comprises a forecasted cost associated with extracting charge from the supply source at a future time or a forecasted cost associated with distributing charge to the supply source at a future time.

[0104] Example 58 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 57, wherein the energy requirement comprises an amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

[0105] Example 59 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of Example 58, wherein the available energy amount comprises a forecasted available energy amount provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time.

[0106] Example 60 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 59, wherein the energy plan includes a time or location for extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply source.

[0107] Example 61 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 60, wherein the vehicle is configured to draw charge from or distribute charge to the supply source via a charging station.

[0108] Example 62 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 61, wherein the energy plan further comprises a plan for extracting charge from the supply source.

[0109] Example 63 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium described in any of Examples 55 to 62, wherein the plan for allocating charge to the supply source (or extracting charge from the supply source) includes at least one of the following items: the time of the allocation (or extraction), the location of the allocation (or extraction), and the amount of charge associated with the allocation (or extraction).

[0110] Example 64 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 63, wherein the movement instructions include at least one of the following items: a planned route for the vehicle, a driving speed for the vehicle, a stopping time for the vehicle, a destination for the vehicle, a driving style for the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

[0111] Example 65 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium described in any one of Examples 55 to 64, wherein the energy planning is further based on additional parameters, the additional parameters comprising one or more of: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost for the vehicle to travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time for the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption of the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption of the vehicle to arrive at the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the storage battery of the vehicle can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted.

[0112] Example 66 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of Example 65, wherein the instructions causing the one or more processors to determine the energy plan include instructions causing the one or more processors to prioritize the plan based on the additional parameters and according to predefined criteria associated with the plan and the additional parameters.

[0113] Example 67 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 66, wherein the power supply source includes a power grid to which the vehicle can be connected to discharge the vehicle's power storage device or charge the vehicle's power storage device.

[0114] Example 68 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of Example 67, wherein the electrical storage device comprises a rechargeable battery.

[0115] Example 69 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 68, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to cause the battery of the vehicle to distribute charge from the battery to the supply source or extract charge from the supply source to the battery.

[0116] Example 70 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 69, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to store (e.g., in a memory) at least one of the following items: the movement instruction, the energy plan, and a function associating the energy plan with the movement instruction.

[0117] Example 71 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 70, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive the energy requirement (e.g., from a provider of the power supply source) (e.g., via a receiver or transceiver), or send the movement instruction to the vehicle (e.g., via a transmitter or transceiver).

[0118] Example 72 is the non-transitory computer-readable medium of any one of Examples 55 to 71, wherein the energy requirement comprises a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

[0119] Although the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific aspects, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims. The scope of the present disclosure is therefore indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.

Claims

1. A device for configuring a vehicle, the device comprising a processor configured to: An energy plan for the vehicle is determined based on an energy requirement associated with an electrical power supply source to which the vehicle is capable of distributing charge, wherein The energy plan includes a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source; as well as Movement instructions for the vehicle are generated based on the energy plan.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The energy requirements include costs associated with extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein The costs include forecast costs associated with drawing charge from the supply source at a future time or dispensing charge to the supply source at a future time.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The energy requirement includes the amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The available energy amount includes a forecasted available energy amount to be provided by the supply source at a future time or required by the supply source at a future time.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The energy plan includes times or locations for extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply source.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The schedule for distributing charge to the supply includes at least one of: a time of the distribution, a location of the distribution, and an amount of charge associated with the distribution.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The movement instruction includes at least one of a planned route of the vehicle, a driving speed of the vehicle, a stop time of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle, a driving style of the vehicle, and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The energy planning is further based on additional parameters, which include one or more of the following: a predefined destination of the vehicle, a predefined driving profile of the vehicle, a maximum duration of the vehicle's travel to the predefined destination, a maximum energy cost of the vehicle's travel to the predefined destination, a latest arrival time of the vehicle at the predefined destination, an earliest arrival time of the vehicle at the predefined destination, a maximum energy consumption of the vehicle to reach the predefined destination, a minimum energy consumption of the vehicle to reach the predefined destination, a maximum battery charge to which the vehicle's storage battery can be filled, and a minimum battery charge to which the storage battery can be depleted.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein The processor being configured to determine the energy plan includes the processor being configured to prioritize the plans based on the additional parameter and according to predefined criteria associated with the plans or the additional parameter.

11. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a battery of the vehicle, wherein the battery is configurable to distribute charge from the battery to the supply source or to extract charge from the supply source to the battery.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a memory configured to store at least one of the following items: the movement instruction, the energy plan, and a function associating the energy plan with the movement instruction.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to receive the energy requirement or send the movement instruction to the vehicle.

14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The energy demand comprises a request from the supply source for the vehicle to connect to the supply source.

15. A method for configuring a vehicle, the method comprising: determining an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, the vehicle being capable of distributing charge to the supply source, wherein the energy plan includes a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source; and Movement instructions for the vehicle are generated based on the energy plan.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein The energy requirement includes costs associated with distributing charge to the supply.

17. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 16, wherein The energy plan includes times or locations for distributing charge to the supply sources.

18. An apparatus for configuring a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: means for determining an energy plan for the vehicle based on energy requirements associated with an electrical power supply source, the vehicle being capable of distributing charge to the supply source, wherein the energy plan includes a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source; and Means for generating movement instructions for the vehicle based on the energy plan.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein The energy requirements include costs associated with extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein The costs include forecast costs associated with drawing charge from the supply source at a future time or dispensing charge to the supply source at a future time.

21. The device according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein The energy requirement includes the amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following operations: An energy plan for the vehicle is determined based on an energy requirement associated with an electrical power supply source to which the vehicle is capable of distributing charge, wherein The energy plan includes a plan for distributing charge from the vehicle to the supply source; as well as Movement instructions for the vehicle are generated based on the energy plan.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein: The energy requirements include costs associated with extracting charge from or distributing charge to the supply.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein: The costs include forecast costs associated with drawing charge from the supply source at a future time or dispensing charge to the supply source at a future time.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein: The energy requirement includes the amount of available energy provided by the supply source or required by the supply source.

Images