SE542533C2 - Charging control unit for a vehicle with range extender and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a vehicle charging control unit configured for controlling a rate of energy provided to an energy storage unit of the vehicle. The vehicle charging control unit comprises a processor, and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, wherein said vehicle control unit is configured to obtain vehicle task data indicating at least a target start point in time of a vehicle task and a target level of energy required by the vehicle to complete the vehicle task, obtain energy rate data indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit provided to the energy storage unit, obtain a predicted point in time indicative of when a current level of energy stored by the energy storage unit reaches the target level of energy based on the energy rate data, and if the predicted point in time is determined to be later than the target start point in time to control a range extender to provide a second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit. The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising the vehicle charging control unit, a corresponding method and computer program. The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising the vehicle charging control unit, a corresponding method and computer program.

Description

CHARGING CONTROL UNIT FOR A VEHICLE WITH RANGE EXTENDER ANDMETHOD THEREOF Technical Field The present invention relates to a vehicle charging control unit configured for controlling a rateof energy provided to an energy storage unit of the vehicle. The invention further relates to avehicle comprising the vehicle charging control unit, a corresponding method and computerprogram.

Background Today it is common that vehicles are powered, at least in part, by electricity. Examples areelectrical vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles and so called plug-in hybrid vehicles provided withan electric powertrain. The vehicles may be of any type, such as cars, busses and trucks.

An electric powertrain typically include an electric energy storage unit, such as a battery or asuper-capacitor, e.g. in the form of an electric double-layer capacitor or ultra-capacitor. Theenergy storage unit is typically repeatedly charged or provided with energy from an externalpower source at a rate of energy per time unit, e.g. overnight when parked in a garage. Thevehicle may further be provided with an on board charger unit electrically coupled to the energystorage unit and configured to relay or convert or control a rate of energy per time unit fromthe external power source to the energy storage unit.

A vehicle may be scheduled to perform a number of vehicle tasks each day, e.g. completing abus route or a delivery run. To complete a vehicle task, it is required that, at a target start pointin time, the energy storage unit has been provided with energy up to a target level of energyrequired by the vehicle to complete the vehicle task. The vehicle would typically be scheduledin a way that the time spent, e.g. stationary in a garage, to provide the energy storage unit withenergy from the external power source at a nominal rate of energy per time unit is sufficient to reach the target level of energy in the energy storage unit.

The document US2012/0229087 A1 shows a conventional system where a range extender inthe form of a Wankel engine is activated when it is determined that the charging level is notsufficient to complete a planned trip. A drawback with this solution may is that the determinationto make a contribution by the range extender is only made after the vehicle has initiated the vehicle task, i.e. has left the location where it can be provided with energy from an externalpower source. A further drawback is that a Wankel engine as the range extender cannot beused in a confined space, such as a garage, as it produces exhaust fumes. A further drawbackis that the range extender may have to be used at full capacity to allow the vehicle to completethe vehicle task, thus increasing wear or reducing fuel efficiency, as it is only activated afterthe vehicle has initiated the vehicle task.

Thus, there is a need for an improved vehicle charging control unit and vehicle.

Objects of the inventionAn objective of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a solution which mitigatesor solves the drawbacks and problems described herein.

Summary of the invention The above and further objectives are achieved by the subject matter disclosed herein. Furtheradvantageous implementation forms of the invention are defined by the dependentembodiments disclosed herein.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the above stated objective is achieved by a vehiclecharging control unit for a vehicle configured to control a rate of energy per time unit providedto an energy storage unit of the vehicle. The vehicle charging control unit includes a processor,and a memory. The memory contains instructions executable by the processor. The vehiclecharging control unit is configured to obtain vehicle task data indicating at least a target startpoint in time of a vehicle task and a target level of energy required by the vehicle to completethe vehicle task. The vehicle charging control unit is further configured to obtain energy ratedata indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit provided to the energy storage unit. Thevehicle charging control unit is configured to obtain a predicted point in time indicative of whena current level of energy stored by the energy storage unit reaches the target level of energybased on the energy rate data. The vehicle charging control unit is further configured todetermine if the predicted point in time is later than the target start point in time. lf so, the rangeextender is controlled to provide a second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the above stated objective is achieved by avehicle comprising the vehicle charging control unit according to the first aspect., an energystorage unit, a range extender electrically coupled to the energy storage unit and an on board 2 charger unit electrically coupled to the energy storage unit. The vehicle charging control unitis at least communicatively coupled to the range extender and the on board charger unit.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the above stated objective is achieved by a methodfor a vehicle charging control unit for a vehicle configured to control a rate of energy per timeunit provided to an energy storage unit of the vehicle. The method comprises obtaining vehicletask data indicating at least a target start point in time of a vehicle task and a target level ofenergy required by the vehicle to complete the vehicle task. The method further comprisesobtaining energy rate data indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit provided to the energystorage unit. The method further comprises obtaining a predicted point in time, indicative ofwhen a current level of energy stored by the energy storage unit reaches the target level ofenergy, based on the energy rate data. lf the predicted point in time is determined to be laterthan the target start point in time, the method further comprises controlling a range extenderto provide a second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit.

Further applications and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description.

Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 shows a vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a vehicle communicating with a control information server according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a vehicle charging control unit according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a method according to one or more embodiments of thepresent invention.

Fig. 5A shows a diagram illustrating stopping the second rate of energy at the target start pointin time.

Fig. 5B shows a diagram illustrating stopping the second rate of energy at a stop point in time.

Detailed description An “or” in this description and the corresponding claims is to be understood as a mathematicalOR which covers ”and” and “or”, and is not to be understand as an XOR (exclusive OR). Theindefinite article “a” in this disclosure and claims is not limited to “one” and can also be understood as “one or more”, i.e., plural. ln the following disclosure the expressions “rate of energy” and “energy rate” signifies hereinan amount of energy per time unit. ln one example, this signifies an electrical current or charging current, e.g. provided to an energy storage unit.

The expression “energy storage unit” signifies herein an arrangement for storing energy, inparticular electrical energy, such as a battery or a super-capacitor, e.g. in the form of an electric double-layer capacitor or ultra-capacitor.

The expression “vehicle task” signifies herein a mission, commission, assignment assignedand scheduled for a vehicle to perform. ln one example this is typically a repeated taskperformed between the point in time when the vehicle leaves a stationary charging positionand the point when the vehicle returns to the stationary charging position.

The expression “level of energy” signifies herein a capacity level of the energy storage unit,e.g. relative to a maximum capacity of the energy storage unit such as state of charge, SOC.The expression “external power source” signifies herein an external power source capable ofproviding energy to the vehicle, e.g. a power grid or electrical generator.

Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 120 comprising a vehicle charging control unit 100 according to anembodiment of the present invention. The vehicle may comprise a vehicle charging control unit100 coupled to an energy storage unit 170 according to embodiments described herein. Theenergy storage unit 170 is typically comprised in or coupled to the drivetrain (not shown in thefigure) of the vehicle and configured to provide energy to the drivetrain. The vehicle maycomprise a range extender 150, e.g. in the form of a fuel cell unit, electrically coupled to theenergy storage unit 170 and configured to provide a second rate of energy per time unit to theenergy storage unit based on a control signal. The range extender 150 comprises a fuel celland control logic configured to control the fuel cell, e.g. control a rate of energy per time unitprovided by the fuel cell in response to a received control signal. The vehicle may furthercomprise an on board charger, OBC, unit 160 electrically coupled to the energy storage unit170. The OBC unit 160 may further comprise a connector or conductor interface 161connecting an external power source 180 to the vehicle or OBC unit 160. The vehicle chargingcontrol unit 100 is communicatively coupled at least to a selection of any of the range extender150 and the on board charger unit 160. ln an embodiment, a vehicle is provided comprising the vehicle charging control unit 100described herein, an energy storage unit 170, a range extender 150 electrically coupled to the energy storage unit 170 and an on board charger unit 160 electrically coupled to the energy4 storage unit 170. The vehicle charging control unit 100 is communicatively coupled to the rangeextender 150 and the on board charger unit 160.

The vehicle may further comprise one or more vehicle sensors 121-123. The one or morevehicle sensors may be configured to detect and/or register and/or capture sensor dataindicative of properties pertaining to the vehicle as such and in particular pertaining to theenergy storage unit 170 of the vehicle 120. The one or more vehicle sensors 121-123 mayfurther be configured to send the sensor data as a signal to the vehicle charging control unit100. Examples of vehicle sensors 121-123 may be any selection of vehicle properties, globalpositioning (GPS), voltage, current or temperature sensors. ln an example, the vehicle sensors121 -1 23 may include voltage or current sensors detecting voltage over the energy storage unit170 and or electrical current delivered to the energy storage unit 170. ln a further example, thevehicle sensors 121-123 may include temperature sensors detecting the temperature of theenergy storage unit 170, connectors or conductors coupled to the energy storage unit 170,such as pins in the connector or conductor interface 161 connecting the external power source180 to the vehicle or OBC unit 160. An increased temperature of pins in the connector orconductor interface may be indicative of loose or bad contact that may influence the rate ofenergy per time unit provided to an energy storage unit 170 of the vehicle.

The vehicle sensors 121-123 or the OBC unit 160 may comprise a processor communicativelycoupled to a transceiver for wired or wireless communication. Further, the one or more vehiclesensors 121-123 or the OBC unit 160 may further comprise at least one optional antenna (notshown in the figure). The antenna may be coupled to the transceiver and is configured totransmit and/or emit and/or receive wired signals in a wired communications system and/orwireless signals in a wireless communication system. The processor may be communicativelycoupled to a selection of the transceiver and the memory. ln one example, the processor maybe any of processing circuitry and/or a central processing unit and/or processor modulesand/or multiple processors configured to cooperate with each-other. Further, the one or morevehicle sensors 121-123 or the OBC unit 160 may further comprise a memory. The memorymay contain instructions executable by the processor to perform the methods describedherein, e.g. to capture sensor data indicative of the vehicle and send the sensor data to thevehicle charging control unit 100 as control signals.

The vehicle charging control unit 100 may optionally be communicatively coupled to the rangeextender 150, the on board charger unit 160 and the one or more vehicle sensors 121-123,e.g. via wired or wireless communication, such as a Controller Area Network, CAN, bus, Bluetooth, WiFi etc. The one or more vehicle sensors 121-123 may be configured to send the5 sensor data directly to the vehicle charging control unit 100 or via a wired and/or wirelesscommunications network. The wired or wireless communication may be performed using anyof a Controller Area Network, CAN bus, Bluetooth, WiFi, GSM, UMTS, LTE or LTE advancedcommunications network or any other wired or wireless communication network known in the aft.

The vehicle may further comprise one or more additional sensors configured to receive and/orobtain and/or measure physical properties pertaining to the vehicle 120, the surroundings ofthe vehicle or the external power source 180 and send one or more control signals comprisingsecond sensor data indicative of the physical properties to the processing means 112.

Fig. 2 shows a vehicle 120 communicating with a server 140 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. The vehicle charging control unit 100 may be configured to obtain controlinformation by retrieving the control information from a memory. The vehicle charging controlunit 100 may be configured to obtain control information by calculating the control informationbased on a received and/or retrieved current position and received and/or retrieved map dataand/or predetermined conditions, e.g. received and/or retrieved from a global positioningsystem GPS unit and/or a storage device/memory. The vehicle charging control unit 100 maybe configured to obtain control information by receiving the control information from the server140 as control signals. The server 140 may be, e.g. a server and/or a general purposecomputer. ln an example, the control information comprises a selection of vehicle task data,energy rate data, a predicted point in time Tpfedraed, a current level of energy Ecuffeni stored bythe energy storage unit, target level of energy Elafgel or statistics of used energy from historiccompleted tasks. A predetermined condition may be a condition based on weather conditions,expected load, traffic conditions or time of day that will influence the level of energy requiredby the vehicle to complete the vehicle task. The level of energy may be measured or expressedas state of charge, SOC; according to any method known in the art. The control informationmay be received directly from the server 140 or via a wired and/or wireless communicationsnetwork 130. The a wireless communications network 130 may comprise e.g. any of aBluetooth, GSM, UMTS, LTE or LTE advanced communications network or any other wired or wireless communication network known in the art.

Fig. 3 shows a vehicle charging control unit 100 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. The vehicle charging control unit 100 may be in the form of an Electronic ControlUnit, a server, an on-board computer, an digital information display, a stationary computingdevice, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a wrist-worn computer, a smart watch, a PDA, a Smartphone, a smart TV, a telephone, a media player, a game console,6 a vehicle mounted computer system or a navigation device. The vehicle charging control unit100 may comprise a processor 112 communicatively coupled to a transceiver 104 for wired orwireless communication. Further, the vehicle charging control unit 100 may further compriseone or more optional antennas (not shown in figure). The antenna may be coupled to thetransceiver 104 and is configured to transmit and/or emit and/or receive a wireless signals ina wireless communication system, e.g. send/receive control signals, e.g comprising controlinformation. The transceiver 104 may be configured to send/receive the control signals to/fromthe range extender 150 or the on board charger unit 160 or the one or more vehicle sensors121-123 or any other control unit or sensor. ln one example, the processor 112 may be any ofa selection of processing circuitry and/or a central processing unit and/or processor modulesand/or multiple processors configured to cooperate with each-other. Further, the vehiclecharging control unit 100 may further comprise a memory 115. The memory 115 may containinstructions executable by the processor to perform the methods described herein. Theprocessor 112 may be communicatively coupled to a selection of any of the transceiver 104,the one or more vehicle sensors 121-123 and the memory 115. The vehicle charging controlunit 100 may be configured to send/receive control signals directly from any of the rangeextender 150, the on board charger unit 160 and the one or more vehicle sensors 121-123 or to send/receive control signals via the wired and/or wireless communications network 140. ln one or more embodiments the vehicle charging control unit 100 may further comprise aninput device 117, configured to receive input or indications from a user and send a user-inputsignal indicative of the user input or indications to the processing means 112. ln one or moreembodiments the vehicle charging control unit 100 may further comprise a display 118configured to receive a display signal indicative of rendered objects, such as text or graphicaluser input objects, from the processing means 112 and to display the received signal asobjects, such as text or graphical user input objects. ln one embodiment the display 118 isintegrated with the user input device 1 17 and is configured to receive a display signal indicativeof rendered objects, such as text or graphical user input objects, from the processing means112 and to display the received signal as objects, such as text or graphical user input objects,and/or configured to receive input or indications from a user and send a user-input signalindicative of the user input or indications to the processing means 112. ln embodiments, theprocessing means 112 is communicatively coupled to the memory 115 and/or thecommunications interface and/or the input device 117 and/or the display 118 and/or the oneor more vehicle sensors 121-123. ln embodiments, the communications interface and/ortransceiver communicates using wired and/or wireless communication techniques. lnembodiments, the one or more memory 115 may comprise a selection of a hard RAIVI, disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a CD or DVD drive (R or7 RW), or other removable or fixed media drive. ln a further embodiment, the vehicle chargingcontrol unit 100 may further comprise and/or be coupled to one or more additional sensorsconfigured to receive and/or obtain and/or measure physical properties pertaining to thevehicle 120, the surroundings of the vehicle or the external power source 180 and send oneor more sensor signals indicative of the physical properties to the processing means 112.

Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a method according to one or more embodiments of thepresent invention. The method 400 may performed by the vehicle charging control unit 100configured to controlling a rate of energy per time unit provided to an energy storage unit 170of the vehicle 120. The method comprises the steps: STEP 410: obtaining vehicle task data indicating at least a target start point in time Taafl of avehicle task and a target level of energy Elafgel required by the vehicle 120 to complete thevehicle task. ln an example the vehicle is a bus and the vehicle task data indicates a targetstart point in time for a bus scheduled to complete a bus route. The vehicle task data furtherindicates the target level of energy required by the vehicle to complete the bus route. Thetarget level of energy may be a statistical average of the energy required to complete the samebus route. As described further in relation to Fig. 2, the target start point in time Tslafl of a vehicletask and a target level of energy Elafgel comprised in the control information may be obtainedlocally in the vehicle or received from the server 140.

STEP 420: obtaining energy rate data indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit providedto the energy storage unit 170, e.g. from an on board charger unit 160. ln an example, theenergy rate data is obtained comprised in a control signal from the one or more vehicle sensors121-123 and is indicative of a current or voltage being provided to the energy storage unit 170.ln a further example, the energy rate data is indicative of temperatures of pins in the connectoror conductor interface 161 connecting the external power source 180 to the vehicle or OBCunit 160. ln a further example, the energy rate data is indicative of a change of the predictedpoint in time when the target level of energy Elafgel is reached. l.e. the predicted point in time isinitially well before Tslafl and after some time changes to after Taafi, e.g. due to some problemwith the rate of energy per time unit provided to the energy storage unit 170. ln an embodiment,obtaining energy rate data further comprises determining that the current rate of energy pertime unit is below a nominal rate of energy per time unit or below the current rate of energy per time unit and an added/subtracted threshold is below a nominal rate of energy per time unit.

STEP 430: obtaining a predicted point in time Tpiedicled, indieative of when a current level ofenergy Ecunenl stored by the energy storage unit 170 reaches the target level of energy Elafgel,based on the energy rate data.

STEP 440: if the predicted point in time Tpfeaiaea is determined to be later than the target startpoint in time Tsian, to control a range extender 150 to provide a second rate of energy per timeunit to the energy storage unit 170. ln an embodiment, the second rate of energy per time unit is constant or substantially constant.ln yet an embodiment, the second rate of energy per time is further less than a maximum rateof energy per time that the range extender 150 can deliver. At least an advantage of thisembodiment is that the fuel efficiency is improved by allowing the range extender 150 tooperate in a near-optimum operating point. At least a further advantage of this embodiment isthat the life span of the range extender 150 is extended. Thus, it is advantageous to predictthat activation of the range extender 150 well before initiating the vehicle task to allow therange extender 150 to operate at a level lower than the maximum level. This is particularly truefor range extenders in the form of fuel cells. ln an embodiment, the method further comprises controlling the range extender 150 to stopproviding the second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit 170. The providingof the second rate of energy per time unit may be stopped at the target start point in time Tslan.

Fig. 5A shows a diagram illustrating stopping the second rate of energy at the target start pointin time Tsian. The X axis indicates time and the Y axis indicates level of energy, e.g. state ofcharge. The curve 510 in the diagram indicates the current level of energy Ecuneni. The zerotime TO signifies the initiation of the method disclosed herein, e.g. the time when the vehicle isstationary and being connected to the external power source 180. The vehicle task is initiatedat the target start point in time Tsian and finished at a finish point in time Tfinisn. At the zero timeTO the vehicle is connected to an external power source, as can be seen from the diagram thecurrent level of energy Ecunennstarts to rise. A point in time when the current level of energyEcuneni stored by the energy storage unit 170 is expected to reach the target level of energyElafgei is predicted. lf it is determined that the predicted point in time is later than the target startpoint in time Tsian, the range extender 150 is controlled to provide a second rate of energy pertime unit to the energy storage unit. The second rate of energy is selected or determined suchthat the level of energy in the energy storage unit 170 is expected to be at the target level ofenergy Eiaigei at the target start point in time Tsian. The second rate of energy is selected or determined such that the level of energy in the energy storage unit 170 is expected to be at a9 safety threshold level Esafeiy at the finish point in time Tflnish. The first rate of energy and/or thesecond rate of energy is then provided to the energy storage unit 170. The charging controlunit 100 sends a control signal to range extender 150 causing range extender 150 to stopproviding the second rate of energy, such as a charging current, to the energy storage unit 170when the vehicle is about to be taken into service at the target start point in time Tslafl. ln afurther embodiment, the charging control unit 100 sends the control signal only if the currentlevel of energy Ectmeni of the energy storage unit 170 exceeds the target level of energy Eiafgel.An advantage of this embodiment is at least that unwanted use of the range extender 150 isavoided and thus extends the life span of the range extender 150. ln particular, the life span isextended when a range extender 150 in the form of a fuel cell unit is used. ln a furtherembodiment, the method further comprises controlling the range extender 150 to stopproviding the second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit 170 if the currentlevel of energy Ectmeni of the energy storage unit 170 exceeds the target level of energy Eiafgel.An advantage of this embodiment is at least that unwanted use of the range extender 150 isavoided and thus extends the life span of the range extender 150 such as a fuel cell unit 150.

Fig. 5B shows a diagram illustrating stopping the second rate of energy at a stop point in timeTslop. The solid curve 520 in the diagram indicates the current level of energy Ecuffenkof thisembodiment and the dashed curve 510 in the diagram indicates the curve related to Fig. 5Aas a reference. The method may further comprise obtaining a stop point in time Tsiop. The stoppoint in time Tslop may be determined based on the second rate of energy per time unit and adifference between a current level of energy Ecuffeni at the target start point in time Tsiafl andtarget level of energy Elafgel. The range extender 150 may then be controlled to stop theproviding of the second rate of energy per time unit at the stop point in time Tsiop Thisembodiment has at least the advantage that the vehicle may be taken into service at the targetstart point in time Tsiafl even if the target level of energy Elafgel is not achieved or reached at thetarget start point in time Tslan. The range extender may continue to provide the second rate ofenergy per time unit just long enough to complete the vehicle task. The stop point in time Tsiop.may be estimated on a predicted level of energy Epfedlcied, e.g. determined as Epfedrcied=targetlevel of energy Eiafgei- current level of energy Ecuffeni at the target start point in time Tslafi. Thepredicted level of energy Epfedicied may optionally be determined as Epfedrcied=target level ofenergy Eiafgei- current level of energy Ecuffeni at the target start point in time Tslafi. - safetythreshold. The safety threshold Esafeiy may be determined as a percentage of the target levelof energy Elafgel, e.g. as 5-20% of the target level of energy Eiafgel. ln an embodiment, the method further comprises determining an operational state of the on board charger unit 160. lf the operational state is determined to be faulty to reduce the indicated first rate of energy per time unit indicated by the obtain energy rate data to a reducedvalue. ln one example, operational state of the on board charger unit 160 is determined to befaulty by determining that the temperature of one or more pins in the connector or conductorinterface 161 is above a threshold. An estimated charging current or the first rate of energy pertime unit is then set to a reduced value, e.g. in the range of 50%-90°A> of the indicated first rate of energy per time unit or a nominal value. ln one embodiment, a computer program is provided comprising computer-executableinstructions for causing the vehicle charging control unit 100 when the computer-executableinstructions are executed on a processing unit comprised in the vehicle charging control unit100, to perform any of the methods described herein. Furthermore, any methods according toembodiments of the invention may be implemented in a computer program, having codemeans, which when run by processing means causes the processing means to execute thesteps of the method. The computer program is included in a computer readable medium of acomputer program product. ln one embodiment, a computer program product is provided comprising a computer-readablestorage medium, the computer-readable storage medium having the computer program aboveembodied therein. ln one embodiment, a carrier containing the computer program above, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, optical signal, radio signal, or computer readable storage medium. ln an embodiment, a computer program product comprising a memory and/or a computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium having the computerprogram described above embodied therein. The memory and/or computer-readable storagemedium referred to herein may comprise of essentially any memory, such as a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable PROM),a Flash memory, an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM), or a hard disk drive. ln embodiments, the communications network communicate using wired or wirelesscommunication techniques that may include at least one of a Local Area Network (LAN),Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Global System for Mobile Network (GSM), Enhanced DataGSM Energy storage unit (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, Long termevolution, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Wideband Code Division MultipleAccess (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, Wi-Fi, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), LTE Advanced,11 lEEE802.16m, WirelessMAN-Advanced, Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), 3GPPLong Term Evolution (LTE), Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB)(formerly Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Flev. C), Fast Low-latency Access with SeamlessHandoff Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (Flash-OFDM), High Capacity SpatialDivision Multiple Access (iBurst®) and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) (IEEE802.20) systems, High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN), Beam-Division Multiple Access (BDMA), World lnteroperability for Microwave Access (Wi-MAX) and ultrasonic communication, etc., but is not limited thereto.

Moreover, it is realized by the skilled person that the vehicle charging control unit 100 maycomprise the necessary communication capabilities in the form of e.g., functions, means, units,elements, etc., for performing the present solution. Examples of other such means, units,elements and functions are: processors, memory, buffers, control logic, encoders, decoders,rate matchers, de-rate matchers, mapping units, multipliers, decision units, selecting units,switches, interleavers, de-interleavers, modulators, demodulators, inputs, outputs, antennas,amplifiers, receiver units, transmitter units, DSPs, MSDs, TCM encoder, TCM decoder, powersupply units, power feeders, communication interfaces, communication protocols, etc. whichare suitably arranged together for performing the present solution.

Especially, the processor and/or processing means of the present disclosure may compriseone or more instances of processing circuitry, processor modules and multiple processorsconfigured to cooperate with each-other, Central Processing Unit (CPU), a processing unit, aprocessing circuit, a processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), amicroprocessor, a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other processing logic that mayinterpret and execute instructions. The expression “processor” and/or “processing means” maythus represent a processing circuitry comprising a plurality of processing circuits, such as, e.g.,any, some or all of the ones mentioned above. The processing means may further performdata processing functions for inputting, outputting, and processing of data comprising databuffering and device control functions, such as call processing control, user interface control,or the like.

Finally, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also relates to and incorporates all embodiments within the scope of the appendedindependent claims. 12

Claims (10)

CLAI MS

1. A vehicle charging control unit (100) for a vehicle (120) configured to control a rateof energy per time unit provided to an energy storage unit (170) of the vehicle (120), the vehicle charging control unit (100) comprising: 5 a processor (112), and a memory (116), said memory containing instructions executable by saidprocessor, wherein said vehicle control unit (100) is configured to: obtain vehicle task data indicating at least a target start point in time (Tsian) of avehicle task and a target level of energy (Eiargei) required by the vehicle (120) 10 to complete the vehicle task, obtain energy rate data indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit providedto the energy storage unit (170), obtain a predicted point in time (Tpredicied) indicative of when a current level ofenergy (Ecurreni) stored by the energy storage unit (170) reaches the target level15 of energy (Eiargei) based on the energy rate data, and if the predicted point in time (Tpredicied) is determined to be later than the targetstart point in time (Tsian) to control a range extender (150) to provide a second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit (170).

2. The vehicle charging control unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle20 control unit (100) is further configured to control the range extender (150) tostop providing the second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit (170) at the target start point in time (Tsian).

3. The vehicle charging control unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle control unit (100) is further configured to: 25 obtain a stop point in time (Temp) (based on the second rate of energy per timeunit and a difference between the current level of energy (Ecufreni) at the target start point in time (Tsian) and target level of energy (Eiargeu),13 control the range extender (150) to stop providing the second rate of energy pertime unit to the energy storage unit (170) at the stop point in time (Tsiop).

4. The vehicle charging control unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle control unit (100) is further configured to:

5. Determine an operational state of an on board charger unit (160), and if the operational state is determined to be faulty, to reduce the indicated first rateof energy per time unit indicated by the obtain energy rate data to a reduced value.5. A vehicle comprising:10 the vehicle charging control unit (100) of any of claims 1-4.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 further comprising: an energy storage unit (170),a range extender (150) electrically coupled to the energy storage unit (170), an on board charger unit (160) electrically coupled to the energy storage unit15 (170), wherein the vehicle charging control unit (100) is communicatively coupled to therange extender (150) and the on board charger unit (160).

7. A method for a vehicle charging control unit (100) for a vehicle (120) configured tocontrol a rate of energy per time unit provided to an energy storage unit (170) 20 of the vehicle (120), the method comprising:obtaining vehicle task data indicating at least a target start point in time (Tsian) of a vehicle task and a target level of energy (Eiargei) required by the vehicle (120) to complete the vehicle task, obtaining energy rate data indicative of a first rate of energy per time unit provided25 to the energy storage unit (170), 14 obtaining a predicted point in time (Tpredicied) indicative of when a current level ofenergy (Ecurreni) stored by the energy storage unit (170) reaches the target level of energy (Eiargei) based on the energy rate data, and if the predicted point in time (Tpredicied) is determined to be later than the target5 start point in time (Tsian), controlling a range extender (150) to provide a second rate of energy per time unit to the energy storage unit (170).

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: controlling the range extender (150) to stop providing the second rate of energyper time unit to the energy storage unit (170) at the target start point in time10 (Tstan).

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: obtaining a stop point in time (Tsiop) (based on the second rate of energy per timeunit and a difference between the current level of energy (Ecufreni) at the target start point in time (Tsian) and target level of energy (Eiargeu),15 controlling the range extender (150) to stop providing the second rate of energyper time unit to the energy storage unit (170) at the stop point in time (Temp).

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: determining an operational state of an on board charger unit (160), and if the operational state is determined to be faulty, reducing the indicated first rate20 of energy per time unit indicated by the obtain energy rate data to a reduced value.