A system and method for operating, or electrically communicating with, an electrical supply network are disclosed. A vehicle is coupled to the electrical supply network, a trigger causes a partial discharge of an electrical energy storage device of the vehicle into electric power network, discharging electrical energy into the electric power network from the vehicle.
1. A method of operating an electrical supply network, comprising:
coupling a vehicle to the supply network;
receiving a specification of a time period selected by a user of the vehicle for discharge of the electrical energy;
receiving a trigger to cause a partial discharge of electrical energy from an electrical energy storage device of the vehicle into an electric power network based on the specified time period that has been received from the user; and
discharging electrical energy into the electric power network from the vehicle in response to receiving the trigger.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling a flow of current from the electric power network to the energy storage device prior to the partial discharge; and
providing a flow of current from the energy storage device to the electric power network during the partial discharge.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the amount of a remaining residual charge in the energy storage device; and
interrupting the flow of a current from the energy storage device to the electric power network when the remaining residual charge amount reaches a threshold value.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the trigger comprises:
receiving the trigger from a clock operable to generate the trigger based upon a specified time period.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the trigger comprises:
receiving an external trigger from the electric power network.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
coupling a plurality of vehicles to the supply network; and
triggering a partial discharge of a plurality of respective electrical energy storage devices of the vehicles.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of electrical energy storage devices, and wherein discharging electrical energy comprises:
discharging electrical energy into the electric power network from the plurality of electrical energy storage devices in response to receiving the trigger.
8. A motor vehicle comprising:
at least one electric motor;
an electrical energy storage device operable to provide electrical drive energy to the electric motor;
a plug connector coupled to the energy storage device for connection to an electric power network;
a controller operable to control a flow of a current from the electric power network to the energy storage device and from the energy storage device to the electric power network; and
an input coupled to the controller and operable to initiate a partial discharge of the electrical energy stored in the electrical energy storage device to the electric power network in response to a trigger, wherein the trigger includes a specification of a time period selected by a user of the vehicle for discharge of the electrical energy.
9. A method comprising:
supplying electrical energy to a vehicle having an energy storage device from an electric power network at a first time through a current source outlet at a facility;
receiving electrical energy into the electric power network from the energy storage device in the vehicle in response to a first trigger at a second time through the current source outlet, wherein the first trigger includes a specification of the second time selected by a user of the vehicle for receiving electrical energy into the electric power network; and
ceasing reception of electrical energy into the electric power network in response to a second trigger; wherein the second trigger includes a specification of a time selected by the user of the vehicle for ceasing reception of electrical energy into the electric power network.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
compensating an owner of the vehicle for electrical energy received into the electric power network from the energy storage device of the vehicle.
11. A facility at which vehicles temporarily park, the facility comprising:
a current source outlet configured to be electrically coupled to a connector of a vehicle to facilitate electrically coupling an electrical storage device of the vehicle to an electric power network, and allow flow of electrical power from the electric power network to the electrical storage device and discharge of electrical power from the electrical storage device to the electric power network, the current source outlet being configured to communicate a trigger specifying a time period selected by a user of the vehicle for discharge of the electrical power to a controller carried by the vehicle and cause a partial discharge of electrical energy from the electrical energy storage device of the vehicle into the electric power network in response to receiving the trigger.
12. The facility of claim 11 , further comprising:
an inverter configured to electrically couple the connector of the vehicle to the current source outlet and convert current type between alternating and direct current for delivery of direct current to the electrical storage device and feed of alternating current to the electric power network.
13. The facility of claim 12 wherein the inverter is carried by the vehicle.