Patent ID: 8212532

Claim:
A method for controlling a peak power transfer rate in to and/or out of a vehicle energy storage device, during a power transfer opportunity, the method comprising: adjusting the peak power transfer rate of the vehicle energy storage device based on a predetermination of a duration of the power transfer opportunity to match a duration of power transfer to the duration of the opportunity and achieve a specified state of charge, wherein the adjustment includes reducing the peak power transfer rate while increasing the duration of power transfer, as the duration of the power transfer opportunity increases, to substantially fill the entire predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity such that a desired state of charge is attained, wherein the adjusting of the peak power transfer rate includes operating with a first peak rate during a first power transfer opportunity of a first duration, a second peak rate during a second power transfer opportunity of a second duration, the second duration longer than the first duration, the second peak rate smaller than the first peak rate, and a third peak rate during a third power transfer opportunity of a third duration, the third duration longer than the first and second durations, the third peak rate smaller than the first and second peak rates, and where the energy storage device is an energy storage system comprising a plurality of energy storage banks; and adjusting the peak power transfer rate of at least one of the plurality of energy storage banks responsive to an operating condition of the energy storage device, where the operating condition is an age of the device.