Single-Sided Power Meter Asymmetry Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single-sided power meters estimate total power by assuming symmetric leg output, leading to imprecision due to potential asymmetry in power input from one side to the other, especially in bicyclists with strength and coordination differences.
Innovation Solution
A system that measures power on one side of a bicycle and calculates total power by determining asymmetry through side-to-side acceleration differentials, using power sensors and rotational characteristic sensors to adjust the partial power measurement for accurate estimation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-sided power meter measures power at only one side of the bicycle, then the cost and complexity of installation is reduced, but the measurement precision of total power is worsened due to asymmetric pedaling patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational model that uses acceleration sensors and kinematic relationships as mediators between the single-sided power measurement and the total power calculation. The system uses the measured acceleration data and pedal geometry to compute the force applied to the other pedal, thereby mediating the inference from partial measurement to total power without requiring direct measurement on both sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of installing power meters on both sides of the bicycle with a computational substitution. Instead of mechanically measuring both sides directly, the system uses sensor data from one side combined with acceleration measurements and kinematic calculations to substitute for the missing mechanical measurements on the other side, thereby reducing installation complexity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Device complexity
If the system assumes symmetric power output from both legs, then the calculation is simplified, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to ignoring individual asymmetry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent explicitly incorporates asymmetry into the power calculation model by measuring and utilizing the acceleration differential between the two pedals. Instead of assuming symmetric power output, the system measures the actual asymmetric acceleration patterns and uses these differences to compute accurate total power, thereby resolving the contradiction between calculation simplicity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used in the power calculation from simple symmetric assumptions to include acceleration differential measurements. By introducing the acceleration parameter and using it to compute force and power adjustments, the system adapts the calculation model to account for individual asymmetry, thereby improving measurement precision without excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for determining total exerted power value that is determined based on power measured at only one side of a bicycle by determining a side-to-side pedaling power asymmetry and estimating the total exerted power as a function of values of the one-sided power measurement and the side-to-side pedaling power asymmetry.