System and method of using a mobile device as an aerodynamic testing system and power meter

Abstract

Methods of determining resistive coefficients of a vehicle include using a force-based analysis method and a work-energy analysis method. The methods include receiving an input on a mobile device to initiate a test protocol along a path. The mobile device records a set of measurements for determining a drag area coefficient and a coefficient of rolling resistance for the vehicle using the force-based or work-energy analysis method. For the force-based analysis method, a direct measurement of proper acceleration of the vehicle is measured from an accelerometer on the mobile device. For the work-energy analysis method, a normal force on the vehicle is determined from a direct measurement of proper acceleration from an accelerometer on the mobile device. The mobile device determines the drag area coefficient and the coefficient of rolling resistance based on the set of measurements using the force-based or work-energy analysis method.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.