Impact point estimation apparatus

1. An impact point estimation apparatus for estimating an impact point on a face surface of a head when a golf club having a grip, a shaft and the head is swung and hits a golf ball, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire time series sensor data that is output from at least one of an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor that is attached to at least one of the grip and the shaft;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a characteristic value of an initial stress wave that occurs due to impact, based on the sensor data acquired in an analysis period including an initial period after impact; and

an estimation unit configured to estimate the impact point on the face surface, according to the characteristic value, wherein the analysis period includes only a period after impact and before 0.005 seconds have elapsed from impact, and wherein the characteristic value includes a first characteristic value of an angular velocity about a first axis and a second characteristic value of an angular velocity about a second axis as characteristic values of the initial stress wave that occurs due to impact, and the first and second characteristic values are determined based on the sensor data acquired in the analysis period, the first axis and the second axis being included in a plane that is generally parallel to the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.

2. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is a characteristic value of a first wave of the stress wave that occurs due to impact.

3. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the characteristic value includes an amplitude of angular velocity data acquired in the analysis period or a value that depends on the amplitude.

4. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the estimation unit is configured to estimate the impact point, according to a head speed when the golf club is swung, in addition to the characteristic value.

5. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value includes an amplitude of angular velocity data acquired in the analysis period or a value that depends on the amplitude.

6. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is configured to estimate the impact point, according to a head speed when the golf club is swung, in addition to the characteristic value.

7. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the acquisition unit is configured to acquire angular velocity data about an x-axis and angular velocity data about a z-axis, and

the x-axis and the z-axis are included in a plane that is generally parallel to the face surface.

8. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the z-axis extends parallel to a direction in which the shaft extends.

9. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is configured to calculate one or a plurality of the characteristic values based on the sensor data acquired in the analysis period, and estimate the impact point, based on a predetermined regression equation or multiple regression equation in which the one or plurality of characteristic values are explanatory variables and the impact point is an objective variable.

10. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is configured to:

estimate an impact point on a first direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the first direction is an objective variable, and

estimate an impact point on a second direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the second direction is an objective variable, the first direction and the second direction substantially extending on the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an impact point estimation program for estimating an impact point on a face surface of a head when a golf club having a grip, a shaft and the head is swung and hits a golf ball, the program causing a computer to execute the steps of:

acquiring time series sensor data that is output from at least one of an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor that is attached to at least one of the grip and the shaft;

calculating a characteristic value of an initial stress wave that occurs due to impact, based on the sensor data acquired in an analysis period including an initial period after impact; and

estimating the impact point on the face surface, according to the characteristic value, wherein the analysis period includes only a period after impact and before 0.005 seconds have elapsed from impact, and

wherein the characteristic value includes a first characteristic value of an angular velocity about a first axis and a second characteristic value of an angular velocity about a second axis as characteristic values of the initial stress wave that occurs due to impact, and the first and second characteristic values are determined based on the sensor data acquired in the analysis period, the first axis and the second axis being included in a plane that is generally parallel to the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the estimating includes:

estimating an impact point on a first direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the first direction is an objective variable; and

estimating an impact point on a second direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the second direction is an objective variable, the first direction and the second direction substantially extending on the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.

13. An impact point estimation apparatus for estimating an impact point on a face surface of a head when a golf club having a grip, a shaft and the head is swung and hits a golf ball, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire time series sensor data that is output from at least one of an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor that is attached to at least one of the grip and the shaft;

a calculation unit configured to calculate at least one characteristic value of a first wave to a third wave of a stress wave that occurs due to impact, based on the sensor data acquired in an analysis period, the analysis period including only a period after impact and before 0.005 second have elapsed from impact; and

an estimation unit configured to estimate the impact point on the face surface, according to the characteristic value,

wherein the at least one characteristic value includes a first characteristic value of an angular velocity about a first axis and a second characteristic value of an angular velocity about a second axis as characteristic values of the initial stress wave that occurs due to impact, and the first and second characteristic values are determined based on the sensor data acquired in the analysis period, the first axis and the second axis being included in a plane that is generally parallel to the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.

14. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate the characteristic value of the first wave of the stress wave that occurs due to impact, based on the sensor data acquired in the analysis period.

15. The impact point estimation apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the estimation unit is configured to:

estimate an impact point on a first direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the first direction is an objective variable, and

estimate an impact point on a second direction based on a predetermined multiple regression equation in which the first characteristic value and the second characteristic value are explanatory variables and the impact point on the second direction is an objective variable, the first direction and the second direction substantially extending on the face surface and being substantially orthogonal with each other.