Ball collection apparatus and methods for forming ball collection apparatus are disclosed. In one aspect, a ball collection apparatus includes a netting body that includes netting, edges around a perimeter of the netting, and corners along the perimeter of the netting at intersections of the edges, the edges including a front edge, a back edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, a plurality of connectors attached to the netting body at the corners of the netting body, a plurality of fasteners attached to the netting body, and a guiding device operably coupled to the netting proximate an aperture defined by the netting, the guiding device having a weight to produce a slope in the netting sufficient to guide a sport ball to exit the netting body via the aperture.

A ball pit apparatus for use with a plurality of balls. The ball pit apparatus includes: a base portion configured to provide a ball pit for holding a plurality of balls, wherein the base portion includes one or more inflatable side walls configured to, when inflated, extend around a periphery of the base portion; a roof portion configured to provide a ball chamber for holding a plurality of balls above the base portion; one or more inflatable supports configured to, when inflated, hold the roof portion above the base portion; a suction inlet configured to be in fluid communication with the ball chamber so that, when suction is provided at the suction inlet, suction is also provided to the ball chamber; a ball inlet configured to be in fluid communication with the ball chamber so that, when suction is provided to the ball chamber, a ball received at the ball inlet is drawn into the ball chamber. The roof portion includes an opening configured to face the base portion when the one or more inflatable supports are inflated. The roof portion includes at least one blocking element configured to block the opening so as to prevent balls from falling through the opening when suction is provided to the ball chamber and to not block the opening so as to allow balls to fall through the opening when suction is not provided to the ball chamber.

A sports simulation system (100) comprises at least two imaging devices (128) capturing images of a projectile tracking region disposed in front of a display surface (124) from different vantages to detect a launched projectile traveling through the projectile tracking region towards the display surface; a projectile spin sensing unit (105) capturing images of a region at least partially overlapping with the projectile tracking region, each captured image comprising a projectile trail representing a travel path of the projectile when a projectile is present in the region during image capture; and at least one processing stage (104) receiving data from the imaging devices (128) and the projectile spin sensing unit (105) and determining the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of a detected launched projectile traveling through the projectile tracking region, the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin being used by the at least one processing stage to calculate a trajectory of the launched projectile into a presented sports scene.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, coordinate dynamic adjustments of a trailer based in part on a user profile associated with a user physically present at the trailer and an activity profile associated with an activity selected to be performed at the trailer. A dynamic adjustment may modify a tilt of a lower surface of the trailer. A dynamic adjustment may modify a dimension(s) of the trailer based in part on a detected object(s). Various dynamic adjustments may occur concurrently, individually and/or sequentially. The trailer may be a moveable trailer for temporary attachment with a vehicle.

A golf simulation system includes imaging devices capturing images of a projectile tracking region in front of a display surface from different vantages to detect a launched projectile traveling through the projectile tracking region towards the display surface. A projectile spin sensing unit captures images of a region at least partially overlapping with the projectile tracking region, and each captured image includes a projectile trail representing a travel path of the projectile. A processing stage receives data from the imaging devices and the projectile spin sensing unit and determines the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of the projectile, and the three-dimensional positions, velocity, acceleration and spin are used by the processing stage to calculate a trajectory of the launched projectile into a presented golf scene.

A sport net comprising a frame defining a raised ball portal, a bottom shell extending at a downward slope away from the lower edge of the ball portal, and a rear net closing off the back of the sport net, such that balls entering the sport net are directed by the rear net and/or bottom shell toward and into a ball collection aperture at the lowest point in the bottom shell's downward slope and the balls can fall through the ball collection aperture into a collection receptacle.

A ball collection system for a tennis court (1), configured to be provided along an edge (2a) of a tennis court, comprising: a first slope (11), extending along said edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the first slope decreases in a first direction away from said edge of the tennis court; a second slope 12), arranged adjacent to the first slope on the opposite side of the first slope from the edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the second slope decreases in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, from a first end that is no higher than the lowest part of the first slope to a second end; and a ball collector (14), arranged at the second end of the second slope and configured to receive balls that roll down the second slope.

An automatic golf ball retrieval system comprises a mat, a conveyor belt system, a cleaning system, an automatic tee setter system, and a processor. The mat includes front, middle and back portions, leftmost and rightmost sides, an exterior face and an interior face. The conveyor belt system comprises at least two frames and a rolling bar which moves between upper and lower ends of the at least two frames. The rolling bar forms a raised surface on the exterior face of the mat which engages and pushes the golf balls towards a base which receives and transfers the golf balls to a cleaning system located below the conveyor belt system which cleans the golf balls, an automatic tee setter system transfers at least one golf ball onto a tee from the cleaning system.

The present invention comprises a unique system and method for providing adaptable ball delivery and tracking, including appropriate sensor hardware, interactive gameplay user interfaces and point of sales systems. The system and method of the present invention are especially relevant to baseball and softball as, among other components, the system comprises a vertical, ground-up soft toss ball delivery mechanism, automated player and ball-tracking devices, and ball-collection and transport systems. The ball collection and return components eliminate the need for fielders and enable the creation of the first batting range. The vertical, ground-up soft-toss pitch machine further enables the first multi-story batting facility with player batting bays that open onto a sports field. Further, certain embodiments of the present invention integrate hitting screens, augmented reality display and simultaneous coordination of gameplay and communication between players, regardless of the players' physical location.

Ball collecting and returning installation for a court surface includes a back wall having a ball inlet opening and a ball outlet opening, a damping net spaced apart from and in front of the back wall and which has an opening at least partly aligning with the ball outlet opening, and a trough below the damping net and extending from the back wall to a location in front of the damping net. The trough guides balls landing therein to the ball inlet opening through which the balls pass into a ball collection receptacle behind the back wall. A ball propulsion device is also behind the back wall, elevated on a platform above the ball collection receptacle, and receives balls from the ball collection receptacle and propels them through the ball outlet opening onto the sports court surface.