Abstract: A deicing apparatus may include a reservoir containing a deicing agent, a distribution network, and at least a first nozzle, for deicing a surface, such as a sidewalk. In one embodiment, at least one or more of the reservoir or distribution network is located underground and at least one or more of the reservoir, distribution network, and nozzle is operatively fixed with respect to the associated surface. The apparatus may further be provided with pumping means for pumping the deicing agent through the apparatus.

Abstract: Landscape services can be estimated by: (1) placing location transmitters around the perimeter of a parcel to be serviced, (2) transmitting location data to a receiver associated with a processing unit, and (3) using the processing unit to estimate a variable based on the area of the parcel defined by the location transmitters and one or more program input measurements associated with the devices used to provide the service. The variable may be a cost estimate, time estimate or materials estimate. The present invention replaces manual calculations of these variables.

Abstract: A deicing apparatus may include a reservoir containing a deicing agent, a distribution network, and at least a first nozzle, for deicing a surface, such as a sidewalk. In one embodiment, at least one or more of the reservoir or distribution network is located underground and at least one or more of the reservoir, distribution network, and nozzle is operatively fixed with respect to the associated surface. The apparatus may further be provided with pumping means for pumping the deicing agent through the apparatus.

Abstract: A snow plow having a generally concave surface and an upper edge includes a snow plow deflector attached to the upper edge. The deflector includes recessed edges on the distal ends of the snow plow deflector for use in effectively channeling away displaced frozen precipitation.

Abstract: A system (20) transmits a digital data stream (22) using a lossy compression service (24) having a communication path (28) through which compressed signals propagate. The system includes a data conditioner (36) configured to condition the received digital data stream (22) to produce data subsets (66). A frame generator (36) expands each of the data subsets (66) to generate distinct signal sets (68). The distinct signal sets (68) are expressed in a data size greater than the data subsets (66) to compensate for lossy compression cause by the lossy compression service (24). A transmitter is in communication with the frame generator (36) and transmits digitized ones of the distinct signal sets (68) in frames of a digital bit stream (126) over the communication path (28).