Abstract: A step platform that can be used safely for access to a vehicle rear roof or storage compartment, in conjunction with a ball mount and receiver hitch to allow for towing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering process materials in a bulk delivery system includes a plurality of pumps arranged in series along a material supply line, wherein the capacity of each pump is such that less than all of the pumps operating simultaneously can provide a desired level of system performance for a given application. In at least one preferred embodiment, a plurality of pumps include three pumps are arranged in series. Preferred embodiments provide several benefits over a parallel arrangement of two larger pumps including, in the case of a single pump failure, that the remaining pumps are signaled to increase speed to restore system performance to restore supply line pressure with less perturbation than that realized in a two-pump, parallel arranged system. Methods are also provided herein for determining which of the three pumps is a failed pump in such a case.

Abstract: The invention relates to a methodology and computer executable instructions configured to implement a prediction system. The invention deals with the use of a configuration file specifying at least the interactions to be completed between components of the prediction system, where this configuration file is transmitted to an implementation site. At the implementation site the configuration file is supplied as an input to at least one autonomous software agent where this agent or agents run the components of the prediction system as specified by the interactions defined within the configuration file. An extension to this method is also disclosed where the prediction system is built or constructed at the implementation site using the configuration file.