Abstract: An apparatus (21) for assembling a collapsible enclosure assembly (1) onto a container (11), the enclosure assembly (1) being of the type comprising a plurality of collapsible walls (2, 3, 4) and which is adapted to be supported, when erected, on the container (11) so that in situ the enclosure assembly (1) encloses a region above the container (11), the apparatus (21) comprising means to move a collapsed enclosure assembly (1) from a storage position (25) to an assembly position (36), means to move the walls (2, 3, 4) of the collapsed enclosure assembly (1) when in the assembly position (36) relatively apart to expand the enclosure assembly (1) so as to be of generally tubular form, and means to mount the expanded enclosure assembly (1) on a corresponding container (11). A method for assembling a collapsible enclosure assembly (1) onto a container (11) is also provided.

Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.

Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.

Abstract: An enclosure assembly (1), and method of assembling transportation packaging therefrom, which is adapted to be supported on a container (2) and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the container, said enclosure assembly comprising co-operable attachment means (3, 7), the arrangement of the enclosure assembly being such that in use the attachment means of a first enclosure assembly which is supported on a container is engaged with the attachment means of a second enclosure assembly, said enclosure assemblies forming a stack in which the second enclosure assembly encloses a region above the first enclosure assembly. Advantageously, the enclosure assemblies can be stacked together to form a substantially rigid structure above the container according to the height of the goods in the container.

Abstract: A combined in-store and fuel center point-of-sale system having a first point-of-sale system, having a checkout manager and one or more checkout terminals, and a second point-of-sale system, having a fuel center and one or more fuel pumps, in communication with each other and with one or more primary databases containing marketing data, consumer data, customer data, master sales data, discount data, and merchandise product data, for generating a fuel discount at the second point-of-sale system based on first purchasing activity at the first point-of-sale system and/or second purchasing activity at said second point-of-sale system. The fuel discount is maintained for each customer in one of said primary databases and is based on a total purchase of products, a total purchase of product units, a total purchase amount of a product type, time period for total purchase of products, or a tiered spending amount.

Abstract: A combined in-store and fuel center point-of-sale system having a first point-of-sale system, having a checkout manager and one or more checkout terminals, and a second point-of-sale system, having a fuel center and one or more fuel pumps, in communication with each other and with one or more primary databases containing marketing data, consumer data, customer data, master sales data, discount data, and merchandise product data, for generating a fuel discount at the second point-of-sale system based on first purchasing activity at the first point-of-sale system and/or second purchasing activity at said second point-of-sale system. The fuel discount is maintained for each customer in one of said primary databases and is based on a total purchase of products, a total purchase of product units, a total purchase amount of a product type, time period for total purchase of products, or a tiered spending amount.

Abstract: A method of estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed that is ideally suited for use with legacy systems. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is based on the observation that the signal strength of a signal from a transmitter is different at some locations, and, therefore, the location of a wireless terminal can be estimated by comparing the signal strength it currently observes against a map or database that correlates locations to signal strengths. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received well at a first location and poorly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station poorly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than it is at the first location.

Abstract: A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.

Abstract: A method of estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed that is ideally suited for use with legacy systems. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is based on the observation that the signal strength of a signal from a transmitter is different at some locations, and, therefore, the location of a wireless terminal can be estimated by comparing the signal strength it currently observes against a map or database that correlates locations to signal strengths. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received well at a first location and poorly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station poorly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than it is at the first location.

Abstract: A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.

Abstract: A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.

Abstract: A method for determining the location of a mobile unit (mobile unit) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment provides a computationally-efficient technique for reducing the number of possible positions that have to be analyzed. In particular, the illustrative embodiment eliminates possible positions for the mobile unit from consideration by considering which signals the mobile unit can—and cannot—receive and the knowledge of where those signals can and cannot be received.

Abstract: A method and device for providing a plurality of fire pulses in an ink jet printer, which includes a production of a plurality of fire signals. Each fire signal of the plurality of fire signals are asserted at a different timing than the other of the plurality of fire signals. The plurality of fire signals are combined to form a composite fire signal that maintains the different timing.

Abstract: Portable herbicide application apparatuses are provided that can include an application mechanism operatively coupled to opposing platforms supporting an application member, with the application mechanism configured to move the opposing platforms from a first position apart from one another to a second position proximate one another, and the surfaces of the platforms supporting the application member are substantially free of encumbrances Liquid herbicide application methods are provided which can include moving the application member from one location on the biomass to another location on the biomass while both maintaining physical contact with the biomass, and applying liquid herbicide, and/or engaging a mechanical application mechanism to apply liquid herbicide to the uppermost portion of biomass from a lowest most portion of an application member, with the application member physically contacting the biomass during the applying.

Abstract: A method and device for providing a plurality of fire pulses in an ink jet printer, which includes a production of a plurality of fire signals. Each fire signal of the plurality of fire signals are asserted at a different timing than the other of the plurality of fire signals. The plurality of fire signals are combined to form a composite fire signal that maintains the different timing.

Abstract: An apparatus (21) for assembling a collapsible enclosure assembly (1) onto a container (11), the enclosure assembly (1) being of the type comprising a plurality of collapsible walls (2, 3, 4) and which is adapted to be supported, when erected, on the container (11) so that in situ the enclosure assembly (1) encloses a region above the container (11), the apparatus (21) comprising means to move a collapsed enclosure assembly (1) from a storage position (25) to an assembly position (36), means to move the walls (2, 3, 4) of the collapsed enclosure assembly (1) when in the assembly position (36) relatively apart to expand the enclosure assembly (1) so as to be of generally tubular form, and means to mount the expanded enclosure assembly (1) on a corresponding container (11). A method for assembling a collapsible enclosure assembly (1) onto a container (11) is also provided.

Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.

Abstract: A combined in-store and fuel center point-of-sale system having a first point-of-sale system, having a checkout manager and one or more checkout terminals, and a second point-of-sale system, having a fuel center and one or more fuel pumps, in communication with each other and with one or more primary databases containing marketing data, consumer data, customer data, master sales data, discount data, and merchandise product data, for generating a fuel discount at the second point-of-sale system based on first purchasing activity at the first point-of-sale system and/or second purchasing activity at said second point-of-sale system. The fuel discount is maintained for each customer in one of said primary databases and is based on a total purchase of products, a total purchase of product units, a total purchase amount of a product type, time period for total purchase of products, or a tiered spending amount.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating the location of a wireless terminal are disclosed. The location of the wireless terminal is estimated based on one or more signal strength measurements in conjunction with: (i) one or more angle-of-arrival measurements, (ii) one or more time-of-arrival measurements, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii). At each measurement time, the illustrative embodiment (a) determines the candidate locations for the wireless terminal, (b) computes a measurement likelihood function for any signal strength measurements that are available at that time, (c) computes a measurement likelihood function for any geometry-of-arrival measurements that are available at that time, (d) computes a joint likelihood function for all measurements available at that time, and (e) updates the location probability distribution for the wireless terminal with the joint measurement likelihood function. Estimates of the location of the wireless terminal are obtained from the location probability distribution.

Abstract: An interactive/electronic guide for allowing navigation around a group of electronic documents, such as on internet or in an intranet site or such like, the guide being operable automatically to present a plurality of topic identifiers together with an indication of the importance of the topics identified within a site. Each topic is user selectable. Selection of a given topic provides access to information on that topic. Preferably, the guide also provides information about multiple sites that are potentially related by content as well as an indication of a degree of similarity in content between such multiple sites.