Abstract: A system includes a plurality of roofing shingles installed on a roof deck. Each of the roofing shingles includes first and second ends, first and second edges, a head lap, a reveal portion, a first side lap at the first end, and a second side lap at the second end. The second side lap includes a first surface, which has an adhesive. The first side lap of a first one of the roofing shingles overlays and is attached to the second side lap of a second one of the roofing shingles to form a sealed portion between the head lap of the first one of the roofing shingles and the head lap of the second one of the roofing shingles.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively filling earth into a fill location in a dig site. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a hauling tool carrying a volume of earth navigates to the fill location. At the fill location, the first earth shaping vehicle navigates over a target tool path to fill earth from the hauling tool into the fill location. As the first earth shaping vehicle fills earth into the fill location, a measurement sensor coupled to the first earth shaping vehicle measures a compaction level of earth filled into the fill location. If the measured compaction level is determined to be below a threshold compaction level, the first earth shaping vehicle communicates a request for a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a compaction tool to compact earth in the fill location.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively filling earth into a fill location in a dig site. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a hauling tool carrying a volume of earth navigates to the fill location. At the fill location, the first earth shaping vehicle navigates over a target tool path to fill earth from the hauling tool into the fill location. As the first earth shaping vehicle fills earth into the fill location, a measurement sensor coupled to the first earth shaping vehicle measures a compaction level of earth filled into the fill location. If the measured compaction level is determined to be below a threshold compaction level, the first earth shaping vehicle communicates a request for a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a compaction tool to compact earth in the fill location.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively executing an earth shaping routine in a dig site with other earth shaping vehicles. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a tool for excavating earth navigates to a dig location containing earth to be excavated. The first earth shaping vehicle identifies a loading location where the first vehicle may transfer earth to a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a tool for hauling earth between locations. Upon navigating to the loading location and detecting the second earth shaping vehicle at the loading location, the first earth shaping vehicle transfers earth from its excavation tool to the hauling tool of the second earth shaping vehicle.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively filling earth into a fill location in a dig site. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a hauling tool carrying a volume of earth navigates to the fill location. At the fill location, the first earth shaping vehicle navigates over a target tool path to fill earth from the hauling tool into the fill location. As the first earth shaping vehicle fills earth into the fill location, a measurement sensor coupled to the first earth shaping vehicle measures a compaction level of earth filled into the fill location. If the measured compaction level is determined to be below a threshold compaction level, the first earth shaping vehicle communicates a request for a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a compaction tool to compact earth in the fill location.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively hauling earth from a first location to a second location in a dig site with other earth shaping vehicles. A first earth shaping vehicle navigates through a set of coordinates within the coordinate space that represent a path from the start location to the end location. As the first earth shaping vehicle navigates towards the end location, the set of coordinates are dynamically updated to avoid collisions with neighboring earth shaping vehicles in the dig site. The updates to the set of coordinates are determines based on a position of the first earth shaping vehicle relative to a position of the second earth shaping vehicle. The velocity of the first earth shaping vehicle may be adjusted to maintain a threshold distance between the first earth shaping vehicle and each neighboring earth shaping vehicle.

Abstract: This description provides an autonomous or semi-autonomous earth shaping vehicle that is capable of cooperatively executing an earth shaping routine in a dig site with other earth shaping vehicles. A first earth shaping vehicle configured with a tool for excavating earth navigates to a dig location containing earth to be excavated. The first earth shaping vehicle identifies a loading location where the first vehicle may transfer earth to a second earth shaping vehicle configured with a tool for hauling earth between locations. Upon navigating to the loading location and detecting the second earth shaping vehicle at the loading location, the first earth shaping vehicle transfers earth from its excavation tool to the hauling tool of the second earth shaping vehicle.

Abstract: A method for purging accumulated liquids from within and around a well bore in a petroleum well comprising the steps of: shutting off the well for a period of time to allow pressure to build up; fractionally opening the well for a period of time to allow the built up pressure to cause the accumulated liquids within and around the well bore to migrate to within the production tubing of the well; and then, fully opening the well flow line to purge the collected liquid hydrocarbons from within the production tubing. In a preferred aspect of this invention the method further comprises the step of positioning a plunger in a bottom portion of the production tubing prior to fractionally opening the well so that the accumulated liquids will collect above the plunger and subsequent purging will be more efficient.