What is claimed is:
1. A method of assembling an above-ground pool on a surface, comprising:
providing an elastomeric pad;
placing said elastomeric pad on said surface, wherein said elastomeric pad creates a padded area on said surface;
erecting a continuous wall around said padded area;
lining said continuous wall and said padded area with a pool liner, wherein said elastomeric pad is interposed between said pool liner and said surface wall.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing an elastomeric pad includes providing an elastomeric pad with a central region, a peripheral edge and a peripheral region proximate said peripheral edge, wherein said central region has a uniform thickness and said peripheral region increases in thickness as it approaches said peripheral edge.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing an elastomeric pad includes providing an elastomeric pad made from closed cell foam.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing an elastomeric pad includes providing an elastomeric pad that is at least two inches thick in all places.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of placing said elastomeric pad on said surface includes assembling a plurality of segments of said elastomeric pad to cover said padded area on said surface.
6. A method of preparing an area of ground surface on which will be constructed an above-ground pool that has a pool liner, said method comprising the steps of:
providing prefabricated padding;
placing said prefabricated padding on the ground surface;
constructing said above-ground pool over said prefabricated padding, wherein said prefabricated padding is interposed between said ground surface and said pool liner, thereby preventing said pool liner from directly contacting said ground surface at any point.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing prefabricated padding includes providing a pad having a central region, a peripheral edge and a peripheral region proximate said peripheral edge, wherein said central region has a uniform thickness and said peripheral region increases in thickness as it approaches said peripheral edge.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing prefabricated padding includes providing an elastomeric pad made from hydrophobic elastomeric material.
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing prefabricated padding includes providing an elastomeric pad that is at least two inches thick in all places.
10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of placing said prefabricated padding on said ground surface, includes assembling a plurality of segments of a pad to cover said area on said ground surface.
11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing prefabricated padding includes providing a pad having a central region and a peripheral edge, and further including the step of folding said peripheral edge over toward said central region to double the thickness of said pad proximate said peripheral edge.
12. In an above-ground pool of the type having a continuous wall that surrounds the periphery of an enclosed area and a pool liner that is draped within said enclosed area, a pool pad device for use within said enclosed area under said pool liner, comprising:
at least one section of padding material forming a pool pad, wherein said pool pad has a central region, a peripheral edge and a peripheral region proximate said peripheral edge, and wherein said central region has a uniform thickness and said peripheral region increases in thickness as it approaches said peripheral edge.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of engineering a connection between two terminals of a dynamically reconfigurable photonic network comprising:
setting-up a path whenever an operational parameter of said path is above a test threshold;
operating said path in monitoring mode whenever an operational parameter is above a maintenance threshold; and
servicing said path whenever said operational parameter is under said maintenance threshold.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of setting-up comprises:
selecting a physical route for said path based on network topology information, resources specifications and path selection rules;
assigning \u2018n\u2019 wavelength to said path based on wavelength selection rules and the number \u2018m\u2019 of regenerators connected in said path;
lighting-up said path and measuring said operational parameter;
comparing said operational parameter with said test threshold; and
transiting the state of said path form set-up to established if said operational parameter is above said test threshold.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising switching a wavelength-converterregenerator device into said path whenever said operational parameter is under said test threshold.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising selecting a new physical route and switching said path along said new route whenever said operational parameter is under said test threshold.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of operating said path in a monitoring mode comprises:
continuously measuring said operational parameter,
continuously comparing said operational parameter with a maintenance threshold; and
switching a wavelength-converterregenerator device into said path whenever said operational parameter is under said maintenance threshold.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising transitioning from said operational state to a tearing down state if said operational parameter is under said margin tolerance after said device has been switched into said path.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of operating said path in a monitoring mode comprises:
continuously measuring said operational parameter,
continuously comparing said operational parameter with a maintenance threshold; and
selecting a new physical route and switching said path along said new route whenever said operational parameter is under said maintenance threshold.
8. A method of engineering a connection over a WDM photonic network with a plurality of flexibility sites, comprising:
selecting a data communication path for said connection based on network topology information, resources specifications and class of service constraints;
turning on a source transmitter, a destination receiver and all transmitters and receivers at all flexibility sites along said path;
increasing gradually the power level of said transmitters while measuring an error quantifier at said destination receiver; and
maintaining the power at said transmitters at a first level corresponding to a preset error quantifier.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:
operating said path in a monitoring mode by continuously measuring the error quantifier at said destination receiver;
increasing the power level of said transmitter from said first level while measuring the error quantifier at said destination receiver; and
maintaining the power level for said connection at a second level where said error quantifier is below said preset error quantifier.