1. An apparatus for installing an advertising sign comprising:
a support structure;
a lifting system fixed to the support structure;
a top rail supported on the lifting system such that the top rail can be raised and lowered between a lowered mounting position and a raised display position; and
a bottom rail fixed to the support structure;
wherein the lifting system comprises a cord operable to raise the top rail to the upper display position;
wherein the top rail comprises a longitudinally extending channel adapted to engage a top periphery of an advertising sign; and
wherein the bottom rail comprises a longitudinally extending channel adapted to engage a bottom periphery of an advertising sign.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom rail comprises a bottom support member fixed to the support structure and a bottom channel member which comprises the longitudinally extending channel adapted to engage the bottom periphery of an advertising sign; and wherein the bottom channel member is releasably attached to the bottom support member by a mutual engagement system.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mutual engagement system comprises mutually engaging mushroom fasteners provided on each of the bottom support member and the bottom channel member.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top rail comprises a top support member supported on the lifting system and a top channel member which comprises the longitudinally extending channel adapted to engage the top periphery of an advertising sign; and wherein the top channel member is releasably attached to the top support member by a mutual engagement system.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mutual engagement system comprises mutually engaging mushroom fasteners provided on each of the top support member and the top channel member.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a longitudinally extending insert member releasably engageable within at least one of the longitudinally extending channels of the top and bottom rails.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the insert member forms part of a periphery of an advertising sign to be installed.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the insert member is independent of an advertising sign to be installed and is adapted such that, upon its insertion into the channel, it releasably engages with the channel.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the channel and the insert member are respectively provided with inter-engageable formations adapted such that the insert member is releasably engageable within the channel by means of a snap-fit arrangement.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one property of the insert member is selected such that the insert member is relatively more resiliently deformable than the channel, to facilitate the snap-fit arrangement, the at least one property being selected from the group consisting of: the shape of the insert member; the dimensions of the insert member; and the material from which the insert member is formed.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein each channel is generally U-shaped in cross-section and comprises two side walls which together define a channel opening, and wherein one of the side walls is provided with a detent extending inwardly into the channel opening in a direction towards the other side wall.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the insert member is generally U-shaped in cross-section and comprises two side walls, one of which is inclined relative to the other.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inclined side wall is provided with an outwardly extending barb, adapted to engage behind the inwardly extending detent of the channel.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system comprises a parallel linkage mechanism which holds the top rail in a horizontal position during raising and lowering.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system comprises two cords fixed to the top rail in the vicinity of each end of the top rail and wherein each cord extends from the top rail to the top of the support structure and down one side of the support structure, such that pulling the cords downwards at the side of the structure causes the top rail to be raised.
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system comprises a cord arranged in a continuous loop and supported by a support mounted on the support structure, the support being selected from the group consisting of sliding supports and rollers.
17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the cord is arranged in a sideways figure of eight arrangement on the support structure, such that raising the cord at one side of the support structure causes the cord to be raised at the other side of the support structure.
18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system includes a counterweight adapted to move downwards as the top rail is raised.
19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top rail is spring biased towards its raised display position.
20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting system comprises two cords fixed to the top rail in the vicinity of each end of the top rail, each extending from the top rail to the top of the support structure, through a double pulley block, and down one side of the support structure and fixed to a common counterweight.
21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further including side guide rails to which the sign may be connected by guide members or clips.
22. A system for installing an advertising sign comprising an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and an advertising sign.
23. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the advertising sign comprises a flexible, printable sheet of material.
24. A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least one of the longitudinally extending channels of the top and bottom rails is adapted to engage a flange provided on the periphery of the advertising sign.
25. A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the advertising sign has longitudinally extending pockets provided on the top and bottom edges thereof, and wherein the system also comprises at least one semi-rigid cord member which is threaded into one of the pockets to form a flange in the advertising sign.
26. A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the advertising sign requires no peripheral finishing to facilitate its engagement with the longitudinally extending channels.
27. A method for installing an advertising sign comprising the steps of:
providing a support structure;
providing a lifting system fixed to the support structure;
lowering a top rail supported on the lifting system on a support to a lowered mounting position;
engaging a longitudinally extending channel of the top rail with a top periphery of an advertising sign;
using the lifting system to raise the top rail to a raised display position;
engaging a longitudinally extending channel of a bottom rail of the support structure with a bottom periphery of the advertising sign; and
securing the bottom channel member to the support structure.
28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the steps of engaging the longitudinally extending channels involve threading a respective semi-rigid cord member into respective pockets provided on the top and bottom peripheral edges of the advertising sign to form respective top and bottom flanges in the advertising sign and then threading the top and bottom flanges into the longitudinally extending channels on the respective top and bottom rails.
29. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one of the top and the bottom channels are secured to the support structure by attaching that channel to a corresponding support member fixed to the support structure using a releasable mutual engagement system.
30. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the step of engaging at least one of the longitudinally extending channels of the top and bottom rails with its respective periphery of the advertising sign involves interposing the periphery of the advertising sign between that longitudinally extending channel and a longitudinally extending insert member respectively, and then inserting the insert member within the channel to frictionally engage the periphery of the advertising sign between the channel and the insert member.
31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein a plurality of insert members are inserted into the channel, along the length of the channel, and wherein the steps of inserting the insert members involve first inserting an insert member in a substantially central position within the channel and progressively inserting further insert members in stages in both directions towards the respective distal ends of the channel member.
32. A method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the step of progressively inserting the further insert members in both directions towards the respective distal ends of the channel member involves progressively manually tensioning the sign prior to each insertion.
33. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein a plurality of insert members are inserted into the channel, along the length of the channel, and wherein the steps of inserting the insert members involve firstly positioning three relatively short insert members at a central position and both distal ends of the channel, and then filling in the gaps with further, longer, insert members.
34. A method for retaining a flexible sheet comprising the steps of:
providing a longitudinally extending channel provided with an inwardly extending detent;
providing a longitudinally extending insert member provided with an outwardly extending barb;
interposing a flexible sheet between the channel and insert member respectively; and
releasably inserting the insert member within the channel such that the barb snaps into position behind the detent to frictionally engage the flexible sheet between the channel and the insert member.
35. A method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the step of interposing the flexible sheet between the longitudinally extending channel and the insert member comprises interposing a peripheral region of the flexible sheet.
36. A system for retaining a flexible sheet comprising:
a support structure comprising a longitudinally extending channel provided with an inwardly extending detent;
a longitudinally extending insert member provided with an outwardly extending barb, the insert member being adapted to engage within the channel; and
a flexible sheet;
wherein the barb and detent are formed so that, when the flexible sheet is interposed between the channel and insert member and the insert member is engaged within the channel, the barb is engaged behind the detent, to frictionally engage the flexible sheet between the channel and the insert member.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. In a system comprising a service provider, a telematics control unit (TCU), and a telecommunications network for enabling communications between the service provider and the TCU, the TCU including a modem capable of being activated for processing a maintenance call, a method for controlling a deactivation of the modem after a start of the processing of the maintenance call, the method comprising:
determining a call type identifier from the maintenance call for identifying a call type of the maintenance call;
waiting an allowed execution time specific to the identified call type after the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and
deactivating the modem after the allowed execution time has elapsed.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier as an index to a lookup table of allowed execution times.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit.
4. The method as recited in claim 1, further including receiving the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.
5. The method as recited in claim 1, further including:
waiting an allowed call type identifier receive time upon detecting the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and
deactivating the modem if the allowed call type identifier receive time elapses before the call type identifier is determined.
6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance call elapses, the method further includes restarting the processing of the maintenance call after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.
7. The method as recited in claim 2, further including updating the lookup table of allowed execution times by processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.
8. The method as recited in claim 3, further including updating the execution time unit by processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.
9. The method as recited in claim 7, the step of updating the lookup table of allowed execution times comprising increasing the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
10. The method as recited in claim 8, the step of updating the execution time unit comprising increasing the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
11. The method as recited in claim 4, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a current time of day.
12. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current time of day as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular time of day period.
13. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a current time of day.
14. The method as recited in claim 4, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a current location of the TCU.
15. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current location of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular geographic area.
16. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a geographic area encompassing a current location of the TCU.
17. The method as recited in claim 4, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with the telecommunications network currently being used for communications.
18. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and the telecommunications network currently being used for communications as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular telecommunications network.
19. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to the telecommunications network currently being used for communications.
20. The method as recited in claim 4, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a received signal strength measured by the TCU.
21. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a received signal strength measured by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular received signal strength range.
22. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a received signal strength measured by the TCU.
23. The method as recited in claim 4, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a transmit power of the TCU.
24. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a transmit power of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular transmit power range.
25. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a transmit power of the TCU.
26. A telematics control unit (TCU) for communicating with a service provider through a telecommunications network, comprising:
a modem capable of being activated for processing a maintenance call; and
a TCU processor programmed for
determining a call type identifier from the maintenance call for identifying a call type of the maintenance call,
waiting an allowed execution time specific to the identified call type after a start of the processing of the maintenance call, and
deactivating the modem after the allowed execution time has elapsed.
27. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier as an index to a lookup table of allowed execution times.
28. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit.
29. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for receiving the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.
30. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for:
waiting an allowed call type identifier receive time upon detecting the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and
deactivating the modem if the allowed call type identifier receive time elapses before the call type identifier is determined.
31. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance call elapses, the TCU processor is further programmed for restarting the processing of the maintenance call after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.
32. The TCU as recited in claim 27, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for updating the lookup table of allowed execution times by receiving and processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.
33. The TCU as recited in claim 28, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for updating the execution time unit by receiving and processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.
34. The TCU as recited in claim 32, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for increasing the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
35. The TCU as recited in claim 33, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for increasing the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
36. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current time of day as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular time of day period.
37. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a current time of day period.
38. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current location of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular geographic area.
39. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a geographic area encompassing a current location of the TCU.
40. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and the telecommunications network currently being used by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular telecommunications network.
41. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to the telecommunications network currently being used by the TCU.
42. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a received signal strength measured by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular received signal strength range.
43. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a received signal strength measured by the TCU.
44. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a transmit power of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular transmit power range.
45. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a transmit power of the TCU.
46. A telematics service system for processing maintenance calls in cooperation with a telematics control unit (TCU) through a telecommunications network, the TCU comprising a modem capable of being activated for receiving a maintenance call including a call type identifier for determining an allowed execution time specific to a call type of the maintenance call and controlling a deactivation of the modem after receiving the maintenance call, the telematics service system for assisting in controlling the deactivation of the modem, the telematics service system comprising:
a telematics service system processor programmed for transmitting a maintenance call including a call type identifier for identifying the call type of the maintenance call.
47. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.
48. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed such that if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time elapses, the maintenance call is retransmitted to the TCU after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.
49. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting an allowed execution time update maintenance call to the TCU for updating a lookup table of allowed execution times.
50. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting an allowed execution time update maintenance call to the TCU for updating an execution time unit.
51. The telematics service system as recited in claim 49, wherein the allowed execution time update maintenance call increases the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
52. The telematics service system as recited in claim 50, wherein the allowed execution time update maintenance call increases the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time elapses is below a predetermined threshold.
53. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a time of day that the maintenance call is transmitted.
54. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a location of the TCU at the time the maintenance call is transmitted.
55. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with the telecommunications network used by the telematics service system at the time the maintenance call is transmitted.
56. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a received signal strength measured by the TCU.
57. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a transmit power of the TCU.