Abstract: A vehicle includes a storage compartment, a belt conveyor located in the storage compartment and having a slat belt supported by a pair of rollers, and a shelf operatively coupled to the slat belt and configured to move between a lower stowed position within the storage compartment and an upper deployed position extending outward from the storage compartment.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a storage compartment, a belt conveyor located in the storage compartment and having a slat belt supported by a pair of rollers, and a shelf operatively coupled to the slat belt and configured to move between a lower stowed position within the storage compartment and an upper deployed position extending outward from the storage compartment.

Abstract: Modifications to the spanning tree algorithm allow bad news to propagate quickly by providing that protocol entities on bridges process inferior information sent by the designated bridge for each LAN. In addition, bridges use per port hello timers to stimulate information propagation, setting it to suit local link characteristics. No changes to the format of bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) as specified in the IEEE Standard 802.1D are required, and the algorithm for computing the topology of the network remains unchanged. Techniques have been adopted for expiring information and recomputing the spanning tree upon detection of link failure, upon receipt of a message having a message age greater than its accompanying maximum age, or if the port hello time algorithm detects a loss of link. Rules for propagating information are provided allowing rapid propagation of changes. Finally, techniques for burning out information in a configuration message are adopted.

Abstract: An improvement to the protocols used communication devices in data networks that require loop-free forwarding of data frames provides for rapid use of shared media links after changes in physical connectivity, for rapidly detecting the edge of the network so as to reduce interruptions of service by mechanisms that protect against loops, for preventing loops caused by one way connectivity, such as can occur if transmitter or receivers are broken or poorly connected to links, and for preventing loops caused by loop back. The improvement is applicable to the Bridged Local Area Networks and the spanning tree protocols specified in IEEE Standards 802.1D and 802.1Q and their amendments and revisions.

Abstract: Modifications to the spanning tree algorithm allow bad news to propagate quickly by providing that protocol entities on bridges process inferior information sent by the designated bridge for each LAN. In addition, bridges use per port hello timers to stimulate information propagation, setting it to suit local link characteristics. No changes to the format of bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) as specified in the IEEE Standard 802.1D are required, and the algorithm for computing the topology of the network remains unchanged. Techniques have been adopted for expiring information and recomputing the spanning tree upon detection of link failure, upon receipt of a message having a message age greater than its accompanying maximum age, or if the port hello time algorithm detects a loss of link. Rules for propagating information are provided allowing rapid propagation of changes. Finally, techniques for burning out information in a configuration message are adopted.

Abstract: An improvement to the logic for the use of communication links in data networks that require loop-free forwarding of data frames provides for the use of links identified as alternate, or unused, by spanning tree protocols. While imposing no constraints on the locations of communicating stations in the network that can use the alternate links and requiring neither additional protocol between network devices nor awareness by all devices that alternate links are to be used, the improvement provides the benefits of multiple spanning trees in common network configurations while requiring protocol to compute only a single spanning tree and the benefit of additional network scaling where a number of trees are computed. The improvement is applicable to the Bridged Local Area Networks and the spanning tree protocols specified in IEEE Standards 802.1D and 802.1Q and their amendments and revisions.

Abstract: Modifications to the spanning tree algorithm allow bad news to propagate quickly by providing that protocol entities on bridges process inferior information sent by the designated bridge for each LAN. In addition, bridges use per port hello timers to stimulate information propagation, setting it to suit local link characteristics. No changes to the format of bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) as specified in the IEEE Standard 802.1D are required, and the algorithm for computing the topology of the network remains unchanged. Techniques have been adopted for expiring information and recomputing the spanning tree upon detection of link failure, upon receipt of a message having a message age greater than its accompanying maximum age, or if the port hello time algorithm detects a loss of link. Rules for propagating information are provided allowing rapid propagation of changes. Finally, techniques for burning out information in a configuration message are adopted.

Abstract: Management of forwarding databases in the case of link failures on bridges according to the all improved spanning tree, limits the propagation of notifications of topology change to only those parts of the network which are affected by the link failures, and trigger partial flushing as opposed to complete forwarding database flushing of learned MAC addresses to relearn the sets of addresses associated with ports affected by the change in topology. When a bridge moves its root port to a new port, the bridge can move the addresses learned through the original root port to the new root port without any relearning. The sets of addresses associated with the designated ports on upstream bridges from the old root port, are subject to flushing. Also when the bridge attaches to the new branch, it triggers a message to the root instructing all bridges in the new path to the root to flush addresses learned on their root ports.

Abstract: An improvement to the spanning tree protocol provides for identifying a port on the bridge in the alternate port role which qualifies as a next best root port. Upon detection of a failure at the root port, or other event causing a change in the root port to a blocking state, the next best root port transitions to the root port role, and forwarding state immediately without traversing the listening and learning states of the standard protocol. Also, in networks in which there is a possibility of shared media links between bridges, ports that have the alternate port role, and connect to a LAN which is also connected through a designated port on the same bridge are identified as a backup. The algorithm prevents such backup ports from transitioning to the forwarding state before the designated port connected to the same LAN segment transitions to a blocking state.

Abstract: A packet based high speed mesh forms a trunk cluster. The trunk cluster is constructed with a set of loosely coupled switches, a configuration protocol, trunked network interfaces, and optionally a reachablilty protocol. The trunk cluster provides a Logical LAN service. Each switch in the trunk cluster provides a single “shared LAN” by interconnecting two or more links. The edge devices attached to the links run a trunk configuration protocol. These attached edge devices view the trunked ports as if trunked ports are connected to a shared LAN with multiple other attached devices.