All The Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining failure recovery information, given a source node, a destination node, and a shared risk group failure on a next hop from the source node to the destination node, the computer-implemented method comprising:
a) accepting a graph representing network topology information including the source node and the destination node;
b) determining an exit node which is able to reach the destination node using a route which does not include the source node, by
1) determining a shortest path from the source node to the destination node avoiding any link belonging to the shared risk group failure,
2) for each node of the determined shortest path, except for the source node,
A) determining if a path from the source node to the node of the determined shortest path under consideration is the shortest path between the source node and the node of the determined shortest path under consideration using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure,
B) if it is determined that the path from the source node to the node of the determined shortest path under consideration is the shortest path using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, then processing a next node of the determined shortest path by act (b)(2), otherwise, if it is determined that the path from the source node of the determined to the node shortest path, under consideration is not the shortest path using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, then setting the node of the determined shortest path, previously under consideration as the exit node; and
c) storing, at the source node and in association with the shared risk group failure, both (1) a network address associated with the exit node and (2) an alternative output port of the source node using the shortest path from the source node to the exit node that does not include the shared risk group failure.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the network address associated with the exit node is a network address of an egress line card on the determined node.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the network address associated with the exit node is a network address of an egress line card on the exit node, and wherein the egress line card terminates a link to the last processed node.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the shared risk group failure includes at least one of (A) a link failure and (B) a node failure.
5. A computer-implemented method for forwarding a received packet by a receiving node, the computer-implemented method comprising:
a) determining destination information from the received packet;
b) using the determined destination information to lookup a primary output port for forwarding the packet;
c) determining whether or not the primary output port has failed; and
d) if it is determined that the primary output port has not failed, forwarding the received packet on the determined primary output port, otherwise, if it is determined that the primary output port has failed
1) obtaining an exit address and an alternative output port using a shared risk group failure identifier and the determined destination information, wherein the exit address corresponds to a node which is able to reach the destination of the received packet, and wherein a path from the receiving node to the node is a shortest path from the receiving node to the node using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, and wherein the exit address and the alternative output port are determined before the determination that the primary output port has failed,
2) encapsulating the received packet for forwarding to the obtained exit address to generate an encapsulated packet, and
3) forwarding the encapsulated packet on the obtained alternative output port.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the act of encapsulating the received packet uses IP-in-IP encapsulation, and wherein the encapsulated packet has a second destination address.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein it was determined that the primary output port failed, the method further comprising:
e) receiving the encapsulated packet at another node;
f) determining whether the second destination address of the encapsulated packet is the same as the address of the other node; and
g) if it is determined that the second destination address of the encapsulated packet is the same as the address of the other node, then deencapsulating the encapsulated packet and forwarding the packet, otherwise, forwarding the encapsulated packet using the second destination address.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the shared risk group failure includes at least one of (A) a link failure and (B) a node failure.
9. Apparatus for determining failure recovery information, given a source node, a destination node, and a shared risk group failure on a next hop from the source node to the destination node, the apparatus comprising:
a) means for accepting a graph representing network topology information including the source node and the destination node;
b) means for determining an exit node which is able to reach the destination node using a route which does not include the source node, by
1) determining a shortest path from the source node to the destination node avoiding any link belonging to the shared risk group failure,
2) for each node of the determined shortest path, except for the source node,
A) determining if a path from the source node to the node of the determined shortest path under consideration is the shortest path between the source node and the node of the determined shortest path under consideration using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure,
B) if it is determined that the path from the source node to the node of the determined shortest path under consideration is the shortest path using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, then processing a next node of the determined shortest path by act (b)(2), otherwise, if it is determined that the path from the source node of the determined shortest path to the node under consideration is not the shortest path using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, then setting the node of the determined shortest path, previously under consideration as the exit node; and
c) means for storing, at the source node and in association with the shared risk group failure, both (1) a network address associated with the exit node and (2) an alternative output port of the source node using a shortest path from the source node to the exit node that does not include the shared risk group failure.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the shared risk group failure includes at least one of (A) a link failure and (B) a node failure.
11. Apparatus for forwarding a received packet by a receiving node, the apparatus comprising:
a) means for determining destination information from the received packet;
b) means for using the determined destination information to lookup a primary output port for forwarding the packet;
c) means for determining whether or not the primary output port has failed; and
d) means for forwarding the received packet on the determined primary output port if it is determined that the primary output port has not failed, and otherwise, if it is determined that the primary output port has failed
1) obtaining an exit address and an alternative output port using a shared risk group failure identifier and the determined destination information, wherein the exit address corresponds to a node which is able to reach the destination of the received packet, and wherein a path from the receiving node to the node is a shortest path from the receiving node to the node using any link in the network topology, even those links belonging to the shared risk group failure, and wherein the exit address and the alternative output port are determined before the determination that the primary output port has failed,
2) encapsulating the received packet for forwarding to the obtained exit address to generate an encapsulated packet, and
3) forwarding the encapsulated packet on the obtained alternative output port.
12. The apparatus method of claim 11 wherein it was determined that the primary output port failed, the apparatus further comprising:
e) means for receiving the encapsulated packet at another node;
f) means for determining whether the second destination address of the encapsulated packet is the same as the address of the other node; and
g) means for deencapsulating the encapsulated packet and forwarding the packet if it is determined that the second destination address of the encapsulated packet is the same as the address of the other node, otherwise, forwarding the encapsulated packet using the second destination address.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the shared risk group failure includes at least one of (A) a link failure and (B) a node failure.

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 block fitting for an air conditioning system comprising:
a male block portion including a first aperture receiving a tube end therein, the male block portion including an annular shoulder surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion, the annular shoulder including an axially extending lip formed at a first end thereof, the axially extending lip having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface;
a female block portion including a first aperture receiving a tube end therein, the female block portion including an annular collar surrounding the first aperture of the female block portion and cooperating with the annular shoulder formed by the male block portion, the first aperture of the male block portion and the first aperture of the female block portion being substantially concentrically aligned, the female block portion having an annular groove between the aperture and the annular collar, the annular groove having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, the annular groove cooperating with the axially extending lip of the male block portion, the outer circumferential surface of the annular groove disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the annular groove;
a seal structure disposed radially inward from the axially extending lip of the male block portion and between the male block portion and the female block portion, the seal structure including a first seal portion produced from a plastically deformable metal or plastic material and having a free edge, the first seal portion surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion and the first aperture of the female block portion, and a second seal portion produced from an elastomer disposed on the free edge of the first seal portion; and
a fastener engaging the male block portion and the female block portion, the fastener causing the male block portion and the female block portion to deform the first seal portion and provide a primary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion, and the fastener causing the male block portion and the female block portion to cooperate with the second seal portion and provide a secondary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion, wherein the primary seal and the secondary seal militate against a leakage of a fluid from the block fitting,
wherein when the tube ends are received in the first and second apertures, the male and female block portions have opposing sealing beads that plastically deform the first seal portion and provide the primary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion, wherein a fine pilot is formed by a fine gap between the inner circumferential surface of the axially extending lip and the inner circumferential surface of the annular groove and a coarse pilot is formed by a coarse gap between the outer circumferential surface of the axially extending lip and the outer circumferential surface of the annular groove, wherein an average width of the fine gap forming the fine pilot is less than an average width of the coarse gap forming the coarse pilot, and wherein the inner circumferential surface of the axially extending lip and the outer circumferential surface of the axially extending lip are tapered in a manner wherein the axially extending lip is dual tapered along a length thereof from a base of the axially extending lip to a distal end thereof to militate against a binding of the mate block portion and the female block portion during assembly of the block fitting.
2. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein each of the sealing beads is substantially V-shaped in cross-section.
3. The block fitting of claim 2, wherein each of the sealing beads has a tip that is rounded but sufficiently sharp to cut through a contamination at the first seal portion.
4. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein the first seal portion has a hardness of less than about 40 HR 15T.
5. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein each of the sealing beads impinges opposing first and second surfaces of the first seal portion to a depth of up to about thirty percent (30%) of a maximum thickness of the first seal portion.
6. The block fitting of claim 5, wherein the second seal portion is compressed up to about thirty-five percent (35%) of a maximum thickness of the second seal portion by the male block portion and the female block portion.
7. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein the width of the fine gap forming the fine pilot militates against an extrusion of the second seal portion therethrough during the engagement of the male block portion with the female block portion.
8. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein the male block portion includes a second aperture and the female block portion includes a second aperture, the second aperture of the female block portion having an internal thread, the second aperture of the female block portion receiving the fastener.
9. The block fitting of claim 8, wherein the fastener is a threaded stud, the threaded stud disposed through the second aperture of the male block portion and cooperating with the internally threaded second aperture of the female block portion, a nut cooperating with the threaded stud adjacent the male block portion to sealingly engaging the male block portion and the female block portion.
10. The block fitting of claim 8, wherein the male block portion includes an outwardly projecting heel disposed adjacent the second aperture, a surface area of the heel sufficient to militate against a substantial plastic deformation of the heel during the engagement of the male block portion and the female block portion.
11. The block fitting of claim 10, wherein a lip of the second aperture of the male block portion has a chamfered edge break that militates against a binding of the fastener with the male block portion and the female block portion during the engagement thereof.
12. The block fitting of claim 10, wherein the male block portion adjacent the heel is dimensioned and formed from a material that facilitates a spring action of the male block portion when the male block portion is engaged to the female block portion with the fastener, the spring action accommodating thermal expansion differentials between the male block portion, the female block portion, and the fastener during operation of the block fitting, the male block portion imparting a sealing pressure substantially centered at the sealing structure.
13. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein a surface forming the first aperture of at least one of the male block portion and the female block portion includes a plurality of rounded splines providing an interference fit with the tube ends.
14. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein at least one of the male block fitting and the female block fitting is die cast from an aluminum alloy having a copper content of no greater than about 0.6 percent by weight.
15. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein the axially extending lip transitions from a linear tapering adjacent the base of the axially extending lip to a non-linear tapering adjacent the distal end of the axially extending lip on each of the inner circumferential surface of the axially extending lip and the outer circumferential surface of the axially extending lip.
16. The block fitting of claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the axially extending lip includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending linearly and the second portion extending non-linearly.
17. The block fitting of claim 16, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the axially extending lip includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending linearly and the second portion extending non-linearly.

1. A method for characterizing the antibiotic resistance of a microorganism, said method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a reference mass spectrum of an antimicrobial compound, its enzymatic modification product, or of a substrate compound of its modifying enzyme;
b) exposing a microorganism, a cell lysate thereof, or a growth medium supernatant thereof, to said antimicrobial compound or said substrate compound in aqueous liquid to thereby provide an exposed sample;
c) acquiring a mass spectrum of the exposed sample;
d) comparing the mass spectrum acquired in step c) with the reference mass spectrum of step a), and
e) determining from said comparison whether modification of said antimicrobial compound, its modification product or of said substrate compound has occurred following said exposure, and establishing that said microorganism is potentially resistant to said antimicrobial compound when said modification is observed.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said modification comprises enzymatic inactivation or enzymatic degradation of said antimicrobial compound or said substrate.
3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said enzymatic degradation is due to degradation by a beta-lactamase.
4. Method according to claim 3, wherein said beta-lactamase enzyme is selected from group A and D beta-lactamase enzymes according to the Ambler classification and beta-lactamase enzymes belonging to group 2 according to the Bush classification.
5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said beta lactamase enzyme is an extended-spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL).
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said microorganism is a suspected ESBL-producing microorganism, selected from Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca and Proteus mirabilis.
7. Method according to claim 1, wherein said antimicrobial compound is a beta-lactam antibiotic.
8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said method is part of a method for characterization of an antibiotic modifying enzyme of a microorganism.
9. Method according to claim 8, wherein said method for characterization of said enzyme comprises the determination of the rate of modification of said antimicrobial compound or said substrate compound andor the rate of production of the enzymatic modification product of said antimicrobial compound or substrate compound to thereby determine the Michaelis-Menten (Km) constant and maximum reaction rate (Vmax) for said enzyme.
10. Method according to claim 1, wherein after step (b) said exposed sample is applied together with a matrix material to a mass spectrometric sample support and wherein said sample is dried on the sample support to produce a mass spectrometric sample for matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS).
11. Method according to claim 10, wherein said mass spectra are acquired using MALDI triple-quadrupole MS.
12. Method according to claim 1, wherein said exposed sample is an antimicrobial compound-exposed crude cell lysate of said microorganism.
13. Method according to claim 1, wherein in step (b) said microorganism is quantified by quantifying in said samples one or more structural biomolecules or metabolites derived from said microorganism.
14. Kit of parts for characterizing the antibiotic resistance of a microorganism comprising:
a) a lysis buffer for lysing a microorganism;
b) at least one antimicrobial compound or a substrate compound of an antimicrobial compound-modifying enzyme, and
c) a MALDI matrix material.
15. A system for characterizing the antibiotic resistance of a microorganism comprising:
at least one antimicrobial compound or a substrate of an antimicrobial compound-modifying enzyme;
a container for exposing a microorganism, a cell lysate thereof, or a growth medium supernatant thereof, to said at least one antimicrobial compound in aqueous liquid;
a lysis buffer for lysing said microorganism;
a MALDI matrix material;
a mass spectrometry device;
a reference mass spectrum of an antimicrobial compound, its enzymatic modification product, or of a substrate compound of a its modifying enzyme.
16. Method according to claim 1, wherein said mass spectrum is acquired using one of MALDI triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and MALDI-FT-ICR mass spectrometry.
17. Method according to claim 1, wherein said exposed sample is a body fluid or body tissue sample of a human or animal subject suspected of carrying a microorganism a beta-lactam antibiotic resistance of which is to be characterized.
18. Method according to claim 7, the beta-lactam antibiotic is selected from the group consisting of penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamycins, carbapenems, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefpodoxime, and aztreonam.
19. Method according to claim 7, wherein the antibiotic compound further comprises a beta-lactamase inhibitor.
20. Method according to claim 19, wherein the beta-lactam antibiotic is one of amoxicillin and piperacillin and the beta-lactamase inhibitor is clavulanic acid or tazobactam, respectively.
21. Method according to claim 1, wherein a decrease in the level of antibiotic compound or the substrate compound or an increase in the level of a reaction product is measured by mass spectrometry and used as a measure for the modification.
22. Method according to claim 1, wherein the level of the antibiotic compound or substrate compound and the level of a reaction product are measured by mass spectrometry and the product-to-substrate ratio is used as a measure for the modification.

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. An embroidery data generator configured to generate embroidery data comprising:
a pattern storing unit configured to store plural types of pattern data configured for sewing one or more sub-patterns according to a predetermined stitch pattern, the one or more sub-patterns constituting an embroidery pattern; and
a control device configured to:
randomly extract pattern data configured for sewing the one or more sub-patterns from the plural types of pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit, and
assign extracted pattern data to the one or more sub-patterns.
2. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of surface region pattern data configured for sewing a surface region defined as an embroidery region according to a predetermined stitch pattern, and wherein the control device is configured to randomly extract pattern data, configured for sewing an inner side of an outline of the one or more sub-patterns as the surface region, from the plural types of surface region pattern data.
3. The embroidery data generator according to claim 2, wherein when the embroidery pattern is formed of two or more sub-patterns, the control device is further configured to assign different surface region pattern data to adjacent sub-patterns.
4. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of outline pattern data configured for sewing an outline of the one or more sub-patterns according to a predetermined stitch pattern, and wherein the control device is further configured to randomly extract pattern data for sewing the outline of the one or more sub-patterns from the plural types of outline pattern data.
5. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, further comprising a category specifying unit configured to specify one of plural categories, wherein the plural types of pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit is classified into plural categories, and wherein the control device is further configured to randomly extract pattern data for sewing the one or more sub-patterns from pattern data belonging to a category selected by the category specifying unit.
6. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, further comprising an edit unit configured to edit parameters for modifying size andor shape of the predetermined stitch pattern.
7. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, further comprising a color storing unit configured to store multiple entries of predefined color information, wherein the control device is further configured to:
randomly extract a color of thread, used for sewing the one or more sub-patterns based on the plural types of pattern data, from color information stored in the color storing unit, and
assign randomly extracted color to each of the one or more sub-patterns.
8. The embroidery data generator according to claim 7, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of surface region pattern data configured for sewing a surface region, defined as an embroidery region, according to a predetermined stitch pattern, and wherein the control device is further configured to:
randomly extract a color of thread, used for sewing a surface region of the one or more sub-patterns based on the plural types of surface region pattern data, from color information stored in the color storing unit, and
assign different colors to adjacent sub-patterns.
9. The embroidery data generator according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display information pertaining to a sewing operation, wherein the control device is further configured to display the embroidery pattern with the stitch pattern defined in extracted pattern data.
10. A non-transitory computer readable storing medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a control device of an embroidery data generator provided with a pattern storing unit configured to store plural types of pattern data configured for sewing an embroidery pattern formed of one or more sub-patterns according to a predetermined stitch pattern, cause the control device to:
randomly extract pattern data configured for sewing the one or more sub-patterns from the plural types pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit, and
assign extracted pattern data to the one or more sub-patterns.
11. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of surface region pattern data configured for sewing a surface region defined as an embroidery region according to a predetermined stitch pattern, wherein the instructions further cause the control device to randomly extract pattern data configured for sewing an inner side of an outline of the one or more sub-patterns as the surface region from the plural types of surface region pattern data.
12. The medium according to claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the control device to assign different surface region pattern data to adjacent sub-patterns.
13. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of outline pattern data configured for sewing an outline of the one or more sub-patterns according to a predetermined stitch pattern, and wherein the instructions further cause the control device to randomly extract pattern data configured for sewing the outline of the one or more sub-patterns from the plural types of outline pattern data.
14. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the embroidery data generator further comprises a category specifying unit configured to specify one of plural categories, wherein the plural types of pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit is classified into plural categories, and wherein the instructions further cause the control device to randomly extract pattern data for sewing the one or more sub-patterns from pattern data belonging to a category selected by the category specifying unit.
15. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the control device to edit parameters for modifying a size andor a shape of the predetermined stitch pattern upon receiving an input operation.
16. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the embroidery data generator further comprises a color storing unit configured to store multiple entries of predefined color information, wherein the instructions further cause the control device to:
randomly extract a color of thread, used for sewing the one or more sub-patterns based on the plural types of pattern data, from color information stored in the color storing unit, and
assign randomly extracted color to each of the one or more sub-patterns.
17. The medium according to claim 16, wherein the plural types of pattern data include plural types of surface region pattern data configured for sewing a surface region defined as an embroidery region according to a predetermined stitch pattern, and wherein the instructions further cause the control device to:
randomly extract a color of thread, used for sewing a surface region of the one or more sub-patterns based on the plural types of surface region pattern data, from color information stored in the color storing unit, and
assign different colors to adjacent sub-patterns.
18. The medium according to claim 10, wherein the embroidery data generator further comprises a display unit configured to display information pertaining to a sewing operation, wherein the instructions further cause the control device to display the embroidery pattern in the stitch pattern defined in extracted pattern data.
19. A sewing machine comprising:
a sewing unit configured to be capable of sewing a workpiece based on embroidery data;
a pattern storing unit configured to store plural types of pattern data configured for sewing one or more sub-patterns according to a predetermined stitch pattern, the one or more sub-patterns constituting an embroidery pattern; and
a control device configured to:
randomly extract pattern data, configured for sewing the one or more sub-patterns, from the plural types of pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit,
assign extracted pattern data to the one or more sub-patterns, and
control the sewing unit to sew an embroidery pattern on the workpiece, the embroidery pattern formed of the one or more sub-patterns having been assigned the pattern data.