A system and method for transmitting visual data by displaying a synchronization video that includes synchronization code sequences on a first device, capturing the synchronization video using a video camera of a second device, parsing and decoding the synchronization code sequences on the second device, displaying an indication of which of the synchronization code sequences are compatible for visual data transmission on the second device, receiving a selected synchronization code sequence of the synchronization code sequences on the first device, and displaying a data code sequence corresponding to the selected synchronization code sequence on the first device, wherein the data code sequence includes encoded data, and capturing and decoding the data code sequence on the second device.

An imaging reader reads targets by image capture in both handheld and hands-free modes of operation. Upon detection of the mode of operation, a controller sets the resolution and frame rate of a solid-state imaging sensor to different values in each mode to optimize target reading performance in each mode.

A semiconductor structure including a device configured to receive an input data-word. The device including a logic structure configured to generate an encrypted data-word by encrypting the input data-word through an encrypting operation. The device further including an eFuse storage device configured to store the encrypted data-word as eFuse data by blowing fuses in accordance with the encrypted data-word.

This invention concerns a creepage control system for locomotives that optimizes adhesion while minimizing wasted energy, rail/wheel wear and shock loading on the drive train. The basis of the invention is to always maintain a small but positive value of the slope of the wheel-rail adhesion creep curve (or differential of adhesion versus creep) for all traction axles of the locomotive through microprocessor control. The value of the differential of adhesion versus creep is used to define an operating window for control and operation of motors continually in the optimum domain when high adhesion is demanded. When, due to a sudden increase in rail contamination, the value of the control function becomes negative, the microprocessor control reduces the generator excitation in stages until the function becomes positive and inside the operating window again. The microprocessor controls a rail cleaning system which is turned on or off depending on the cleanliness of the rail. It also controls a rail sanding system which is turned on or off depending on the magnitude of wheel creep.

A porous silica material in which silica particles are connected to one another three-dimensionally, wherein: the porous silica material includes a through hole including first pores smaller than a mean free path of an air, and second pores larger than the first pores; the porous silica material has a density of 100 kg/m3 or more and 300 kg/m3 or less; and an isobutyl group is bound to silicon of silica of the silica particles.

A method of determining an optimized face cone element for spiral bevel and hypoid gears. The form of the root fillet of one member of a gear pair is determined and that from is transferred to the tip of the other member of the gear pair. With the inventive method, tooth root-tip clearance is optimized and the contact ratio is maximized while avoiding root-tip interference between mating gear members.

The invention relates to a method for producing a bevel gear wheel, in particular for rudder propellers, the teeth of which have a macro geometry specific to the gear wheels, the teeth of which can be described by flank and profile lines, the flanks of which have a tooth flank micro topography and the bearing surface of which represents the contact region of the inter-meshing teeth. The crown of a tooth flank corresponds to the elevation of the tooth flank center with respect to the tooth flank edge, wherein the course of the height and width crowns of the flank surface is substantially shaped like a circular arc. By means of precise material removal, the micro topography of the tooth flank and thus the bearing surface is optimized firstly in that the material removal is carried out such that the end relief on the tooth flank surface is reduced toward the tooth heel side and the tooth toe side, an area having a greater length and width comes into engagement on the flank and thus an enlarged bearing surface is present, and secondly in that the course of the crown the crown of a tooth flank follows an approximately logarithmic, elliptical and/or an exponential curve shape, which runs through the point of contact, when the ease-off is viewed with no load, in a longitudinal section in the flank sectional surface and/or in a profile section in the profile sectional surface.

A system and method is provided for estimating the local noise of CT images and denoising the images using a modified non-local means (NLM) algorithm that is adaptive to local variations of noise levels. A strategy for efficiently estimating the local noise of CT images is also described.

A method of treating an object with radiation that includes generating volumetric image data of an area of interest of an object and emitting a therapeutic radiation beam towards the area of interest of the object in accordance with a reference plan. The method further includes evaluating the volumetric image data and at least one parameter of the therapeutic radiation beam to provide a real-time, on-line or off-line evaluation and on-line or off-line modification of the reference plan.

This invention is a wearable, automatic, and tamper-resistant device and method for monitoring and measuring food consumption and caloric intake. It can help people to manage their energy balance and weight. It can be embodied as: (a) one or more automatic-imaging members that are worn on a person from which these members collectively and automatically take pictures of the person's mouth and pictures of a reachable food source when the person eats; (b) a tamper-resisting mechanism which detects and responds if the operation of the one or more automatic-imaging members is impaired; and (c) an image-analyzing member which automatically analyzes pictures of the person's mouth and pictures of the reachable food source in order to estimate the types and quantities of food that are consumed by the person.

A demodulator processes a continuous-time signal to generate at a plurality of encoded bits. An inner decoder processes a first subset of bits within the plurality of encoded bits to correct selected ones of the first subset of bits to form a corrected first subset of bits and to generate partially corrected data from the plurality of encoded bits based on the corrected first subset of bits. An outer decoder processes the partially decoded data, to correct selected ones of a second subset of the plurality of encoded bits to form a corrected second subset of bits. A bit combiner generates data estimates by combining the corrected first subset of bits and the corrected second subset of bits.

Provided is a precoding method for generating, from a plurality of baseband signals, a plurality of precoded signals to be transmitted over the same frequency bandwidth at the same time, including the steps of selecting a matrix F[i] from among N matrices, which define precoding performed on the plurality of baseband signals, while switching between the N matrices, i being an integer from 0 to N−1, and N being an integer at least two, generating a first precoded signal z1 and a second precoded signal z2, generating a first encoded block and a second encoded block using a predetermined error correction block encoding method, generating a baseband signal with M symbols from the first encoded block and a baseband signal with M symbols the second encoded block, and precoding a combination of the generated baseband signals to generate a precoded signal having M slots.

Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO)-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication is provided which allows high accuracy estimation of frequency offset, high accuracy estimation of a transmission path fluctuation and high accuracy synchronization/signal detection. Pilot symbol mapping is provided for forming pilot carriers by assigning orthogonal sequences to corresponding subcarriers among OFDM signals which are transmitted at the same time from respective antennas in the time domain. Even when pilot symbols are multiplexed among a plurality of channels (antennas), this allows frequency offset/phase noise to be estimated with high accuracy.

Transmission quality is improved in an environment in which direct waves dominate in a transmission method for transmitting a plurality of modulated signals from a plurality of antennas at the same time. All data symbols used in data transmission of a modulated signal are precoded by hopping between precoding matrices so that the precoding matrix used to precode each data symbol and the precoding matrices used to precode data symbols that are adjacent to the data symbol in the frequency domain and the time domain all differ. A modulated signal with such data symbols arranged therein is transmitted.

An image processing apparatus includes a system managing unit configured to manage an apparatus status of apparatus hardware; an acquiring unit configured to acquire application status information of an application from the application and apparatus status information from the system managing unit; an input unit configured to accept a display request for displaying a status monitor screen indicating an overall system status; a screen generating unit configured to receive the display request and generate the status monitor screen based on the application status information and the apparatus status information acquired by the acquiring unit, the status monitor screen including an application status display and an apparatus status display; and a display unit configured to display the status monitor screen generated by the screen generating unit.

A device for optically focusing a projection image projected by a projector includes a detector for controlled creation of at least one observation shot of the projection image over a time period, a processing unit for defining at least one image section within the projection image generated by the projector, where the image section is modulated over the time period with respect to the optical power and/or the optical spectrum thereof, and the at least one image section of the projection image is essentially synchronous compared with the corresponding respective image section of the observation shot, where the processing unit also calculates a variable derived from the comparison of the respective image sections and a control signal derived from the derived variable, and outputs the control signal to a focusing device of the projector.

Group of optic sensors (S) in a weft feeder, in particular for weaving looms, comprising one or more pairs of emitting sensors (E) and receiving sensors (R) arranged on a portion of the weft feeder (C) which extends laterally to the drum (T) of the weft feeder whereon the coils of the weft thread are wound, so as to form optic radiation going-paths from each of said emitting sensors (E) to a reflecting surface (9) provided on said drum (T) and optic radiation back-paths, from said reflecting surface (9) to corresponding receiving sensors (R), for detecting the presence/absence of a thread which crosses said paths. The optic sensors (E, R) are of the SMT type and are wired on a printed-circuit board (8) with an optic axis parallel to the plane of said board (8). A first group of total-reflection mirrors (V), one for each pair of emitting/receiving sensors (E, R), is inclined so as to deviate the optic radiation from the plane of the board (8) to a plane perpendicular to or inclined with respect to the same. A second group of partial-reflection mirrors (H), one for each pair of emitting/receiving sensors (E, R), is inclined so as to deviate the optic radiation in the same plane as board 8.

A system, method and apparatus for automatically adapting power grid usage by controlling internal and/or external power-related assets of one or more users in response to power regulation and/or frequency regulation functions in a manner beneficial to both the power grid itself and the users of the power grid.

The method according to the invention aims to optimize the operation of a reversible traction substation (Sk) of a power supply system (4) for railway vehicles, said reversible substation being able to be commanded in a traction operating mode or a braking mode. This method includes: determining a current value (Mc) of a favored operating mode;maximizing at least one optimization function (F) that depends on the current value of the favored operating mode, based on instantaneous values (G(t)) of multiple operating properties of the substation (Sk);computing optimized values (Popt(t)) for multiple configuration parameters of the substation (Sk) from maximized values (Gmax(t)) of the operating properties.

A novel 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) Fuel-Air Ratio Model-Free Adaptive (MFA) controller is introduced, which can effectively control key process variables including Bed Temperature, Excess O2, and Furnace Negative Pressure of combustion processes of advanced boilers. A novel 7-input-7-output (7×7) MFA control system is also described for controlling a combined 3-Input-3-Output (3×3) process of Boiler-Turbine-Generator (BTG) units and a 5×5 CFB combustion process of advanced boilers. Those boilers include Circulating Fluidized-Bed (CFB) Boilers and Once-Through Supercritical Circulating Fluidized-Bed (OTSC CFB) Boilers.

A controller determines and adjusts system parameters, including cleanliness levels or sootblower operating settings, that are useful for maintaining the cleanliness of a fossil fuel boiler at an efficient level. Some embodiments use a direct controller to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower operating settings. Some embodiments use an indirect controller, with a system model, to determine cleanliness levels and/or sootblower settings. The controller may use a model that is, for example, a neural network, or a mass energy balance, or a genetically programmed model. The controller uses input about the actual performance or state of the boiler for adaptation. The controller may operate in conjunction with a sootblower optimization system that controls the actual settings of the sootblowers. The controller may coordinate cleanliness settings for multiple sootblowers and/or across a plurality of heat zones in the boiler.

A control method for boiler outlet temperatures includes predictive control of SH and RH desuperheater systems. The control method also includes control and optimization of steam generation conditions, for a boiler system, such as burner tilt and intensity, flue-gas recirculation, boiler fouling, and other conditions for the boiler. The control method assures a proportional-valve control action in the desuperheater system, that affects the boiler system.

A seeding machine, such as a row crop planter, is described which is adapted to switch between two or more seed varieties as the machine traverses a field. The control system uses a programmed quantity of seed representing a number of seeds in the seed meter that need to be substantially consumed once the flow of a first seed variety is stopped before introducing a second seed variety to minimize seed mixing. The seed quantity can be determined by a calibration process or published from the manufacturer or third parties. The seed quantity can also be part of a seeding prescription that includes assignment of where each seed variety is to be planted in a field. The seed quantity and the distance traveled to empty the meter can be used to optimize the planting operation including the machine direction which can also be part of the prescription.

A system for determining a cut location at a work surface includes a position sensor and a controller. The controller stores a final design plane of the work surface and determines an actual profile of the work surface. A plurality of target profiles extending along a path are determined, each corresponding to a cut location. The target profiles are based at least in part upon the cut location, a loading profile, slot parameters, and the actual profile of the work surface. The controller is further configured to determine a lowest cost target profile and the lowest cost target profile defines an optimized cut location. A method is also provided.

A system for determining a cut location at a work surface includes a position sensor and a controller. The controller stores a desired operating parameter and a final design plane of the work surface and determines an actual profile of the work surface. The controller determines a plurality of target profiles corresponding to different cut locations. The target profiles are based at least in part upon the cut location, a loading profile, slot parameters, and the actual profile of the work surface. The controller further determines an optimized target profile relative to the desired operating parameter and the optimized target profile defines an optimized cut location.

A method and apparatus for detecting an object. A first optical signal having a first frequency is transmitted to a location on a surface of a ground. A second optical signal having a second frequency is transmitted to the location on the surface of the ground such that the first optical signal and the second optical signal overlap each other at the location on the surface of the ground. The overlap of the first optical signal and the second optical signal at the location generates a third optical signal having a difference frequency that is a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. The third optical signal is configured to travel into the ground. A response to the third optical signal is detected. A determination is made as to whether an object is present in the ground using the response to the third optical signal.

A radiation detector is disclosed that includes a scintillation crystal and a plurality of photodetectors positioned to detect low-energy scintillation photons generated within the scintillation crystal. The scintillation crystals are processed using subsurface laser engraving to generate point-like defects within the crystal to alter the path of the scintillation photons. In one embodiment, the defects define a plurality of boundaries within a monolithic crystal to delineate individual detector elements. In another embodiment, the defects define a depth-of-interaction boundary that varies longitudinally to vary the amount of light shared by neighboring portions of the crystal. In another embodiment the defects are evenly distributed to reduce the lateral spread of light from a scintillation event. Two or more of these different aspects may be combined in a single scintillation crystal. Additionally, or alternatively, similar SSLE defects may be produced in other light-guiding elements of the radiation detector.

In one aspect, an optical device comprises a monolithic optical module which includes a first total internal reflection (TIR) surface, a second TIR surface adjacent the first TIR surface, and a first optical port aligned with the first internal optical beam dividing interface. An interface between the first TIR surface and the second TIR surface forms a first internal optical beam dividing interface. An exterior surface of the first TIR surface and an exterior surface of the second TIR surface form a generally V-shaped notch on the monolithic optical module. A first optical beam entering the monolithic optical module through the first optical port and incident on the first internal optical beam dividing interface is partially reflected by the first TIR surface to travel in a first direction as a second optical beam and partially reflected by the second TIR surface to travel in a second direction as a third optical beam. The second direction is generally opposite to the first direction.

Apparatus for separating ash particles from a flue gas. The apparatus includes a screen that has a plurality of semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces. The semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces having holes through which said flue gas flows and through which the ash particles will not pass. The screen has a single layer for performing the separation in a manner such that the ash particles fall away from the screen and collect outside of the screen. A method of reducing velocity of a flue gas passing through screening apparatus for separating flue gas from ash particles. The method includes replacing a first screen of the screening apparatus with a second screen that has a plurality of semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces.

A carbon fuel combustion process, employing an air gas separation unit, a combustion unit operating either with air or with an oxidizer leaner in nitrogen than air, coming from the air gas separation unit, and a unit for compressing and/or purifying the CO2 coming from the combustion flue gas, wherein the power consumed by the air gas separation unit and/or the flow of oxygen produced by the air gas separation unit and/or the capture of the CO2 coming from the combustion flue gas are variable over time is presented.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for rapidly counteracting a transient low-pressure condition, that can occur intermittently in the exhaust section of a power plant or other such industrial facility upstream of exhaust fans as a result of an event that interrupts the generation and/or flow of exhaust gases, using jet nozzles disposed in the exhaust section and connected to a source of pressurized air or other suitable momentum material. By orienting the jet nozzles in a direction generally opposite to the flow of exhaust gas and actuating the system to release a burst of compressed air, for example in the event of a power plant interruption, the low-pressure condition can be ameliorated preventing damage to the exhaust section.

A burner system for consumption of waste fuel comprises a screw conveyor having a longitudinal hollow interior for air distribution and radially disposed air intake orifices connecting the hollow interior to a plurality of combustion chambers, which includes a first combustion chamber disposed centrally around the screw conveyor and at least one orifice; a second combustion chamber disposed concentrically around the first combustion chamber, receiving burning waste fuel from the first combustion chamber, and in fluid communication with the air intake orifice to provide air from an air blower through the orifice; and a third combustion chamber disposed concentrically around the second combustion chamber, receiving waste fuel from the second combustion chamber, and in fluid communication with the air intake orifice to provide air from the air blower.

An optical data storage device includes an optical storage tape having one or more optical storage layers. A plurality of optical pickup units reads and/or writes data to the optical storage tape. A feed reel provides the optical storage tape to the optical pickup units. A guiding wheel that guides the optical storage tape when the optical storage tape is in the vicinity of the optical pickup units during read and/or write operations. Finally, a take-up reel receives the optical storage tape from the guiding wheel.

A transmission device for transmitting a signal in a wireless communication system is provided. The transmission device includes: a serial-to-parallel converter configured to convert an input serial bit stream into a parallel bit stream having three bits; and a phase rotation symbol mapper configured to map the parallel bit stream to a symbol having phase rotation characteristics, wherein when the parallel bit stream includes first to third bits, the phase rotation symbol mapper maps the second and third bits to a complex variable and sequentially maps a real number part and an imaginary number part of the complex variable to the front part and the rear part of a symbol in this order or to the rear part and the front part of the symbol in this order.

A container (10) for consumer goods comprises a first panel (16) having a pattern (22) applied to an area (20) of the external surface thereof; and a second panel (26) comprising a transparent optical element. The first panel (16) and the second panel (26) are moveable relative to each other between a first position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) does not overlie the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), and a second position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) at least partially overlies the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), whereby an altered image of the pattern is visible through the transparent optical element.

An electronic circuit, including, a power amplifier adapted to amplify an RF signal and provide it as output from the integrated circuit; a power source that is adapted to provide an unregulated voltage to the power amplifier; a regulator adapted to provide a regulated bias voltage; a subtracter that is adapted to accept a voltage proportional to the unregulated voltage and subtract it from the bias voltage to provide a reference voltage to the power amplifier; wherein the power amplifier is adapted to use the reference voltage to adjust the output from the power amplifier so that it will provide a stable power output.

Circuitry for reducing power consumption is described. The circuitry includes a power amplifier. The circuitry also includes a predistorter coupled to the power amplifier. The circuitry further includes a power supply coupled to the power amplifier. The circuitry additionally includes a controller coupled to the power amplifier, to the predistorter and to the power supply. The controller captures a transmit signal and a feedback signal concurrently and determines a minimum bias voltage from a set of voltages and a predistortion that enable the power amplifier to produce an amplified transmit signal in accordance with a requirement.

Polypeptides capable of binding human IL-13 and/or of binding human IL-4 in the presence of IL-4 Rα can be used in medicine, in diagnosis and in screening for agonists/antagonists of IL-13/IL-4. One such polypeptide is shown in FIG. 1.

An adapter coupler (1) for adapting couplings of different design, wherein the adapter coupler (1) comprises a first connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to a first coupling, a second connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to the drawhook (50) of a second coupling, and a coupler housing (2) for connecting the first connecting mechanism to the second connecting mechanism, and wherein the second connecting mechanism comprises a tension yoke (8) with which to engage with the drawhook (50) of the second coupling. The adapter coupler (1) having a mechanism for height centering, comprising a drawbar eye (14) connected to the coupler housing (2), wherein the drawbar eye (14) is arranged and configured relative the tension yoke (8) such that upon the adapter coupler (1) being inserted into the jaw of the drawhook (50) of the second coupling, the drawhook (50) can engage in one joint process with both the accommodation formed by the tension yoke (8) as well as with the drawbar eye (14).

The present invention describes a method of optimizing CO2 concentration to increase the specific growth rate of Anammox bacteria and methanogens in wastewater and sludge treatment, as well as novel systems and methods of treating wastewater and sludge. The specific growth rate or doubling time of the Anammox bacteria and methanogens were determined to be sensitive to dissolved CO2 concentration. Optimizing dissolved CO2 concentration increases the specific growth rate of the Anammox bacteria, which may be used as an alternative biological nitrogen removal process for the treatment of domestic wastewater. In the method and system of treating sludge, the CO2 stripper returns biogas with low CO2 concentration to the headspace of an anaerobic digester in order to lower the headspace CO2 concentration and therefore, the soluble CO2 concentration. The lower soluble CO2 concentration increases the specific growth rate of the methanogens for a more efficient anaerobic digestion process.

A reusable aseptic connector is provided. The connector may be used to provide fluid communication between a bag-in-box (BIB) container and a beverage dispenser. The connector may provide aseptic properties of the connection by insulation of an inner volume of a first part and an inner volume of a second part, with the beverage component kept from contacting any of the part of the connector structure that are exposed to the environment and have a risk of induced contamination. The connector may comprise a resilient membrane and a sliding tube wherein the sliding tube is configured to have a portion move toward and through the resilient membrane to establish fluid communication between the first part and the second part, and for the portion to move away from the resilient membrane to destablish fluid communication between the first part and the second part when desired.

The invention relates to a system for eliminating current surges that includes a first voltage regulator (7) having a current limit programmable to a value (I(limit)) that depends on the value of the intermittent current surges (IO(surge)) required by the intermittent load (3) and the relationship thereof to the work cycle, a second voltage regulator (9), a condenser (4) connected between the first and second regulators (7, 9), that loads when the current is no longer required and that unloads when there is a need for output current to provide current to the second regulator (9) which absorbs the changes in voltage produced by the loading/unloading of the condenser and provides a constant voltage for any value of the required output current surge, independently of voltage changes in the condenser (4), and a control loop between a sensor for the output current provided to the load and an input limit (15) for the input current (II) in the first regulator (7). Thus, the input current (I(limit)) (1) and the output voltage (VLoad) are constant for any value of the output current surge (IO(surge)).

A voltage regulator compensation circuit provides power to a dynamic load and includes a power transistor configured to drive the dynamic load, a reference determining transistor configured to establish a voltage reference proportional to a regulated output voltage of the power transistor, and a control circuit coupled to a gate input of both the power transistor and the reference determining transistor. Also included is a comparison engine configured to compare the regulated output voltage and the voltage reference, and a current consuming transistor operatively coupled to an output of the power transistor and configured to provide a varying secondary load. The comparison engine is configured to control the current consuming transistor to increase current draw or decrease current draw from the power transistor based on the difference between the regulated output voltage and the voltage reference.

Embodiments of an aerodynamic structural insert frame comprise a leading edge, a trailing edge opposite the leading edge, and at least one cavity between the leading edge and trailing edge, wherein the aerodynamic structural insert frame is configured to deflect upon activation by an external stimulus; at least one deformable buckling member extending the distance between opposite edges of the cavity, wherein the deflection of the aerodynamic structural insert frame is configured to trigger deflection of the deformable buckling member; a pivot region; and at least one stopper bar attached to and extending from one edge of the cavity a distance less than the distance between opposite edges of the cavity, wherein the stopper bar is configured to stop the deflection of the aerodynamic structural insert and the buckling member when the stopper bar strikes an opposite edge of the cavity.

A variable length light shield is disclosed for an electro-optical sensor within a nose cone. The light shield includes a base, a telescopic shade supported by the base, and a ring rotatably supported about the base. The light shield also includes a guide tube disposed proximate the ring with an end extending away from the ring about a side of the telescopic shade. The light shield further includes an extension spring supported by the guide tube with an end coupled to the telescopic shade. Additionally, the light shield includes a cable extending through the guide tube and the extension spring, with one end of the cable coupled to the ring and another end of the cable coupled to the telescopic shade. The extension spring is configured to exert a force on the telescopic shade to extend the telescopic shade. Rotation of the ring causes retraction of the telescopic shade.

A projectile control system includes a plurality of fins, a drive mechanism coupled to each of the plurality of fins to enable the plurality of fins to be independently retracted or deployed, and a control mechanism in communication with the drive mechanisms to independently control the deployment or retraction of the plurality of fins. A projectile having the projectile control system and a method of operating a projectile are also described herein.

The invention relates to CO2 capturing binder with an amortized environmental cost, the method of manufacture thereof by means of selecting, purifying and optimizing the carbide lime paste for use as a cementing material, and aggregates for the manufacture of lime paints and slurries, stuccos, mortars and concretes having multiple applications in the construction industry, in architectural restoration, in public works and land conditioning, object of the present invention. It is basically characterized in that the raw material is the residue in the form of sludge generated in the industrial manufacture of acetylene (C2H2) from calcium carbide (CaC2) the fundamental component of which is calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) in highly reactive nanometric formations treated in a specific manner according to the invention.

A polypeptide solution of the present invention is a polypeptide solution in which a polypeptide derived from natural spider silk proteins is dissolved in a solvent. The solvent contains at least one selected from the following (i)-(iii): (i) DMSO; (ii) DMSO with an inorganic salt; and (iii) DMF with an inorganic salt. Further, in the present invention, an artificial polypeptide fiber is obtained by: using the polypeptide solution as a dope solution; and extruding the dope solution from a spinneret into a desolvation bath so as to eliminate the solvent from the dope solution and form a fiber to produce an undrawn yarn. Moreover, in the present invention, a polypeptide is purified by subjecting the polypeptide solution to heat treatment and thereafter removing an undissolved substance therefrom. Thus, the present invention provides the polypeptide solution whose solute has high solubility and solvent itself is low cost, and that allows dissolution at high temperatures and has high safety: a method for producing an artificial polypeptide fiber: and a method for purifying a polypeptide.

An optical lens mold includes a mold body, a magnetic fluid, a plurality of thermocouples, a plurality of electromagnets, a controlling unit and a power source. The mold body defines a plurality of injection chambers and a cooling channel surrounding the plurality of injection chambers. The magnetic fluid contains magnetic particles and flows in the cooling channel. The thermocouples are capable of sensing temperatures of the plurality of injection chambers correspondingly. The electromagnets are positioned above the cooling channel corresponding to the plurality of thermocouples. The plurality of thermocouples and the plurality of electromagnets are connected to the controlling unit via the power source, the controlling unit is capable of the comparing the standard temperature value with temperature values sensed by the plurality of thermocouples, and maintaining the temperature of the plurality of injection chambers in a normal state.

A media processing device enables reading second media that do not bend easily from the device front with the same ease of use as processing first media that bend easily. The media processing device has a media conveyance path that guides first media inserted from a media insertion opening toward the back and then again toward the front on the front-back axis to the media exit. A straight conveyance path that angles to the inside on the device width axis is formed at a part connected to the media exit, and a second media insertion path that extends straight to the front from the straight conveyance path is connected to the media exit.