Patents Assigned to Agency of Industrial of Sciences and Technology
  • Mesophilic xylanases
    Patent number: 6140097
    Abstract: Mesophilic xylanases derived from Acremonium cellulolyticus. A mesophilic xylanase I, derived from the mold Acremonium cellulolyticus, capable of non-specifically hydrolyzing xylan mainly into xylose, xylobiose and xylotriose, having an optimal pH at 3.5 and an optimal temperature for action at 55.degree. C. as determined by saccharifying activity for soluble xylan as a substrate and a molecular weight of 30,000 as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A mesophilic xylanase II having an optimal pH a 3.8, an optimal temperature for action at 55.degree. C. and a molecular weight of 25,500. A mesophilic xylanase III having an optimal pH at 3.5, an optimal temperature for action at 50.degree. C. and a molecular weight of 33,500.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignees: Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd., Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Gentaro Okada, Takanori Nihira, Shoji Gotoh, Masako Mizuno, Toshiaki Kono, Takashi Yamanobe
  • Manganese oxide material having MnO.sub.3 as a matrix
    Patent number: 6136457
    Abstract: A manganese oxide material that can be used as a switching device or as a memory device or the like is formed of Mn-based oxide material. The Mn-based oxide material exhibits insulator-to-metal transitions induced by irradiating the material with laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignees: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Angstrom Technology Partnership
    Inventors: Kenjiro Miyano, Takehito Tanaka, Yoshinori Tokura, Yasuhide Tomioka
  • Magnetoresistor with ordered double perovskite structure and method for the production thereof
    Patent number: 6137395
    Abstract: A magnetoresistor with an ordered double perovskite structure is an oxide crystal which has an ordered double perovskite crystal structure represented by the general formula of A.sub.2 BB'O.sub.6, wherein A stands for Sr atoms, B for Fe atoms and B' for Mo or Re atoms and wherein the Fe atoms and the Mo or Re atoms are alternately arranged and which exhibits negative magnetoresistive characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignees: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Angstrom Technology Partnership
    Inventors: Keiichiro Kobayashi, Yoshinori Tokura, Tsuyoshi Kimura, Yasuhide Tomioka
  • Fibrous assembly of peptide lipid and method for the preparation thereof
    Patent number: 6136956
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fine fibrous assembly having a molecular structure of a bola-form peptide lipid containing L- or D-valine residues which can be obtained by spontaneous crystallization precipitation when an aqueous solution of the peptide lipid compound of the general formula ##STR1## in which Me is a methyl group, the subscript m is 1, 2 or 3 and the subscript n is a positive integer in the range from 6 to 18, in the form of an alkali metal salt is kept standing over days under an atmosphere of a saturated vapor over a dilute aqueous solution of a vaporizable acid such as acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Masaki Kogiso, Toshimi Shimizu
  • Manufacturing method of samarium sulfide thin films
    Patent number: 6132568
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a samarium monosulfide piezochromic thin film, and the present invention relates to a process for producing a thin film material at a high film formation rate by forming a samarium monosulfide thin film on a substrate by a reactive sputtering deposition process, which is a process for producing a samarium monosulfide (SmS) thin film, characterized by co-sputtering a disamarium trisulfide (Sm.sub.2 S.sub.3) compound target and a samarium (Sm) metal target simultaneously in an inert gas discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Ping Jin, Sakae Tanemura
  • Method for producing homoepitaxial diamond thin films
    Patent number: 6132816
    Abstract: A method for producing homoepitaxial diamond thin film is provided which includes a step of effecting plasma assisted CVD with the carbon source concentration of a mixed gas of a carbon source and hydrogen set to a first low level for depositing a high-quality homoepitaxial diamond thin film on a substrate at a low film forming rate and a step of thereafter effecting the plasma assisted CVD with said carbon source concentration set to a second level higher than the first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade and Industry
    Inventors: Daisuke Takeuchi, Hideyo Okushi, Koji Kajimura, Hideyuki Watanabe
  • Thermostable acyl peptide hydrolase and gene encoding the same
    Patent number: 6133012
    Abstract: An acyl peptide hydrolase having an optimum temperature range of 90-95.degree. C. and a gene encoding the same are disclosed. With the above enzyme, it becomes possible to conduct amino terminal analysis of acylated proteins and peptides at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Director General of Agency of Industrial Science & Technology
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ishikawa, Ikuo Matsui, Hiroyasu Ishida, Yoshitsugu Kosugi, Katsuhiko Higuchi
  • Semiconductor magneto-optical material
    Patent number: 6132524
    Abstract: A semiconductor magneto-optical material includes a semiconductor dispersed with fine magnetic material particles and is characterized by exhibiting magneto-optical effect at ordinary room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignees: Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade & Industry, Tokin Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Akinaga, Koichi Onodera
  • Apparatus and method for analyzing information relating to physical and mental condition
    Patent number: 6129681
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for analyzing information relating to the physiological and psychological conditions of a driver. Psychological conditions such as comfortableness or degree of alertness are estimated on the basis of physical data such as fluctuation in brain waves. This apparatus comprises a first neural network having a pre-processed 1/f fluctuation signal for brain waves as an input and for estimating a degree of alertness of the driver, and a second neural network receiving the estimated degree of alertness and the pre-processed 1/f fluctuation signal, for estimating and outputting driving comfortableness. By employing a neural network, which has a mapping ability as well as flexible adaptability even for non-linear data, based on the learning function, more accurate estimation of mental conditions can be achieved in comparison with conventional statistical analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Agency of Industrial Science & Technology-Director-General
    Inventors: Yukio Kuroda, Tomoyuki Yoshida
  • Carbonaceous material having novel electronic structure of surface and method for the preparation thereof
    Patent number: 6126864
    Abstract: A novel carbonaceous material having a unique periodical annular electronic surface structure as examined by means of a scanning tunnel microscopy can be obtained by the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of a carbonaceous material having a curved configuration by the method of vapor-phase deposition of a carbonaceous material; and (b) subjecting the vapor-phase deposited layer of the carbonaceous material to a heat treatment at a temperature of 1500 K or higher in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The novel carbonaceous material is useful for carbon electrodes of various batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Yokogawa, Seiji Fukuyama, Bai An, Masamichi Yoshimura, Isao Mochida
  • Protein having cellulase activities and process for producing the same
    Patent number: 6127160
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to analyze the amino acid sequence of the protein constituting the cellulase system, to clone the gene coding for the components of the cellulase system, and to establish a technique of inserting a clonal gene into the above strain thereby to produce cellulase having enhanced avicellase activity. The present invention relates to a protein having a part or the whole of the amino acid sequence depicted in the sequence listing under SEQ ID NO:1 and possessing cellulase activity, a DNA coding for the protein, an expression vector containing the DNA, a microorganism as transformed by the expression vector, and a process for producing a protein having enhanced cellulase activity by using the microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignees: Japan as represented by Director General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamanobe, Manabu Watanabe, Toru Hamaya, Naomi Sumida, Kaoru Aoyagi, Takeshi Murakami
  • Method of and apparatus for power generation
    Patent number: 6127054
    Abstract: Thermal decomposition of a reactant, XY, proceeds on a negative catalytic electrode to form products, X and Y. The product Y is a cellular reaction material, which separates into ions, Y.sup.+, and electrons, e.sup.-, on the negative catalytic electrode. The ions Y.sup.+ move through a solid electrolyte, the electrons e.sup.- pass through an external resistor, and the product X formed on the negative catalytic electrode is circulated to the positive catalytic electrode, therefore reproducing the reactant XY. Since the cellular reaction material Y need not be released from the top of the catalytic electrode, the invention is adapted to convert heat energy into electric energy efficiently as compared with conventional methods. In one embodiment, reactant XY is 2-propanol, and products X and Y are acetone and hydrogen, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yuji Ando, Tadayoshi Tanaka, Takuya Doi, Takumi Takashima
  • Process for the partial oxidation of hydrocarbon and process for preparation of oxygen-containing organic compound
    Patent number: 6124505
    Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst for partial oxidation of hydrocarbon in the presence of a reducing compound, the catalyst comprising ultra-fine gold particles immobilized on a titanium-containing oxide, and a process for preparing an oxygen-containing organic compound, the process comprising the step of oxidizing hydrocarbon with oxygen in the presence of the above catalyst and a reducing compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignees: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatake Haruta, Yuri Angelov Kalvachev, Susumu Tsubota, Toshio Hayashi, Masahiro Wada
  • Method of decomposing polychlorobiphenyls
    Patent number: 6124519
    Abstract: A method of decomposing a polychlorobiphenyl compound-containing material into an unharmful state, wherein the material is treated with a supercritical water containing an alkaline substance at a temperature higher than the critical temperature of water and a pressure higher than the critical pressure of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Director-General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Takeshi Sako, Masahito Sato, Tsutomu Sugeta, Katsuto Otake, Makoto Okano
  • Optical probe, method of manufacturing an optical probe, and scanning probe microscope
    Patent number: 6121604
    Abstract: An optical probe is used in a near-field effect microscope for performing topographical observation and physical property measurement on a surface of a sample. The optical probe comprises an optical resonator having an optical fiber having at least one microscopic projection composed of a dielectric material disposed at an end portion of the optical fiber for transmitting light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignees: The Head of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Hiraga, Tetsuo Moriya, Akihiro Mito, Masamichi Fujihira, Hiroshi Muramatsu, Noritaka Yamamoto
  • Plant growth promoter
    Patent number: 6117815
    Abstract: Sodium alginate which is an oceanic natural resource is exposed, either in aqueous solution or in a dry state, to a radiation so that it is decomposed to a lower-molecular weight polysaccharide, which is processed into a dilute aqueous solution that is either used as a hydroponic solution or foliar spraying so as to promote their growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Keizo Makuuchi, Fumio Yoshii, Naotsugu Nagasawa, Tamikazu Kume, Quoc Hien Nguyen
  • Triboluminescent inorganic material and a method for preparation thereof
    Patent number: 6117574
    Abstract: Provided by the invention is a novel synthetic inorganic triboluminescent material in the form of a powder, sintered block or thin film, of which the matrix phase is a piezoelectric crystalline material of a wurtzite structure such as zinc sulfide and the activator to serve as the center of luminescence is a transition metal element such as manganese, copper and rare earth elements in an amount of 0.01 to 10% by weight. The triboluminescent material is prepared by subjecting a powder blend of the matrix phase material and a thermally decomposable compound of the activator element first to a preparatory calcination treatment at 500 to 800.degree. C. and then, preferably in the form of a powder compact, to a second calcination treatment at 900 to 1700.degree. C., preferably, in vacuum under a sealed condition, when the material is liable to cause sublimation, or in an atmosphere of a reducing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Tadahiko Watanabe, Chaonan Xu, Morito Akiyama
  • High sodium ion conducting inorganic composite solid electrolyte and method for production thereof
    Patent number: 6117595
    Abstract: A high sodium ion conducting inorganic composite solid electrolyte obtained by mixing Na.sub.4 Zr.sub.2 Si.sub.3 O.sub.12 with titanium oxide and sintering the resultant mixture and a method for the production of a high sodium ion conducting inorganic composite solid electrolyte, consisting essentially of the steps of mixing Na.sub.4 Zr.sub.2 Si.sub.3 O.sub.12 with titanium oxide and sintering the resultant mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science & Technology and Ministry of International Trade & Industry
    Inventors: Tomonari Takeuchi, Elisabeth Betourne, Mitsuharu Tabuchi, Osamu Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kageyama
  • Patterning method utilizing electron beam resist containing methanofullerene compound
    Patent number: 6117617
    Abstract: A high-resolution patterning method of a resist layer is disclosed by patternwise irradiation of the resist layer with electron beams utilizing a methanofullerene compound as the electron beam resist material, which is graphitized and made insoluble in an organic solvent by the electron beam irradiation in a dose of, for example, 1.times.10.sup.-4 C/cm.sup.2 or larger. The thus formed resist layer is highly resistant against dry etching to ensure utilizability of the method in the fine patterning work for the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignees: Japan as represented by Director of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, The University of Birmingham
    Inventors: Toshihiko Kanayama, Tetsuya Tada, Richard Edward Palmer, Alexander Phillip Robinson
  • Catalyst for methanol synthesis and reforming
    Patent number: 6114279
    Abstract: A catalyst for methanol synthesis and reforming which is constituted of copper, zinc, and aluminum oxides and has a structure comprising copper or copper oxide particles covered with a film of aluminum oxide and zinc oxide. The copper or copper oxide particles preferably have a particle size of 1 to 100 nm. The film of aluminum oxide and zinc oxide preferably has a thickness of 0.1 to 100 nm. The proportions of the copper, zinc, and aluminum elements are 68.0 to 86.0% by weight, 4.5 to 21.0% by weight, and 2.0 to 20.0% by weight, respectively. The foregoing highly active catalyst comprising copper, zinc, and aluminum oxides can be obtained not by a costly special technique but by the coprecipitation method, which is the most common process for catalyst production, without using any additive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignees: Director-General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, YKK Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Fukui, Masayuki Kobayashi, Tadashi Yamaguchi, Hironori Arakawa, Kiyomi Okabe, Kazuhiro Sayama, Hitoshi Kusama