Abstract: A heater element includes: a honeycomb structure including an outer peripheral wall and partition walls disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition walls defining a plurality of cells, each of the cells extending from a first end face to a second end face to form a flow path; a pair of electrode layers provided on the outer peripheral wall and the partition walls on the first end face and the second end face; and terminals capable of electrically connecting the electrode layers to a conducting wire. At least a part of each of the electrode layers has an extending portion extending outwardly from an outer edge of each of the first end face and the second end face. Each of the terminals is connected to the extending portion and disposed to face a side surface of the honeycomb structure.

Abstract: Provided is a work flow system configured by a plurality of process support tools cooperating via a network. A process support tool serves as a parent to constitute a group and defines a work flow (process) formed by roles of respective members of the group and a plurality of tasks. Each of the members of the group executes the process while specifying a processor of the next task in accordance with the defined member role and distributes a message containing the processing result between the members one after another.

Abstract: In a meter rate fees charging apparatus and method for charging a meter rate fee to a sender by amount of use of a network, it is designed such that charging processing means charges the sender based on zone information contained in transmission information communicated between the sender and the recipient. And, in a meter rate fees charging apparatus and method to charge each user a meter rate fee by amount of use of a network, it is designed such that charging means charges the recipient a meter rate fee obtained based on communication information only in the case where the sender is not prohibited from using the network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charging system, a charging apparatus, a computer program, a customer terminal apparatus and a charging method. The charging system includes a business entity apparatus for providing a product, a customer terminal apparatus for receiving the provision of the product, and a charging apparatus for executing charging processing on the customer terminal apparatus on behalf of the business entity apparatus. These apparatuses are each connected to a network. The charging apparatus includes charging plan information generation means, relating means, and charging means. The charging plan information generation means includes a charging plan template. The charging plan information generation means sets charging parameter information. The charging plan information generation means generates charging plan information from the charging plan template and the charging parameter information. The relating means relates the charging plan information with the product.

Abstract: A network 3 is used to connect a terminal (5) of a customer (9), a member store server (7) and a service provision server (8) of a member store (11), and a service surrogate server (13) with each other. An administrator of the member store (11) accesses the service surrogate server (13) to enter a reservation target resource, etc. The reservation target resource etc. are registered to the service surrogate server (13). The service surrogate server (13) also generates a time-based reservation screen (607). When the customer (9) applies for a reservation via the member store (11), the time-based reservation screen (607) is displayed. The customer (9) uses the time-based reservation screen (607) to make a reservation. Consequently, the present invention can provide a surrogate system etc. without necessitating the member store etc. to build a reservation system etc. for electronic business transaction using the Internet, etc.

Abstract: In a meter rate fees charging apparatus and method for charging a meter rate fee to a sender by amount of use of a network, it is designed such that charging processing means charges the sender based on zone information contained in transmission information communicated between the sender and the recipient. And, in a meter rate fees charging apparatus and method to charge each user a meter rate fee by amount of use of a network, it is designed such that charging means charges the recipient a meter rate fee obtained based on communication information only in the case where the sender is not prohibited from using the network.

Abstract: In the present invention, an IP address of a communication party is detected by analysing flow information of communication carried out by the user, and in case the IP address of the communication party is an IP address registered in advance by the user, the communication charge appropriate to the communication carried out by the user is calculated in the discount charge form. Further, in case the communication party is a communication party registered in a group of the user, the communication charge carried out by the user is calculated using the discount charge form different from the standard communication charge.