Abstract: A method of assisting delivery of useful services that contribute to improvement of people's standard of living. The method starts with providing, via a network, information about paid services to a customer who has signed up for membership with payment of a predetermined fee. A purchase order for one of the paid services is received from the terminal of the customer which is connected to the service delivery support system via the network. The customer's creditworthiness is evaluated, based on the amount of the predetermined fee that has been paid by the customer, thus determining how much on-behalf payment can be offered to the customer in payment for the paid service that the customer has ordered. The customer is notified of the determined amount of on-behalf payment.

Abstract: There is provided a sales transaction support apparatus which enables a customer to determine, by his/her own judgment, whether a commodity which may be purchased through a communication sales transaction suits him/her. The sales transaction support apparatus presents a commodity to a user, and provides a try-on simulation image of an object virtually wearing the commodity presented to the user via a network to a terminal device, by using commodity image information of an image of the commodity and object image information of an image of the object. Then, the apparatus executes a transaction process for the commodity.

Abstract: A relay receiver performs a heterodyne relay operation by using a receiving frequency converting portion, an intermediate frequency amplifying portion and an automatic gain controller. The variable band limiting portion limits an amplified signal output from the intermediate frequency amplifying portion to a band corresponding to the state of a band control signal, thereby transmitting an amplified signal. The band control portion is responsive to an automatic gain control signal outputted from the automatic gain controller, and outputs to the variable band limiting portion a band control signal for enabling the variable band limiting portion to limit the amplified signal to a narrow band in accordance with a decrease in the arriving level of the high frequency band received signal. Therefore, the frequency band of a communication signal amplified by the intermediate frequency amplifying portion is narrowed only when the arriving level of a received signal is low.

Abstract: A multi-layer structure polymer (A) comprising (i) 2 to 30% by weight of an alkyl methacrylate unit, (ii) 50 to 80% by weight of an alkyl acrylate unit, (iii) 5 to 20% by weight of an unsaturated nitrile unit and (iv) 5 to 40% by weight of an aromatic vinyl unit, wherein:(a) the multi-layer structure polymer consists essentially of an inner layer and an outer layer in a ring form, the portion of the inner layer (.beta. layer) within the ring has an average diameter of 2,000 to 6,500 .ANG.,(b) the outer layer (.alpha. layer) portion surrounding the inner layer in the ring form has an average thickness of 200 to 500 .ANG.,(c) the inner layer portion has a plurality of small particles (.gamma. layer) totally micro-dispersed, and(d) the multi-layer structure polymer has an acetone-insoluble portion having (i) a swell degree in methyl ethyl ketone of 1.5 to 10 and (ii) a tensile modulus of 1,000 to 10,000 kg/cm.sup.

Abstract: A thermoplastic acrylic composition comprising an acrylic particulate composite (B), which could be prepared by a sequential multi-stage polymerization method, and a thermoplastic acrylic resin (A); said composition having a characteristic morphology which is revealed under the observation of a transmission type electron microscope on a sliced specimen stained with a 1% ruthenic acid solution. Said composition shows well-balanced properties and has excellent impact resistance, lowered temperature dependency of haze, good transparency and good weatherability.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) card is provided with an external memory having a much larger memory capacity than that of a usual internal memory packaged inside the IC card together with a processor. The external memory can be managed only by the processor through an external IC card accepted by a terminal machine.

Abstract: An extruded rigid thermoplastic sheet having optically smooth surfaces, characterized as exhibiting a degree of optical distortion (.delta.) of from 0.03 to 0.06, is produced by a process wherein a sheet-form extrudate from an extruder is polished by polishing rolls driven via a continuous driving force transmission.

Abstract: An extruded rigid thermoplastic sheet having optically smooth surfaces, characterized as exhibiting a degree of optical distortion (.delta.) of from 0.03 to 0.06, is produced by a process wherein a sheet-form extrudate from an extruder is polished by polishing rolls driven via a continuous driving force transmission.

Abstract: A composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and an activated mineral filler, said mineral filler consisting of particles of at least one aluminosilicate-type mineral containing alakali metal ions as cations in its crystal structure, the surfaces of said particles being covered monomolecularly with at least one ethylenically unsaturated organic acid, having 10 or less carbon atoms, which is bonded to the metal ions on the surfaces of said particles and retains ethylenic double bonds unreacted. On being mixed under application of heat to cause reaction, this composition gives a molded article excellent in compatibility and physical properties such as stiffness, toughness, ductility, fatigue properties, water resistance, transparency, etc.