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: This invention provides a process for preparing cyclohexanedimethanol comprising hydrogenating a cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid dialkyl ester by a fixed-bed continuous reaction in the presence of a preformed copper-containing catalyst under the conditions of reaction temperature of 200 to 280° C., hydrogen pressure of 185 to 300 kgf/cm2 and hydrogen gas feed rate of 1 to 40 cm/s in terms of superficial linear velocity, the cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid dialkyl ester being prepared, typically, by ring hydrogenating of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid dialkyl ester in the presence of a preformed supported ruthenium catalyst by a fixed-bed continuous reaction.

Abstract: A method for detecting a misfire by fluctuation in crankshaft rotation in which the occurrence of a misfire can be detected exactly by eliminating the effect of detection error in detecting the fluctuation in crankshaft rotation, caused by the error in the construction of a crank angle sensor. By succeedingly receiving pulses from the crank angle sensor, a processor detects a time interval taken from the entering into a crankshaft rotation angle region, relating to a cylinder corresponding to both pulses, to the leaving therefrom (S2), calculates the crankshaft angular acceleration D.omega..sub.n by using the correction factor calculated on the basis of the above detected time interval, and the time interval determined by dividing the time taken for one rotation of the crankshaft by the number of cylinders (S3, S4), the latter interval being free from sensor error, and detects the occurrence of a misfire when the calculated value D.omega..sub.n is less than the decision value (S5 through S7).

Abstract: A detecting apparatus for a catalytic converter has a pair of O.sub.2 sensors, arranged individually on the up- and downstream sides of the converter, and an electronic control unit for discriminating reduction of the purifying capacity of a three-way catalyst in the converter. This unit discriminates the reduction of the purifying capacity in accordance with the comparison between a decision value and the ratio between the respective frequencies of outputs from the O.sub.2 sensors. In the case where the O.sub.2 sensor on the upstream side is subject to thermal degradation, its decision value is corrected, or the decision itself is interrupted.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus for detecting a fault in a fuel evaporative emission suppressing system, if it is concluded that an engine (1) is being operated in an operating state fulfilling fault diagnosis execution conditions, detects the current valve opening position of an idling speed control (ISC) valve (8) and then drives a purge control valve (46) to open the same. If a relatively high load is applied to the engine at this time, the threshold value determining the operating sensitivity of the ISC valve is so corrected as to be decreased. When a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the moment when the valve opening position of the ISC valve is detected, the valve opening position of the ISC valve is detected again. If the deviation between these valve opening positions is not larger than the threshold value, it is concluded that the purge air introduction by the drive of the purge control valve is not performed, that is, it is concluded that the valve is faulty.

Abstract: A misfire detecting method is provided for preventing erroneous detection by prohibiting misfire detection when it is judged that an internal combustion engine is operating in a particular operating condition in which load on the engine can suddenly change, wherein a processor for repeatedly executing a misfire detection process immediately ends the present cycle of the misfire detection process when it is judged that the engine has just been started (S3), when it is judged that the igniton key has just been turned off (S4), or when it is judged that the engine is decelerating, that the transmission is performing a shift operation, or that the vehicle is running on a rough road (S5-7), to thereby avoid erroneous detection which is liable to occur during rough-road travel etc.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus for detecting a fault in a fuel evaporative emission suppressing system comprises an electronic control unit. When fault diagnosis execution conditions are fulfilled, the electronic control unit stores an average of integral term values for air-fuel ratio feedback control, operating position of an idling speed control valve, and engine speed, and then actuates a purge control valve of the suppressing system so that the valve opens. In a predetermined time period after the actuation of the purge control valve, the integral term average and the like are stored again. If any changes of the integral term average and other values caused by the actuation of the purge control valve are detected, the suppressing system is concluded to be normal. If no changes are detected, on the other hand, the suppressing system is concluded to be faulty.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a failure of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) apparatus includes an electronic control unit. When judging the fulfillment of the failure diagnosis executing condition, the electronic control unit stores the intake pressure detected by a pressure sensor, and then introduces part of the exhaust gas from an engine to an intake passage via an EGR passage to start the EGR for failure diagnosis. Thereafter, the intake pressure is detected again. If a significant change in intake pressure does not occur before and after the execution of the EGR for failure diagnosis, it is judged that the EGR apparatus is faulty.

Abstract: A method for determining a failure of an exhaust gas recalculation (EGR) apparatus in which a failure of the EGR apparatus is determined by determining whether a difference between an intake manifold pressure developed when an EGR valve is open and that developed when the EGR valve is closed falls within a specified range, the EGR valve being temporarily opened and closed while failure determination is being implemented. The failure determination is aborted so as to prevent erroneous determination, if a variation of the engine speed exceeds a specified value during the failure determination, or if a variation of the opening degree of an idling speed control (ISC) valve, disposed in a bypass passage installed in an intake passage of an engine in a manner bypassing a throttle valve, exceeds a specified value during the failure determination, or if a fuel control mode changes during the failure determination.

Abstract: A misfire detection method is provided, which method makes it possible to accurately detect the occurrence/absence of misfire by eliminating a detection error in misfire detection. This error is caused by a vibrational increase or decrease of the rotational changing rate of a crankshaft after a misfire state occurs. A processor, which receives pulse outputs from a crank angle sensor, calculates in sequence angular accelerations D.omega..sub.n-2, D.omega..sub.n-1, D.omega..sub.n, and D.omega..sub.n+1 in crank angle areas which correspond to a preceding cylinder, two cylinders checked for misfire, and a succeeding cylinder, respectively. If the values D.omega..sub.n-1 and D.omega..sub.n n significantly decrease in comparison with the values D.omega..sub.n-2 and D.omega..sub.n-1, respectively, then it is tentatively determined that misfire has occurred in both cylinders checked. Then If the value D.omega..sub.n+1 significantly increases compared to the value D.omega..sub.

Abstract: A misfire detection method based on fluctuation in crankshaft rotation, in which a time interval required for the crankshaft to rotate over an angle region associated with a cylinder checked for misfire is detected in response to pulses supplied from a crank angle sensor having vanes. Next, a deviation of the crankshaft angular acceleration D .omega..sub.n, calculated based on the thus detected time interval and corresponding to the cylinder checked for misfire, from the angular acceleration D .omega..sub.n-3, corresponding to a cylinder belonging to the cylinder group to which the cylinder checked for misfire belongs, is compared with a determination value, and an occurrence/absence of misfire is detected in accordance with a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of detecting faults for a fuel evaporative emission treatment system, in which the fuel evaporative emission which is admitted from a fuel tank and absorbed once by a canister is separated from the canister by purge air and sucked in a suction pipe of an engine. Under the control of an electronic control unit, a vent port of the canister is closed by closing a vent solenoid valve, and a purge control valve installed in a pipe connecting an outlet port of the canister to the suction pipe is opened. Thereby, a negative pressure of suction air is applied to the fuel tank via another pipe connecting the above-mentioned pipe and the inlet port of canister to the fuel tank to reduce the internal pressure of the fuel tank. Then, the reduction of the internal pressure of the fuel tank is completed by closing the control valve. Afterward, the pressure rise generated in the fuel tank from the time when the exhaust is completed is detected on the basis of the output of a pressure sensor.

Abstract: A failure determination method for an O.sub.2 sensor is provided wherein the air-fuel ratio of a mixture is maintained at a value which produces a leaner or richer air-fuel ratio than a stoichiometric ratio by a predetermined value, for a predetermined time after an engine starts operating in an idle region, to thereby make the oxygen concentration of exhaust gas surrounding the O.sub.2 sensor uniform. Subsequently, the air-fuel ratio is forcibly subjected to an oscillatory change with a predetermined amplitude of .+-.10 to 15% of the stoichiometric ratio with respect to the stoichiometric ratio at a predetermined frequency of several Hz, to determine abnormality of the O.sub.2 sensor based on the change of the output voltage of the O.sub.2 sensor.

Abstract: In a method of forming contact holes in an interstage insulation layer having a thick portion on the semiconductor substrate in which a first contact hole leading to the substrate surface is to be formed and a thin portion on an electrode in which a second contact hole leading to the electrode is to be formed, a positive-type resist layer is formed on the interstage insulation layer. Then first and second portions of the resist layer which are aligned with the first and second contact holes to be formed are exposed to light, and thereafter the resist layer is heated, thereby making the exposed first and second portions insoluble in a developer. Thereafter, the first portion of the resist layer is exposed to light and then subjected to a developing treatment to form an opening in the first portion of the resist layer.

Abstract: In a remote maintenance system for automated teller machine comprising an automated teller machine for performing automatic transaction of cash and a supervisory arrangement for remotely supervising the automated teller machine, imaging means for imaging the operational state inside the automated teller machine is provided in the automated teller machine, and in the supervisory arrnagement, means for displaying information indicative of a picture imaged by the imaging means and command means for commanding the automated teller machine to perform requisite operations are provided.

Abstract: Transaction inquiry is carried out using a transaction inquiring apparatus comprising a card read/write section for reading/writing transaction information from/in an IC card, a display section for inputting designation of the information to be inquired and also displaying transition information retrieved, a line control device for communicating with a center office storing transaction information, a retrieval section for retrieving information out of the transaction information, and a control device for controlling these devices.

Abstract: A money can be withdrawn from one's bank account with a cash data corresponding to the to-be-drawn money amount written in the storage area of a portable IC card or the like. The bank account consists of a first storage area of account balance and transaction data and a second storage area for data indicative of a money amount shifted from the first account as cash data. In case of a money deposit, a data corresponding to a money amount to be deposited is subtracted from a cash data stored in the IC card or the like, and the data corresponding to the money amount to be deposited is written into the first storage area. The data indicative of the drawn money amount stored in the above-mentioned second storage area is updated. Also, when a money is transferred from his bank account to another's account, such as for a commercial transaction, the intended transaction amount is first compared against the cash data stored in the IC card or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a manual reset type bimetal thermostat where a reversible plate is affixed to a disc type bimetal which can reverse in response to temperature change, characterized in that at least either of the reversible plate and the bimetal is provided with an air passage hole.