Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and one of a plurality of sellers via the Internet. The system and method may thus be used to identify points of departure from, or points of merging onto, a road described by the map database or a path identified as described herein, but not described by the map database. The element exclusively effects the mechanical connection of the two parts of the strap assembly. Moreover, during photographing of a subject, an image processor drives and controls the motors via a stage controller to successively move the tip end of the optical fiber in the horizontal and vertical directions. Also, thermal losses may be reduced by maintaining the surge volume at ambient temperature. The stator assembly also includes a plurality of heat conducting plates which conduct heat from a coil to the stator.