Abstract: The present invention is comprised of a headband 25 and one or more sound collectors (30, 75). The sound collectors (30, 75) collect sound waves and reflect toward the wearer's ears for louder reception. Some variations to the present invention can have one or more sound collectors (30, 75) that is parabolic in shape so the sound reflected off the collector surface is better focused toward the ear. Moreover, as an additional variation, one or more sound collectors (30, 75) can have one or more parabolic impressions (105) on the sound collector's inner surface (85) for better sound collection.

Abstract: A video bit rate control method. SUBGOPs are defined as sets of two to four frames in a GOP. For example, if the GOP comprises IBBPBBPBBPBB frames, each of the SUBGOPs is defined as a set of the IBBP or BBP frames. Before bit assignment is performed with respect to frames to be coded, it is checked whether a scene change is present with respect to frames in successive ones of the SUBGOPs. If it is checked that the scene change is not present, a bit rate is controlled in a conventional manner. In the case where the scene change is present, a smaller bits than that in the conventional manner is assigned to frames with no scene change and a relatively large bit amount is assigned to a frame with the scene change. Therefore, according to the present invention, the video bit rate control method has the effect of preventing a degradation in a picture quality due to the scene change.

Abstract: A nail clipper includes a clipper body having a front section and a rear section acting as a first handle, the front section including a top plate and a base plate defining a passageway therebetween. The top plate and the base plate each has an aperture substantially aligned to each other and adapted to receive a finger nail therewithin. A blade is slidably positioned in the passageway. The nail clipper further includes a second handle having a front end connected to the blade, and a flexible plate. The first end of the flexible plate is attached to the second handle and the opposing second end of the flexible plate is attached to the first handle. The flexible plate is adapted to normally bias the second handle and the blade in a retracted position rearward from the apertures.

Abstract: A reinforced corner structure for cloth, especially a tent, capable of enabling the cloth corner to endure the dragging force coming from a cord installed therein and tied at a support and thus prolonging the life of the cloth. This reinforced corner structure comprises upper and lower plates For covering the upper and lower surfaces of the corner and reinforcing this corner. These upper and lower plates are integrally formed by a single injection molding of plastic material each other and each of them is an equilateral trapezoid in figure. This trapezoidal structure is opened at two sides but closed at the two other sides thereof, thereby allowing a cloth corner to be adjusted therein and preventing the corner of cloth from jutting out of the structure after the corner structure is fixed to the corner of cloth.

Abstract: An IC card includes, in addition to an ordinary data recording processing circuit, an IC chip area including an encrypting circuit, and a magnetic or optical data recording unit mounted thereon. Those items of data at an initialization and final transaction times are recorded in the magnetic or optical data recording unit while a predetermined encryption is made in cooperation with the IC chip area and the terminal for initialization and terminal for transaction. When a data item to be recorded n the IC chip area in the IC card is destroyed, data items recorded on the magnetic or optical data recording area are decrypted to check if the recorded data items are true. If yes, these data items are restored in a new card.