Abstract: A personal hydration system is disclosed that includes a reservoir and a drinking hose (drinking straw). The drinking hose is in fluid communication with the reservoir and includes a textured (irregular) inner surface configuration to facilitate cleaning of the drinking hose. In certain embodiments of the disclosure, the drinking hose is configured and provided as a standalone component (product).

Abstract: A torch base is disclosed that is configured to receive and support a (hand-held) torch (e.g., a butane torch) during a variety of activities. The torch base includes: a body; a temperature reader (gauge); and a control unit. The body is configured for releasable connection to a torch and includes a receptacle defining a chamber that is configured to removably receive the torch such that the torch is repeatably connectable to and disconnectable from the body (e.g., via insertion into and removal from the receptacle). The temperature reader (gauge) is connected to the body and is configured to measure a surface temperature (of the article being heated by the torch). The control unit is supported by the body and is in communication with the temperature reader. The control unit is configured to display the surface temperature measured by the temperature reader, which provides a safeguard against overheating of the article.

Abstract: A personal hydration system is disclosed that includes a reservoir and a drinking hose (drinking straw). The drinking hose is in fluid communication with the reservoir and includes a textured (irregular) inner surface configuration to facilitate cleaning of the drinking hose. In certain embodiments of the disclosure, the drinking hose is configured and provided as a standalone component (product).

Abstract: A personal hydration system is disclosed that includes a reservoir and a drinking hose. The drinking hose is in fluid communication with the reservoir and includes a textured (irregular) inner surface configuration to facilitate cleaning of the drinking hose.

Abstract: A method for handling communication data involving identifying available resources for applying compression tasks and estimating a throughput reduction value to be achieved by applying each of a plurality of different compression tasks to a plurality of media items. A cost of applying the plurality of different compression tasks to the plurality of media items is estimated. The method further includes finding an optimization solution that maximizes the throughput reduction value over possible pairs of the compression tasks and the media items, while keeping the cost of the tasks of the solution within the identified available resources and providing instructions to apply compression tasks according to the optimization solution.

Abstract: A method for communication includes providing an item of media content for streaming in a plurality of versions having different, respective bit rates. The media content is streamed from a server to a client by transmitting a first version of the item over a network at a first bit rate from the server to the client via a server buffer associated with the server and monitoring a fill level of the server buffer while streaming the media content. The server switches to transmitting a second version of the item at a second bit rate, different from the first bit rate, to the client in response to a change in the fill level of the server buffer.

Abstract: A method for communication includes providing an item of media content for streaming in a plurality of versions having different, respective bit rates. The media content is streamed from a server to a client by transmitting a first version of the item over a network at a first bit rate from the server to the client via a server buffer associated with the server and monitoring a fill level of the server buffer while streaming the media content. The server switches to transmitting a second version of the item at a second bit rate, different from the first bit rate, to the client in response to a change in the fill level of the server buffer.

Abstract: A method for handling communication data involving identifying available resources for applying compression tasks and estimating a throughput reduction value to be achieved by applying each of a plurality of different compression tasks to a plurality of media items. A cost of applying the plurality of different compression tasks to the plurality of media items is estimated. The method further includes finding an optimization solution that maximizes the throughput reduction value over possible pairs of the compression tasks and the media items, while keeping the cost of the tasks of the solution within the identified available resources and providing instructions to apply compression tasks according to the optimization solution.

Abstract: A method for communication includes providing an item of media content for streaming in a plurality of versions having different, respective bit rates. The media content is streamed from a server to a client by transmitting a first version of the item over a network at a first bit rate from the server to the client via a server buffer associated with the server and monitoring a fill level of the server buffer while streaming the media content. The server switches to transmitting a second version of the item at a second bit rate, different from the first bit rate, to the client in response to a change in the fill level of the server buffer.

Abstract: A method for data communications includes conveying from a server to a client a virtual index file, which identifies multiple sequences of media files available for download to the client, including a plurality of the sequences that contain a given item of streaming content for download to the client at a different, respective data rate for each sequence. A selection is received from the client of a sequence among the plurality of the sequences of the media files. Responsively to the selection, the media files in the sequence are created at the respective data rate and are downloaded to the client.