All The Claims

1. A support apparatus configured for providing internal support to a mold, tooling, or SMP apparatus for forming composite parts, the support apparatus comprising:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature sufficient for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member has a plurality of openings formed therethrough;
a plurality of inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) configured to be actuated to transition between a rigid state and a malleable state, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member and are each inflatable through or in fluid communication with the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to inflate the SMP cells to extend from the rigid structural member when in the malleable state.
2. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are configured to be in the rigid state at a temperature below Tg and to become malleable at a temperature above Tg.
3. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid structural member comprises a flat, contoured, or hollow rigid sheet of material with the openings formed therethrough.
4. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks, cylinders, or domes, each having an opening aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member.
5. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks or cylinders, each having an open end aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member and a dome-shaped end opposite of the open end.
6. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurization system is configured to circulate liquid or pressurized gas through the plurality of openings formed through the rigid structural member into the SMP cells.
7. The support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pressurization system comprises a pressure source and a heat source, wherein the heat source comprises at least one of an oven, an autoclave, and a heat exchanger configured to circulate heated or cooled liquid or gas through the SMP cells to actuate the SMP cells from the rigid state to the malleable state or from the malleable state to the rigid state.
8. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurization system comprises a pressure source, one or more tubes through which pressurized gas from the pressure source flows to the SMP cells, and a plurality of valves configured to independently control pressurization of one or more of the SMP cells.
9. A method of forming a composite part on an SMP apparatus composed of shape memory polymer (SMP), the method comprising:
placing a support apparatus proximate to at least one surface of the SMP apparatus, wherein the support apparatus comprises:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature sufficient for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member has a plurality of openings formed therethrough,
a plurality of inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) configured to be actuated to transition between a rigid state and a malleable state, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member, each extending over or through one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to inflate the SMP cells to extend from the rigid structural member when the SMP cells are in the malleable state;

actuating the SMP cells to the malleable state;
inflating the SMP cells with the pressurization system such that the SMP cells press against the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus while in the malleable state;
actuating the SMP cells to the rigid state while the SMP cells are pressed against the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus, thus providing a rigid load path between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member; and
applying uncured composite material to a surface of the SMP apparatus opposite of the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus in contact with the SMP cells.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the rigid structural member may be at least one of flat, contoured, and hollow.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are in the rigid state at temperatures below Tg and are actuated into the malleable state when heated above Tg.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing the SMP apparatus against at least one mold surface before the step of inflating the SMP cells, such that inflating the SMP cells sandwiches the SMP apparatus between the SMP cells and the at least one mold surface.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
curing the composite material to form the composite part;
actuating the SMP cells to the malleable state then deflating the SMP cells; and
removing the support apparatus and SMP apparatus from the composite part.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pressurization system applies vacuum to the SMP cells to deflate the SMP cells.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks, cylinders, or domes, each having an opening aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks or cylinders, each having an open end aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member and a dome-shaped end opposite of the open end.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the pressurization system is configured to circulate liquid or pressurized gas through the plurality of openings formed through the rigid structural member into the SMP cells.
18. An apparatus for forming composite parts, wherein the apparatus comprises:
an SMP apparatus formed of shape memory polymer (SMP), having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the SMP apparatus is shaped and configured to form an inner surface of the composite part; and
a support apparatus in contact with the inner surface of the SMP apparatus, the support apparatus comprising:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature suitable for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member is a monolithic part having a plurality of openings formed therethrough;
a plurality of hollow inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) and configured to be rigid at temperatures below Tg and to become malleable at temperatures above Tg, wherein the SMP cells contact the inner surface of the SMP apparatus when inflated, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member, each extending over or through one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to pressurize the SMP cells, thereby actuating the SMP cells away from the rigid structural member and against the SMP apparatus when the SMP cells are heated to a temperature above Tg,

wherein the SMP cells provide a rigid load path between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member when cooled below Tg while pressed against the inner surface of the SMP apparatus.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a height of any of the SMP cells relative to the rigid structural member is proportional to a distance between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member at an attachment location of the corresponding SMP cell.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the SMP cells each comprise an attachment portion at which the SMP cell is attached to the rigid structural member, wherein the attachment portion is configured to remain rigid when heated to a temperature above Tg.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
retrieving an image comprising a plurality of pixels; and
determining at least one probability distribution corresponding to the pixels of the image, the step of determining performed by using a model wherein at least some pixels in the image are modeled as being dependent on other pixels.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the model comprises a term representing a probability of a global state of a scene and a term representing a probability of pixel appearances conditioned to the global state of the scene.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pixels of the image are considered to be independent in the probability of pixel appearances conditioned to the global state of the scene, and the probability of pixel appearances conditioned to the global state of the scene is modeled as a plurality of probabilities that model each pixel of the image.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
providing a training image to the model;
determining parameters of the model; and
performing the step of providing a training image and determining parameters for a predetermined number of training images.
5. A method, comprising:
determining a global state that maximizes a likelihood probability of an image comprising a plurality of pixels;
determining, for each of at least one pixels of an image, an individual likelihood probability; and
assigning, for each of at least one pixels of an image, a pixel to a foreground when the pixel has a predetermined individual likelihood probability.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of assigning, for each of at least one pixels of an image, a pixel to a foreground when the pixel has a predetermined individual likelihood probability further comprises the step of assigning, for each of the at least one pixels of an image, a pixel to a foreground when the pixel has an individual likelihood probability below a pixel threshold.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of determining a plurality of states associated with a camera view.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining a plurality of states further comprises the steps of:
determining a most likely global state for a sample image;
determining a most likely mixture of Gaussian modes;
determining a likelihood probability of the sample image for the most likely global state;
determining if the likelihood probability of the sample image is greater than a global threshold;
adding a new state when the likelihood probability of the sample image is less than or equal to the global threshold; and
adjusting parameters of the most likely global state when the likelihood probability of the sample image is greater than the global threshold.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of, for each of the at least one pixels:
determining a likelihood probability for a mixture of Gaussian modes associated with the pixel;
adjusting parameters of a Gaussian mode for the pixel when the likelihood probability for the mixture of Gaussian modes associated with the pixel is greater than a pixel threshold; and
adding a new Gaussian mode when the likelihood probability for the mixture of Gaussian modes associated with the pixel is less than or equal to a pixel threshold.
10. The method of claim 5, further comprising creating a segmented image from the at least one pixel, the segmented image comprising foreground and background pixels, wherein the foreground pixels are represented as one value and the background pixels are represented as another value.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein the likelihood probability of the image and the likelihood probabilities for the pixels are determined according to a probability model.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the model comprises a term representing a probability of a global state of a scene and a term representing a probability of pixel appearances conditioned to the global state of the scene.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the model is trained through the following steps:
providing a training image to the model;
determining parameters of the model; and
performing the step of providing a training image and determining parameters for a predetermined number of training images.
14. A system comprising:
a memory that stores computer-readable code; and
a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor configured to implement said computer-readable code, said computer-readable code configured to:
determine a global state that maximizes a likelihood of probability of an image comprising a plurality of pixels;
determine, for each of at least one pixels of an image, an individual likelihood probability; and
assign, for each of at least one pixels of an image, a pixel to a foreground when the pixel has a predetermined individual likelihood probability.
15. An article of manufacture comprising:
a computer-readable medium having computer-readable code means embodied thereon, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
a step to determine a global state that maximizes a likelihood of probability of an image comprising a plurality of pixels;
a step to determine, for each of at least one pixels of an image, an individual likelihood probability; and
a step to assign, for each of at least one pixels of an image, a pixel to a foreground when the pixel has a predetermined individual likelihood probability.

1. An information processing terminal comprising:
recognition circuitry that recognize an identifier projected over an image;
acquisition circuitry that acquire data of an object corresponding to the identifier;
processing circuitry that change the orientation of the object according to a positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on the image while a position of the information processing terminal is closing into a horizontal plane on which the identifier is placed, and when it is no longer able to recognize the identifier as an angle between the information processing terminal and the horizontal plane reaches a minimum angle beyond which the identifier is not recognizable, changes the orientation of the object according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on sensor data generated from sensor circuitry measuring angular velocity occurring around each axis of X, Y, and Z axes used to define position of the object, wherein the information processing terminal determines a period, during which the angular velocity equals to or higher than a threshold is measured, as the period for performing correction of the positional relationship between the information processing terminal and the identifier by the sensor circuitry; and
display control circuitry that cause the object of which the orientation is changed according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier to be displayed over the image in a superimposed manner.
2. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:
capturing circuitry,
wherein the recognition circuitry recognize the identifier projected over the image captured by the capturing circuitry.
3. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry change the orientation of the object according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on the sensor data detected at the time when and after the identifier can be last recognized when it is no longer able to recognize the identifier.
4. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the sensor circuitry include a gyro sensor.
5. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a two-dimensional code including regions with different colors.
6. An information processing method comprising:
recognizing an identifier projected over an image;
acquiring data of an object corresponding to the identifier;
changing the orientation of the object according to a positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on the image while a position of the information processing terminal is closing into a horizontal plane on which the identifier is placed, and when it is no longer able to recognize the identifier as an angle between the information processing terminal and the horizontal plane reaches a minimum angle beyond which the identifier is not recognizable, changing the orientation of the object according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on sensor data generated from sensor circuitry measuring angular velocity occurring around each axis of X, Y, and Z axes used to define position of the object, wherein the information processing terminal determines a period, during which the angular velocity equals to or higher than a threshold is measured, as the period for performing correction of the positional relationship between the information processing terminal and the identifier by the sensor circuitry; and
causing the object of which the orientation is changed according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier to be displayed over the image in a superimposed manner.
7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program thereon that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a process comprising:
recognizing an identifier projected over an image;
acquiring data of an object corresponding to the identifier;
changing the orientation of the object according to a positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on the image while a position of the information processing terminal is closing into a horizontal plane on which the identifier is placed, and when it is no longer able to recognize the identifier as an angle between the information processing terminal and the horizontal plane reaches a minimum angle beyond which the identifier is not recognizable, changing the orientation of the object according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier specified based on sensor data generated from sensor circuitry measuring angular velocity occurring around each axis of X, Y, and Z axes used to define position of the object, wherein the information processing terminal determines a period, during which the angular velocity equals to or higher than a threshold is measured, as the period for performing correction of the positional relationship between the information processing terminal and the identifier by the sensor circuitry; and
causing the object of which the orientation is changed according to the positional relationship between the information processing terminal itself and the identifier to be displayed over the image in a superimposed manner.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A variable fluid resistance device comprising a housing having a movable shaft, first tube fastened to said housing and slidingly engaging therein a second tube having an external diameter close to the internal diameter of said first tube, and wherein said first and second tube have a number of fluid conducting passages, means to compel sliding motion to said second tube following a movement of said shaft.
2. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein the fluid conducting passages in both tubes are identical and are equally spaced in regards to each other.
3. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal distance between individual passages is larger than the size of the passage itself, so that when the second tube is at a given end position, the longitudinal wall distance between its passages will overlap the passage of the first tube and thus prevent fluid from passing.
4. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 2, wherein said passages are circular.
5. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein the terminating end of the first tube, being opposed to said housing, is enclosed in order to prevent the escape of fluid.
6. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein said means to compel motion comprises a lever being attached to said second tube, said lever being connected to a cam being fastened to the shaft, and where said cam is able to motivate the lever and thereby impose sliding motion on the second tube.
7. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein said shaft is able to rotate.
8. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein said housing has a fluid inlet port extending to the opening of the second tube.
9. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein said housing is capable to be connected to a flanged pipe whose interior diameter is at least fifteen percent larger than the outside diameter of the first tube.
10. A variable fluid resistance device as in claim 1, wherein said housing incorporates a butterfly valve.