1. A picture coding method for coding a current block included in a current picture in direct mode, the picture coding method comprising:
specifying a co-located block which is a block included in a second picture that is different from the current picture, the co-located block being located in the second picture at the same position that the current block is located in the current picture;
determining a first motion vector and a second motion vector of the current block for performing motion compensation on the current block, using a third motion vector which is a motion vector of the co-located block;
generating a first predictive image of the current block using the first motion vector of the current block and a second predictive image of the current block using the second motion vector of the current block;
generating a predictive image of the current block based on the first predictive image and the second predictive image;
generating a difference image of the current block between the current block and the predictive image of the current block; and
coding the difference image of the current block to obtain coded data of the current block,
wherein, the co-located block is motion-compensated using a first motion vector corresponding to a first reference picture of the co-located block and a second motion vector corresponding to a second reference picture of the co-located block, and
wherein, in the case where the first and second reference pictures of the co-located block are both stored in a long-term picture buffer, (i) the third motion vector is determined to be equal to one of the first and second motion vectors of the co-located block, and (ii) the first motion vector of the current block is determined to be equal to the third motion vector, and (iii) the second motion vector of the current block is determined to be a value of 0.
2. The picture coding method according to claim 1,
wherein said one of the first and second motion vectors of the co-located block is a motion vector which refers to a reference picture selected from a reference picture list in which lower identification numbers are assigned with priority to a reference picture located prior to the current picture in display order.
3. A picture coding apparatus for coding a current block included in a current picture in direct mode, the picture coding apparatus comprising:
a specifying unit operable to specify a co-located block which is a block included in a second picture that is different from the current picture, the co-located block being located in the second picture at the same position that the current block is located in the current picture;
a motion vector determining unit operable to determine a first motion vector and a second motion vector of the current block for performing motion compensation on the current block, using a third motion vector which is a motion vector of the co-located block;
a first and second predictive image generating unit operable to generate a first predictive image of the current block using the first motion vector of the current block and a second predictive image of the current block using the second motion vector of the current block;
a predictive image generating unit operable to generate a predictive image of the current block based on the first predictive image and the second predictive image;
a difference image generating unit operable to generate a difference image between the current block and the predictive image of the current block; and
a difference image coding unit operable to code the difference image to obtain coded data of the current block,
wherein, the co-located block is motion-compensated using a first motion vector corresponding to a first reference picture of the co-located block and a second motion vector corresponding to a second reference picture of the co-located block, and
wherein, in the case where the first and second reference pictures of the co-located block are both stored in a long-term picture buffer, (i) the third motion vector is determined to be equal to one of the first and second motion vectors of the co-located block, and (ii) the first motion vector of the current block is determined to be equal to the third motion vector, and (iii) the second motion vector of the current block is determined to equal to be a value of 0.
4. The picture coding apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein said one of the first and second motion vectors of the co-located block is a motion vector which refers to a reference picture selected from a reference picture list in which lower identification numbers are assigned with priority to a reference picture located prior to the current picture in display order.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-48. (canceled)
49. A hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system comprising:
a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;
a cartridge valve assembly, coupled to the fuel vessel, to provide exchange of hydrogen with an external unit;
memory to store data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge; and
control circuitry coupled to the memory.
50. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
51. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 50 wherein the control circuitry monitors the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
52. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 51 wherein the control circuitry monitors the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel using: (1) an amount of time the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge provides hydrogen-based fuel to power unit, or (2) data which is representative of the pressure andor temperature of the fuel in the fuel vessel.
53. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.
54. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 53 wherein the control circuitry monitors the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit using one or more sensors that provides data which is representative of the rate of flow of the fuel, the pressure of the fuel in the vessel andor the temperature of the fuel in the vessel.
55. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the memory stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
56. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 55 wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.
57. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter.
58. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the control circuitry includes a microprocessor or microcontroller.
59. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 58 wherein the control circuitry intermittently, continuously or periodically determines the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and intermittently or periodically stores data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory.
60. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 58 wherein the memory and the control circuitry are disposed on the same integrated circuit device.
61. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 further including an electrical interface, coupled to the memory device, to receive data from external circuitry, wherein the data is representative of the at least one operating parameter.
62. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 61 wherein the electrical interface intermittently or periodically receives the data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter and the memory, in response thereto, stores the data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
63. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 62 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
64. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 62 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.
65. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 49 wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes communication circuitry to provide data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to external circuitry.
66. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 65 wherein the communication circuitry communicates wirelessly.
67. A hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system, the hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge comprising:
a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;
a cartridge valve assembly, coupled to the fuel vessel, to provide exchange of hydrogen with an external unit;
a cartridge interface, including an electrical interface to receive data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge from external circuitry; and
memory to store the data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
68. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 67 wherein the cartridge interface further includes a mechanical interface adapted to connect to the external unit.
69. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 67 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
70. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 67 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.
71. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 67 wherein the memory stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.
72. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 67 wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter.
73. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 72 wherein the memory intermittently, continuously or periodically stores the data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
74. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 72 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel or the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.
75. A hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge for use in a hydrogen-based fuel cell management system, the hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge comprising:
a fuel vessel adapted to store hydrogen-based fuel;
a cartridge valve assembly, coupled to the fuel vessel, to provide exchange of hydrogen with an external unit;
a cartridge interface, including an electrical interface to provide data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to external circuitry; and
memory to store the data which is representative of at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
76. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
77. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the control circuitry monitors the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
78. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the rate of consumption of the hydrogen-based fuel by the power unit.
79. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the memory stores data which is representative of one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge and wherein the one or more unique characteristics of hydrogen-based fuel cartridge includes at least one of a serial number of the fuel cartridge, date of manufacture of the fuel cartridge, date of assembly of the fuel cartridge, type of fuel contained in fuel vessel, fuel capacity of the fuel cartridge, and number of refill operations the fuel cartridge has undergone.
80. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes a display to visually display information which is representative of the at least one operating parameter.
81. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the electrical interface receives wherein data is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge in the memory of the fuel cartridge.
82. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 81 wherein the memory intermittently or periodically stores the data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge.
83. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 82 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that is remaining in the fuel vessel.
84. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 82 wherein the at least one operating parameter is the amount of hydrogen-based fuel that has been consumed from the fuel vessel.
85. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 75 wherein the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge further includes communication circuitry to provide data which is representative of the at least one operating parameter of the hydrogen-based fuel cartridge to external circuitry.
86. The hydrogen-based fuel cell cartridge of claim 85 wherein the communication circuitry communicates wirelessly.