The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 12, 2000
Donald C. Mayer, Palos Verdes Estates, CA (US);
Jon V. Osborn, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Siegfried W. Janson, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Peter D. Fuqua, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
The method addresses and interrogates addressable cells having at least one element including a polysilicon resistor functioning as a heating element and blocking diode preventing sneak current to un addressed elements, for selectively addressing one of the cells using row and column address line in a thin film structure having a minimum number of address lines and a minimum number of layers. The resistor heating element can be used for igniting a respective fuel cell in an array of fuel cells disposed in a thin film microthruster. After ignition, the address lines are used to interrogate the cell location for verification of fuel cell ignition well suited for monitoring fuel burns and usage of the microthruster.