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:
Jul. 13, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2005
Alan Bell, Mountain View, CA (US);
Richard H. Bruce, Los Altos, CA (US);
Eric Peeters, Fremont, CA (US);
Alan Bell, Mountain View, CA (US);
Richard H. Bruce, Los Altos, CA (US);
Eric Peeters, Fremont, CA (US);
Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Thermal detectors and thermal sensing cells can include a region of a support layer or support structure. Within the region can be reaction surfaces or other reaction regions, as well as contact pads and circuitry connecting the contact pads to other components. Also, a cell region can include a structure with reaction regions, contact pads, and control/detection circuitry connected to the contact pads; the control/detection circuitry controls occurrence of reactions in response to control signals, such as by drop merging, and also allows electrical detection of thermal signals from the reaction regions. The control/detection circuitry can include reaction control components such as drop merger electrodes and also thermal sensors such as thermistors, or it can include control/sensor elements such as semiconductor slabs that perform both functions. Each cell in an array can have control/detection circuitry that does not extend or connect outside the cell except through contact pads.