Abstract: Engineered structure for charge storage. An electrolyte is disposed between two electrically conducting plates, each plate serving as a base for an aligned array of electrically conducting nanostructures extending from the surface of each plate into the electrolyte. The nanostructures have diameter and spacing comparable to the dimension of an ion of the electrolyte. An electrically insulating separator is disposed between the two plates. A CVD process (or other processes yielding similar results) is used to make the aligned array of electrically conducting nanostructures.

Abstract: A local broadcast mode operation is implemented in a point-to-point satellite communications system (10) by utilizing a terrestrial reference terminal or phone (20) that is located within a desired zone of broadcast operation (24). A broadcast service provider (16) places a call to this reference phone through a terrestrial gateway (12) and at least one satellite (18, 19), and then transmits desired broadcast data to the reference phone. The reference phone receives the broadcast data and functions in a conventional manner to provide power control and related satellite handoff feedback information to the gateway. Authorized user terminals (22) within the zone of broadcast operation are enabled to receive the same signal transmitted to the reference phone by placing a call through the gateway to the broadcast service provider.