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:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2002
Michael W. Fortner, Plano, TX (US);
Shiyuan Cheng, Richardson, TX (US);
Daryl L. Buchanan, Allen, TX (US);
Dwight S. Larson, Allen, TX (US);
Mykrolis Corporation, Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for regulating the temperature of a sensor to reduce temperature gradients that form within the sensor. In one embodiment, the temperature gradients are reduced utilizing a temperature regulator with two controlled zones that surround a variable capacitance sensor. Measurements are made for the ambient temperature of at least one of the two temperature controlled zones, and the temperature differential between the two temperature controlled zones. The temperature regulator then adjusts the temperature of the two controlled zones based upon this differential in order to minimize the existing temperature gradient.