1. A telephone network, comprising:
a first service switching point being operable to receive a feature code and a called directory number input by a calling party placing a call, and to issue a query in response to receiving the feature code; and
a service control point in communication with the first service switching point over a first communication path, the service control point being operable to receive the query and issue a response to the first service switching point, the response including a distinctive ring parameter;
wherein upon receiving the response from the service control point the first service switching point processes the call so that the distinctive ring parameter causes a distinctive ring signal to be applied to a called telephone line associated with the called directory number;
wherein the first service switching point further operable to receive an authorization code, and include the authorization code in the query; and
the service control point is further operable to determine whether the authorization code is valid or invalid, and provides the distinctive ring parameter only upon determining that the authorization code is valid;
wherein the authorization code is a unique code associated with the calling party, and is generated automatically or determined by the calling party upon subscribing to a distinctive ring control service.
2. The telephone network of claim 1, wherein the calling party is charged a fee upon the service control point determining the authorization code is valid.
3. The telephone network of claim 1, wherein the calling party is charged a fee upon the call being answered.
4. The telephone network of claim 1, wherein the first service switching point is further operable to issue the query independent of a calling telephone line from which the feature code is received.
5. The telephone network of claim 4, wherein the distinctive ring parameter causes the distinctive ring signal to be applied to the called telephone line independent of services associated with the called telephone line.
6. The telephone network of claim 1, wherein the distinctive ring parameter causes the distinctive ring signal to be applied to the called telephone line independent of services associated with the called telephone line.
7. The telephone network of claim 6, wherein the first service switching point is further operable to issue the query independent of a calling telephone line from which the feature code is received.
8. The telephone network of claim 6, further comprising a second service switching point, the second service switching point serving the called directory number and in communication with the first service switching point over a second communication path, and wherein the first service switching point provides the second service switching point the distinctive ring parameter received from the service control point.
9. A method of processing a call placed by a calling party to a called telephone line in a telephone network, the telephone network comprising a first service switching point, a second service switching point and a service control point, the service control point in communication with the first and second service switching points over first and second communication paths, respectively, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at the first service switching point an authorization code;
including the authorization code in the query, wherein the authorization code is a unique
code associated with the calling party, and is generated automatically or determined by
the calling party upon subscribing to a distinctive ring control service;
determining at the service control point whether the authorization code is valid or invalid; and
providing the distinctive ring parameter if the authorization code is valid.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of charging the calling party a fee if the authorization code is valid.
11. The meted of claim 9, wherein the step of sending the query from the first service switching point to the service control point after receiving the feature code is independent of a calling telephone line from which the feature code is received.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of applying the distinctive ring signal to the called telephone line is independent of services associated with the called telephone line.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of applying the distinctive ring signal to the called telephone line is independent of services associated with the called telephone line.
14. The telephone network of claim 9, further comprising the step of sending from the first service switching point to the second service switching point the distinctive ring parameter received from the service control point if the second service switching point serves the called telephone line.
15. A system for caller control of a distinctive ring, the system comprising:
a first service switching point serving a calling telephone line and being operable to receive from the calling telephone line a feature code and a called directory number associated with a called telephone line, and to issue a query in response to receiving the feature code; and
a service control point in communication with the first service switching point over a first communication path, the service control point being operable to receive the query and issue a response to the first service switching point, the response including a distinctive ring parameter;
wherein upon receiving the response from the service control point the first service switching point processes the call so that upon connection of the call distinctive ring parameter causes a distinctive ring signal to be applied to the called telephone line independent of services associated with the called telephone line;
wherein the first service switching point is further operable to issue the query independent of the calling telephone line;
wherein the first service switching point is further operable to receive an authorization code and include the authorization code in the query; and
the service control point is further operable to determine whether the authorization code is valid or invalid, and provides the distinctive ring parameter only upon determining that the authorization code is valid;
wherein the authorization code is a unique code associated with the calling party.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the calling party is charged a fee upon the service control point determining the authorization code is valid.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein if the service control point determines the authorization code is invalid the first service switching point processes the call so that upon connection of the call a normal ring signal is applied to the called telephone line.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A device for generating a flux of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
a first electrode located within the vacuum chamber, the first electrode having an axis of rotational symmetry, a distal end, and a proximal end;
a second electrode located within the vacuum chamber, the second electrode having a proximal end and being situated coaxially with but spaced apart from the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being connectable to a power supply configured to apply a high-voltage pulse across the first and second electrodes so as to generate an EMR-producing plasma adjacent the distal end of the first electrode;
an insulating member attached to the respective proximal ends of and extending between the first and second electrodes so as to support the first electrode relative to the second electrode; and
an EMR-flux collimator situated in the vacuum chamber relative to the first and second electrodes such that EMR produced by the plasma is collected and collimated by the EMR-flux collimator to produce a collimated EMR flux, the EMR-flux collimator being situated and configured to direct the collimated EMR flux along a propagation axis, extending parallel to the axis of rotational symmetry of the first electrode, past the first and second electrodes.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power supply connected to the first and second electrodes and configured to apply high-voltage pulses across the first and second electrodes so as to generate an EMR-producing plasma adjacent the distal end of the first electrode.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the EMR-flux collimator comprises an EMR-reflective element.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the EMR-reflective element is a concave mirror having an EMR-reflective surface configured as a paraboloid of revolution about a mirror axis.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the mirror axis is parallel to the propagation axis.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the mirror axis extends along the axis of rotational symmetry.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is a unitary cylindrical electrode surrounding the first electrode.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises multiple electrode portions commonly connectable to the power supply and collectively surrounding the first electrode about the axis of rotational symmetry.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a solid or hollow cylinder in conformation.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the propagation axis extends along the axis of rotational symmetry.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulating member is configured with spokes or mesh extending between the proximal ends of the first and second electrodes.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein the spokes extend radially from the proximal end of the first electrode to the proximal end of the second electrode.
13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a supply of a gas comprising a working gas, the gas supply being connected to the vacuum chamber so as to supply the gas between the first and second electrodes and thus allow the working gas to become ionized in the plasma sufficient to contribute to the EMR flux produced by the plasma.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the working gas is appropriate to cause the plasma to produce EMR including EUV radiation.
15. A device for generating a flux of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
a first electrode located within the vacuum chamber and having an axis of rotational symmetry and a distal end;
a second electrode located with the vacuum chamber relative to the first electrode, the second electrode having an inner wall that is separated from and in coaxial radial symmetry with the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being connectable to a power supply configured to apply a high-voltage pulse across the first and second electrodes so as to generate an EMR-producing plasma adjacent the distal end of the first electrode, the inner wall having at least a region thereof comprising a multilayer film that is reflective to the EMR; and
an EMR-flux former situated in the vacuum chamber relative to the first and second electrodes, the EMR-flux former being situated and configured to collect and reflect EMR, from the plasma, into an EMR flux propagating along a propagation axis past the first and second electrodes.
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second electrode is a unitary cylindrical electrode surrounding the first electrode.
17. The device of claim 15, wherein:
the second electrode comprises multiple electrode portions collectively surrounding the first electrode about the axis of symmetry; and
each electrode portion comprises a respective inner wall that comprises a respective portion of the inner wall of the second electrode.
18. The device of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is a solid or hollow cylinder in conformation.
19. The device of claim 15, wherein the propagation axis extends along the axis of rotational symmetry.
20. The device of claim 15, wherein:
the region of the second electrode comprising the EMR-reflective multilayer film is configured as a paraboloid of revolution, a spheroid of revolution, an ellipsoid of revolution, or a hyperboloid of revolution about the axis of rotational symmetry; and the region comprising the EMR-reflective multilayer film has a focal point situated adjacent the distal end of the first electrode where the EMR-producing plasma is located.
21. The device of claim 15, wherein:
the region of the second electrode comprising the EMR-reflective multilayer film is configured as a concave reflective surface having a focal point situated adjacent the distal end of the first electrode where the EMR-producing plasma is located; and
the concave reflective surface is situated to reflect EMR from the plasma to the EMR-flux former.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the concave reflective device is situated to reflect EMR from the plasma back to the plasma and then to the EMR-flux former.
23. The device of claim 22, wherein:
the EMR-flux former comprises a concave mirror having an EMR-reflective surface configured as a paraboloid of revolution about a mirror axis;
the mirror axis extends along the axis of rotational symmetry; and
the EMR-reflective surface is configured to form, by reflection, the EMR flux that propagates along the mirror axis past the electrodes.
24. The device of claim 15, wherein:
the region of the second electrode comprising the EMR-reflective multilayer film is configured as a concave reflective surface having a focal point situated adjacent the distal end of the first electrode where the EMR-producing plasma is located; and
the concave reflective surface is situated to reflect EMR from the plasma axially past the first and second electrodes.
25. A microlithography apparatus, comprising:
a device for generating an EMR flux as recited in claim 1;
an illumination-optical system situated and configured to illuminate a reticle with an EMR flux produced by the device, the reticle defining a pattern to be transferred to a sensitive substrate; and
a projection-optical system situated downstream of the illumination-optical system and configured to transfer the pattern from the reticle to the sensitive substrate.
26. A microlithography apparatus, comprising:
a device for generating an EMR flux as recited in claim 15;
an illumination-optical system situated and configured to illuminate a reticle with an EMR flux produced by the device, the reticle defining a pattern to be transferred to a sensitive substrate; and
a projection-optical system situated downstream of the illumination-optical system and configured to transfer the pattern from the reticle to the sensitive substrate.
27. A microelectronic-device manufacturing process, comprising:
(a) preparing a substrate;
(b) processing the substrate; and
(c) assembling microelectronic devices formed on the substrate during steps (a) and (b), wherein step (b) comprises the steps of (i) applying a resist to the substrate; (ii) exposing the resist; and (iii) developing the resist; and step (ii) comprises providing a microlithography apparatus as recited in claim 25, and using the microlithography apparatus to expose the resist with the pattern defined on the reticle.
28. A microelectronic-device manufacturing process, comprising:
(a) preparing a substrate;
(b) processing the substrate; and
(c) assembling microelectronic devices formed on the substrate during steps (a) and (b), wherein step (b) comprises the steps of (i) applying a resist to the substrate; (ii) exposing the resist; and (iii) developing the resist; and step (ii) comprises providing a microlithography apparatus as recited in claim 26, and using the microlithography apparatus to expose the resist with the pattern defined on the reticle.