# US 2009/0260276 A1 · Behavior-tuned bed bug trap and monitoring device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260276 A1 - Document ID: US20090260276A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/703,320 - Filed: 2007-02-06 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-02-06 - Assignees: APTIV Inc. - Inventors: Philipp A. Kirsch; Darek Czokajlo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260276A1 ## CPC - A01M 1/026: {combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites (bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002)} - A01M 1/023: {Attracting insects by the simulation of a living being, i.e. emission of carbon dioxide, heat, sound waves or vibrations} - A01M 1/14: Catching by adhesive surfaces - Y02A 50/30: Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A trap for ectoparasitic arthropods with cryptic behavior, such as bed bugs, includes one or more dimensions of attractants, as well as the physical attributes of hiding places preferred by bed bugs. The trap may have an adhesive or fabric layer disposed within it, and the adhesive or fabric layer may include a non-volatile attractant such as a fecal matter attractant. With respect to attractants, such a trap may include one or more of a slow CO2 leaker device, one or more temperature gradient generators, one or more heated air generators, one or more cool infra-red (IR) sources, one or more volatile chemical attractants, and one or more non-volatile chemical attractants. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A trap, comprising: a body having at least one entry point, the trap body substantially opaque to visible light; and a material layer disposed within the body, the material layer selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer and a fabric layer; wherein the shape of the at least one entry point mimics a refuge preferred by at least one ectoparasitic arthropod with cryptic behavior. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, wherein the exterior of trap body is non-reflective of wavelengths of light that cause the at least one ectoparasitic arthropod aversion to entry. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, wherein the material layer is laid out so that there is an area within the trap adjacent to the at least one entry point where the material layer is not present. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one entry point is a slit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, further comprising one or more attractants disposed within the trap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The trap of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more attractants comprises a CO2 source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, further comprising a heat source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The trap of claim 8, wherein the heat source comprises is disposed external to the trap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The trap of claim 1, further comprising a computational resource disposed within the body, and a photosensor coupled to the computational resource for determining the light level external to the trap. ### Claim 11 A trap, comprising: a body having at least one entry point, the body substantially opaque to visible light; a material layer disposed within the body, the material layer selected from the group consisting of an adhesive layer and a fabric layer; at least one chemical attractant source disposed within the body; at least one non-chemical attractant source disposed within the body; control circuitry coupled the at least one chemical attractant source and to the at least one non-chemical attractant source; and wherein the shape of the at least one entry point mimics a refuge preferred by at least one ectoparasitic arthropod with cryptic behavior; and wherein the control circuitry is operable to activate release of at least one chemical attractant from the chemical attractant source. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The trap of claim 11, wherein the at least one ectoparasitic arthropod with cryptic behavior is a bed bug. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The trap of claim 11, further comprising communication circuitry coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the communication circuitry is operable to wirelessly receive and transmit information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The trap of claim 13, wherein the release of at least one chemical attractant is responsive to a command received by the communication circuitry. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The trap of claim 13, wherein the communication circuitry is responsive to an RFID tag reader. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The trap of claim 11, wherein the at least one non-chemical attractant source is a heat source, and the heat source is operable to produce a predetermined temperature gradient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The trap of claim 11, wherein the at least one non-chemical attractant source is an infra-red source. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The trap of claim 11, further comprising at least one insecticide source disposed within the body. ### Claim 19 A method of operating a trap having at least one entry point shaped to mimic a refuge preferred by at least one ectoparasitic arthropod, comprising: receiving a status query; determining the status of the trap; transmitting, responsive to the status query; the determined status of the trap; receiving a command; and activating one or more controllable trap elements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the status includes the status of one or more functional elements of the trap.