Abstract: 2N?1 four-terminal phase-reversing switches are arranged in one or more columns of cascaded switches, wherein a frequency having a given relative phase ? is applied as an input of the top switch in a cascade. A particular configuration of 2N?1 different reference-values, determined by a preselected N-Bit binary code, is applied to the respective 2N?1 switches so that (1) whenever the amplitude value of an applied analog signal reaches a value equal to the reference value applied to any switch, that switch will switch to reverse the phase at its output from the phase at its input, and (2) cause the switching of the phase at the output at each switch ordinally situated in a column below that switch. The respective output phases from a certain subset of N switches of the 2N?1 switches define the binary values of the preselected N-Bit binary code output from the A/D converter.

Abstract: Each of various modifications of an integrated-structure inflatable balloon catheter design includes a longitudinal structure having a sharply-pointed insertion needle at a distal end of the longitudinal structure and an inflatable balloon situated intermediate a proximate end and the distal end of the longitudinal structure which is attached to said longitudinal structure. With the inflatable balloon in a deflated state, the insertion needle may be used to puncture the patient's skin and underlying sub-cutaneous tissue and place the deflated balloon in proximity to the diseased sub-cutaneous tissue, The balloon is then inflated to press against and thereby spatially deform the diseased sub-cutaneous tissue, after which the deformed diseased sub-cutaneous tissue may be therapeutically heated. This heating may be sufficient to cause the creation of a permanent cavity in the deformed diseased sub-cutaneous tissue which persists after the catheter is withdrawn.

Abstract: An optical reticle inspection system and method employing a photolithographic projection optical system. The present invention provides for imaging a reticle pattern to be inspected onto a complementary reticle pattern and directly viewing the obscured image pattern to provide a measure of the fidelity of the reticle patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following three improvements to apparatus employing a microwave radiometer to measure the temperature of a specimen: By situating a low-loss, high-temperature dielectric microwave antenna, which may be composed of low-loss alumina ceramic, within a high-loss-high-temperature antenna sheath, which may be a ceramic composed of an alumina-graphite mixture, a microwave radiometer may be employed to continuously measure the temperature of a material at high temperature, such as molten steel.

Abstract: Applying squeezing pressure to a diseased prostate, by means of a urethral and/or rectal catheter incorporating an inflatable prostate balloon, to compress the prostate while it is being irradiated from a microwave antenna, increases the therapeutic temperature to which the prostate tissue more distal to the microwave antenna can be heated without heating any non-prostate tissue beyond a maximum safe temperature, and reduces the temperature differential between the heated more distal and more proximate prostate tissue from the microwave antenna.

Abstract: A carrier-frequency signal transmitted through the individual's thorax from a first module to a second module, is modulated at the second module and retransmitted back through the individual's thorax to the first module. An attribute (e.g., doppler frequency shift or amplitude variation) of solely the modulation component of the signal received by the first module is employed to monitor the waveform of cyclic movement (e.g., breathing rate) within the individual's thorax.

Abstract: Fatty artherosclerotic plaque, under heat (e.g. by applied microwave radiation) and pressure, is liquified and sucked into the interior of one of two catheters of a catheter arrangement through an aperture therein and then sucked out of a patient's body through the proximal end of the one catheter. The other of the two catheters employs an inflated balloon to press the aperture region of the one catheter firmly against the plaque portion to be removed. Calcified artherosclerotic plaque can be ablated and removed in a similar manner, by substituting ultrasonic energy for heat.