All The Claims

1. A method of reducing noise in a vehicle propelled by an electric motor having a plurality of phases, the method comprising the steps of:
observing noise produced within the vehicle for at least one of the plurality of phases;
determining a transfer function between the noise produced by the at least one of the plurality of phases; and
applying the transfer function to produce a control signal for the motor, wherein the control signal is asymmetric with respect to the at least one of the plurality of electrical phases to thereby adjust acoustic signals produced by the electric motor.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying step comprises generating the control signal so as to reduce the noise produced within the vehicle with the acoustic signals.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adjusting the control signal for the motor in response to feedback measurements obtained by an acoustic sensor.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adjusting the control signal for the motor in response to a change in vehicle speed.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adjusting the control signal for the motor in response to a change in vehicle loading.
6. A device having active acoustic damping, the device comprising:
a motor comprising a plurality of independently actuatable regions;
a noise sensor configured to measure a noise and to provide a noise measurement as a function thereof and
a controller configured to receive the noise measurement and to provide a control signal to the motor as a function of the noise measurement, wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of phases, each phase corresponding to one of the independently actuatable regions, and wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the plurality of phases with respect to each other to thereby produce acoustic vibrations with the motor.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the vibrations are configured to cancel at least a portion of the noise measured by the noise sensor.
8. The device of claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to produce the control signal using a transfer function of the noise.
9. The device of claim 6 wherein the device is a vehicle.
10. The device of claim 6 wherein the device is an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).
11. A method of actively damping a noise with a motor, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a measurement of the noise;
processing the measurement to produce a control signal for the motor as a function of the noise; and
providing the control signal to the motor to thereby adjust an acoustic signal produced by the motor, wherein the acoustic signal is configured to produce a tone that cancels at least a portion of the noise.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the processing step comprises applying an inverting transfer function to the measurement.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of phase controls, each provided to an independently-actuatable phase of the motor.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the processing step comprises altering one of the plurality of phase controls to be unequal to the remaining phase controls.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the altering step comprises altering a magnitude of the unequal one of the plurality of phase controls.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the altering step comprises altering a frequency of the noise canceling portion.
17. A noise canceling control system for a motor, the control system comprising a processor and memory coupled to a noise sensor, wherein die memory is configured to store instructions for the processor, the instructions comprising:
a first code module configured to receive a noise measurement from the noise sensor; and
a second code module configured to provide a control signal to the motor in response to the noise measurement to thereby produce a vibration with the motor, wherein the vibration produces a tone configured to cancel at least a portion of the noise at the noise sensor.
18. A noise-canceling control system for a device having a motor, the control system comprising:
means for generating a control signal for the motor, wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of phases; and
means for adjusting at least one of the plurality of phases of the control signal to thereby produce a vibration with the motor, wherein the vibration produces a tone that cancels at least a portion of the noise.
19. A noise-canceling control system for a device having a motor, the control system comprising:
means for receiving a measurement of the noise;
means for processing the measurement to produce a control signal for the motor as a function of the noise; and
means for providing the control signal to the motor to thereby adjust an acoustic signal produced by the motor, wherein the acoustic signal is configured to produce a tone that cancels at least a portion of the noise.
20. A system for reducing noise in a vehicle propelled by an electric motor having a plurality of phases, the system comprising:
means for observing noise produced within the vehicle for at least one of the plurality of phases;
means for determining a transfer function between the noise produced by the at least one of the plurality of phases; and
means for applying the transfer function to produce a control signal for the motor, wherein the control signal is asymmetric with respect to the at least one of the plurality of electrical phases to thereby adjust acoustic signals produced by the electric motor.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for separating water from a saline solution using a directional solvent, the method comprising:
a) providing a directional solvent;
b) providing a saline solution comprising water and at least one salt at an initial salt concentration;
c) making an emulsion of the saline solution in the directional solvent in liquid form;
d) heating the directional solvent before or after contact with the saline solution to produce a first phase that includes the directional solvent and a concentration of water from the saline solution dissolved in the directional solvent, and a second phase that includes a highly concentrated remainder of the saline solution;
e) separating the first phase from the second phase;
f) cooling the first phase after the separation to precipitate the water from the directional solvent, wherein the precipitation is a liquid-liquid phase separation, wherein the water is precipitated with a salt concentration substantially less than the initial salt concentration of the saline solution, and wherein the concentration of water that dissolves in the directional solvent is at least 10 times greater than the concentration of the directional solvent in the precipitated water;
g) removing the precipitated water from the directional solvent; and
h) reusing the directional solvent in multiple repetitions of (b) through (g),
wherein the water is dissolved in and precipitated from the solvent in an atmosphere with a pressure below 10 atm.
2. A method for separating water from a saline solution using a directional solvent, the method comprising:
a) providing a directional solvent, wherein the directional solvent includes a compound with a hydrophilic hydroxide group, and wherein the hydrophilic hydroxide group binds to water from the saline solution;
b) providing a saline solution comprising water and at least one salt at an initial salt concentration;
c) making an emulsion of the saline solution in the directional solvent in liquid form;
d) heating the directional solvent before or after contact with the saline solution to produce a first phase that includes the directional solvent and a concentration of water from the saline solution dissolved in the directional solvent, and a second phase that includes a highly concentrated remainder of the saline solution;
e) separating the first phase from the second phase;
f) cooling the first phase after the separation to precipitate the water from the directional solvent, wherein the precipitation is a liquid-liquid phase separation, wherein the water is precipitated with a salt concentration substantially less than the initial salt concentration of the saline solution, and wherein the concentration of water that dissolves in the directional solvent is at least 10 times greater than the concentration of the directional solvent in the precipitated water;
g) removing the precipitated water from the directional solvent; and
h) reusing the directional solvent in multiple repetitions of (b) through (g).
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrophilic hydroxide group is part of a carboxyl group.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the directional solvent includes a carboxylic acid that incorporates the carboxyl group.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the carboxylic acid has an unbranched aliphatic chain.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the unbranched aliphatic chain has a length from 6 to 13 carbon atoms.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the directional solvent is heated to a temperature of no more than 110\xb0 C. to dissolve water from the saline solution into the directional solvent.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the saline solution is a product of oil or gas extraction.
9. A method for separating water from a saline solution using a directional solvent, the method comprising:
a) providing a directional solvent, wherein the directional solvent is a solid at temperatures of 15\xb0 C. and below;
b) providing a saline solution comprising water and at least one salt at an initial salt concentration;
c) making an emulsion of the saline solution in the directional solvent in liquid form;
d) heating the directional solvent before or after contact with the saline solution to produce a first phase that includes the directional solvent and a concentration of water from the saline solution dissolved in the directional solvent, and a second phase that includes a highly concentrated remainder of the saline solution;
e) separating the first phase from the second phase;
f) cooling the first phase after the separation to precipitate the water from the directional solvent, wherein the precipitation is a liquid-liquid phase separation, wherein the water is precipitated with a salt concentration substantially less than the initial salt concentration of the saline solution, and wherein the concentration of water that dissolves in the directional solvent is at least 10 times greater than the concentration of the directional solvent in the precipitated water;
g) removing the precipitated water from the directional solvent; and
h) reusing the directional solvent in multiple repetitions of (b) through (g).
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the directional solvent includes a compound with a hydrophilic hydroxide group, and wherein the hydrophilic hydroxide group binds to water from the saline solution.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the directional solvent is heated to a temperature of no more than 110\xb0 C. to dissolve water from the saline solution into the directional solvent.
12. A method for separating water from a saline solution using a directional solvent, the method comprising:
a) providing a directional solvent;
b) providing a saline solution comprising water and at least one salt at an initial salt concentration;
c) making an emulsion of the saline solution in the directional solvent in liquid form;
d) heating the directional solvent before or after contact with the saline solution to a temperature of no more than 110\xb0 C. to produce a first phase that includes the directional solvent and a concentration of water from the saline solution dissolved in the directional solvent, and a second phase that includes a highly concentrated remainder of the saline solution;
e) separating the first phase from the second phase;
f) cooling the first phase after the separation to precipitate the water from the directional solvent, wherein the precipitation is a liquid-liquid phase separation, wherein the water is precipitated with a salt concentration substantially less than the initial salt concentration of the saline solution, and wherein the concentration of water that dissolves in the directional solvent is at least 10 times greater than the concentration of the directional solvent in the precipitated water;
g) removing the precipitated water from the directional solvent; and
h) reusing the directional solvent in multiple repetitions of (b) through (g).
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using dielectrophoresis to separate the precipitated water from the directional solvent.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the directional solvent is heated using energy from a low-temperature heat source of no greater than 40\xb0 C.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein separation of the water from the saline solution using the directional solvent is a first stage in a multi-stage desalination process, the method further comprising subjecting the precipitated water, after extraction, to a second stage of desalination to reach a higher level of purity.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second stage of desalination includes reverse osmosis or flash distillation.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the saline solution is a product of oil or gas extraction.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the saline solution is fracking water or produced water.
19. The method of claim 12, wherein the directional solvent includes a compound with a hydrophilic hydroxide group, and wherein the hydrophilic hydroxide group binds to water from the saline solution.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein the directional solvent is heated to a temperature of no more than 75\xb0 C. to dissolve water from the saline solution into the directional solvent.

1. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of varactor stages that are electrically coupled in parallel;
wherein for two or more varactor stages of the plurality of varactor stages, each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages includes a set of one or more varactors that are electrically coupled to a tuning source;
wherein each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages is configured to vary a respective capacitance in response to a tuning voltage from the tuning source;
wherein each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages is configured to be concurrently biased at a different respective voltage level.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of varactor stages comprises:
a first varactor stage configured to be biased at a first voltage level;
a second varactor stage configured to be biased at a second voltage level that is different than the first voltage level; and
a third varactor stage configured to be biased at a third voltage level that is different than the first voltage level and the second voltage level.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second voltage level is greater than the first voltage level by an offset amount and wherein the third voltage level is less than the first voltage level by the offset amount.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages includes at least one switched varactor and at least one non-switched varactor.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one switched varactor is configured to be connected to the tuning source in response to a set of one or more digital control signals.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages includes a set of one or more capacitive structures that capacitively couple the respective varactor stage with a tank circuit.
7 The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is an integrated circuit package.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of varactor stages are configured to operate in the 60 GHz frequency band.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of varactor stages;
wherein for two or more varactor stages of the plurality of varactor stages, each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages includes a respective set of one or more switched varactors and a respective set of one or more non-switched varactors;
wherein for each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, the respective varactor stage is configured such that a digital control signal controls how many switched varactors in the respective set of one or more switched varactors are connected to a tuning source;
wherein for a first varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, a first switched varactor included in the first varactor stage is configured to be connected to the tuning source based on a first bit of the digital control signal;
wherein for a second varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, a second switched varactor included in the second varactor stage is configured to be connected to the tuning source based on the first bit of the digital control signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 9,
wherein for a first varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, the respective set of one or more switched varactors and the respective set of one or more non-switched varactors are biased at a first voltage level;
wherein for a second varactor stage of the two or more varactors stages, the respective set of one or more switched varactors and the respective set of one or more non-switched varactors are biased at a second voltage level that is different than the first voltage level.
11. The apparatus of claim 9,
wherein for each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, the respective set of one or more switched varactors includes a plurality of switched varactors that are part of a plurality of varactor sub-stages;
wherein two or more varactor sub-stages of the plurality of varactor sub-stages are configured to be controlled by different bits of the digital control signal.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each varactor sub-stage of the two or more varactor sub-stages includes two varactors that are electrically coupled to a switch that is controlled by a respective bit of the digital control signal.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
a switched capacitor array that is configured such that the digital control signal controls how many capacitors are connected within a voltage controlled oscillator to change an operating frequency band of the voltage controlled oscillator.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages is configured such that the digital control signal connects additional switched varactors to the tuning source as the operating frequency band of the voltage controlled oscillator is decreased and disconnects switched varactors from the tuning source as the operating frequency band of the voltage controlled oscillator is increased.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages includes a set of one or more capacitive structures that capacitively couple the respective varactor stage with one or more other components within a voltage controlled oscillator.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of varactor stages are coupled in parallel; wherein for each respective varactor stage of the two or more varactor stages, a plurality of varactor sub-stages are electrically coupled in parallel; wherein each varactor sub-stage includes at least one of a switched varactor or a non-switched varactor.
17. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the apparatus is an integrated circuit package.
18. A circuit comprising:
a first varactor stage configured to be biased at a first voltage level;
wherein the first varactor stage includes a first varactor sub-stage, a second varactor sub-stage, and a third varactor sub-stage;
wherein the second varactor sub-stage includes a first switch that is configured to connect a first varactor and a second varactor to a tuning source in response to a first control signal;
wherein the third varactor sub-stage includes a second switch that is configured to connect a third varactor and a fourth varactor to the tuning source in response to a second control signal;
a second varactor stage configured to be biased at a second voltage level that is different than the first voltage level;
wherein the second varactor stage includes a fourth varactor sub-stage, a fifth varactor sub-stage, and a sixth varactor sub-stage;
wherein the fifth varactor sub-stage includes a third switch that is configured to connect a fifth varactor and a sixth varactor to the tuning source in response to the first control signal;
wherein the sixth varactor sub-stage includes a fourth switch that is configured to connect a seventh varactor and an eighth varactor to the tuning source in response to the second control signal.
19. The circuit of claim 18, further comprising:
a third varactor stage configured to be biased at a third voltage level that is different than the first voltage level and the second voltage level;
wherein the third varactor stage includes a seventh varactor sub-stage, an eighth varactor sub-stage, and a ninth varactor sub-stage;
wherein the eighth varactor sub-stage includes a fifth switch that is configured to connect a ninth varactor and a tenth varactor to the tuning source in response to the first control signal;
wherein the ninth varactor sub-stage includes a sixth switch that is configured to connect a eleventh varactor and a twelfth varactor to the tuning source in response to the second control signal.
20. The circuit of claim 18, wherein the first varactor sub-stage includes a first non-switched varactor and a second non-switched varactor that are connected to the tuning source, wherein the third varactor sub-stage includes a third non-switched varactor and a fourth non-switched varactor that are connected to the tuning source.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A ring laser gyroscope that includes a frame, a cavity in the frame, a first anode, a second anode and a cathode arranged to define a gain region in the cavity and to form a plasma extending between the first and second anodes in a gain medium within the gain region, a first mirror well formed in the frame between the first anode and the cathode, a first mirror mounted to the frame adjacent the first mirror well, a second mirror well formed in the frame between the second anode and the cathode, a second mirror mounted to the frame adjacent the second mirror well, the first and second mirror wells being arranged to intersect the cavity, comprising:
a first plasma shunt located in the first mirror well and arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting the first mirror; and
a second plasma shunt located in the second mirror well and arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting the second mirror.
2. The ring laser gyroscope of claim 1 wherein the first plasma shunt comprises a first electrical conductor located in the first mirror well and arranged such that contact between the plasma and the first electrical conductor quenches the plasma in the first mirror well and produces an electrical current in the first electrical conductor; and wherein the second plasma shunt comprises a second electrical conductor located in the second mirror well and arranged such that contact between the plasma and the second electrical conductor quenches the plasma in the second mirror well and produces an electrical current in the second electrical conductor.
3. The ring laser gyroscope of claim 2 wherein the first and second electrical conductors are formed as first and second metallized strips arranged to extend across the first and second mirror wells, respectively and are spaced apart from the first and second mirrors.
4. The ring laser gyroscope of claim 2 wherein the first and second electrical conductors are formed as first and second metal wires arranged to extend across the first and second mirror wells, respectively and are spaced apart from the first and second mirrors.
5. The ring laser gyroscope of claim 1 wherein the first plasma shunt comprises a first diversion passage formed in the frame and arranged to extend through the first mirror well and to intersect the cavity at two locations near the first mirror well that are spaced apart from the first mirror and arranged such that the plasma fills the first diversion passage in the first mirror well without contacting the first mirror; and wherein the second plasma shunt comprises a second diversion passage formed in the frame and arranged to extend through the second mirror well and to intersect the cavity at two locations near the second mirror well that are spaced apart from the second mirror and arranged such that the plasma fills the second diversion passage in the second mirror well without contacting the second mirror.
6. A method for preventing plasma damage to mirrors in a ring laser gyroscope gain medium, the ring laser gyroscope including a frame, a cavity in the frame, a first anode, a second anode and a cathode arranged to define a gain region in the cavity and to form a plasma extending between the first and second anodes the gain medium within the gain region, a first mirror well formed in the frame between the first anode and the cathode, a first mirror mounted to the frame adjacent the first mirror well, a second mirror well formed in the frame between the second anode and the cathode, a second mirror mounted to the frame adjacent the second mirror well, the first and second mirror wells being arranged to intersect the cavity, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a first plasma shunt in the first mirror well spaced apart from the first mirror and arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting the first mirror; and
(b) placing a second plasma shunt in the second mirror well spaced apart from the second mirror and arranged to prevent the plasma from contacting the second mirror.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of placing a first electrical conductor in the first mirror well and arranging the first electrical conductor such that contact between the plasma and the first electrical conductor quenches the plasma in the first mirror well and produces an electrical current in the first electrical conductor; and wherein step (b) comprises the steps of placing a second electrical conductor in the second mirror well and arranging the second electrical conductor such that contact between the plasma and the second electrical conductor quenches the plasma in the second mirror well and produces an electrical current in the second electrical conductor.
8. The method of claim 7 including the steps of forming the first and second electrical conductors as first and second metallized strips and arranging the first and second metallized strips to extend across the first and second mirror wells, respectively spaced apart from the first and second mirrors.
9. The method of claim 7 including the steps of forming the first and second electrical conductors as first and second metal wires arranging the first and second metal wires to extend across the first and second mirror wells spaced apart from the first and second mirrors.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of forming a first diversion passage in the frame to extend through the first mirror well to intersect the cavity at two locations near the first mirror well that are spaced apart from the first mirror and arranging the first diversion passage such that the plasma fills the first diversion passage in the first mirror well without contacting the first mirror; and wherein step (b) comprises the steps of forming a second diversion passage in the frame to extend through the second mirror well and arranging the second diversion passage to intersect the cavity at two locations near the second mirror well that are spaced apart from the second mirror and arranged such that the plasma fills the second diversion passage in the second mirror well without contacting the second mirror.