1. An apparatus for the lifting and transportation of ferromagnetic metal sheets, the apparatus comprising:
magnetic retaining means for retaining the ferromagnetic metal sheet; and
lifting and carrying means for facilitating the transportation of the ferromagnetic metal sheet.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for releasing the ferromagnetic metal sheet from said magnetic retaining means.
3. An apparatus for the lifting and transportation of ferromagnetic metal sheets, the apparatus comprising:
a flame operable for bearing the load of the ferromagnetic metal sheet; and
a plurality of permanent magnets disposed about the load bearing side of said frame, the magnets being configured to collectively provide adequate force to retain the ferromagnetic metal sheet onto said frame when said frame and the ferromagnetic metal sheet are being transported.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the magnetic poles of said plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in a North-South-North pattern of magnetic fields along the length or breadth of said frame.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising means for releasing the ferromagnetic metal sheet from said plurality of permanent magnets.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising at least one force-imparting mechanical device joined to said frame that is operable for imparting a bending force upon the ferromagnetic metal sheet retained by said plurality of permanent magnets, the force being applied at particular points on the ferromagnetic metal sheet to thereby induce a curvature in the ferromagnetic metal sheet that increases the distance between the ferromagnetic metal sheet and at least one of said plurality of permanent magnets.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one force-imparting mechanical device is selected from the group of force-imparting devices consisting of cams, wheels, levers, offset devices, rods, and springs.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one force-imparting mechanical device comprises a lever having a cylindrical roller or wheel at the force-imparting end of the lever.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least two of said force-imparting mechanical devices are mechanically linked together such that two or more of said force-imparting devices are engaged and disengaged together.
10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising means for locking said at least one force-imparting mechanical device into a safety position to prevent engagement during transportation of the retained ferromagnetic metal sheet.
11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one force-imparting mechanical device is mechanically actuated pneumatically, hydraulically, electrically, or magnetically.
12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said frame is adjustable in length andor breadth.
13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of permanent magnets includes a magnetizing material selected from the group consisting of ferrite, rare earth, and alnico magnets.
14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of permanent magnets is removably joined to said frame.
15. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the position of at least one of said plurality of permanent magnets is adjustable relative to said frame or relative to any other of said at least one of said plurality of permanent magnets.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-21. (canceled)
22. An apparatus, comprising:
logic to be coupled to multiple memory devices;
the logic to select, in response, at least in part, to at least one received command, at least one memory device set that is comprised in the multiple memory devices for an operation that is to involve the at least one memory device set;
the at least one received command to include one or more fields that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in the at least one received command in terms of one or more of the following: one or more individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, one or more multiple memory device groups in the multiple memory devices, one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
the one or more fields permit deselection of at least one other memory device set that is comprised in the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields also permit a configuration setting to be selected for the at least one memory device set.
24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
the one or more fields permit one or more sizes of the multiple memory device groups to be selectable; and
the one or more fields include one or more groups of bits that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in terms of any of the following: the individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, the one or more multiple memory device sets in the multiple memory devices, the one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a single command that indicates the at least one memory device set and also includes configuration information to be provided to the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields permit the at least one received command to indicate, as the at least one memory device set, any desired subset of the multiple memory devices.
26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a command sequence that includes a selection command to select the at least one memory device set, an operation command to perform the operation, and data for use in completing the command sequence.
27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:
the apparatus further comprises a memory controller to issue the at least one command to the logic via a memory bus;
the one or more fields are to be presented simultaneously via the bus; and
the one or more memory modules comprise one or more dual inline memory modules.
28. A method, comprising:
selecting, by logic to be coupled to multiple memory devices, in response, at least in part, to at least one received command, at least one memory device set that is comprised in the multiple memory devices for an operation that is to involve the at least one memory device set;
the at least one received command to include one or more fields that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in the at least one received command in terms of one or more of the following: one or more individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, one or more multiple memory device groups in the multiple memory devices, one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein:
the one or more fields permit deselection of at least one other memory device set that is comprised in the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields also permit a configuration setting to be selected for the at least one memory device set.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein:
the one or more fields permit one or more sizes of the multiple memory device groups to be selectable; and
the one or more fields include one or more groups of bits that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in terms of any of the following: the individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, the one or more multiple memory device sets in the multiple memory devices, the one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
31. The method of claim 28, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a single command that indicates the at least one memory device set and also includes configuration information to be provided to the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields permit the at least one received command to indicate, as the at least one memory device set, any desired subset of the multiple memory devices.
32. The method of claim 28, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a command sequence that includes a selection command to select the at least one memory device set, an operation command to perform the operation, and data for use in completing the command sequence.
33. The method of claim 28, wherein:
a memory controller issues the at least one command to the logic via a memory bus;
the one or more fields are presented simultaneously via the bus; and
the one or more memory modules comprise one or more dual inline memory modules.
34. Machine-readable memory containing instructions that when executed by a machine result in performing of operations comprising:
selecting, by logic to be coupled to multiple memory devices, in response, at least in part, to at least one received command, at least one memory device set that is comprised in the multiple memory devices for an operation that is to involve the at least one memory device set;
the at least one received command to include one or more fields that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in the at least one received command in terms of one or more of the following: one or more individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, one or more multiple memory device groups in the multiple memory devices, one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
35. The machine-readable memory of claim 34, wherein:
the one or more fields permit deselection of at least one other memory device set that is comprised in the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields also permit a configuration setting to be selected for the at least one memory device set.
36. The machine-readable memory of claim 34, wherein:
the one or more fields permit one or more sizes of the multiple memory device groups to be selectable; and
the one or more fields include one or more groups of bits that permit the at least one memory device set to be indicated in terms of any of the following: the individual memory devices in the multiple memory devices, the one or more multiple memory device sets in the multiple memory devices, the one or more memory modules in the multiple memory devices, and all of the multiple memory devices.
37. The machine-readable memory of claim 34, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a single command that indicates the at least one memory device set and also includes configuration information to be provided to the at least one memory device set; and
the one or more fields permit the at least one received command to indicate, as the at least one memory device set, any desired subset of the multiple memory devices.
38. The machine-readable memory of claim 34, wherein:
the at least one received command comprises a command sequence that includes a selection command to select the at least one memory device set, an operation command to perform the operation, and data for use in completing the command sequence.
39. The machine-readable memory of claim 34, wherein:
a memory controller is to issue the at least one command to the logic via a memory bus;
the one or more fields are to be presented simultaneously via the bus; and
the one or more memory modules comprise one or more dual inline memory modules.