1. A method of protecting data in a data storageretrieval system, comprising:
encrypting command-related information in a host device, wherein the encrypted command-related information includes a readwrite command to be executed by a controller of a data storage device, and wherein the readwrite command is encrypted by the host device using an encryption key; and
sending the encrypted command-related information including the encrypted readwrite command to the data storage device that decrypts the encrypted readwrite command using a decryption key,
wherein the encrypted readwrite command is separate from any data that is for storage in a recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
decrypting the encrypted command-related information at the data storage device;
interpreting the decrypted command-related information to generate interpreted commands; and
executing the interpreted commands by the controller of the data storage device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is a HDD (hard disk drive).
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the command-related information further includes at least one of LBA (logic block address) information and sector counter information used for addressing hard disks of the HDD for the readwrite command.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the command-related information further includes address information for the readwrite command.
6. A host device for protecting data in a data storageretrieval system, comprising:
a host controller;
a memory having sequences of instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of said sequence of instructions by the host controller causes the host controller to perform the step of:
encrypting command-related information that includes a readwrite command to be executed by a controller of a data storage device, wherein the readwrite command is encrypted by the host device using an encryption key; and
a host interface that transmits the encrypted command-related information including the encrypted readwrite command to the data storage device that decrypts the encrypted readwrite command using a description key,
wherein the encrypted readwrite command is separate from any data that is for storage in a recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device.
7. The host device of claim 6, wherein the host controller within the host device includes a host CPU command register for storing the command-related information before being encrypted.
8. The host device of claim 6, wherein the host interface includes a host interface command register for storing the encrypted command-related information.
9. The host device of claim 6, wherein the data storage device is a HDD (hard disk drive).
10. The host device of claim 6, wherein the command-related information further includes address information for the readwrite command.
11. A data storageretrieval system, comprising:
a host device including:
a host controller;
a first memory having sequences of instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of said sequence of instructions by the host controller causes the host controller to perform the step of:
encrypting command-related information including a readwrite command that is encrypted by the host device using an encryption key; and
a host interface that transmits the encrypted command-related information including the encrypted readwrite command; and
a data storage device including:
a drive interface for receiving the encrypted command-related information from the host interface;
a drive controller, wherein the encrypted command-related information includes the readwrite command to be executed by the drive controller of the data storage device; and
a second memory having sequences of instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of said sequence of instructions by the drive controller causes the drive controller to perform the steps of:
decrypting the encrypted command-related information including decrypting the encrypted readwrite command using a decryption key;
interpreting the decrypted command-related information to generate interpreted commands; and
executing the interpreted commands by the data storage device,
wherein the encrypted readwrite command is separate from any data that is for storage in a recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device.
12. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the host controller within the host device includes a host CPU command register for storing the command-related information before being encrypted.
13. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the host interface within the host device includes a host interface command register for storing the encrypted command-related information.
14. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the drive interface includes a drive interface command register for storing the encrypted command-related information.
15. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the drive controller includes a drive CPU command register for storing the decrypted command-related information.
16. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the data storage device is a HDD (hard disk drive).
17. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein the command-related information includes at least one of read or write command information and address information.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
encrypting at a host device any readwrite command generated by the host device and to be executed by the controller of the data storage device; and
sending the encrypted readwrite command to the data storage device from the host device.
19. The host device of claim 6, wherein execution of said sequence of instructions by the host controller causes the host controller to perform the step of:
encrypting any readwrite command generated by the host device for being executed by the controller of the data storage device,
wherein the host interface transmits the encrypted readwrite command to the data storage device.
20. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein execution of said sequence of instructions by the host controller causes the host controller to perform the step of:
encrypting any readwrite command generated by the host device for being executed by the drive controller of the data storage device,
wherein the host interface transmits the encrypted readwrite command to the data storage device.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein any data for storage in the recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device is not encrypted such that only the command-related information is encrypted with the command-related information being different and separate from the data and being for indicating an operation on the data.
22. The host device of claim 6, wherein any data for storage in the recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device is not encrypted such that only the command-related information is encrypted with the command-related information being different and separate from the data and being for indicating an operation on the data.
23. The data storageretrieval system of claim 11, wherein any data for storage in the recordingrestoring medium of the data storage device is not encrypted such that only the command-related information is encrypted with the command-related information being different and separate from the data and being for indicating an operation on the data.
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 of storing a plurality of fluid samples all comprising a liquid solvent, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) storing each of the plurality of fluid samples in a well of a well plate, each of the plurality of fluid samples including the liquid solvent;
(b) covering the well plate with a closure which comprises a reservoir holding at least a first quantity of the liquid solvent and at least one opening which allows gas diffusion from the reservoir but does not allow liquid movement from the reservoir;
(c) converting at least a part of the first quantity of the liquid solvent into a second quantity of a vapor solvent;
(d) providing at least a part of the second quantity of the vapor solvent through the opening; and
(e) replenishing the liquid solvent in the reservoir of the closure.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
(f) covering the closure with a cover or plug which helps to prevent evaporation of the liquid solvent in the reservoir of the closure.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (e) is carried out without removing the closure from the well plate.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (e) is carried out by means of an automated pipetting system.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (e) is carried out by means of an automated pin-based fluid transfer system.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of stacking the covered well plate atop other well plates.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 10% of the vapor solvent escaping to the atmosphere through a seal between the closure and the well plate comes from the liquid solvent in the reservoir of the closure.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the closure contacts the well plate at a contact zone, and wherein as a result of the presence of the liquid solvent in the reservoir of the closure, the partial pressure of the vapor solvent immediately outside the contact zone is at least 10% of the vapor pressure of the vapor solvent.
9. A method of storing a fluid sample comprising a liquid solvent, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) placing the fluid sample in a first reservoir;
(b) covering the first reservoir with a closure which includes a second reservoir holding at least a first quantity of the liquid solvent and at least one opening which allows gas diffusion to the first reservoir but does not allow liquid movement from the second reservoir to the first reservoir;
(c) converting at least a part of the first quantity of the liquid solvent into a second quantity of a vapor solvent;
(d) providing at least a part of the second quantity of the vapor solvent through the opening; and
(e) replenishing the liquid solvent in the second reservoir.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:
(f) covering the closure with a cover or plug which helps to prevent evaporation of the liquid solvent in the second reservoir.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step (e) is carried out without removing the closure from the first reservoir.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step (e) is carried out by means of an automated pipetting system.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step (e) is carried out by means of an automated pin-based fluid transfer system.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein at least 10% of the vapor solvent escaping to the atmosphere through a seal between the closure and the first reservoir comes from the liquid solvent in the second reservoir.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the closure contacts the first reservoir at a contact zone, and wherein as a result of the presence of the liquid solvent in the second reservoir, the partial pressure of the vapor solvent immediately outside the contact zone is at least 10% of the vapor pressure of the vapor solvent.