Limited use DVD-video disc

• US 20030081521A1
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Now Showing Entertainment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merrill Solomon
• Inventors: Solomon, Merrill, LaBarge, Ralph, Venepalli, Bhaskar
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/53.21
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/122 involving the detection of an identification or authentication mark record carriers indicating unauthorised or prior use G11B23/28
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00746 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00927 wherein said defects or errors are generated on purpose, e.g. intended scratches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/282 Limited play
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/268 Post-production operations, e.g. initialising phase-change recording layers, checking for defects investigating the presence of flaws or contamination in optical discs G01N21/9506

Abstract

A limited-use Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) includes a storage layer for storing content data and control key data. At least one mark of photosensitive dye is disposed on the disc exterior to the storage layer and over at least a portion of the control key data. In one embodiment, the mark is initially transparent to allow a DVD player to read the control key data. The mark changes from clear to become opaque when it is exposed to DVD reader laser light for a cumulative period of time. This change in the optical property of the mark and the configuration of the control key data prevents further reading of the content data after predetermined reading and playback usage of at least some of the content data is permitted. In another embodiment, the mark is initially opaque to initially prevent the successful reading of the control key data, and permanently changes to transparent when exposed to DVD reader laser light for a cumulative period of time.

Claims

1. A limited-use digital versatile disc (DVD) comprising:

a storage layer for storing protected content data and control key data;

a mark of photosensitive dye disposed in a predetermined relationship to the control key data to allow or prevent successful reading of at least part of the control key data; and

control logic, also stored in the disc to be executed by a DVD reader and configured in conjunction with said mark and control key data to prevent further reading of protected content data after predetermined reading and playback usage thereof.

2. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the control logic comprises clear key data logic.

3. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the control logic comprises hidden key data logic.

4. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the control logic comprises change key data logic.

6. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the mark of photosensitive dye permanently changes optical properties when exposed to light from a DVD reader laser for at least a predetermined period of time.

7. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the mark of photosensitive dye is initially transparent to allow successful reading of the control key data but permanently changes from transparent to opaque then preventing successful reading of the control key data.

8. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the mark of photosensitive dye is initially opaque to prevent successful reading of the control key data but changes from opaque to transparent then allowing successful reading of the control key data.

9. A DVD as in claim 7 wherein the control logic comprises clear key data logic so that when the mark of photosensitive dye is initially transparent, the control key can be read through the mark to enable predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data;

the mark subsequently permanently changing to become opaque and preventing the control key data from being read and thereby preventing further reading of protected content data.

10. A DVD as in claim 8 wherein the control logic comprises hidden key data logic wherein the mark of photosensitive dye is initially opaque to prevent the control key data from being successfully read thus enabling the predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data;

and wherein the mark subsequently permanently changes to become transparent so that the control key data can be read thereby preventing further reading of protected content data.

11. A DVD as in claim 4 wherein the mark of photosensitive dye is initially transparent so that a first of the successive reading attempts of the control key data yields a first value based on successful reading of the control key data through the mark, and wherein the mark subsequently permanently changes to become opaque so that a second of the successive reading attempts of the control key data yields a second value based upon unsuccessful reading of the control key data, thereby enabling predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data;

and successive reads of the control key data thereafter yielding the same second value based upon unsuccessful reading of the control key data to prevent further reading of protected content data.

12. A DVD as in claim 4 wherein the mark of photosensitive dye is initially opaque so that a first of the successive reading attempts of the control key data yields a first value based on unsuccessful reading of the control key data, and wherein the mark subsequently permanently changes to become transparent so that a second of the successive reading attempts of the control key data yields a second value based on successful reading of the control key data, thereby enabling predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data;

and both of the first and second successive reading attempts of the control key thereafter yielding the same second value based upon successful reading of the control key data through the now transparent mark to prevent further reading of the protected content data.

13. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the mark is positioned over at least a part of control key data.

14. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein control key data comprises a plurality of parts or instances that are distributed and stored within the storage layer.

15. A DVD as in claim 14 wherein the mark is disposed on the disc over at least one of the parts or instances of the control key data.

16. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein the storage layer stores the protected content data and control key data in separate respective storage areas, and stores a first set of padding data in another storage area which is located between the storage area storing content data and the storage area storing the protected control key data.

17. A DVD as in claim 16 wherein the storage layer stores a second set of padding data in another storage area, the storage area storing protected content data being located between the respective different storage areas storing the first and second sets of padding data.

18. A DVD as in claim 1 wherein:

the storage layer stores second control key data and a second mark of photosensitive dye is disposed on the disc exterior to the storage layer to allow or prevent reading of the second control key data; and

the first-mentioned control key data and the first-mentioned mark and the second control key data and the second mark having respective configurations in conjunction with said control logic to prevent further reading of protected content data after predetermined reading of the protected content data.

19. A DVD as in claim 18 wherein the first-mentioned control key data is stored in a first area of the storage layer, the second control key data is stored in a second area of the storage layer, and the content data is stored in a third area of the storage layer, the third area of the storage layer being located between the first and second areas of the storage area.

20. A DVD as in claim 19 wherein padding data is stored in fourth and fifth areas of the storage layer, the fourth area being located between the first and third areas and the fifth area being located between the second and third areas.

21. A DVD as in claim 20 wherein the first-mentioned mark is positioned over at least a portion of the first and fourth areas but not the third area, and the second mark is positioned over at least a portion of the second and fifth areas but not the third area.

22. A DVD as in claim 18 wherein the first-mentioned mark is positioned over at least a portion of the first-mentioned control key and the second mark is positioned over at least a portion of the second control key.

65. A DVD as in claim 1, wherein the mark is printed on the disc exterior to the storage layer.

5. A DVD as in claim I wherein the mark of photosensitive dye changes between transparent and opaque states to respectively allow or prevent successful reading of the control key data.

23. A limited-use digital versatile disc (DVD) comprising:

a storage layer including a track having a plurality of spiral turns, the storage layer storing protected content data within some of the spiral turns and storing control key data within at least one other spiral turn;

at least one mark of photosensitive dye disposed on the disc exterior to the storage layer and disposed over at least a portion the control key data; and

the control key data and the mark of photosensitive dye having a configuration which, together with control logic software also carried in a storage layer of the DVD, prevents further reading of protected content data after predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data.

24. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the control key data comprises multiple parts or instances which are distributed over and stored in a first group of consecutive spiral turns.

25. A DVD as in claim 24 wherein the storage layer stores a first set of padding data in a group of consecutive spiral turns, the group of consecutive spiral turns storing the first set of padding data being located substantially adjacent to the group of consecutive spiral turns storing multiple parts or instances of the control key data.

26. A DVD as in claim 25 wherein the storage layer stores a second set of padding data in another group of consecutive spiral turns, the another group of consecutive spiral turns storing the second set of padding data being located substantially adjacent to the group of consecutive spiral turns storing multiple parts or instances of the control key data and located on a side opposite the group of consecutive spiral turns storing the first set of padding data.

27. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the storage layer stores a first set of padding data in a group of consecutive spiral turns which are located between the spiral turns storing protected content data and the at least one spiral turn storing the control key data.

28. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the storage layer stores second control key data within at least one spiral turn that is different from the spiral turns storing protected content data and the at least one spiral turn storing the first mentioned control key data.

29. A DVD as in claim 28 wherein the second control key data comprises multiple parts or instances which are distributed over and stored in a group of consecutive spiral turns.

30. A DVD as in claim 28 wherein the spiral turns of the storage layer storing protected content data are disposed between the at least one spiral turn storing the first mentioned control key data and the at least one spiral turn storing the second control key data.

31. A DVD as in claim 30 wherein the storage layer stores padding data in spiral turns located between (a) the spiral turns storing protected content data and the at least one spiral turn storing the control key data, and (b) the spiral turns storing protected content data and the at least one spiral turn storing the second control key data.

32. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the storage layer stores data representing one or more additional control keys within one or more respective spiral turns different from the spiral turns storing protected content data and the at least one spiral turn storing the control key data, and the number of said control keys determiners the number of permitted reading and playback uses of protected content data.

33. A DVD as in claim 32 wherein the number of said control keys is equal to the number of permitted reading and playback uses of protected content data.

34. A DVD as in claim 24 wherein the control logic comprises clear key data logic.

35. A DVD as in claim 24 wherein the control logic comprises hidden key data logic.

36. A DVD as in claim 24 wherein the control logic comprises change key data logic.

37. A DVD as in claim 24 wherein the DVD comprises a plurality of marks of photosensitive dye disposed on a surface of the disc exterior to the storage layer, at least one of the marks being positioned over at least one of the parts or instances of the control key data.

38. A DVD as in claim 37 wherein the at least one mark positioned over the at least one part or instance of the control key data is either transparent or opaque to respectively allow or prevent successful reading of the at least one part or instance of the control key data.

39. A DVD as in claim 37 wherein the marks of photosensitive dye permanently change in optical property if exposed to DVD reader laser light for a predetermined cumulative period of time.

40. A DVD as in claim 37 wherein each of the marks is in the shape of an arc or a dot.

41. A DVD as in claim 37 wherein the width of the marks is limited so that no mark is positioned over any portion of the spiral turns storing protected content data.

42. A DVD as in claim 26 wherein the width of the at least one mark is greater than the width of the group of consecutive spiral turns storing the control key data but less than the combined width of the group of consecutive spiral turns storing the control key data and the groups of consecutive spiral turns storing the first and second sets of padding data.

43. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the mark is initially transparent so that the control key data can initially be read and the mark thereafter permanently changes to become opaque so that the control key data cannot be correctly read.

44. A DVD as in claim 23 wherein the mark is initially opaque so that the control key data cannot correctly be read and the mark thereafter permanently changes to become transparent so that the control key data can be read.

66. A DVD as in claim 23, wherein the mark is printed on the disc exterior to the storage layer.

45. A method for limiting use of a DVD, said method comprising:

storing control key data in a storage layer of the DVD;

disposing a mark of photosensitive dye on the DVD exterior to the storage layer, the mark having an initial optical property which allows or prevents at least a portion of the control key data from being read successfully; and

changing the initial optical property of the mark to change the readability of at least a portion of said control key data and logically controlling further reading of protected content data stored in the storage layer as a function of the change in readability after predetermined reading and playback usage of the protected content data.

46. A method as in claim 45 wherein reading the control logic comprises reading clear key data logic.

47. A method as in claim 45 wherein reading the control logic comprises reading hidden key data logic.

48. A method as in claim 45 wherein reading the control logic comprises reading change key data logic.

49. A method in claim 45 wherein the initial optical property of the mark is transparent so that the control key data can be read successfully, and thereafter the optical property of the mark is changed to prevent further reading of at least a portion of the control key data.

50. A method as in claim 45 wherein the initial optical property of the mark is opaque so that at least a portion of the control key data is prevented from being read successfully, and thereafter the optical property of the mark is changed to become transparent so that the control key data can be read successfully.

51. A method as in claim 45 wherein the optical property of the mark is changed from transparent to opaque by reading the control key data using DVD reader laser light one or more consecutive times until the optical property of the mark is changed.

52. A method as in claim 45 wherein the optical property of the mark is changed from opaque to transparent by attempting to read the mark using DVD reader laser light one or more consecutive times until the optical property of the mark is changed.

53. A method as in claim 45 wherein storing the control key data in the storage layer comprises storing a plurality of parts or instances of the control key data in the storage layer, the mark being disposed on the disc over at least a portion of one part or instance of the control key data to initially allow/prevent successful reading thereof and to thereafter prevent/allow successful reading thereof when the mark changes from its initial optical property.

54. A method as in claim 45 further comprising:

storing second control key data in the storage layer and disposing a second mark of photosensitive dye on the DVD exterior to the storage layer,

the second mark having an optical property which initially allows or prevents the second control key data from being read,

wherein the initial optical properties of both the first and second marks can be controllably changed from their respective initial optical properties to prevent further reading of protected content data.

55. A method as in claim 49 further comprising:

disposing a plurality of marks on the disc exterior to the storage layer, at least one of the marks being disposed over at least a portion of control key data, wherein the optical property of the at least one mark disposed over the at least one portion of control key data is changed to prevent further reading of protected content data.

68. A method as in claim 45, wherein disposing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer comprises printing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer.

56. A limited-use DVD comprising:

a storage layer storing protected content data and at least one instance of control key data;

at least one mark of photosensitive dye disposed on the DVD exterior to the storage layer;

the at least one instance of control key data and the at least one mark of photosensitive dye having a mutually related spatial configuration which, in conjunction with control logic data also carried by the DVD, prevents further reading of protected content data after a predetermined number of reading and playback use(s) of protected content data, the number of use(s) being determined by the number of different control keys stored in the storage layer.

57. A DVD as in claim 56, wherein the predetermined number of uses is equal to the number of different control keys stored in the storage layer.

58. A DVD as in claim 56, wherein at least one mark of photosensitive dye is positioned over at least a portion of every control key stored in the storage layer.

67. A DVD as in claim 56, wherein the mark is printed on the disc exterior to the storage layer.

59. A method for limiting use of a DVD, said method comprising:

storing content data and at least one instance of control key data in a storage layer of the DVD;

disposing at least one mark of photosensitive dye on the DVD exterior to the storage layer; and

changing an optical property of the mark, detecting such change and using control logic data also carried by the DVD to prevent further reading of protected content data after a predetermined number reading and playback uses of protected content data;

wherein the protected content data is capable of being read and played an unlimited number of times during a single reading and playback use.

60. A method as in claim 59, wherein a reading and playback use of the protected content data does not end until (i) the DVD is ejected from the DVD reader, (ii) the power to the DVD reader is turned off, or (iii) the play of content data is stopped though a selection of a stop command on the DVD reader.

69. A method as in claim 59, wherein disposing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer comprises printing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer.

61. A method for limiting use of a DVD, said method comprising:

storing protected content data and at least one instance of control key data in a storage layer of the DVD;

disposing at least one mark of photosensitive dye on the DVD exterior to the storage layer;

inserting the DVD into a DVD reader;

changing an optical property of the photosensitive mark using DVD reader laser light, detecting and using said detected change in logical control also defined by the DVD content to prevent further reading of protected content data after a predetermined number of reading and playback uses thereof;

wherein a particular reading and playback use of the protected content data does not end until (i) the DVD is ejected from the DVD reader, (ii) the power to the DVD reader is turned off, or (iii) the play of the content data is stopped though a selection of a stop command on the DVD reader.

70. A method as in claim 61, wherein disposing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer comprises printing the mark on the DVD exterior to the storage layer.

62. A method of making a limited use digital versatile disc (DVD), the method comprising:

manufacturing a digital versatile disc having a storage layer for storing protected content data, control key data and control logic, the manufacturing being completed to a point so that at least the control logic of the disc is capable of being read and executed by a DVD reader; and

disposing, after manufacture of the digital versatile disc to a point so that at least the control logic is capable of being read and executed by a DVD reader, at least one mark of photosensitive dye on the digital versatile disc in a predetermined relationship with the control key data to allow or prevent successful reading of at least part of the control key data.

63. A method as in claim 62, wherein the mark is disposed on the disc by a printing process.

64. A method as in claim 63, wherein the mark is printed on an exterior side of the disc.