System and method for selectively enabling or disabling an optical device

• US 20060239155A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony DADC US Inc (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony DADC US Inc (Sony Group Corp.), Veriloc LLC
• Inventors: Selinfreund, Richard, New, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/53.100
• 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

Abstract

A system for selectively enabling or disabling an optical device. In an illustrative embodiment, the system implements an optical-device theft-prevention system. The theft-prevention system includes a material that is selectively positioned on, in, or relative to the optical device so that the transparency of the material affects a desired operation of the optical device. An energy beam is selectively employed to enable or disable the optical device by affecting the transparency of the material. In a specific embodiment, the fist material includes a dye, such as an energy-sensitive dye. The optical device includes an optical disc, such as Compact Disc (CD) or Digital Video Disc (DVD). The energy-sensitive dye is disposed over an entire readable surface of the optical device.

Claims

1. A system for selectively enabling an optical medium, the system comprising:

a material applied to at least a portion of the medium so that transparency of the material affects automated reading of the optical medium; and

an energy source capable of enabling automated reading of the optical medium by affecting the transparency of the material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy source includes vibrational energy.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy source includes a beam of energy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy source includes optical energy.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy source includes ultrasonic energy.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the material includes a dye.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the dye includes a photosensitive dye.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the medium includes an optical disc.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the dye is disposed over an entire readable surface of the optical disc.

10. The system of claim 3, further including:

a beam-producing device.

11. The system of claim 10, further including:

a controller in communication with the beam-producing device, wherein the controller is capable of controlling the first beam-producing device to selectively change transparency of the material.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the beam-producing device is adapted to output ultrasound.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the beam-producing device is adapted to output infrared energy.

14. A system for selectively affecting operation of an optical device, the system comprising:

first means for blocking light used by the optical device to provide a desired function;

second means for determining when the desired function should be operable and providing a signal in response thereto; and

third means for selectively controlling the first means based on the signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the optical device includes:

an optical disc.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the desired function includes:

enabling reading or writing of the optical disc via a laser.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second means includes:

fourth means for determining when the optical device has been paid for and providing the signal in response thereto.

18. A system for inhibiting theft of an optical device, the system comprising:

a material having first and second states, wherein the material is selectively positioned on the optical device so that a state of the material affects a desired operation of the optical device; and

a mechanism for selectively controlling the state of the material so that functions of the optical device are substantially disabled when the material is in the first state and enabled when the material is in the second state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first state and the second state include states of transparency.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first state includes a non-transparent state.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the second state includes a transparent state.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the material includes a material that changes transparency in response to selective application of energy.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mechanism includes a device capable of selectively applying the energy to control the transparency as desired.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the energy includes infrared energy.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the energy includes ultrasonic energy.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the energy includes vibrational energy.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the material includes azo dye.

28. A system for selectively affecting the operation of an optical device, the system comprising:

a material having a controllable transparency, wherein the material is selectively positioned on the optical device so that transparency of the material affects a desired operation of the optical device; and

an energy beam capable of enabling or disabling the optical device by affecting the transparency of the material.

29. A system for selectively affecting the operation of an optical disc, the system comprising:

a material exhibiting an initially non-transparent state, wherein the material substantially covers one side of the optical disc so that desired functions of the optical disc are initially disabled; and

first means for selectively enabling the desired functions of the optical disc by affecting the transparency of the material.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first means includes a beam of energy.

31. A system for inhibiting theft of a product, the system comprising:

a material bonded to or integrated in said optical device, wherein said material is intended to remain bonded to or integrated in said optical device during device operation; and

first means for selectively changing a characteristic of said material so that said product transitions from being inoperable to operable upon application of said first means.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said first means includes a beam of energy.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said material includes an ink or dye that changes transitions from being non-transparent to being transparent upon application of said beam of energy.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said product includes an optical disc.

35. A method for selectively affecting operation of an optical device, the method comprising:

initially blocking light used by the optical device to provide a desired function;

determining when the desired function should be operable and providing a signal in response thereto; and

selectively controlling the blocking of the light based on the signal.