System and method for selectively enabling or disabling an optical device using optical blocking material on an energy masked area of the optical device

• US 20070170606A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony DADC US (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony DADC US (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: New, Anthony C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/281 by changing the physical properties of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/286 Antitheft arrangements, e.g. Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tags
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/00736 Auxiliary data, e.g. lead-in, lead-out, Power Calibration Area [PCA], Burst Cutting Area [BCA], control information sector headers or adresses in prepits G11B7/00745; address data in track wobble G11B7/24082
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/252 of layers other than recording layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/26 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of record carriers

Abstract

A system for selectively enabling or disabling an optical device, such as an optical disc, includes an optical blocking material bonded or otherwise integrated into the optical device. In a specific embodiment, the optical blocking material includes a dye, such as an energy-sensitive dye. The optical blocking material is initially applied to the optical device during production using a spin coating or other suitable technique. An area of the optical device that will prevent a function of the device is then masked, and sufficient energy is applied to the unmasked area to activate the optical blocking material of the unmasked area while leaving the masked area unactivated. In a specific embodiment, the masked area corresponds with a lead-in area of an optical disc. The optical blocking material of the masked area remains non-transparent to disable the optical device until a second application of energy at a retail location.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an optical device, comprising:

applying an optical blocking material to at least a portion of the optical device;

masking an area of the optical blocking material that will prevent a function of the optical device while leaving a remaining area unmasked; and

applying sufficient energy to the unmasked area of the optical device to activate the optical blocking material while leaving the masked area unactivated.

2. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said optical blocking material is non-transparent until the material is activated by energy.

3. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said energy includes ultraviolet light.

4. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said energy includes infrared energy.

5. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said energy includes ultrasonic energy.

6. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said energy includes vibrational energy.

7. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said optical device is an optical disc.

8. The method of manufacturing according to claim 7, wherein said optical blocking material is applied to the disc by a spin coating process.

9. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said optical blocking material comprises a material that changes transparency in response to selective application of energy.

10. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said optical blocking material comprises a photosensitive dye.

11. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said optical blocking material is applied over an entire readable surface of the optical device.

12. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said masked area produces a pattern of text on the optical device.

13. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said masked area produces a ring of unactivated optical blocking material on the optical device.

14. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein said masked area of the optical blocking material comprises a non-transparent area that will prevent functional play of the optical device.

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

an optical blocking material integrated into the optical device, said material having an initially non-transparent state; and

a first portion of said optical blocking material being activated into a transparent state, while a second portion of said optical blocking material remains in a non-transparent state, the non-transparent state of said second portion being sufficient to prevent a function of the optical device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the first portion of the optical blocking material is activated into a transparent state by a first energy source during manufacture of the optical device.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the second portion of the optical blocking material is activated into a transparent state by a second energy source applicable at a retail location.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first portion of optical blocking material comprises a greater area of the optical device than the second portion of optical blocking material.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein an amount of energy applied by the first energy source is greater than an amount of energy applied by the second energy source.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein said second portion of the optical blocking material is sufficient to prevent functional play of the optical device.

21. An optical disc, comprising:

an optical blocking material integrated into the disc, said material having an initially non-transparent state; and

a first portion of said optical blocking material being activated into a transparent state, while a second portion of said optical blocking material remaining in a non-transparent state, said second portion covering a sufficient area of the optical disc to prevent a function of the optical disc.

22. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said second portion covers a substantial part of a lead-in area of the optical disc.

23. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said second portion covers a file system boot area on the disc.

24. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said optical blocking material comprises a material that changes transparency in response to selective application of energy.

25. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said optical blocking material comprises a photosensitive dye.

26. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said second portion defines a pattern of text on the optical disc.

27. The optical disc according to claim 21, wherein said second portion comprises a ring of unactivated optical blocking material on the optical disc.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein said second portion of the optical blocking material is sufficient to prevent functional play of the optical device.