System for creating related sets via once caching common file with each unique control file associated within the set to create a unique record image

• US 5,611,066 A
• Filed: 02/28/1994
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BankBoston, N.A (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Data/Ware Development Incorporated
• Inventors: Goodsell, Michael C., Keele, Richard V., Morin, Cathleen M., Neverisky, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Anderson I.
• Application Number:
  US08/203,997
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 395/275, 395/600, 395/488, 395/444, 395/427, 395/500, 360/15, 360/85, 360/48, 369/33, 369/39, 369/13, 369/34, 364/238.3, 364/243, 364/248.1, 364/260, 364/222.2, 364/225, 364/249.4
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0042 with provision for auxiliary features sensing such features G11B17/00, G11B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/40 Identifying or analogous means applied to or incorporated in the record carrier and not intended for visual display simultaneously with the playing-back of the record carrier, e.g. label, leader, photograph
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

A mainframe computer programmed to convert input data sets and build HSG or ISO-9660 Compact Disc (CD) images communicates with a channel attached controller that is in turn attached to one or more writers of respective Writable Compact Discs (CD-Ws). The images generated through batch processing in the mainframe computer are cached on the writers both so as to increase the speed of CD-W generation. Both subsequent labeling, and distribution of the CD-Ws to remotely-situated end users who view the CD-W images on PCs, are automated under positive closed loop feedback, control. In particular, the mainframe computer batch executes an image build program on batch input data but one time to create each unique CD-W image, batch writing so much of the data of this image as is common onto each CD-W but leaving blank data spaces in which are stored individual data unique to each physical CD-W and to the end user thereof the individual data preferably includes a redundant copy of the visually-detectable serial number of the CD-W, a volume number and a number of total volumes in the set, a table of pointers to all the indexed contents of the entire set, authenticating information of origin including origin time and place, and the name and address of the intended end user of the CD-W. A large number of related, but individually unique, CD-Ws are thus efficiently written. Individually respective, unique, CD-W labels, packing slips, etc. are printed, normally off-line, for each CD-W from the unique data stored within the CD-W itself, including the redundant copy of its serial number now written upon the CD-W. The compendium of common and unique data permits (i) expedient batch mode generation of unique CD-Ws, and (ii) total positive control of the identification, history and origin of each CD-W as it is distributed over time and space.

Claims

1. A method of writing at and upon a multiplicity of successive times a multiplicity of recordable medium, each such medium being initially undifferentiated and unidentifiable one medium to the next save only for a unique permanent serial number marking that is visually detectable, with information that is related so as to produce a plurality of related sets of recordable and recorded medium where each set has a plurality of members that are related to each other as well as to corresponding members of other sets, the method comprising:

first-transmitting at times from a computer to a writer of recordable medium a relatively larger data file called a common data file, each data file to be written in common onto a plurality of corresponding members that are within a plurality of sets of the recordable medium, each of which sets contains a plurality of related members, wherein each different common data file as is associated with the corresponding members of all sets of the recordable medium is communicated only once;

second-transmitting at times from the computer to the writer a relatively smaller data file called a control file, each control file being uniquely associated with an individual one of the multiplicity of the recordable medium;

first-receiving in the writer each common data file first-transmitted from the computer; and

caching each common data file first-received for a time period until all corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the recordable medium have been written, at which time another, subsequent, common data file is first-received and cached;

second-receiving in the writer each unique control file second-transmitted from the computer;

reading, in a serial-number reader, the visually detectable unique permanent serial number marking that is upon a particular one of the multiplicity of recordable medium next to be recorded;

combining in a writer of recordable media each such (1) control file with (2) a cached common data file and with (3) at least any two or more of (3a) the read permanent serial number of the next one of the multiplicity of recordable medium next to be recorded (3b) a name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, (3c) a designated recipient of the multiplicity if recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, (3d) a packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, and (3e) an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number, all to create a single unique record image; and

recording with the writer of the recordable medium each individual one of the multiplicity of the recordable medium with a corresponding individually unique record image, first corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of recordable medium being recorded before second corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets and so on until all of the members of all of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of recordable medium have been recorded;

wherein a data communication bandwidth from the computer to the writer of the recordable medium is conserved because the relatively larger common data file that is written to corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of the recordable medium is communicated from the computer to the writer only but once, and the each mechanism so employed is similarly conserved in that it is minimally occupied in receiving data from the computer;

wherein the recording with the writer of the recordable medium now records a redundant serial number, equal to the permanent serial number, upon each one of the multiplicity of recordable medium;

wherein the unique permanent serial number marking that was, and that remains, visually detectable on each one of the multiplicity of recordable medium is also recorded as a redundant serial number on the same recordable and recorded medium;

wherein the each redundant recorded serial number may subsequently be read by a machine means for reading information recorded on the recordable and recorded medium, which machine means need not, cannot, and does not optically detect the permanent serial number.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the recording comprises:

recording each individual one of the multiplicity of the recordable medium from beginning to end without pause or interruption.

3. The method according to claim 1 further extended for labeling the multiplicity of recordable medium after the recording thereof, the extended method comprising after the recording:

reading, in a machine means for reading information recorded on the recordable medium, selected control information inducing the redundant serial number of each recordable medium recorded thereon; and

printing in a label-making machine a human-readable printed label, directly on the recordable media or on a label suitable in size and form to be attached to the recordable and recorded medium, containing the selected control information including the read redundant serial number; and

attaching the printed label to the recordable and recorded medium;

wherein a human may correlate the serial number information visually detectable on the label with the permanent serial number marking that is also still visually detectable on the recordable and recorded medium so as to thereby also conclude that the selected control information that is also detectable on the label is truly, properly, associated with an individual physical recordable and recorded medium to which the label is affixed;

wherein a degree of security in labeling of a machine-readable recordable and recorded medium is attained.

4. The method of claim 1 as applied to a multiplicity of recordable medium in the form of optical discs.

5. The method of claim 4 as applied to a multiplicity of recordable medium in the form of a CD'"'"'s-W.

6. A system for writing at and upon a multiplicity of successive times a multiplicity of recordable medium, each such medium being initially undifferentiated and unidentifiable one medium to the next save only for a unique permanent serial number marking that is visually detectable, with information that is related so as to produce a plurality of related sets of recordable and recorded medium where each set has a plurality of members that are related to each other as well as to corresponding members of other sets, the system comprising:

a computer

for first-transmitting at times a relatively larger data file called a common data file, each common data file to be written in common onto a plurality of corresponding members that are within a plurality of sets of the recordable medium, each of which sets contains a plurality of related members, wherein each different common data file as is associated with the corresponding members of all sets of the recordable medium is communicated only once, and

for second-transmitting at times a relatively smaller data file called a control file, each control file being uniquely associated with an individual one of the multiplicity of the recordable medium, and

for third-transmitting at least one of a name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, a designated recipient of the multiplicity of recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, a packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, and an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number;

a serial-number reader for reading the visually detectable unique permanent serial number marking that is upon a particular one of the multiplicity of recordable medium next to be recorded by the writer; and

a writer of recordable medium including a cache memory, the writer

for first-receiving each common data file first-transmitted from the computer,

for caching in the cache memory each common data file first-received for a time period until all corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the recordable medium have been written, at which time another, subsequent, common data file is first-received and cached, and

for second-receiving each unique control file second-transmitted from the computer,

for third-receiving the read visually detectable unique permanent serial number from the serial-number reader,

for fourth-receiving the name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, the designated recipient of the multiplicity if recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, the packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, the an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number from the computer,

for combining each such (1) control file with (2) a cached common data file and with (3) at least any two or more of (3a) the read permanent serial number of the next one of the multiplicity of recordable medium next to be recorded (3b) a name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, (3c) a designated recipient of the multiplicity if recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, (3d) a packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, and (3d) an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number, all to create a single unique record image, and

for writing each individual one of the multiplicity of the recordable medium with a corresponding individually unique record image, first corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of the recordable medium being recorded before second corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets and so on until all of the members of all of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of the recordable medium have been recorded;

wherein a data communication bandwidth from the computer to the writer of recordable medium is conserved because the relatively larger common data file that is written to corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of the recordable medium is communicated from the computer to the writer only but once;

wherein the recording by the writer of the recordable medium now records a redundant serial number, equal to the permanent serial number, upon each one of the multiplicity of recordable medium;

wherein the unique permanent serial number marking that was, and that remains, visually detectable on each one of the multiplicity of recordable medium is also recorded as a redundant serial number on the same recordable and recorded medium;

wherein the each redundant recorded serial number may subsequently be read by a machine means for reading information recorded on the recordable and recorded medium, which machine means need not, cannot, and does not optically detect the permanent serial number.

7. A method writing upon the multiplicity of successive times a multiplicity of recordable medium each of which is initially undifferentiated and unidentifiable one to the next save only for a permanent serial number marking that is visually detectable, and labeling the multiplicity of recordable medium so written, the writing and labeling method comprising:

successively reading, in an optical reader of a visually detectable permanent serial number marking that is upon each of the multiplicity of recordable medium, at least any two or more of (1) a permanent serial number of each successive next one of the multiplicity of recordable mediums next to be recorded, (2) a name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, (3) a designated recipient of the multiplicity if recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, (4) a packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, and (5) an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number, a serial number of each successive ones of a multiplicity of recordable mediums;

successively combining at least any two or more of (1) each read permanent serial number of the next one of the multiplicity of recordable medium next to be recorded, (2) a name of the information written upon the multiplicity of recorded media or medium, (3) a designated recipient of the multiplicity if recorded media or medium when such are to be distributed, (4) a packing list of all related recorded media or medium likewise to be so distributed when any such are, and (5) an authenticating production number that is separated from the read permanent serial number, a serial number of each successive ones of a multiplicity of recordable mediums with data to be written onto recordable mediums so as to create successive single record images, each of which record images is unique at least for including a serial number;

successively writing with a writer of the recordable medium each individual one of the multiplicity of recordable mediums with its corresponding individually unique record image;

wherein the permanent serial number marking that was, and that still remains, visually detectable on the recordable medium is also now redundantly recorded on the same recordable and recorded medium as a redundant serial number;

reading, in a machine means for reading information recorded on the recordable and recorded medium, which machine means need not and cannot and does not serve to detect the visually-detectable permanent serial number of the recordable and recorded medium, selected information, including the redundant serial number, now recorded upon a recordable and recorded medium now; and

printing, in a label-making machine, a human-readable label suitable in size and form to be attached to the recordable and recorded medium, which label contains selected control information including the redundant serial number as read; and

attaching the printed label to the associated one of the multiplicity of recordable and recorded medium;

wherein a human may correlate (i) the visually detectable redundant serial number information appearing upon the label with (ii) the visually detectable permanent serial number marking appearing upon the recordable and recorded medium, so as to thereby also conclude that the selected control information also then detectable on the label is truly, properly, associated with an individual physical one of the multiplicity of recordable and recorded medium to which the label is now attached;

wherein a degree of security in labeling of a machine-readable medium is attained.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the reading and printing are done at a time after the successively reading, the successively combining, and the successively writing.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the reading and printing are upon a separate machine from the successively reading, the successively combining, and the successively writing.

10. The method of claim 7 as applied to a multiplicity of recordable mediums in the form of optical discs.

11. The method of claim 10 as applied to multiplicity of recordable mediums in the form of CD'"'"'s-W.

12. A method of writing at and upon a multiplicity of successive times data and pointers to a multiplicity of recordable discs so as to create a multi-volume set of recorded-data discs wherein the pointers permit indexed machine usage of the set as single entity, the method of writing data and pointers to discs comprising:

segmenting in a computer a data file that is larger than the data storage capacity of a disc into disc-size segmented data files while generating (i) a table containing pointers to all segmented portions of the data file, plus (ii) a number N of separate discs required to record the aggregate segmented data files;

communicating the segmented data files successively, and also the table containing pointers, and also the number N of discs required, from the computer to a disc writer;

developing in the disc writer a sequence, or volume, number (1-N) for each disc to be written;

successively recording in the disc writer each of N discs each with (i) an associated, successively communicated one, of the segmented data files, plus (ii) the complete table containing pointers, plus (iii) the total number N of discs, plus (iv) the associated developed volume number 1-N;

wherein the successively recorded discs as form a set are usable as a single entity because any one member of the set can be read subsequent to its recordation;

so as to tell by reference to the table containing pointers recorded therein which particular volume 1-N of the set contains the data to which an indexed read reference is being made even should the member 1 of N presently being read not itself be that volume,

and even should, by happenstance or by selection, the member 1 of N presently being read be indeed the volume 1-N which actually contains the data to which an indexed read reference is being made, then so as to tell that actual data to which an indexed read reference is being made;

wherein the set of discs carries, in each and every member of the set, its own table containing pointers by which table containing pointers in conjunction with the volume number an indexed reference may be had to all the members of the set;

wherein no reference needs be made to any index or pointers outside of, and not present on, the set of discs themselves in order to make indexed reference to the entire data file as is contained upon all the discs of the set.

13. The method of claim 12 as applied to optical discs.

14. The method of claim 13 as applied to optical discs in the form of CD-Ws.

15. An optical disc so created by the method of claim 12, and distinguished by bearing a table containing pointers to information that is both upon the disc and upon other, related, discs of a set of optical discs.

16. A CD-W so created by the method of claim 12, and distinguished by bearing a table containing pointers to information that is both upon the CD-W and upon other, related, CD-Ws of a set of CD-Ws.

17. An automated method

of writing, and distributing to each of a plurality of recipients, a multiplicity of digital-data-bearing mediums that form a set, the multiple members of each set and the corresponding members of each of a plurality of sets containing related information, and

of having each recipient confirm to a central authority its receipt of an associated multiplicity of digital-data-bearing mediums that form a set,

wherein no recipient is required to make visual reference to the numbers or correctness of the members of its set received in order that the central authority receiving the confirmations may know which, and all, data discs are received by which, and all, of the recipients thereof,

the automated method of data distribution comprising;

transmitting at times from a computer to a writer of recordable digital-data-bearing mediums each of

a relatively larger data file called a common data file, each common data file to be written in common onto a plurality of corresponding members that are within a each of a plurality of recordable digital-data-bearing mediums that form a set, wherein each different common data file as is associated with the corresponding members of all sets of the mediums is communicated only once, and

a relatively smaller data file called a control file, each control file being uniquely associated with and to be uniquely written to an individual one of the multiplicity of the mediums, each control file containing (i) a set identification of the unique set within which that particular medium to which the control file will be written is contained, (ii) a set member identification of the position within its set of that particular medium to which the control file will be written, (iii) an intended recipient of the disc, and (iv) a packing list of all the plurality of mediums that are within that set that will contain that particular medium to which the control file will be written;

receiving in the writer of the mediums each common data file and each unique control file transmitted from the computer;

caching in the writer of the mediums each common data file received for a time period until all corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the mediums have been written, at which time another, subsequent, common data file is received and cached,

combining each such control file with a cached common data file to create a single unique record image,

writing in the writer of the mediums each individual one of the multiplicity of the mediums with a corresponding individually unique record image, first corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of mediums being recorded before second corresponding members of each of the plurality of sets and so on,

continuing in the writer of the mediums the receiving, caching, combining and the writing until all of the members of all of the plurality of sets of the multiplicity of mediums have been recorded; and

reading in a first machine reader of the written medium the control file of each of the multiplicity of mediums to ascertain the (iii) intended recipient, and (iv) packing list;

distributing as best as possible all ones of the multiplicity of mediums directed to each recipient from the location of the machine reader to each and every intended recipient, it being countenanced and possible that some of the individual mediums will be any of improperly dispatched, mis-delivered as between recipients and lost;

reading, in a plurality of second machine readers of the mediums located at the plurality of recipients, the set, whether complete or incomplete or correct or incorrect, of mediums received by that recipient to ascertain (i) the set identification, (ii) the set member, (iii) the intended recipient of the disc, and (iv) the packing list, and generating a report of this information plus (v) the identity of the recipient;

transmitting the report generated at each of the recipients to a central authority that is informed of a master distribution record of the totality of the multiplicity of mediums written, and to what recipients each medium was directed;

comparing the reports as are received from the plurality of recipients at the central authority to the master distribution record in order to ascertain which, if any, of the mediums have been misdirected and received by a recipient other than the intended recipient, or have been lost and not received by any recipient of all such.

18. The method of claim 17 as applied to optical discs.

19. The method of claim 18 as applied to optical discs in the form of CD-Ws.