Universal multimedia optic disc player and its application for revocable copy protection

• US 7,369,752 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yu, Hong Heather, Zou, Han
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/398,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20060182420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/94, 386/95, 386/125, 386/126, 380/203
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• 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 20/00659 involving a control step which is implemented as an executable file stored on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/211 Discs having both read-only and rewritable or recordable areas containing application data; Partial ROM media
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

The media player employs an operating system that supports a virtual machine into which auto-run playback programs may be loaded and run. The auto run playback program is stored on the media containing the program content, such as on an optical disc medium. When the medium is inserted in the player, the auto run playback program automatically launches and is thereafter used to access playback the media content. Support for legacy media is provided to allow the player to playback compact discs and DVD discs that were manufactured without the auto run playback program

Claims

1. A program embodied on a computer readable medium for use in a media content player, said program comprising:

computer-executable program code operable to cause the media content player to;

load an auto-run playback program from a machine-readable vehicle into the media content player in response to the machine-readable vehicle being supplied to the media content player;

use said loaded auto-run playback program to access content from the machine-readable vehicle and supply the content to a media presentation device coupled to said media content player; and

read copy protection data included in the content by the auto-run playback program to effect copy protection , wherein the copy protection is effected by altering a media playback procedure by the auto-run playback program.

2. The program of claim 1 wherein said machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.

3. A device for use in a media content player, said device comprising:

a processor operable to cause the media content player to;

load an auto-run playback program from a machine-readable vehicle into the media content player in response to the machine-readable vehicle being supplied to the media content player;

use the loaded auto-run playback program to access content from the machine-readable vehicle and supply the content to a media presentation device coupled to the media content player; and

read copy protection data included in the content by the auto-run playback program to effect copy protection, wherein the copy protection is effected by altering a media playback procedure by the auto-run playback program.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein:

said machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.

5. A universal optical disc player comprising:

a disc drive with associated drive controller;

a processor coupled to said drive controller;

signal processing circuitry coupled to said processor and having an output port for coupling to a media presentation device; and

a memory coupled to said processor and having a data structure defined there;

the data structure comprising a virtual machine for hosting an auto-run playback program obtained from an optical disc placed in said disc drive;

the auto-run playback program being operable to provide control instructions to said processor to cause said processor to access content from the optical disc and supply the content to said signal processing circuitry for output to the media presentation device; and

the content including copy protection data and the auto-run playback program being operable to read the copy protection data to effect copy protection, wherein the auto-run playback program effects the copy protection by altering a media playback procedure.

6. A method of distributing content, said method comprising:

placing an auto-run playback program on a machine-readable vehicle that contains the content including copy protection data;

supplying the machine-readable vehicle to a playback system;

loading the auto-run playback program into the playback system in response to said supplying;

using the loaded auto-run playback program to access and supply the content to a media presentation device coupled to the playback system; and

reading copy protection data included in the content by the auto-run playback program to effect copy protection wherein the copy protection is effected by altering a media playback procedure by the auto-run playback program.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein

the machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.

8. A playback system for playing back content, said system comprising:

a machine readable vehicle containing an auto-run playback program and the content;

a drive associated with drive controller;

a processor coupled to said drive controller;

signal processing circuitry coupled to said processor and having an output port for coupling to a media presentation device; and

a memory coupled to said processor and having a data structure defined therein;

the data structure comprising a virtual machine for hosting an auto-run playback program obtained from said machine-readable vehicle placed in said drive;

the auto-run playback program being operable to provide control instructions to said processor to cause said processor to access content from said machine-readable vehicle and supply the content to said signal processing circuitry for output to the media presentation device; and

the content including copy protection data and the auto-run playback program being operable to read the copy protection data to effect copy protection, wherein the auto-run playback program effects the copy protection by altering a media playback procedure.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

said machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.

10. A program embodied on a computer readable medium for use in a media content player, said program comprising:

computer-executable program code operable to cause the media content player to;

load an auto-run playback program from a machine-readable vehicle into the media content player in response to the machine-readable vehicle being supplied to the media content player; and

read copy protection data included in the content by the auto-run playback program to effect copy protection, wherein the copy protection is effected by altering a media playback procedure by the auto-run playback program.

11. The program of claim 10 wherein:

the machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.

12. A device for use in a media content player, said device comprising:

a processor operable to cause the media content player to;

load an auto-run playback program from a machine-readable vehicle into the media content player in response to the machine-readable vehicle being supplied to the media content player;

use the loaded auto-run playback program to access content from the machine-readable vehicle and supply the content to a media presentation device coupled to the media content player; and

read copy protection data included in the content by the auto-run playback program to effect copy protection, wherein the copy protection is effected by altering a media playback procedure by the auto-run playback program.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein:

the machine-readable vehicle is an optical disc.