Media drive with a luminescence detector and methods of detecting an authentic article

• US 7,496,938 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Potyrailo, Radislav, Wisnudel, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): KLIMOWICZ, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/238,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 250/458.1, 250/462.1, 250/483.1, 250/486.1, 250/487.1, 250/484.2, 720/718, 720/719, 720/658, 430/270.11, 430/270.15, 369/121, 235/454
• US Class Current: 720/658
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/1205 Testing spectral properties
• 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 23/281 by changing the physical properties of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0053 Reproducing non-user data, e.g. wobbled address, prepits, BCA

Abstract

A media drive is disclosed. In one embodiment, a media drive can comprise: a disk holder, a drive laser, a disk reader, and a luminescence detector. The disk holder can be capable of applying a rotational force to a media disk. The drive laser is disposed so that light from the laser will be incident on the media disk when it is disposed in the disk holder. The disk reader is disposed to receive data from the media disk. A method for authenticating a media disk is also disclosed. The method can comprises: disposing the article in a reader, illuminating at least a portion of the article with the information reader, monitoring a luminescence emission of the illuminated article, and determining if the luminescence emission is consistent with an authentic article. If a luminescent material is present, the information reader excites the luminescent material to create a luminescence emission.

Claims

1. A media drive, comprising:

a disk holder capable of applying a rotational force to a media disk;

a drive laser disposed so that light from the laser will be incident on the media disk when it is disposed in the disk holder, wherein the light is capable of being used for recording on the media disk, playback of information on the media disk, or both;

a disk reader disposed to receive data from the media disk; and

a luminescence detector, wherein the luminescence detector comprises multiple optically filtered photodiodes;

wherein the luminescence detector determines luminescence emission intensity across the disk at multiple predetermined wavelengths simultaneously.

2. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the luminescence detector is disposed adjacent to the disk reader.

3. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the drive laser is capable of causing a luminescence emission from a luminescent material in an authentic medium.

4. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the luminescence detector is attached to the disk reader.

5. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the luminescence detector comprises an optical fiber.

6. The media drive of claim 1, comprising an additional drive laser.

7. The media drive of claim 1, further comprising a comparator in operable communication with the luminescence detector.

8. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the luminescence detector comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a photo multiplier tube, a charge-transfer device, an optical probe, a light guiding element, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

9. The media drive of claim 1, further comprising a spectrophotometer.

10. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the media drive is configured to lock the media drive if the disk is not authenticated.

11. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the media drive is configured to mark the disk if the disk is not authenticated.

12. The media drive of claim 1, wherein the luminescence detector comprises greater than or equal to three optically filtered photodiodes.

13. A media drive, comprising:

a disk holder capable of applying a rotational force to a media disk;

a drive laser disposed so that light from the laser will be incident on the media disk when it is disposed in the disk holder, wherein the light is capable of being used for recording on the media disk, playback of information on the media disk, or both;

a disk reader disposed to receive data from the media disk;

a luminescence detector, wherein the luminescence detector comprises a spectrophotometer;

wherein the media drive is configured to mark the disk if the disk is not authenticated.