Systems and methods for optical media modification
First Claim
1. A method for modifying an optical medium, the medium having a plurality of operational characteristics, each operational characteristic having a predefined limit, comprising:
- selecting a region of the medium to be modified; and
modifying the medium in the region to have a first actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a first of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium; and
modifying the medium in the region to have a second actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium;
such that during a read operation of data stored in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation,wherein the first of the plurality of operational characteristics is distortion size and wherein modifying the medium to have the first actual characteristic comprises modifying the medium to have a distortion of a size that is at or near the predefined limit of the operational characteristic for distortion size and wherein the size of the distortion is based on a first size of a physical deformation and a second size of a local corresponding region of increased birefringence.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Theft, distribution, and piracy of digital content on optical media (software, video, audio, e-books, any content of any kind that is digitally stored and distributed) is often accomplished by copying it directly to another disc using commonly available copy tools and recordable optical media, or the copying of media to another mass manufactured disc. Methods which cause the copy process to become lengthy and inconvenient, or which produce copies that are significantly measurably different from the original and therefore be recognizable as copies, may deter or prevent an unauthorized individual from making copies. In addition, methods which generate an intended slow-down in the read process of the media can be used to authenticate the media at run time. This offers significant advantages to content creators who wish to protect their products.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for modifying an optical medium, the medium having a plurality of operational characteristics, each operational characteristic having a predefined limit, comprising:
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selecting a region of the medium to be modified; and modifying the medium in the region to have a first actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a first of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium; and modifying the medium in the region to have a second actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium; such that during a read operation of data stored in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation, wherein the first of the plurality of operational characteristics is distortion size and wherein modifying the medium to have the first actual characteristic comprises modifying the medium to have a distortion of a size that is at or near the predefined limit of the operational characteristic for distortion size and wherein the size of the distortion is based on a first size of a physical deformation and a second size of a local corresponding region of increased birefringence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An optical medium having data structures and a plurality of operational characteristics, each operational characteristic having a predefined limit, the optical medium having the data structures being modified in a modified region to have a distortion and to have a first actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a first of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation;
- and the optical medium having the data structures being modified in the modified region to have a second actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation, such that during a read operation of the data structures in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation,
wherein the first of the plurality of operational characteristics is distortion size and wherein the distortion is of a size that is at or near the predefined limit of the operational characteristic for distortion size and wherein the size of the distortion is based on a first size of a physical deformation and a second size of a local corresponding region of increased birefringence. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- and the optical medium having the data structures being modified in the modified region to have a second actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation, such that during a read operation of the data structures in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation,
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22. A method for modifying an optical medium, the medium having a plurality of operational characteristics, each operational characteristic having a predefined limit, comprising:
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selecting a region of the medium to be modified; and modifying the medium in the region to have a first actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a first of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium; and modifying the medium in the region to have a second actual characteristic that is at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation of the medium; such that during a read operation of data stored in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation; wherein modifying the medium comprises modifying the medium to have a distortion formed in a reflective layer of the medium, wherein the first of the plurality of operational characteristics is distortion size and wherein modifying the medium to have the first actual characteristic comprises modifying the medium to have a distortion of a size that is at or near the predefined limit of the operational characteristic for distortion size and wherein the size of the distortion is based on a first size of a physical deformation and a second size of a local corresponding region of increased birefringence. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An optical medium having data structures and a plurality of operational characteristics, each operational characteristic having a predefined limit, the optical medium having the data structures being modified in a modified region to have a distortion and to have a first actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a first of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation;
- and the optical medium having the data structures being modified in the modified region to have a second actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation, such that during a read operation of the data structures in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation, wherein the medium is modified in the modified region to have a distortion formed in a reflective layer of the medium,
wherein the first of the plurality of operational characteristics is distortion size and wherein the distortion is of a size that is approximately the predefined limit of the operational characteristic for distortion size and wherein the size of the distortion is based on a first size of a physical deformation and a second size of a local corresponding region of increased birefringence. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- and the optical medium having the data structures being modified in the modified region to have a second actual characteristic at or near a predefined limit of a second of the plurality of operational characteristics prior to a read operation, such that during a read operation of the data structures in the modified region, the read operation is altered in the modified region as a result of the modifications such that the first and second actual characteristics of the modified medium cause a slow-down in the read operation when the modified region is read, the modified region maintaining its optical characteristics following irradiation of the modified region during the read operation, wherein the medium is modified in the modified region to have a distortion formed in a reflective layer of the medium,
Specification