Deterring theft of optical media

• US 8,329,277 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Eklund, Don Charles II
• Primary Examiner(s): MULVANEY, ELIZABETH EVANS
• Application Number:
  US13/022,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 428/64.4, 430/270.11
• US Class Current: 428/64.1
• 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 20/00608 wherein the material that the record carrier is made of is altered, e.g. adding reactive dyes that alter the optical properties of a disc after prolonged exposure to light or air
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/281 by changing the physical properties of the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/00454 involving phase-change effects
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/268 Post-production operations, e.g. initialising phase-change recording layers, checking for defects investigating the presence of flaws or contamination in optical discs G01N21/9506
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank

Abstract

An optical media disk is treated with a light-sensitive material that impedes the ability of an optical media player from reading data stored on the disk. This light-sensitive material is a material that changes phase upon exposure to one or more wavelengths of light. During the initial phase, the light-sensitive material will render the disk unreadable. After activation, however, the disk becomes permanently readable by conventional optical media players. In this fashion, theft of yet-to-be-activated optical media is deterred.

Claims

1. An optical media disk comprising a substrate surface having data encoded thereon, the substrate surface being treated with a light-sensitive material that is initially in a first phase, wherein the light-sensitive material deters theft of the optical media disk by causing the encoded data to be unreadable while the light-sensitive material is in the first phase, and wherein the light-sensitive material is to be changed from the first phase to a second phase, prior to a point of sale of the optical media disk, when exposed to a mercury-based light source having a predetermined wavelength, the encoded data to be readable when the light-sensitive material is in the second phase, and wherein the light-sensitive material is to permanently remain in the second phase after being exposed to the light source.

2. A method of controlling data access, comprising:

encoding data on an optical medium;

concealing the encoded data by treating at least one section of the optical medium with a light-sensitive material; and

permanently revealing the encoded data by activating the light-sensitive material with a light source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the treating comprises placing the light-sensitive material on an optical medium substrate surface.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the treating comprises placing the light-sensitive material between an optical medium substrate surface and a second substrate.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the light-sensitive material undergoes a phase change upon the activating.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the light source has a predetermined wavelength.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the light source is a mercury-based light source.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the activating occurs through a case housing the optical medium.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein optical medium theft is deterred.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the activating occurs prior to a sale of the optical medium.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising labeling the optical medium to indicate that it is unreadable until activated.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the encoded data is unreadable by a conventional optical media player prior to the activating and is permanently readable by the conventional optical media player thereafter.

13. An apparatus for controlling data access, comprising:

an optical media disk having data encoded thereon;

a light-sensitive material placed on at least one section of the optical media disk to conceal the encoded data; and

a light source that permanently reveals the encoded data by activating the light-sensitive material.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the light-sensitive material is on an optical media disk substrate surface.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the light-sensitive material is between an optical media disk substrate surface and a second substrate.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the light-sensitive material undergoes a phase change upon the activating.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the light source has a predetermined wavelength.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the light source is a mercury-based light source.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the activating occurs through a case housing the optical media disk.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein optical media disk theft is deterred.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the activating occurs prior to a sale of the optical media disk.

22. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a label indicating the optical media disk is unreadable until activated.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the encoded data is unreadable by a conventional optical media player prior to the activating and is permanently readable by the conventional optical media player thereafter.