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

• US 8,374,488 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Zou, Han, Yu, Hong Heather
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/420,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/252
• 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 media content player comprising:

a disc drive operable to read media content, an auto-run playback program and copy protection data from an optical disc;

a memory having data structure including a virtual machine for hosting the auto-run playback program; and

a processor operable to (i) execute the auto-run playback program read from the optical disc on the virtual machine, (ii) cause the executed auto-run playback program to interpret the media content by using copy protection data read from the optical disc, and (iii) output the interpreted media content to a playback system for playing back the interpreted media content.

2. The media content player of claim 1, wherein

said processor installs the auto-run playback program into the media content player, and executes the installed auto-run playback program on the virtual machine.

3. The media content player of claim 1, wherein,

the optical disc further records an active agent program;

and

said processor executes the auto-run playback program so that the auto-run playback program interacts with the active agent program in order to control playback routine of the media content.

4. The media content player of claim 1, wherein,

said memory further includes a legacy media program for interpreting the media content;

and

said processor uses the legacy media program to interpret the media content, when the auto-run program has not been found from the optical disc.

8. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine implements a program interpreter that interprets and executes the auto-run playback program supplied as data to said interpreter.

12. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the virtual machine provides a controlled environment within which to execute the auto-run playback program.

5. A method for a media content player, wherein, the media content player comprises:

a disc drive operable to read media content, an auto-run playback program and copy protection data from an optical disc and

a memory having data structure including a virtual machine for hosting the auto-run playback program, and

the method comprises;

executing the auto-run playback program read from the optical disc on the virtual machine;

causing the executed auto-run playback program to interpret the media content by using copy protection data read from the optical disc; and

outputting the interpreted media content to a playback system for playing back the interpreted media content.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said virtual machine implements a program interpreter and wherein the method further comprises supplying the auto-run playback program as data to said interpreter and using said interpreter to interpret and execute the auto-run playback program.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the virtual machine provides a controlled environment within which to execute the auto-run playback program.

6. A program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a media content player, wherein,

the media content player comprises:

a disc drive operable to read media content, an auto-run playback program and copy protection data from an optical disc; and

a memory having data structure including a virtual machine for hosting the auto-run playback program, and

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

execute the auto-run playback program read from the optical disc on the virtual machine;

cause the executed auto-run playback program to interpret the media content by using copy protection data read from the optical disc; and

output the interpreted media content to a playback system for playing back the interpreted media content.

10. The program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 6, wherein said virtual machine implements a program interpreter that interprets and executes the auto-run playback program supplied as data to said interpreter.

14. The program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 6, wherein the virtual machine provides a controlled environment within which to execute the auto-run playback program.

7. A device for use in a media content player, wherein, the media content player comprises:

a disc drive operable to read media content, an auto-run playback program and copy protection data from an optical disc; and

a memory having data structure including a virtual machine for hosting the auto-run playback program, and

said device comprises a processor operable to cause the media content player to;

execute the auto-run playback program read from the optical disc on the virtual machine;

cause the executed auto-run playback program to interpret the media content by using copy protection data read from the optical disc; and

output the interpreted media content to a playback system for playing back the interpreted media content.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the virtual machine implements a program interpreter that interprets and executes the auto-run playback program supplied as data to said interpreter.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the virtual machine provides a controlled environment within which to execute the auto-run playback program.