WO1999045539A1 - Copy protection - Google Patents

Copy protection Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1999045539A1
WO1999045539A1 PCT/GB1999/000553 GB9900553W WO9945539A1 WO 1999045539 A1 WO1999045539 A1 WO 1999045539A1 GB 9900553 W GB9900553 W GB 9900553W WO 9945539 A1 WO9945539 A1 WO 9945539A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
player
item
recordable material
write
normal
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1999/000553
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ray Mumford
Nicholas Vardill
Original Assignee
Ray Mumford
Nicholas Vardill
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ray Mumford, Nicholas Vardill filed Critical Ray Mumford
Priority to AU26314/99A priority Critical patent/AU2631499A/en
Publication of WO1999045539A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999045539A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/00731—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
    • G11B20/00746—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B19/00—Driving, starting, stopping record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function ; Driving both disc and head
    • G11B19/02—Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/00094—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised record carriers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
    • G11B20/00137—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy involving measures which result in a restriction to contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier to authorised users

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to copy protection (protection against copying), for items of recordable material and more specifically to a method of copy protection and a special item of recordable material and special player of items of recordable material for use in said method.
  • a method of copy protection for items of recordable material according to which an otherwise normal recordable material item is provided with a once-write only writable area, and a player for such recordable material items inco orates a write facility and a memory and is supplied in conjunction with a special item of said recordable material bearing a unique code, whereby before an otherwise normal recordable material item can be played, the special item of said recordable material is incited into the player to read the code, which is then stored in the player memory, and the otherwise norm ⁇ d recordable material item is inserted into the player to cause the code to be written to the writable area on the otherwise normal item.
  • the invention also provides an otherwise normal recordable item having at least one once-write only writable area.
  • the invention further provides a player for a recordable item inco ⁇ orating a write facility, a memory, and means whereby a unique code number written on a special item of recordable material can be read and stored in the memory.
  • Items of recordable material which can be protected in accordance with the afore- defined method include compact discs (CDs), mini-discs, digital video discs (DVDs) and magnetic tapes, and, more generally, all items of recordable material on which information or data can be imparted by optical or magnetic or electrical techniques. Accordingly, the invention extends to all recordable items which can be played for sound or vision reproduction or both, as well as items bearing recorded data such as computer game discs.
  • the aforesaid once-write only writable area means a once-write only writable band and, in the case of a magnetic tape, the once-write only writable area means a once-write only short length of the tape.
  • the copy protected CD may be a music CD or a data, e.g. computer game, CD.
  • the CD may have a plurality of once-write only writable bands, for example one before each music track.
  • the invention also provides a musicless or dataless CD except for a readable unique code number (and possibly readable instructions).
  • the code number may be carried in a band on a CD player cleaning disc, for example.
  • Each new music CD produced is pressed with a once-write only writable band or sector preceding each track.
  • Each new CD player able to be compatible with the copy protected CD is sold equipped with a basic CD write facility and a memory. It is supplied in conjunction with a special CD bearing a unique code number, i.e. unique to the -3- purchaser.
  • the special CD is preferably manufactured by the producer of music CDs in order to ensure that the code on each such CD is unique.
  • the special CDs are freely supplied to CD player retailers so that the purchaser of each new CD player (with write facility) can be given a uniquely coded CD in conjunction with the player.
  • the purchaser is required first to insert the coded CD into the player so that the code number is read.
  • the player has means for storing this unique code in the player memory.
  • the coded CD is then removed from the machine and a new music CD inserted.
  • the player is then enabled, as by an automatic or simple manual switching facility, to write the coded number stored in its memory to the or each once-write only writable band or sector provided on the new CD. Once each writable band has been written to, it cannot be re-written.
  • the player ejects the music CD after writing has been completed and, after switching back the player to the reading mode, the new music CD can be re-inserted into the machine and played normally.
  • the CD player when playing the new CD, the CD player is adapted to read and check the code number on the CD with the unique code number stored in its memory.
  • each initially writable band or sector of the new CD may include an irremovable "read-me" instruction.
  • the new music CD, and likewise all future new CDs purchased by the same CD player owner can then only be played on that machine (which has the correct unique code) and will not be playable on any other machine. If no code is written to a new CD, it will not be playable on any machine, subject to the fact that provision may be made to allow for limited multiple use for non-profit making purposes, as refeired to later.
  • old music CDs can be played as normal, on the new CD player, because the CDs do not bear any writable bands required to be read by the player. With passage of time, there will be a diminishing market for pirate copies of such CDs.
  • the invention does not necessarily prohibit the purchaser from making back-up copies of new CDs for non-profit making purposes. It is readily possible, for example, to manufacture the coded CD with a facility enabling its use 5, 10 or even 20 times, before prohibiting further reading of its unique code number. However, a limitation on the number of permissible usages is desirable in order to prevent any coded CDs falling into the hands of pirate producers being duplicated ad infinitum, so that the code on the special CD ceases to be unique.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Signal Processing For Digital Recording And Reproducing (AREA)

Abstract

A method of copy protection applicable to all items of recordable material, but as applied to CDs or mini-dics comprises providing a CD or mini-disc player with a write facility and a memory programmable with a code unique to that player, providing CDs with a once-write only writable band, writing the unique code to a CD on first use of the CD, whereby only after the CD carries the unique code can the CD be played on the player from which the unique code has been written.

Description

-1-
Copy Protection
This invention relates generally to copy protection (protection against copying), for items of recordable material and more specifically to a method of copy protection and a special item of recordable material and special player of items of recordable material for use in said method.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of copy protection for items of recordable material according to which an otherwise normal recordable material item is provided with a once-write only writable area, and a player for such recordable material items inco orates a write facility and a memory and is supplied in conjunction with a special item of said recordable material bearing a unique code, whereby before an otherwise normal recordable material item can be played, the special item of said recordable material is incited into the player to read the code, which is then stored in the player memory, and the otherwise norm∑d recordable material item is inserted into the player to cause the code to be written to the writable area on the otherwise normal item.
The invention also provides an otherwise normal recordable item having at least one once-write only writable area.
The invention further provides a player for a recordable item incoφorating a write facility, a memory, and means whereby a unique code number written on a special item of recordable material can be read and stored in the memory.
Items of recordable material which can be protected in accordance with the afore- defined method include compact discs (CDs), mini-discs, digital video discs (DVDs) and magnetic tapes, and, more generally, all items of recordable material on which information or data can be imparted by optical or magnetic or electrical techniques. Accordingly, the invention extends to all recordable items which can be played for sound or vision reproduction or both, as well as items bearing recorded data such as computer game discs.
Thus, in the case of a disc, the aforesaid once-write only writable area means a once-write only writable band and, in the case of a magnetic tape, the once-write only writable area means a once-write only short length of the tape.
For simplicity hereinafter, the invention is described in relation to CDs and CD players, but it is to be understood that this in no way restricts the generaltiy of the invention as above defined.
The copy protected CD may be a music CD or a data, e.g. computer game, CD. In the former case, the CD may have a plurality of once-write only writable bands, for example one before each music track.
The invention also provides a musicless or dataless CD except for a readable unique code number (and possibly readable instructions). The code number may be carried in a band on a CD player cleaning disc, for example.
The invention is now further described with reference to a preferred system for CD copy protection.
Each new music CD produced is pressed with a once-write only writable band or sector preceding each track.
Each new CD player able to be compatible with the copy protected CD, is sold equipped with a basic CD write facility and a memory. It is supplied in conjunction with a special CD bearing a unique code number, i.e. unique to the -3- purchaser. The special CD is preferably manufactured by the producer of music CDs in order to ensure that the code on each such CD is unique. The special CDs are freely supplied to CD player retailers so that the purchaser of each new CD player (with write facility) can be given a uniquely coded CD in conjunction with the player.
The purchaser is required first to insert the coded CD into the player so that the code number is read. The player has means for storing this unique code in the player memory. The coded CD is then removed from the machine and a new music CD inserted. The player is then enabled, as by an automatic or simple manual switching facility, to write the coded number stored in its memory to the or each once-write only writable band or sector provided on the new CD. Once each writable band has been written to, it cannot be re-written. The player ejects the music CD after writing has been completed and, after switching back the player to the reading mode, the new music CD can be re-inserted into the machine and played normally. In fact, when playing the new CD, the CD player is adapted to read and check the code number on the CD with the unique code number stored in its memory. For this purpose, each initially writable band or sector of the new CD may include an irremovable "read-me" instruction. The new music CD, and likewise all future new CDs purchased by the same CD player owner, can then only be played on that machine (which has the correct unique code) and will not be playable on any other machine. If no code is written to a new CD, it will not be playable on any machine, subject to the fact that provision may be made to allow for limited multiple use for non-profit making purposes, as refeired to later.
It will thus be apparent that if a new CD is not written with the unique code number stored in the CD player, the player will not be enabled to play the CD and may be adapted to eject any such CD. Thus, a pirate copy of the new CD, having been written to for copying purposes, will not have writable blank bands -4- enabling the purchaser to use the pirate copy in a new CD machine. Further, the pirate copy will not be playable on an old CD player (no write facility) because of the presence of the blank bands with nothing written to them. The producer of pirate copies is totally unable to produce new CDs with codes written thereto which are different for all new CD players and unique to the purchaser.
However, old music CDs can be played as normal, on the new CD player, because the CDs do not bear any writable bands required to be read by the player. With passage of time, there will be a diminishing market for pirate copies of such CDs.
The invention does not necessarily prohibit the purchaser from making back-up copies of new CDs for non-profit making purposes. It is readily possible, for example, to manufacture the coded CD with a facility enabling its use 5, 10 or even 20 times, before prohibiting further reading of its unique code number. However, a limitation on the number of permissible usages is desirable in order to prevent any coded CDs falling into the hands of pirate producers being duplicated ad infinitum, so that the code on the special CD ceases to be unique.
It will also be understood that the same system can be applied to data, e.g. computer games, CDs. In this case, it will in general only be necessary to provide one once-write only writable band, just before the beginning of the data.
It will readily be appreciated that the above description for CD copy protection can equally be applied to mini-discs, tapes, etc. , as hitherto explained.

Claims

Claims
1. A method of copy protection for items of recordable material according to which an otherwise normal recordable material items is provided with a once- write only writable area, and a player for such recordable material items incorporates a write facility and a memory and is supplied in conjunction with a special item of said recordable material bearing a unique code, whereby, before an otherwise normal recordable material item can be played, the special item of said recordable material is inserted into the player to read the code, which is then stored in the player memory, and the otherwise normal recordable material item is inserted into the player to cause the code to be written to the writable area on the otherwise normal item.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the otherwise normal item of recordable material and the special item of recordable material are CDs or mini- discs, and the player is a CD or mini-disc player.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the otherwise normal item of recordable material and the special item of recordable material are magnetic tapes, and the player is a magnetic tape player.
4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the otherwise normal item of recordable material has a plaurality of once-write only areas.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein, in the case of a music CD, the otherwise normal CD has a once-write only band in front of each music track.
6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the memory in the player is an electrically erasible programmable read only memory (EEPROM). -6-
7. An item of recordable material for use in the method of claim 1, said item having playable music, vision or data information recorded thereon, and being provided with at least one once-write only area writable with a unique code.
8. A player for a recordable item for use in the method of claim 1, said player incorporating a write facility, a memory, and means whereby a unique code number written on an item of recordable material can be read and stored in the memory.
9. An item of recordable material which is empty of playable music, vision or data except for a readable unique code, and possibly readable instructions for use of the item.
10. A method of copy protection applicable to all items of recordable material, but as applied to CDs or mini-discs comprises providing a CD or mini-disc player with a write facility and a memory programmable with a code unique to that player, providing CDs with a once-write only writable band, writing the unique code to a CD on first use of the CD, whereby only after the CD carries the unique code can the CD be played on the player from which the unique code has been written.
PCT/GB1999/000553 1998-03-06 1999-02-23 Copy protection WO1999045539A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU26314/99A AU2631499A (en) 1998-03-06 1999-02-23 Copy protection

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9804766.5A GB9804766D0 (en) 1998-03-06 1998-03-06 CD Copy protection
GB9804766.5 1998-03-06

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999045539A1 true WO1999045539A1 (en) 1999-09-10

Family

ID=10828090

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1999/000553 WO1999045539A1 (en) 1998-03-06 1999-02-23 Copy protection

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2631499A (en)
GB (1) GB9804766D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1999045539A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2403583A (en) * 2003-07-01 2005-01-05 Jonathan Brierley Anti piracy CD
US6908725B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2005-06-21 Dphi Acquisitions, Inc. Double-sided hybrid optical disk with surface topology
US7368222B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2008-05-06 Dphi Acquisitions, Inc. Optical data storage media with enhanced contrast

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0286437A2 (en) * 1987-04-09 1988-10-12 Victor Company Of Japan, Limited Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing a digital signal
US4785361A (en) * 1982-11-08 1988-11-15 Vault Corporation Method and apparatus for frustrating the unauthorized copying of recorded data
US5172241A (en) * 1989-03-31 1992-12-15 Goldstar Co., Ltd. Recording/playback system for VCR
EP0593305A2 (en) * 1992-10-16 1994-04-20 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Information carrier and recording and/or reproducing and/or initializing apparatus
US5513260A (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-04-30 Macrovision Corporation Method and apparatus for copy protection for various recording media

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4785361A (en) * 1982-11-08 1988-11-15 Vault Corporation Method and apparatus for frustrating the unauthorized copying of recorded data
EP0286437A2 (en) * 1987-04-09 1988-10-12 Victor Company Of Japan, Limited Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing a digital signal
US5172241A (en) * 1989-03-31 1992-12-15 Goldstar Co., Ltd. Recording/playback system for VCR
EP0593305A2 (en) * 1992-10-16 1994-04-20 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Information carrier and recording and/or reproducing and/or initializing apparatus
EP0803872A2 (en) * 1992-10-16 1997-10-29 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Recording and/or reproducing and/or initialising apparatus
US5513260A (en) * 1994-06-29 1996-04-30 Macrovision Corporation Method and apparatus for copy protection for various recording media

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6908725B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2005-06-21 Dphi Acquisitions, Inc. Double-sided hybrid optical disk with surface topology
US7368222B2 (en) 2001-01-16 2008-05-06 Dphi Acquisitions, Inc. Optical data storage media with enhanced contrast
US8685621B2 (en) * 2001-01-16 2014-04-01 Enhanced Data Solutions, Llc First-side dual-layer optical data storage disk and method of manufacturing the same
GB2403583A (en) * 2003-07-01 2005-01-05 Jonathan Brierley Anti piracy CD

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9804766D0 (en) 1998-04-29
AU2631499A (en) 1999-09-20

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