Electro-Optic Device and Process for Optical Media

Abstract

An optical media is provided with an associated electro-optic material. The electro-optic material has at least two states. In a first state, the electro-optic material interferes with the ability of an interrogating laser beam to read data from the optical media, and in a second state, the electro-optic material is substantially transparent, enabling the laser beam to read the disc. Advantageously, the electro-optic material may be placed over less than the full data area of the disc. The optical media has an area for placing an integrated circuit, which is used to cause the electro-optic material to transition from a first state to the second state. In one example, an integrated circuit acts as the powering circuit for the electro-optic material, as well as providing logic and processing functions. The integrated circuit also couples to an RF antenna, enabling the integrated circuit to communicate with an associated RF scanning device. The disc has an area for holding the antenna, and the antenna may be in the disc, on the disc, or on a substrate that attaches to the disc.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.