Deterring theft of optical media
AssigneesSony Corporation, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
InventorDON CHARLES EKLUND, II
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims23
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.