CD-ROM with machine-readable i.d. code
AssigneesSony Corporation, Digital Audio Disc Corporation
InventorsBarry A. Fite, Michael L. Mitchell, Russ A. Kunz, Clifford R. Brannon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine-readable serial number is formed on a CD-ROM by using a laser to selectively remove a reflective layer from the CD-ROM, Removal of the reflective layer creates defects in addressable information storage locations on the CD-ROM, The serial number is read by detecting the defects, The serial number is used in a software distribution system in which many different software programs are distributed on a single CD-ROM and an access code based on the desired software program and the serial number of a particular CD-ROM is used to "unlock" the desired program on the particular CD-ROM,
Claims14
A method of applying a human-readable serial number to an optical information storage disk having a machine-readable code formed thereon, comprising the steps of:
- reading said machine-readable code formed on said disk;
- performing an encryption algorithm with respect to said read machine-readable code to obtain an encrypted code;
- and
- applying said encrypted code to said disk in human-readable form.
A method of forming a machine-readable code on an optical information storage disk comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of addressable information storage locations in tracks on said disk, the tracks including storage location addressing information for the addressable information storage locations, at least some of said addressable information storage locations containing program information readable by an optical disk reading apparatus using the storage location addressing information;
- and
- creating defects in ones of said addressable information storage locations in a predetermined pattern to form a machine-readable code such that the machine-readable code is readable by the optical disk reading apparatus by accessing the machine-readable code using the storage location addressing information.
A method of providing access to a selected one of a plurality of software programs stored in a CD-ROM, comprising the steps of:
- inserting said CD-ROM into a CD-ROM drive interfaced to a personal computer;
- entering into said personal computer an access code for providing access to said selected one of said plurality of software programs stored in said CD-ROM;
- examining a plurality of information storage locations on said CD-ROM to detect defects in said information storage locations;
- establishing a disk identification code on the basis of results of said examining step;
- and
- verifying said entered access code on the basis of said established disk identification code.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.