Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-21
2002-09-17
Hua, Ly V. (Department: 2131)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
C705S051000, C705S057000, C705S058000, C380S201000, C380S202000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06453420
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a distribution and tracking system that utilizes a set of bits on an electronic medium to track and control use of content electronically.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The now familiar compact disk preserves information as a series of microscopic pits and smooth areas, oriented in concentric circular or helical tracks, on the otherwise smooth, planar surface of an annular disk. Recorded information is read from a compact disk by directing a focused laser beam along the recorded tracks, and detecting variations in the intensity of the laser beam as it encounters the microscopic pits and smooth areas on the disk. The coherence and relatively short wavelength of laser radiation enables large volumes of information to be written onto very small spaces of a recording medium.
Compact disks were first introduced in the music recording industry in 1982, and now account for 43% of all recorded music sales. In the United States alone, over three hundred million compact disks are sold annually, with a retail value of over three billion dollars, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The recording industry has for the last ten years packaged the five inch in diameter prerecorded compact disks in six inch by twelve inch cardboard boxes known in the industry as “long boxes.” The long box is easily propped up in display bins alongside traditional vinyl LPs in music store display bins. More importantly, however, the bulk of the long box makes it difficult for a shoplifter to hide a prerecorded compact disk under a coat or in a purse and walk out of a music store without paying. While the long box packaging technique for prerecorded compact disks has been somewhat effective as an anti-theft device, the excess packaging it creates accounts for as much as twenty five million pounds of packaging waste annually.
The Recording Industry Association of America accordingly announced in 1991 its intention to abandon the long box. In February of 1992, the Association announced that, beginning in April 1993, all prerecorded compact disks would be marketed in five inch by five and one half inch packages.
When Compact Discs (CD)s or Digital Video or Versatile Disks (DVD)s are manufactured, they are frequently transported and stored on spindles. This is at least in part due to the fragile nature of the storage medium. Since each disk has a center hole, is relatively thin and is relatively light, storage of multiple discs on a spindle is convenient. Spindles, as used in the manufacture of disks, typically have a central post about two feet long and weighted base about two inches thick. Depending upon the level of automation of the disk manufacturing process, disks may be stored or carried on spindles several times before printing or packaging. In the most fully automated processes, disks are only kept on spindles between the inspection and printing steps and just prior to final packaging. In more manual systems, disks may be placed on spindles between every manufacturing step including between molding and metalizing, between metalizing and spin coating, between spin coating and inspection, between inspection and printing, and between printing and final packaging. However, regardless of the number of times the disks are maintained on spindles, each such time the disk is removed for processing, a possibility of theft and confusion as to title exists. In other words, whenever a disk is on a spindle, particularly without any identifying printing, the identification of the title on that spindle may easily be called into question or be confused. It is essential that a capability be built into a disk to track the disk and provide distribution management, quality control and customer access information.
Similarly, whenever disks are maintained on a spindle for any length of time, theft can occur. Without any means of preventing unauthorized removal of disks from the spindle or tracking exactly how many disks were on the spindle, thefts regularly happen.
The merchandising of compact disc (hereinafter “CD”) multimedia is a growing industry. CD multimedia are used in audio, video, audio-video, and computer based applications. Since many similar looking duplicate recordings for a particular CD program are often available from many different sources, it is difficult for merchants to track, identify, and distinguish their inventory from the inventory of others.
Security is an important concern associated with the rental, loan, or sale of such merchandise. Items such as commercially prerecorded compact disc programs are available from rental shops, stores, and libraries. It is important for a merchant to have a simple means to secure and identify its merchandise. For example, a merchant needs to determine whether merchandise which was rented from it is the same merchandise that is being returned to it to deter customers from attempting to switch good rented merchandise with bad return merchandise (such as a customer's scratched disc).
The switching of CDs in good condition with defective CDs obtained from other sources is a difficult problem that merchants face. Merchandise switching is a significant problem given the high volume of business involved in the compact disc industry and the difficulty of detecting such illegal switching. An easy and reliable way for a merchant to determine whether the digital data contained on a CD is damaged or defective is required. Although obvious imperfections such as scratches or cracks may be detected by a simple visual inspection, such inspection cannot detect defects in the digital data. Even though defects may be discovered during regular speed playback of an entire CD, such means is commercially impractical since it requires too much time for merchants dealing in high volume to check every CD returned to them. Although high-speed electronic scanning devices for checking digital recordings currently exist, such devices are effectively unavailable to the individual merchant due to cost prohibitions and the limited availability of such technology.
Electronic article surveillance systems for monitoring the egress of sensitive objects from controlled spaces are well known, and have been used alone and along with the long box packaging technique for controlling the unauthorized taking of compact disks. Markers formed from a piece of high permeability magnetic material can be placed on the packaging for the disk. Spaced apart detection panels are then placed across the access points to the store, library or other repository for the monitored compact disks. The panels include field coils and detector coils for producing a magnetic field across the access point that can detect the passage of a marker between the panels. If a person attempts to carry a compact disk through the magnetic field presented by the panels without first deactivating the marker on the disk packaging, the presence of the marker will be detected and an alarm initiated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,754 discloses a multi-directional EAS marker especially designed for its compact dimensions. The marker disclosed in the '754 patent is comprised of a high permeability, low coercive force, generally planar magnetic responder material that includes at least two narrow regions defining switching sections, and adjacent, wider, flux collector sections. The juxtaposition of the narrow switching sections with the flux collector sections causes the flux to be highly concentrated in the switching sections. The high concentration of flux lines in the switching sections produces high frequency harmonics when passed through an alternating magnetic field, allowing the presence of the marker in the field to be detected. The marker is conveniently made dual status, i.e., reversibly deactivatable and reactivatable, by including a piece of magnetizable material adjacent each of the switching sections. The magnetizable material, when magnetized, biases the adjacent switching section to either keep the magnetization therein from reversing when in an alternating inter
Hua Ly V.
Masaki Keiji
Research Investment Network, Inc.
Wong Steve A.
LandOfFree
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