Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Condition indicating – monitoring – or testing – Including radiation storage or retrieval
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-28
2004-04-27
Tran, Thang V. (Department: 2653)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Condition indicating, monitoring, or testing
Including radiation storage or retrieval
C369S053220
Reexamination Certificate
active
06728181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a code judging apparatus and a cord judging method, a record medium judging apparatus and a record medium judging method, and an information recording apparatus and an information recording method. More particularly it relates to a code judging apparatus for and a code judging method of judging a presence or absence of an information code including at least identification information to individually identify a writable record medium. It also relates to a record medium judging apparatus, which includes the code judging apparatus, for judging a type of the writable record medium or the like, and a record medium judging method, which includes the code judging method, of judging a type of the writable record medium or the like. It further relates to an information recording apparatus, which includes the record medium judging apparatus, for recording information onto the writable record medium, and an information recording method, which includes the record medium judging method, of recording information onto the writable record medium and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a so-called DVD having a record capacity higher by several times than that of a conventional CD (Compact Disc) has been generalized. Moreover, a so-called DVD-RW (DVD-Re-recordable) is manufactured as a DVD, which has a record format substantially equal to that of a DVD-ROM (DVD-Read Only) dedicated to a reading out operation and enables record information to be re-written at a plurality of times.
Here, since the DVD-RW has the record format substantially equal to that of the DVD-ROM as mentioned above, a DVD player for the DVD-ROM, which is being generalized, can reproduce the information recorded thereon. Hence, the DVD-RW is expected to be widely generalized in future as a rewritable DVD having a high universality.
On the other hand, in order to generalize such a rewritable DVD, it may be necessary to protect the record information recorded thereon, from the viewpoint of a copyright.
As an effective method of protecting the record information from the viewpoint of the copyright, a following method may be considered. Namely, identification information for identifying the DVD-RWs one by one from each other, is recorded onto each DVD-RW on which record information is not recorded yet. Then, the identification information is read out in advance when recording the record information onto the DVD-RW. Then the record information is recorded onto the DVD-RW after performing a copyright protection process with respect to the record information, by use of the read out information. According to this method, it is possible to perform the copyright protection process, which is different for each DVD-RW, with respect to the record information prior to the recording. Thus, the record information can be effectively protected, from the viewpoint of the copyright.
On one hand, the protection of the record information from the viewpoint of the copyright is not always necessary for all the record information. There may be a case that the protection from the viewpoint of the copyright is not necessary for a certain kind of record information. In this case, it is not necessary to preliminarily record the identification information on the non-recorded DVD-RW.
Therefore, in case of the DVD-RW currently being manufactured, it is prescribed on a standard that the preliminary recording of the identification information on the non-recorded DVD-RW is not essential but is optional.
On the other hand, in case of preliminarily recording the identification information onto the DVD-RW, a record position may be in one portion of an area where the record information is recorded (hereafter, which is merely referred to as a “data area”) together with the record information.
However, if the identification information is recorded in the data area, the original record information and the identification information, which is significantly different from the record information in manner and performance, are mixed in the data area. As a result, this mixture of the record information and the identification information gives a bad influence onto an operation of a so-called tracking servo control system, a so-called focus servo control system or a so-called spindle servo control system. That is, this has a problem that each servo control system may be abnormally operated at a switching position between the record information and the identification information.
Thus, when the identification information is necessary, it is desirable to preliminarily record the identification information in an area different from the data area on the DVD-RW.
When the record information is actually recorded onto the DVD-RW, it is necessary to surely judge a presence or absence of the identification information and then record the record information in accordance with a record manner that is different depending upon the judgment result. That is, if the identification information is recorded on the DVD-RW, the record information is recorded after the above copyright protection process different for each DVD-RW is performed with respect to the record information by using the identification information. On the other hand, if the record information is not recorded on the DVD-RW, the protecting process is not performed, and the record information is recorded as it is.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problem. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide: a code judging apparatus and a code judging method, which can surely judge a presence or absence of identification information supposed to be recorded in an area other than a data area and can make the judged result reflected to a later recording process; a record medium judging apparatus including the code judging apparatus and a record medium judging method including the code judging method, which can judge a type of a writable record medium such as a DVD-RW and the like (e.g., which can judge whether it is a writable record medium of one type to which the record information is recorded after an execution of a copyright protection process or a writable record medium of another type to which the record information is recorded without the execution of the protecting process); and an information recording apparatus including the record medium judging apparatus and an information recording method including the record medium judging method, which can record the record information onto the writable record medium.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a code judging apparatus provided with: a detecting device, such as an optical pickup or the like, for optically detecting an information code including at least identification information to individually identify a writable record medium, such as a DVD-RW or the like, in which record information can be written, from the writable record medium to thereby output an output signal; a moving device, such as a system controller or the like, for moving the detecting device onto a set area, which is an area on the writable record medium where the information code is supposed to be recorded; and a judging device, such as a system controller or the like, for judging whether or not the information code is recorded on the writable record medium, in accordance with the output signal outputted from the detecting device moved on the set area.
According to the code judging apparatus of the present invention, it is judged whether or not the information code is recorded, in accordance with the output signal, which is outputted from the detecting device when it is moved on the set area. Thus, it is possible to reflect the result of the judgment as for whether or not the information code is recorded, to a process or processes after that.
Thus, for example, it is possible to surely carry out the process of recording the record information onto the writable record medium and the like after the execution
Hasebe Tsuyoshi
Kawahara Tetsuaki
Shimoda Yoshitaka
Yoshida Masayoshi
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Pioneer Corporation
Tran Thang V.
LandOfFree
Code judging apparatus and method, record medium judging... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Code judging apparatus and method, record medium judging..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Code judging apparatus and method, record medium judging... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3214541