Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-16
2001-10-16
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2785)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
C380S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304971
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer software security systems, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a digital compact disc player security system wherein security code information is stored on a digital optical compact disc through modulating an offset of the physical position of a plurality of optically encoded data bits on the disc from a nominal track position in order to ensure that a disc player system is exclusively used with authorized software containing a predetermined security code.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently in the field of data storage and retrieval, the use of optical compact discs has grown significantly. Digital optical storage devices have the advantage of having a large storage capacity compared with other forms of data storage. In these systems it is often desirable to protect a dedicated player system from being used with unauthorized software. This is especially true in the video game market where video game manufacturers typically sell game playing devices at or near their cost with the expectation that sales and royalties on the software for the games will provide a large return.
Conventional systems for protecting devices which are capable of operating with a variety of computer software typically employ a security code to protect the system from being used with unauthorized computer software. In a conventional system for preventing a dedicated disc reproducing apparatus from being used with unauthorized software, the system initially determines whether a security code is present at a predetermined memory location of the storage medium which contains the software. The player or reproducing apparatus determines whether or not the software is authorized by comparing the data stored in the predetermined memory location with a security code. This is generally known as a security system or protect processing.
In recent years there has been a number of instances where even systems which have protect processing or security systems have been subject to use with unauthorized computer software. There have been instances where the protect processing has been illegally avoided even with the security system as described above. One reason for this is that in conventional security systems the security code is located in a predetermined memory location which can be readily identified by examining the software. This is also at least partially due to the fact that the determination as to whether or not this recording medium is authorized and execution of the computer program are carried out by the same hardware. The present invention addresses these problems and overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a digital optical compact disc recording medium which incorporates an improved system for storing and accessing the security code to prevent copying of computer software from an unauthorized disc onto a dedicated disc player. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a digital optical compact disc according to the present invention incorporates a security code which is defined by modulation of a physical offset in the radial direction or “wobbling” of the position of a plurality of data bits from a nominal track position. The physical offset modulation is digitally encoded to define a security code.
The security verification method according to the present invention comprises the steps of reading out the modulated physical offset or wobbling of the data bits in the radial direction of the recording medium so that the security code can be detected. The detection step of detecting the certification data or security code is followed by a discrimination step of determining whether or not the certification data which is detected corresponds with a security code previously set in advance. It should be noted that when it is determined during the discrimination step that certification data and the security code set in advance do not match each other, the system inhibits further processing of the disc software, thus preventing unauthorized software from being used with the system.
Additionally, the above mentioned disc recording and reproducing method includes the step of displaying video information identifying the game manufacturer as the licensor or creator of the software. This occurs only when the certification data corresponds with or matches the security code. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this occurs after a second check or verification which ensures that the disc contains a proprietary video image or message at predetermined locations of the disc. By incorporating this step into the process of reading the software from the disc, the game manufacturer is able to force anyone who makes unauthorized software for use with the system to violate the copyright or trademark laws. This occurs because the system will automatically display a proprietary screen identifying the game station manufacturer as the creator or licensor of the software. If the software is unauthorized, its creator will automatically be in violation of the trademark laws because the software is not actually authorized or licensed as stated by the display screen.
In order to solve the problems mentioned above, the improved system of the present invention incorporates a means for reading the modulated physical offset or wobbling of the position of a plurality of the data bits on the disc. The physical position of the bits is modulated in the radial direction to define a security code. The security code therefore does not reside in a predetermined memory location but rather is embedded in a general area of the disc by modulating the location of the data bits with respect to a nominal track position. This is advantageous because a person examining the software would be unable to determine the security code. In the preferred embodiment, the presence of the physical offset or modulating is defined to be a logical “
1
” and the absence of wobbling is defined to be logical “
0
”.
A detecting means for detecting certification data which has been stored by modulating the physical position of a plurality of data bits determines the security code. In the preferred embodiment, the optical read head is divided in two parts in order to determine whether the security code is present. Data bits which are offset from a nominal track location can be detected with such a device. The main data comprising the software for the computer game stored on the disc is also read out with the same read head.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system performs an initial check to determine whether or not the disc contains a “wobbled” code in the TOC (Table of Contents) area of the disc. In an authorized disc, the security code is repeated several times in order to ensure that it is properly detected without the need to add error correction bits to the security code. The system initially checks to determine whether the disc contains wobbling of the data in the TOC area of the disc before actually checking the actual code. If the disc does not contain a wobbled code, the system then determines if the disc is actually an audio disc. If it is an audio disc the system proceeds to play the audio disc and provide an audio output. If it is not an audio disc then the system shuts down.
If the disc does contain a “wobbled” code in the TOC area of the disc, the player proceeds to decode the wobbled code and transmit this decoded data to a mechanical controller. If the wobbled code matches a predetermined security code, then the system performs a second check on the disc for verifying authenticity. If the wobbled code does not match, the player then checks to see if the disc is an audio disc as noted above. If the disc passes the first code verification, the disc player then proceeds to verify that the disc contains a logo which matches a logo stored in the system. This second verification is performed to verify that the disc
Hirano Tetsuya
Kutaragi Ken
Elisca Pierre E
Helfgott & Karas P.C.
Trammell James P.
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