Interactive compact disc system

Details Interactive compact disc system Interactive compact disc system

1996-09-23

1999-05-18

Cangialosi, Salvatore

Cryptography

Cryptanalysis

380 4, 369 19, 369 32, H04L9/00

Patent

active

059057971

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to interactive compact disc systems and in particular to systems for controlling the use of compact discs in an interactive compact disc player.
In many areas, it is important to be able to precisely control the playing time of compact discs in compact disc players. For example, in locations where compact discs are used to provide background music, for example pubs and supermarkets, it is customary for the Background Music (BGM) supplier to supply the music subject to a rental contract which stipulates payment in advance and the return of all tapes or discs at the end of the contract period. It sometimes happens that customers default in their payment, but having possession of (though not title to) the tapes or discs continue to play them. It is a comparatively lengthy and expensive process for the BGM supplier to exercise his legal rights for payment or repossession--while the customer is still enjoying the benefits of the music service. In addition, the rentor is legally liable to the copyright authorities (in this country the PPL) for the payment of copyright fees while the music is being played. There is presently no available system which automatically controls CD playing to facilitate collection of licence payments.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate this disadvantage.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the playing of a compact disc on a compact disc player and comprising storing at least one control date in a memory of the player and storing a control program on the compact disc to be played, updating said at least one control date stored in the player memory by reading information from a validation disc and, in response to a request that said compact disc be played, loading said control program from the compact disc to be played into a memory of the player and operating the player in accordance with the control program to read said at least one control date currently stored in the player memory to determine whether or not the control date is later than the current date held by the compact disc player and to correspondingly enable or disable the playing of the compact disc.
The invention is applicable in particular to interactive compact disc systems which are capable of operating in accordance with software stored on the compact disc. One such system is the Philips "CD-i" system.
It will be apparent that embodiments of the present invention may provide a system for accurately controlling the times at which, and for which, compact discs may be played allowing royalties and licences to be determined on a "pay by use" basis.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating an interactive compact disc player and comprising the steps of: program stored on the disc into a memory of the player; read a control date stored on the validation disc into the player's memory; compact disc to be played; the player's memory; and compare a current date provided by a system clock with the stored control date and to enable the playing of the compact disc if the control date is later than the current date and to disable the playing of the disc if the contrary is true.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided in combination a validation compact disc and a compact disc to be played, the validation disc having digitally encoded thereon a first control program for causing an interactive compact disc player to read from the validation disc a control date and to store the control date in a memory of the player, and said compact disc to be played having stored thereon a second control program for causing an interactive compact disc player to search the player's memory for a control date read from said validation disc and, if found, to compare the control date with a date provided by a system clock to determine whether or not the compact disc can be played.
According to a fourth asp

REFERENCES:
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patent: 4977594 (1990-12-01), Shear
patent: 5050213 (1991-09-01), Shear
patent: 5371792 (1994-12-01), Asai et al.
patent: 5410598 (1995-04-01), Shear
patent: 5513260 (1996-04-01), Ryan
patent: 5752041 (1998-05-01), Fosdick
patent: 5758068 (1998-05-01), Brandt et al.

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