TH8467B - Optical discs, optical disc testing devices, and devices for recording information onto optical discs. - Google Patents

Abstract

One type of optical disc The figure has a number of spiral formations of normal holes. and at least one formation of unusual holes has been created. The normal holes of each such formation are arranged symmetrically with the center of the groove. In addition, each irregular hole has a specific shape that Different from the shape of each hole that is normally mentioned. In addition, the arrangement of the formation of holes is not normal. It is different from the normal arrangement of each formation of holes. One tracing error signal has been achieved. from the procession of such unusual holes This type of unusual hole Each hole cannot be copied. Although a normal optical disc containing one unusual hole will be copied by the copying method, so it can be separated from the normal optical disk. By checking that abnormal holes are inserted in the optical disk. or which makes it possible to have a good copy protection mechanism by simple detection of smuggled discs.

Claims (38)

1. An optical disc containing a predetermined spiral train of normal pits and at least one train of irregular pits. The normal pits in each train are arranged symmetrically relative to the center of a groove. Each irregular pit has a predetermined shape that differs from the shape of the normal pits, and its arrangement differs from that of the normal pit trains and is asymmetrical with respect to the center of the groove. The irregular pit train carries information that causes a groove-following error signal. 2. A diagnostic device for examining optical discs to determine whether they are normal or pirated discs. A normal disc has a predefined spiral arrangement of normal pits and at least one irregular pit arrangement in a designated area of the normal disc, where each normal pit in the row is arranged symmetrically to the center of the groove, and each irregular pit has a predefined shape different from the shape of the normal pits, and the arrangement of the irregular pits differs from the arrangement of the normal pits and is not symmetrical to the center of the groove. A pirated disc will not have any irregular pits in the area corresponding to that area of the designated normal disc. The diagnostic device consists of a decoding mechanism for decoding information from a designated area of the optical disc being examined, corresponding to the designated area of the normal disc, and a decision-making mechanism for detecting the presence of an irregular pit arrangement from the decoding information and, based on this detection, determining whether the examined disc is normal or pirated. 3. A type of inspection device used to determine whether an optical disc is normal or a pirated disc. A normal disc will have a predetermined number of spiral arrangements of normal pits and at least one abnormal pit arrangement, arranged in a designated area of the normal disc. Each normal pit in this arrangement is symmetrical to the center of the groove, and each abnormal pit has a different shape than the normal pits. The abnormal pits are arranged discontinuously in a predetermined area, corresponding to the data blocks represented by the modulation signal recorded as a normal pit arrangement. A pirated disc will not have any abnormal pit arrangements in that area corresponding to the predetermined region of the normal disc. The inspection device consists of a decoding mechanism to decode information from a specific area of the disc being inspected, corresponding to the predetermined region of the normal disc, and a decision mechanism to detect from the decoding information whether an abnormal pit arrangement is present on the optical disc being inspected, and to make a decision based on the result of this detection. Which of the discs being examined are normal discs, and which are discs that have been illegally copied? 4. Optical disc pursuant to claim paragraph 1, where each irregular well of the irregular well train is arranged on the center of the radially vibrating line by a maximum size smaller than the groove spacing. 5. The optical disc, according to claim 4, shall have a oscillation frequency higher than the servo band frequency of the groove, and the frequency at which the components of the reproduced signal are incorporated into the groove-following error signal shall be minimal and reversible. The oscillation carrier shall be highest when the signal is reproduced by the optical receiver using the side beam of the groove-following signal. 6. Optical disc pursuant to claim paragraph 1, where an abnormal formation of pits is arranged on the disc portion and a replicated signal component is incorporated into the erroneous signal grooves in the grooves to a level smaller than the reference level. 7. Optical discs pursuant to claim 1, where the functional factors of abnormal wells differ from the functional factors of normal wells. 8. Optical discs pursuant to claim paragraph 1, where the radial width of each abnormal well differs from the radial width of each normal well. 9. Verification device pursuant to claim 2, whereby the copying mechanism shall have a decoding unit for reading data blocks from the information recording portion of the optical disc being examined and decoding the data blocks, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a first detection unit for detecting whether the servo signal or data signal is normal or abnormal; a second detection unit for detecting whether the output signal of the decoding unit and the first detection unit are correlated at a normal point in time that is predetermined; and a decision unit for deciding from the output signal, which is detected by the second detection unit, whether an abnormal pit pre-recorded on the disc has been detected. In this way, each volume of the optical disc being examined shall be able to be proven to be either a volume of the optical disc containing only normal pits or a volume of the optical disc containing abnormal pits pre-recorded on it. 10. The inspection equipment pursuant to claim 9 shall consist of a fault-tracking detection unit for detecting faulty track signals, a third detection unit for detecting whether the secondary signal level is nearly constant or changes in a burst-like manner, a control unit for deciding from the fault-tracking signal whether abnormal pits are detected in the optical disc being inspected, and for controlling the decomposition operation to be performed after the decision has been made. In this way, the inspection equipment shall be able to perform operations to differentiate between the volumes of the optical disc being inspected based on the presence or absence of abnormal pits. 11. The detection device pursuant to claim paragraph 10 shall, where such disassembly mechanism shall employ a three-point toggle method, and such third detection unit shall consist of a band-pass filter circuit, a rectifier circuit, and a comparator circuit, and the center frequency of such band-pass filter circuit shall be set at a frequency such that the level of a burst signal appearing in the toggle error signal is maximized, and the leakage of a data signal appearing in the toggle error signal is minimized. 12. The inspection device pursuant to claim 1, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of three detection units: one for detecting the waveform symmetry of an RF signal relative to its shear level; one shear level modifier unit for modifying the shear level of the RF signal according to its detectability; one comparison unit for determining whether the change in the shear level is within a certain reference range; and one decision unit for deciding from an output signal of the comparison unit whether an abnormal pit has been detected on the optical disc being inspected. Thus, the inspection device shall be able to perform the function of separating the volumes of the optical disc being inspected based on the presence or absence of an abnormal pit. 13. The detection device under claim 1, in which the decision mechanism shall consist of a signal-generating unit for a portion of the optical disc being examined, a reflected quantum irradiation unit for a portion of the optical disc being examined with a laser, and output a reflected quantum signal representing the amount of light reflected by the optical disc; a comparator unit for determining whether the change in the reflected quantum signal is within a reference range; an amplification unit for amplifying the output signal of the comparator unit; and a decision unit for deciding from the output signal of the amplification unit whether an abnormal pit has been detected in the optical disc being read. Thus, the detection device shall be able to perform the function of separating the volumes of the optical disc being examined based on the presence or absence of an abnormal pit. 14. The monitoring device under claim 2, whereby the decision mechanism consists of three sensing units, one for reading the data recorded at each address specified in the data block recorded on the optical disk being monitored, and making a decision on whether an abnormal pit has been detected on the optical disk by determining whether a groove-following error signal that changes like a burst signal has been detected at the same time as a uniform time point specified by the data recorded at the read address, or determining whether a variation in the shear level corresponding to the waveform symmetry of such RF signal with respect to its shear level has been detected at the same time as a uniform time point, or determining whether a variation in the amount of light reflected by such disk has been detected at the same time as such a uniform time point. In this way, the monitoring device distinguishes between volumes of the optical disk based on the presence or absence of an abnormal pit. 15. The monitoring device under claim 2, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of three detection units, one for reading the data recorded at each address specified in the data block recorded on the optical disk being monitored, and making a decision that an abnormal pit has been detected on the disk if, more than a specified number of decisions, a track-following error signal altered as a burst signal has been captured at the same time as a specific regular time point defined by the data recorded at the read address and of that regular time; and, if, more than a specified number of decisions, a track-following error signal altered as a burst signal has not been detected at the same time as a specific regular time point defined by the data recorded at the read address. 16. The detection device under claim 2, where the decision mechanism consists of a storage unit for storing the address of the data block stored on the optical disk, which is used to determine the type of optical disk from the result of the decision of whether an anomaly is detected among the information wells created on the disk; and a third detection unit for reading the data block stored at the specified address when the optical disk is set up and to determine whether an anomaly is detected on the disk by determining whether a change in the track following signal, similar to a burst signal, is detected in the data block, or whether a variation in the shear level of the RF signal is detected in the data block, or whether a variation in the level of the chromatography signal is detected in the data block. In this way, the detection device distinguishes between volumes of the optical disk based on the presence or absence of an anomaly. 17. The detection device pursuant to claim paragraph 2, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a storage unit for storing a designated address which is the address for a table of addresses of the data blocks on the optical disk being examined. This data block is used to determine the type of optical disk being examined, from the result of the decision of whether an abnormal pit has been detected among the information pits created on this disk; and a third detection unit for reading the table at the designated address and subsequently reading the data block stored at the address listed in the table when the optical disk is set up, and to decide whether an abnormal pit has been detected on this disk by determining whether a change in the track following signal similar to a burst signal has been detected in this data block, or whether a variation in the RF shear level has been detected in this data block, or whether a variation in the reflected signal level has been detected in this data block. Can this be verified in the said data block? In that method, the inspection device differentiates between the volumes of the optical disc based on the presence or absence of anomalies. 18. Optical discs pursuant to claim 1, where each irregular well is shorter than each normal well in length along the trench. 19. Optical discs pursuant to claim clause 1 where the depth of each abnormal well is less than the depth of each normal well. 20. Optical discs pursuant to claim clause 8, where the radial width of each abnormal well is smaller than the radial width of each normal well. 21. The monitoring device pursuant to claim paragraph 3 shall have a decoding mechanism containing a decoder unit for reading data blocks from the information recording portion of the optical disc being monitored and for decoding the data blocks. The decision mechanism shall consist of a first detection unit for detecting whether the servo or data signal is normal or abnormal; a second detection unit for detecting whether the output signal of the decoder unit and the first detection unit are correlated at a normal point in time at a predetermined time; and a decision unit for deciding from the output signal detected by the second detection unit whether an abnormal pit pre-recorded on the disc has been detected. In this way, the monitoring device shall enable each volume of the optical disc being monitored to be determined as either the volume of the optical disc containing only normal pits or the volume of optical discs containing abnormal pits pre-recorded on it. 22. The monitoring device pursuant to claim paragraph 3, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of three detection units: one for detecting the symmetry of the waveform of an RF signal relative to the shear level of such RF signal; one shear level alteration unit for altering such shear level of such RF signal according to the detected symmetry; one comparison unit for determining whether the change in such shear level is within a reference range; and one decision unit for deciding from an output signal of the comparison unit whether an anomaly has been detected on the optical disc being read. In this way, the monitoring device shall differentiate between the volume of the optical disc being monitored based on the presence or absence of an anomaly. 23. The detection device according to claim 3, where the decision mechanism consists of a unit that generates a chromatic aquifer signal for irradiating a portion of the optical disc being examined and outputs a chromatic aquifer signal representing the amount of light reflected by the optical disc; a comparator unit to determine whether the change in the chromatic aquifer signal is within a reference range; an amplification unit to amplify one of the output signals from the comparator; and a decision unit to decide from one of the output signals from the amplification unit whether an abnormal pit has been detected in the optical disc being read. In this way, the detection device distinguishes between the volumes of the optical disc being examined based on the presence or absence of an abnormal pit. 24. The monitoring device under claim 3, whereby the decision mechanism consists of three sensing units, one for reading the data recorded at each address specified in the data block recorded on the optical disk being monitored, and making a decision as to whether an abnormal pit has been detected on the optical disk by determining whether a groove-following error signal that changes like a burst signal has been detected at the same interval of time as specified in the data recorded at the read address, or determining whether a variation in the shear level corresponding to the waveform symmetry of such RF signal with respect to its shear level has been detected at the same interval of time as specified in time, or determining whether a variation in the display quantity reflected by such disk has been detected at the same interval of time as specified in time. In this way, the monitoring device distinguishes between the volumes of the optical disk based on the presence or absence of an abnormal pit. 25. The monitoring device under claim 3, where the decision mechanism consists of three detection units, one for reading the recorded data at the specified address in the data block recorded on the optical disk being monitored, and making a decision that an abnormal pit has been detected on the disk if, more than a specified number of decisions, a groove following error signal that changes like a burst signal has been detected at the same time as a given uniform time point determined by the data recorded at the read address, or a variation in the shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal shape relative to its shear level has been detected at the same time as a given uniform time point, or a variation in the amount of light reflected by the disk has been detected at the same time as a given uniform time point; and, more than a specified number of decisions, that a groove following error signal that changes like a burst signal has not been detected at the same time as a given uniform time point determined by the data recorded at the read address, or a variation in the shear level... The shear that corresponds to the waveform symmetry of the RF signal, and to its shear level, is not detected in sync with such a uniform time point; similarly, variations in the amount of light reflected by the disk are not detected in sync with such a uniform time point. 26. The monitoring device under claim 3, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a storage unit for storing the address of the data block stored on the optical disk being monitored, which is used to determine the type of optical disk being monitored from the result of the decision of whether an anomaly is detected among the information wells created on the disk; and a third detection unit for reading the data block stored at the address when the optical disk is set up and to decide whether an anomaly is detected on the disk by determining whether a change in the groove following signal similar to a burst signal is detected in the data block, or determining whether a variation in the shear level of the RF signal is detected in the data block, or determining whether a variation in the reflectance level of the optical signal is detected in the data block. In this way, the monitoring device shall differentiate between volumes of the optical disk based on the presence or absence of an anomaly. 27. The detection device under claim 3, where the decision mechanism consists of a storage unit for storing a designated address which is the address for a table of addresses of data blocks on the optical disk. This data block is used to determine the type of optical disk from the result of the decision whether an anomaly has been detected among the information wells created on the disk; and a third detection unit for reading the table at the designated address and subsequently reading the data block stored at the address listed in the table when the optical disk is set up, and to decide whether an anomaly has been detected on the disk by determining whether a change in the track following signal similar to a burst signal has been detected in the data block, or whether a variation in the RF shear level has been detected in the data block, or whether a variation in the emissivity level has been detected. Can it be detected in that data block? In this way, the inspection device differentiates the volume of the optical disc based on the presence or absence of abnormal pits. 28. The inspection device pursuant to claim 3, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a third detection unit for reading the data recorded at each predefined address in the data block recorded on the optical disk being inspected and deciding that an abnormal pit was inspected on the disk if it is determined that a) more than the number of times the predefined groove-following error signal changes like a burst signal is inspected at the normal times corresponding to an even number of frames, and b) more than the number of times the predefined groove-following error signal changes like a burst signal is not inspected at the normal times corresponding to an odd number of frames, and 29. The monitoring device pursuant to claim 2, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a third detection unit for reading the recorded data at each predefined address in the recorded data block on the optical disk being monitored and deciding whether an abnormal hole is detected on the disk if it is determined that variations in shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal waveform relative to the shear level of the object are detected at regular times corresponding to even-numbered frames, and that variations in shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal waveform relative to the shear level of the object are not detected at regular times corresponding to odd-numbered frames. 30. Verification device pursuant to claim 2, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a third detection unit for reading the recorded data at each predefined address in the recorded data block on the optical disk being monitored and deciding whether an abnormal pit has been detected on the disk if it is determined that variations in the amount of reflected light by the disk are detected at regular times corresponding to even-numbered frames and that variations in the amount of reflected light by the disk are not detected at regular times corresponding to odd-numbered frames. 31. The monitoring device pursuant to claim 3, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a third detection unit for reading the recorded data at each predefined address in the recorded data block on the optical disk being monitored and deciding whether an abnormal hole is detected on the disk if it is determined that the variation in shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal waveform relative to the shear level of that thing is monitored at regular times corresponding to even-numbered frames, and that the variation in shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal waveform relative to the shear level of that thing is monitored at regular times corresponding to odd-numbered frames, and that the variation in shear level corresponding to the symmetry of the RF signal waveform relative to the shear level of that thing is not monitored at regular times corresponding to odd-numbered frames. 32. Verification device pursuant to claim 3, whereby the decision mechanism shall consist of a third detection unit for reading the recorded data at each predefined address in the recorded data block on the optical disk being monitored and deciding whether an abnormal pit is detected on the disk if it is determined that variations in the amount of light reflected by the disk are detected at regular times corresponding to even-numbered frames and that variations in the amount of light reflected by the disk are not detected at regular times corresponding to odd-numbered frames. 33. An optical disc contains a predetermined spiral train of normal wells and a certain number of irregular well trains. The normal wells in each train are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the groove, while each irregular well has a different, predetermined shape than the normal wells. The arrangement of the irregular well trains differs from that of the normal well trains and is not symmetrical with respect to the center of the groove. Each irregular well train carries information that causes track-following errors. 34. An optical disc pursuant to claim paragraph 33 where normal and abnormal well trains are arranged alternately along a given alternating groove corresponding to a given data block of the recorded signal. 35. Optical disc pursuant to claim clause 33 where each irregular well train vibrates and the track-following error signal is caused by each irregular well train having a burst shape. 36. Optical disc pursuant to claim clause 35 where each irregular well train vibrates and the track-following error signal is caused by each irregular well train having a burst shape. 37. Optical disc pursuant to claim paragraph 34, where a data block is provided in accordance with the framework represented by the recording signal. 38. An optical disc consists of a predetermined number of spiral trains of normal wells and at least one irregular area which lacks normal wells and has a mirror surface. This irregular area is positioned between two trains of normal wells in the groove direction. The normal wells in each train are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the groove.