Abstract: Unique identification information is prerecorded on a disc. The identification information is registered to a server along with user's license when he or she buys the disc. When an terminal unit reproduces data from the disc, identification information is read and transmitted to the server through the Internet. The server creates a key that controls to reproduce data from the disc in accordance with the license identified by the identification information and transmits the key to the terminal unit along with the user's license information for the disc. The terminal unit controls to reproduce contents of the disc in accordance with key and license information transmitted from the server. The license for each disc is managed in accordance with the identification information. Thus, different services can be provided for individual discs.

Abstract: Unique identification information is prerecorded on a disc. The identification information is registered to a server along with user's license when he or she buys the disc. When an terminal unit reproduces data from the disc, identification information is read and transmitted to the server through the Internet. The server creates a key that controls to reproduce data from the disc in accordance with the license identified by the identification information and transmits the key to the terminal unit along with the user's license information for the disc. The terminal unit controls to reproduce contents of the disc in accordance with key and license information transmitted from the server. The license for each disc is managed in accordance with the identification information. Thus, different services can be provided for individual discs.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a playback controller and a storage unit. The playback controller reads per-disc or per-title identification information in the form of a media ID recorded onto a disc, and then executes content playback selection processing or determines a playback processing mode according to bit information included in the media ID. The storage unit stores a program that causes the processing of the playback controller to be executed. By thus using the media ID, provided services, such as the content authorized for playback, can be modified.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hologram recording medium, wherein in a volume hologram, the hologram recording medium is covered with a partially patterned optical functional film on the side closer to the viewer than a hologram recording layer without the medium of air, and wherein the hologram recording medium maintains its appearance approximately unchanged irrespective of the presence or absence of the optical functional film.

Abstract: A production method for an optical disc master includes the steps of: preparing a substrate; forming an intermediate layer having a predetermined thickness on the substrate; forming an inorganic resist layer having a thickness on the intermediate layer, a ratio of the thickness of the intermediate layer to the thickness of the inorganic resist layer being in a range between 0.8:1 and 1.5:1; irradiating the inorganic resist layer with a laser beam to selectively expose the inorganic resist layer; and developing the selectively exposed inorganic resist layer.

Abstract: In an optical device, a number of structures having higher portions or lower portions are arranged at a fine pitch equal to or shorter than a wavelength of visible light on a surface of a base. Each of the structures is arranged to form a plurality of arc track rows on the surface of the base, and to form a quasi-hexagonal lattice pattern, and the structure has an elliptical cone or truncated elliptical cone shape having a major axis in a circumferential direction of the arc tracks.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus includes: a signal reading block; a first waveform equalization block; a boundary detection block; a selective output block; and an evaluation value generation block.

Abstract: A solvent-free photocurable resin composition is provided which can be applied to the surface of optical discs or the like to form a highly transparent protective film that can stably adhere to the surface and effectively protect the surface from scratches. The solvent-free photocurable resin composition contains a urethane(meth)acrylate oligomer, a trifunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer, a photopolymerization initiator, and a dilution monomer. The dilution monomer contains a fluorine-based (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer having three or more fluorine atoms and a monofunctional or difunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer in amounts of from 10 to 40 wt% and from 10 to 30 wt%, respectively.

Abstract: An optical disc medium and corresponding optical recording method and optical recording apparatus. The optical disc medium comprises a substrate on which a shape according to modulated information data has been formed, and a coating film formed on the substrate. Known data is recorded in a predetermined location of the information data, with the known data being rewritten as postscript information by recording a postscript portion to the coating film to alter a portion of the known data, wherein the postscript information comprises readable non-error data.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Ag-based alloy sputtering target including at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, W, Nb, Zr, Ta, Cr, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al, and Si in a total amount of 1 to 15% by weight, in which the Ag-based alloy sputtering target has an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of 2 ?m or more and a maximum height (Rz) of 20 ?m or more at a sputtering surface thereof.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus obtains an evaluation value of a signal read from an optical recording medium includes a reading device reading a signal recorded on the optical recording medium. Edge positions are detected of the read signal acquired by the reading device. A frequency distribution table is generated of the edge positions on the basis of an accumulation result of information of the edge positions detected by the edge position detection device. A first calculation of a T degree value is represented as [{?fi×(xi?A)(2m+1)}/F]{1/(2m+1)}??Formula 1 (wherein m is a natural number excluding zero) The variables xi, fi, F, and A represent the value of each of the classes, the frequency of each of the classes, the sum of the frequencies, and the weighted average value, respectively.

Abstract: A method of recording data includes: a first recording step of recording data in a condition that, within a certain error correction block in a data format in which error correction blocks with n rows and m columns including at least main data, error detection code, and error correction parity are formed, an allocated location of additional supplementary information is set in a location in the same column as an allocated location of the error detection code, and an additional recording area is formed for recording additional information containing the additional supplementary information and the error detection code and the error correction parity necessary to be recorded according to the recording of the additional supplementary information; and a second recording step of recording the additional information in the additional recording area after the data recording at the first step is executed.

Abstract: A laser control method includes the steps of: using a laser control circuit which includes a constant current circuit that maintains a constant current flowing through a semiconductor laser element, and which includes an adder and a multiplier connected to a stage preceding the constant current circuit, and using detection means for calibration for detecting an applied laser output; calculating, on the basis of a detection signal output from the detection means, a reference bias value and a reference gain value for obtaining a specified laser output with respect to a specified input to the multiplier; inputting the reference bias value and the reference gain value to the adder and the multiplier, respectively; and controlling the applied laser output from the semiconductor laser element by performing calibration.

Abstract: A recording drive waveform adjusting method for manufacturing a master disc is provided. The method includes forming an exposed area in an inorganic resist layer for test exposure by irradiating a master disc having the inorganic resist layer with laser light of a recording power based on a recording drive waveform according to a test recording signal. The method also includes obtaining reflected-light information by irradiating the exposed area formed in the test exposure with laser light of a reproducing power, determining whether the recording drive waveform is appropriate by using the reflected-light information, and correcting the recording drive waveform if the recording drive waveform is determined to be inappropriate in the determination.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer apparatus including an auxiliary vacuum chamber and a main vacuum chamber is used for transferring an uneven pattern to a disk substrate with a stamper. The auxiliary vacuum chamber is vacuumized or opened to air because the disk substrate is conveyed to and from the vacuum transfer apparatus through the auxiliary vacuum chamber. The disk substrate conveyed to the auxiliary vacuum chamber and then to the main vacuum chamber after the auxiliary vacuum chamber is vacuumized. In the main vacuum chamber, transferring of the uneven pattern with the stamper, curing of UV-curable resin, and removal of the stamper are performed to provide a disk substrate with the uneven pattern. Then, the disk substrate is conveyed from the vacuum transfer apparatus through the auxiliary vacuum chamber. An operation at the auxiliary-vacuum-chamber side and an operation at the main-vacuum-chamber side are performed in parallel.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering apparatus of the invention includes: a sputtering chamber in which a target can be opposed to an object to be subjected to film formation; a gas introduction port facing the sputtering chamber; a magnet provided outside the sputtering chamber and opposite to the target and being rotatable about a rotation center which is eccentric with respect to center of the magnet; a sensor configured to detect a circumferential position of the magnet in a plane of rotation of the magnet; and a controller configured to start voltage application to the target to cause electrical discharge in the sputtering chamber on the basis of the circumferential position of the rotating magnet and gas pressure distribution in the sputtering chamber.

Abstract: A hologram judging apparatus includes a housing and first and second light sources attached to the housing and emitting reconstruction illumination light. In the hologram judging apparatus, the first and second light sources each include a wavelength component with a wavelength ? meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann hologram, and any one of the first and second light sources is a light source making the reconstruction illumination light enter a hologram at an angle ?ref which is identical to another angle ?ref with respect to the normal in a plane of incidence, the other angle ?ref meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann method.

Abstract: A hologram reproducing and imaging apparatus includes a reference light source configured to be arranged near a hologram recording material on which a hologram is recorded and has an arrangement of a plurality of light sources, a reference light source drive section configured to drive the plurality of light sources in a time-division manner, an imaging sensor configured to capture an image of a reproduction area irradiated with reference light from the reference light source and photoelectrically convert the image, and an image processing section configured to process an imaging signal from the imaging sensor. Partial captured images are obtained by enabling the imaging signal of the area irradiated when the plurality of light sources are turned on, and the partial captured images are combined to be a reproduction image by the image processing section.

Abstract: The BCA recording and reproducing apparatus performs recording of data onto an optical disc placed on a recording turntable, reproduction of data recorded on an optical disc placed on a reproducing turntable and ejection of an optical disc placed on an exchanging table and placement of a new optical disc on the exchanging table in parallel. A processing time is thereby shortened compared with the case of performing data recording, reproduction and exchange in series.

Abstract: An optical disc of a desired thickness is formed by adhering a stamper substrate 20 to an L0 layer substrate 10. Concave/convex portions to transfer fine concave/convex portions for an L1 layer are formed on one principal plane of the stamper substrate 20. After the fine concave/convex portions for the L1 layer were transferred and formed onto an intermediate layer 32 by the stamper substrate 20, the stamper substrate 20 is adhered to the L0 layer substrate 10.