Abstract: A method for storing information, the method includes: receiving information to be stored on a removable mass storage device; and storing a compact disc recordable (CDR) session representation on a non-optical re-writable storage area of the removable mass storage device; wherein the CDR session representation comprises the received information.

Abstract: A method for producing a copy-protected audio compact disc containing a plurality of symbols within error-correction codewords, representing audio data samples of an audio signal is provided. The method includes the steps of selecting at least one audio data sample of the audio signal (1415); locating the data symbols representing audio data sample (1420); overwriting symbols with erroneous symbols (1440); locating the error-correction codewords associated with the data symbols and disabling the error-correction of said error-correction codewords (1455).

Abstract: A codeword for use in error correction of digital optical media, the codeword having a plurality of data symbols and a plurality of parity symbols, and includes an augmented channel word which can be read as either a first value or a second alternate value. The augmented channel word is one of the plurality of data and parity symbols, wherein the augmented channel word retains its value irrespective of any error correction performed.

Abstract: A copy protected DVD disc and a method for producing a signature on the disc is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, the method for protecting a DVD disc includes producing a signature on the disc by non-destructively altering the content of at least one sector in the data zone of the DVD during encoding so that sector is generally unreadable. A DVD encoder for use in producing the copy protected disc is also provided.

Abstract: A copy protected DVD disc and a method for producing and validating the DVD disc is provided. In an embodiment the method for protecting a DVD from being illegally copied includes producing a signature which includes introducing ambiguous symbols into an ECC block and partially disabling the error correction. A DVD encoder for use in producing the copy protected disc is also provided.

Abstract: A codeword for use in error correction of digital optical media, the codeword having a plurality of data symbols and a plurality of parity symbols, and includes an augmented channel word which can be read as either a first value or a second alternate value. The augmented channel word is one of the plurality of data and parity symbols, wherein the augmented channel word retains its value irrespective of any error correction performed.

Abstract: A codeword and a method for generating a codeword is provided. The codeword may be used in error correction of digital optical media and DVDs, the codeword having a plurality of data symbols and a plurality of parity symbols, and includes an augmented channel word which can be read as either a first value or a second alternate value. The augmented channel word is one of the plurality of data and parity symbols, the augmented channel word retaining its value irrespective of any error correction performed.

Abstract: A copy-protected digital audio compact disc and method for producing same, such that neither the proper playing of the original nor the enforcement of the copy-protection depends on the use of any special equipment. A pattern of latent noise is incorporated into a digital audio CD by overwriting some of the original audio signal data symbols with grossly-erroneous values, and then overwriting the corresponding error-correction parity symbols in such a way as to create an uncorrectable error in the codewords containing the erroneous values. An ordinary CD player of such a disc will therefore detect each occurrence of a latent noise value as an uncorrectable error and will apply interpolative error-concealment to prevent the output of the error.

Abstract: A copy protected DVD disc and a method for producing and validating the DVD disc is provided. In an embodiment the method for protecting a DVD from being illegally copied includes producing a signature which includes introducing ambiguous symbols into an ECC block and partially disabling the error correction. A DVD encoder for use in producing the copy protected disc is also provided.

Abstract: A method and system for overriding error correction capabilities of digital optical media is provided. The overriding of the error correction codes (ECC) is accomplished by causing a non-correctable pattern of erroneous symbols to occur in the ECC codeword. Specific redundancy symbols are replaced with invalid symbols. The non-correctable error pattern is recognized by the ECC decoder as being non-correctable and the ECC decoder does not attempt to change the values of any symbols of an ECC codeword that is contaminated by the detectable non-correctable error pattern.

Abstract: A method of authenticating a Compact Disc, to distinguish an original Compact Disc from an unauthorized copy thereof. One or more invalid symbols are written into the subcode of the original Compact Disc, such one affecting the Q-channel, by using special equipment. The Q-channel normally contains only track location information whose format and content are precisely defined by the applicable standards, and thus ordinary consumer Compact Disc recording equipment does not receive external Q-channel input, but rather generates Q-channel data internally when recording. Therefore, invalid symbols affecting the Q-channel of an original Compact Disc cannot be copied by ordinary consumer Compact Disc recording equipment. Consequently, the presence of data in the Q-channel of a Compact Disc serves to distinguish an original Compact Disc from an unauthorized copy thereof.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a digital optical medium to determine if it is original or an unauthorized copy. One or more special bistable data subunits are written onto the original digital optical medium by recording bistable data symbols and other intentional errors into the data subunit such that the data subunit will be on the error-correction limit threshold. A bistable data symbol is a data symbol for which a player will randomly read at least two different values. Depending on which values are read for the bistable data symbols, the bistable data subunit will either be error-free and readable (at or below the error-correction limit) or will be erroneous or unreadable (above the error-correction limit). When an unauthorized copy of the digital optical medium is made, the data subunit with the address of the bistable data subunit on the original digital optical medium will be a monostable data subunit with constant data, because special hardware equipment is needed to record bistable data symbols.