Abstract: A content protection scheme for controlling access to digital content comprises dividing content into data sectors, storing the data sectors on a storage medium and storing selected original data sectors at a remote location. Additional content is unlocked by the remote location only if data from a storage medium correlates to at least a portion of data of the corresponding selected original data sectors.

Abstract: A dual sided optical storage medium which comprises a substrate disk having a first information layer readable from one side of the medium through the substrate disk and one or more information layers formed on the non-read side of the first information layer and configured to be read from the other side of the medium.

Abstract: An improvement to an optical recording apparatus is provided for adapting the apparatus for an optical recording format using multiple modulation levels. The improvement includes an electro-optic modulator (EOM) added between a light source and a first modulator, to regulate a power of the light beam supplied to the first modulator. A modulation interface is adapted to output a power control signal to the EOM, and the EOM regulates the power of the light beam supplied to the first modulator to a power level corresponding to the power control signal. The apparatus is further adapted to supply a formatted data signal directly from a formatter to the first modulator, without going through the modulation interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided to manage the replication of contest recording media by assigning unique identifiers for content and media, and manage a database of records corresponding to the unique identifiers which include information related to the use of the unique identifiers. In addition, methods and apparatuses are provided for responding to content copy authorization requests, and are synergistically integrated with media replication management methods and apparatuses by using the same database of records corresponding to unique identifiers as a basis for such responses.

Abstract: A method for enhancing recording yields by monitoring dye polymer formation on a glass substrate is provided. After the glass substrate is coated with a dye polymer layer and before pits are formed on the dye-polymer coated glass, the dye polymer coated glass substrate is scanned to detect defects. The dye-polymer coated glass is discarded on the one hand if the defects detected through the scanning are at or above an unacceptable threshold level, and on the other hand data is written on the dye-polymer coated glass if the defects detected through the scanning are below the unacceptable threshold level.