Abstract: Apparatuses, products, devices and methods of manufacture consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: Apparatuses, products, devices and methods, of manufacture consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: Optical media of a limited usable life are disclosed. The invention relates to chemical formulations and methods and processes for creating time limiting mechanisms for the inclusion in optical media thereby providing optical media with a limited usable life in which encoded information may be accessed, played and/or read for a prescribed limited time. The invention provides formulations and methods for corrosion of and/or the corrosive degradation of a reflective layer(s) and/or reflective material of optical media such that the encoded information stored on an optical medium can not longer be read by a reading beam.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for limiting the readability of optically-readable medium, wherein a combination of a liquid crystal material and a wavelength shifting material are incorporated into the optically-readable medium. The liquid crystal material is selected to substantially interfere with the reading beam of a reading device. The wavelength shifting material is selected to shift the wavelength at which the liquid crystal interferes with the reading beam so that the reading beam can read the optically-readable medium. A predetermined stimulus causes the liquid crystal material to shift back to a configuration that substantially interferes with the reading beam so that the reading beam can no longer read the content on the optically readable medium.

Abstract: Limited play optical discs (LPOD's) are optical discs readable by a reading device for a limited period of time. After removal from it's packaging, an LPOD becomes unusable after a relatively short period of time. LPOD's can be provided with a limited shelf life by storing the LPOD's in a special package. The packaging includes a portion that controls the environment inside the package until a preset period of time passes, at which point reading-inhibit action of a material in the optical disc is allowed to go forward, which causes the disc to become unreadable. Hence, once the product exceeds its shelf life, it becomes unusable regardless of whether or not the package has been opened.

Abstract: An optically readable media (10) has an information-encoding layer (16) and at least one color-forming layer (12) that embodies an optical readout-limiting mechanism. In a first embodiment the at least one color-forming layer contains an additive that does not interfere with the optical readability of the media for a duration of a readout period. The additive, upon exposure to a source of optical radiation that is suitable for reversing the color-forming layer from an optical readout inhibiting state to an optical readout enabling state, undergoes a transformation that maintains the color-forming layer in the optical readout inhibiting state. More specifically, exposure to the source causes the color-forming layer to photobleach and the additive to oxidize, where the oxidation of the additive permanently inhibits the optical readability of the media. The additive may be a leuco dye.

Abstract: A data storage device comprises a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein at least the first substrate has defined thereon a plurality of pits and lands covered by a reflective material; and a bonding layer between the first and second substrates including a reactive agent that interferes with the passage of light in response to predetermined stimulus. In another embodiment, an optically-readable storage media, comprises a substrate having encoded data stored thereon, a reactive agent that, in response to predetermined stimulus, interferes with the passage of light of a predetermined frequency range, and a second reactive agent that, in response to predetermined stimulus, degrades the readability of the encoded data.

Abstract: Apparatuses, products, and devices consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one substrate, at least one encoded information region and/or region for receiving and/or recording encoded information, and at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of the at least one encoded information region and/or region for receiving and/or recording encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of digital information distribution. The last half-century has sen a manifold increase in the availability of information in a digital format. Such digital information, once created, can be copied any number of times without degradation of the original copy of the information. Furthermore, the information once digitized can, in theory, have an infinite lifetime. The present disclosure addresses the need to distribute digital information through various commercial transactions, wherein the lifetime of the distributed digital information is limited to a predetermined period of time. The present disclosure discloses systems and methods for the distribution of digital information on limited life optical media, wherein the limited life optical media includes a mechanism that physically and/or chemically limits the effective life of the digital information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for making an optically readable storage media in which the reading beam passes through a bonding layer configured with a reactive material that transforms from an optically transparent state to an optically opaque state after exposure to a predefined stimulus, thereby inhibiting access to the data encoded on the optically readable storage media. The method includes steps of synthesizing a blocked dye combining the blocked dye with a carrier material curing the resultant combination deblocking the dye to produce a reduced dye in the resultant bonding layer exposing the optically readable storage media with the reactive material in its bonding layer to a predetermined stimulus. In a further aspect of the present invention methods and apparatus are provided for making an optically readable storage media wherein the reading light passes through the bonding layer and the data encoded information is encoded on the L1 substrate.

Abstract: An indicator system with a blocked state and an unblocked state is disclosed. The indicator system may be used in conjunction with packaged products, packaging materials, medical products, films, biological assays and diagnostics, identification badges, and/or security passes. The indicator system responds to a triggering stimulus once unblocked. The respond is observable through a color change that may include a change form colorless to colored, colored to colorless, and/or colored to colored. The indicator system in its blocked state is substantially unreactive with the triggering stimulus.

Abstract: A lid and/or container top for securing the contents of a cup and/or container with a housing for securing a premium item in movable communication with the lid and/or container top. The topological features of the lid and/or container top permits the housing to be movably attached to the lid and/or container such that movement of the housing relative to the lid and/or container both reveals and conceals an access opening in the lid and/or container top depending on the positioning of the housing. The lid and/or container top and housing allow premium items to be distributed to a consuming public without the necessity of removing the premium item to consume the contents of a cup and/or container.

Abstract: A data storage device comprises a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein at least the first substrate has defined thereon a plurality of pits and lands covered by a reflective material; and a bonding layer between the first and second substrates including a reactive agent that interferes with the passage of light in response to predetermined stimulus. In another embodiment, an optically-readable storage media, comprises a substrate having encoded data stored thereon, a reactive agent that, in response to predetermined stimulus, interferes with the passage of light of a predetermined frequency range, and a second reactive agent that, in response to predetermined stimulus, degrades the readability of the encoded data.

Abstract: A packaging system and/or storage arrangement for limited life optical media that includes a provision to indicate the presence of oxygen and/or the amount of oxygen present. An oxygen-sensitive material is placed inside a sealable container. The oxygen-sensitive material will undergo a detectable change in the presence of oxygen and/or a detectable change occurs that will correspond to the amount of oxygen present in the sealable container. The detectable change provides an indication of the presence of oxygen and/or a measure of the amount of oxygen inside the sealable container.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making optically readable storage media in which reading beam passes through bonding layer configured with reactive material that transforms from optically transparent state to optically opaque state after exposure to predefined stimulus, thereby inhibiting access to data encoded on optically readable storage media. The method includes steps of synthesizing blocked dye, combining the blocked dye with carrier material, curing the resultant combination, deblocking dye to produce a reduced dye in the resultant bonding layer, exposing optically readable storage media with the reactive material in its bonding layer to predetermined stimulus. A further aspect includes optically readable storage media wherein reading light passes through bonding layer and data encoded information is encoded on L1 substrate. Another aspect includes processes for making optically readable storage media with at least two mechanisms for limiting access to encoded data of the optically readable storage media.

Abstract: Limited life optical media and methods of making same are described. The limited life optical media includes at least one reactive substance that prohibits continued access to at least part of the information contained on the media after a prescribed period of time. In addition to at least one reactive substance, an antioxidant substance is present as part of the limited life optical media to modulate, in part, the action of the at least one reactive substance.

Abstract: Apparatuses, products, devices and methods of manufacture consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: Apparatuses, products, devices and methods of manufacture consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: Apparatuses, products, devices and methods of manufacture consistent with the invention include optically readable media with at least one mechanism, chemical, agent, and/or process for limiting the time period that at least a portion of encoded information can be read and/or accessed by an optical beam and/or reader capable of reading the encoded information.

Abstract: An optical disc having machine-readable, information-encoding features is provided with a barrier layer secured to the disc. This barrier layer is configured to prevent machine-reading of the features. A reading-inhibit agent, included in the disc and activated by removal of the barrier layer, is operative, once activated, to alter the disc to inhibit reading of the disc, after some period of time. Alternately, the barrier layer can be eliminated, and the reading-inhibit agent can be activated by initial reading of the disc, as for example by exposure to optical radiation associated with reading of the disc, or rotation of the disc.