Patents by Inventor John Matthew Town

John Matthew Town has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120094054
    Abstract: A hybrid data disc, method and system of forming the disc are disclosed. The hybrid disc includes a first substrate structure bonded to a second substrate structure, and at least two data layers of different formats for access from different sides of the disc. One example provides the second substrate structure with a second substrate that has at least one curable material layer on each side of the second substrate, and the curable material has a property that results in shrinkage associated with curing of the material. Other examples provide a data disc with different stacking ring configurations, a thinner substrate and substrate structures of opposite curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: John Matthew Town, Patrick J. Byrne, Alan Bruce Hamersley
  • Patent number: 7928865
    Abstract: There are provided a method and apparatus for embedding a second level code into a first level code of an optical disc by data modulation rule variation. The apparatus includes a multi-level, varying rule based modulator (199) for modulating the first level code to obtain a channel bit stream representative of the first level code and having the second level code embedded therein. The multi-level, varying rule based modulator modulates the first level code using modulation rules respectively having different statistical properties of pit-land length distributions that preserve a readability of the first level code and that are distinguishable at readout of the optical disc. The different statistical properties represent binary or multilevel data of the second level code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Holger Hofmann, Alan Bruce Hamersley, John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20100322055
    Abstract: An optical disc having a region with pre-recorded data and a recordable region, a method of fabricating the disc, a stamper for forming a disc master, and a recording device for use with the disc are disclosed. Data recorded in the recordable region may be used for activation of the disc, providing unique identification or enhancing program content on the disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: John Matthew Town, Alan Bruce Hamersley, Holger Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20100188272
    Abstract: There are provided a method and apparatus for embedding a second level code into a first level code of an optical disc by data modulation rule variation. The apparatus includes a multi-level, varying rule based modulator (199) for modulating the first level code to obtain a channel bit stream representative of the first level code and having the second level code embedded therein. The multi-level, varying rule based modulator modulates the first level code using modulation rules respectively having different statistical properties of pit-land length distributions that preserve a readability of the first level code and that are distinguishable at readout of the optical disc. The different statistical properties represent binary or multilevel data of the second level code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Holger Hofmann, Alan Bruce Hamersley, John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20100142360
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present principles, a Blu-ray disc is described. The Blu-ray disc has a structure including a substrate having one of either a Compact Dics data layer and a DVD data layer along with a Blu-ray data layer. The Blu-ray discs of the present invention advantageously use Compact Discs (or DVDs) that are due to be scrapped or recycled as donor substrates for new Blu-ray discs, thereby saving polycarbonate material and eliminating the need to purchase injection molding equipment to manufacture Blu-ray discs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventor: John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20100061221
    Abstract: An optical disc structure for playback by a read-out device is described. The optical disc structure includes a first layer with first content recorded thereon. A second layer is coupled to the first layer. The second layer has first content and second content recorded thereon. The disc of the present principles makes use of the fact that a less than full capacity DVD9 disc leaves available recording space after the end of program area and required lead-out area on the second of the two data layers of a DVD9 disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: John Matthew Town, Mark Timothy Turnage
  • Publication number: 20090245055
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controller for enabling replicating of media content from encoded content received, and a recorder responsive to the controller for recording content on media readable by a device other than said recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Alan Bruce Hamersley, Holger Hofmann, John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20090122684
    Abstract: The present principles provide a way to place a multilevel grayscale image, visible with the bare eye in the data area of an optical disc. This feature can be used to authenticate a legitimate disc, since the image features are lost when copying a disc either with a PC recording drive or by a pirate creating a data set to be used on a laser beam recorder to produce forged ROM discs. The modulation rules are selectively varied during disc writing in a way to change the distribution of pit/land lengths, so that the at three (3) different diffraction properties are generated, and therefore produce at least three (3) distinct looks to the bare eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Holger Hofmann, Alan Bruce Hamersley, John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20090113555
    Abstract: A system and method for replicating protected content on media includes a controller for enabling replicating of media content from partial encoded content received at a location of the controller. A media recorder is coupled to the controller and including a modulation process (104) to complete encoding of the partial encoded content to record media content on media readable by a device other than the media recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Alan Bruce Hamersley, Holger Hofmann, John Matthew Town
  • Publication number: 20080107010
    Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a high density, hybrid optical disc and method of manufacture, thereof. In one embodiment of the present invention, a high-density, hybrid optical disc includes first and second disc portions adhesively bonded to each other, each of the disc portions containing at least one transparent substrate and a data layer, where at least one of the first and second disc portions comprises a high density format. The data layer of the second disc portion of the hybrid optical disk is coated with a high transmissive/low reflective layer and is situated opposite a transparent assembling adhesive layer joining the first and second disc portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: John Matthew Town