Abstract: An access control method for drive units that can recognize drive units in specific groups, and drive units to which the method applies are disclosed. The method includes the steps of generating a device driver start request by a driver control program when the OS starts; sending a check command on the basis of the device driver start request; loading the specific device driver corresponding to the specific code contained in the response from the drive unit for the check command; and converting a predetermined host command by the specific device driver and sending the corresponding command to the drive unit under the specific device driver when the predetermined host command for the drive unit under the specific device driver is sent from the host device.

Abstract: When data is stored on a magneto-optical disk (MO), a signature (authenticator) is generated using the data, time information from a tamper-free clock, and a signature key stored on an IC card. The data and the time information are written to a user area, and the signature is written to a write-once area.

Abstract: An information storage system which can be used by only those users who are previously permitted to access the system is provided. The information storage system has a first information storage device for accessing a first removable recording medium and a second information storage device for accessing a second removable recording medium. An access controller controls access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device based on a result of access to the second removable recording medium by the second information storage device prior to access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device.

Abstract: An information storage system which can be used by only those users who are previously permitted to access the system is provided. The information storage system has a first information storage device for accessing a first removable recording medium and a second information storage device for accessing a second removable recording medium. An access controller controls access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device based on a result of access to the second removable recording medium by the second information storage device prior to access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device.

Abstract: An information storage system which can be used by only those users who are previously permitted to access the system is provided. The information storage system has a first information storage device for accessing a first removable recording medium and a second information storage device for accessing a second removable recording medium. An access controller controls access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device based on a result of access to the second removable recording medium by the second information storage device prior to access to the first removable recording medium by the first information storage device.

Abstract: A method of preventing unauthorized use includes defining a first original medium ID information stored in a predetermined order which indicates a location of the defect area of an original recording medium, when a block of data to be stored in a defect area of recording media is to be read in a system which has an alternative control for reading a block of data from an alternate area instead of the defect area without accessing the defect area. The method also includes defining a second original medium ID information as a part of data which is stored in the original recording medium and which is to be prevented against unauthorized use, reading out the first original medium ID information from the predetermined address of a recording medium to be judged for unauthorized use and reading out the second original medium ID information as a part of data from the recording medium to be judged.

Abstract: In a method for preventing unauthorized use of a recording medium having a user accessible area and a user inaccessible area, first information is read from the user inaccessible area of the recording medium. The first information is compared with second information concerning a true recording medium (lawfully produced copy). It is then concluded that the recording medium is the true recording medium when the first information corresponds to the second information.

Abstract: A recording medium has a medium ID information storing area in a user data area for identification of the recording medium on which software/data is recorded. An original medium ID information storing area, which is regarded as a defect area, is also included in the user data area for storing original medium ID information, wherein the original medium ID information is compared with the medium ID information to judge unauthorized use of the software/data. Further, an alternate area adjacent the user data area is provided for storing data which do not agree with the medium ID information. A method of preventing unauthorized use in a system for reading software/data from a recording medium includes reading medium ID information of the recording medium from which the software is read. Then data from a ROM or a RAM area on the recording medium indicated by a predetermined address is read.

Abstract: A removable storage medium relates to a removable storage medium embodying an external storage medium for computer equipment. The removable storage medium can be inserted in an external storage apparatus connected to a computer equipment unit, and stores predetermined programs. The removable storage medium includes a correspondence table for specifying a correspondence relation between a physical drive configuration of the computer equipment unit connected to the external storage apparatus and a logical drive configuration of the stored programs. A recording device is provided for recording information on the correspondence table.

Abstract: A method of preventing a fraudulent use of an optical disk having a read-write region and a read-only region, comprising the steps of: writing data for designating the boundary between the read-write region and the read-only region into a predetermined block of the optical disk; reading the data out of the predetermined block prior to the execution of the software recorded on an optical disk as an object of fraudulent use check; reading data out of a block which is assumed to be in the read-only region by reference to the data read out of the predetermined block, and writing the data read out of the block in the assumed read-only region into the same block; reading data out of a block which is assumed to be in the read-write region by reference to the data read out of the predetermined block, and writing the data read out of the block in the assumed read-write region into the same block; and judging that the optical disk as an object of fraudulent use check is not a fraudulent copy when the data writing opera

Abstract: In case that software is written on a recording medium at physical addresses thereof in units of a prescribed size and the software is subsequently executed upon being read out of the recording medium from the physical addresses in the order of logical addresses, the corresponding relationship between the logical addresses of the software and the physical addresses conforming to the logical addresses, as well as a checking program for preventing unlawful use of the software, is added on to the main body of the software, which is then recorded on an original. Before execution of the software that has been recorded on a recording medium (the original or a copy), the corresponding relationship between the logical and physical addresses on this recording medium is obtained by the checking program. The corresponding relationship obtained and the corresponding relationship that has been added to the software are compared.

Abstract: A method produces and an apparatus includes an optical disk, with a center, having a rewritable area and a read-only area located further out from the center than the rewritable area. The method includes the steps of and the apparatus includes units for registering first management information concerning a dummy file in a file address management area located further in toward the center than the rewritable area, the dummy file having a capacity corresponding to that of the rewritable area; registering second management information concerning files to be written into the read-only area in the file address management area so that the second management information is subsequent to the first management information and registering the files into the read-only area; and erasing the first management information from the file address management area.

Abstract: In a method for preventing unauthorized use of a recording medium having a user accessible area and a user inaccessible area, first information is read from the user inaccessible area of the recording medium. The first information is compared with second information concerning a true recording medium (lawfully produced copy). It is then concluded that the recording medium is the true recording medium when the first information corresponds to the second information.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a musical database including a converting unit for converting musical information representing a music piece into note data items, each of note data items being a set of values associated with a period of a single sound denoted by a musical note and a scale level of the single sound denoted by the musical note, a position unit for producing position data items for the note data items, the position data items representing positions at which the note data items are positioned in the musical information, a unit for producing an index indicating relationships between the note data items and the position data items, and a storage unit for storing the index. A retrieval apparatus retrieves a string of note data items from a musical database using the index stored in the storage unit.