Abstract: It is the object of the present invention to provide a contents management method and a contents distribution method that are capable of preventing complete copying of contents to protect the copyright for the contents. Contents data is constituted of at least two sets of data. One of the two sets of data is stored on a disk, while the other of the two sets is stored on a memory provided in a server side that is connected via a network. When reproducing the disk, the two sets of data are acquired to reproduce the contents data.

Abstract: Biological certification information of a user A and access certification information for each user are stored in a memory in an electronic circuit that is installed on a disc. At the time of driving the disc, the user's biological certification information and the biological certification information stored in the electronic circuit are compared and access certification information is sent out to a network when both information agree to each other. At the network, connection of the user's terminal to a service community is permitted when the user is determined to be an authorized one based on the received access certification information. Determined in the service community are an on-duty concierge who takes care of the service request by the user's terminal and an administration concierge who monitors communication information between the user and the on-duty concierge.

Abstract: To provide a disk contents management method and a disk that are capable of preventing complete copying of contents data to be protected to achieve the protection of the copyright of contents data. Contents data is stored on a disk with a part of the contents data being missing, and the original data corresponding to the missing part is stored on a data memory provided on an electronic circuit mounted on the disk, or a memory on a server side that is connected through a network. When reproducing the disk, the original data corresponding to the missing part, stored on the data memory or server memory, is read out as complementary data. The missing part of the contents data read out from the disk is complemented with the complementary data.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a disk structure and a disk-structure manufacturing method that are capable of preventing the degradation of a signal-to-noise ratio resulting from the occurrence of an eddy current. On a disk 101, a thin film of metal 102, a magnetic thin film 103, and an insulating film 104 are formed in this order, and on the insulating film 104, an RF-ID chip 106 and components of an antenna 109 connected to the RF-ID chip 106 are formed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simple and low cost information protection system for protecting data stored in an individual storage medium by preventing a hacker from entering. Also disclosed are a storage medium and a storage media storage case to be used for the system. The storage medium such as an optical disc has a storage portion for storing information data and predetermined application program data for controlling at least an external device, an electronic circuit portion for reading out the data from the storage portion and controlling an external device based on the read-out application program, and permission information for controlling whether permit or refuse access to the storage portion. A plurality of storage media are stored in a storage case for enabling a person to take out the predetermined storage medium from the storage media storage case only if the person is identified as one of the previously registered particular persons. The taken out storage medium is loaded in an external device.

Abstract: Only users registered beforehand in a network are able to obtain access to the network while maintaining strict security. Living-body authentication information for living-body authentication of a user 1A and access authentication information required for access to a network determined for each user are stored on the memory region of an electronic circuit mounted on a disk (or on an external storage medium). When the disk is driven, living-body authentication information is acquired from the user by living-body authentication means 11E. The living-body authentication information is compared with the living-body authentication information stored in the electronic circuit (or the external storage medium). When both are the same, the access authentication information stored in the electronic circuit (or the external storage medium) is sent to the network.

Abstract: A storage media for automating a control and a computer system including the storage media, which abolishes the restriction between the hardware models and the software processes, and in which a desired software process can be simply utilized in any hardware models, and a computer system including the storage media are provided. In the intelligent disk 1 having the disk 3 for storing information and the electronic circuit portion 2 for processing the information, the disk stores a plurality of information to be used in an external system, and wherein the electronic circuit portion distinguishes the information stored in the disk, which matches with the external system. Also, the disk unit or the electronic circuit further includes an emulator for matching the system program with the external system.

Abstract: There is provided a disk/disk drive management system that is capable of setting limits to reproduction of a disk and a disk drive used for the disk reproduction, for example, setting limits to reproduction of a rental disk to prevent unrestricted copying. On a first storage region of a disk having optical information written thereto and a second storage region of the disk having an electronic circuit 11 mounted thereon, a plurality of arbitrary codes (A001 to A999) assigned uniquely to the disk are stored. When the disk is loaded into a disk drive 1, the plurality of codes are read in and written to a code memory 114 of the electronic circuit 11, and an unused code of the plurality of codes is written to a memory 14 provided in the disk drive 1 and/or to a management memory 115 provided on the electronic circuit 11. The disk drive information that was used or is being used, user information, and other information can also be written to the management memory 115.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a rotary storage medium having an electronic circuit that controls connection between an electronic circuit block and an external apparatus to enhance the performance of the entire system, and a system thereof. The system is an intelligent disk system including an intelligent disk having double-surface structure that stores information and is detachable from a drive unit, wherein an electronic circuit is mounted on at least one surface or between both surfaces of the intelligent disk and the electronic circuit is provided with a CPU, and wherein the system controls the intelligent disk so that contents of the disk surfaces of the intelligent disk may be transferred to or loaded in an external apparatus at the time of the intelligent disk rotating or mechanically operating (S36-S37) and the CPU may control the external apparatus when the intelligent disk is not operating.

Abstract: A storage medium having electronic circuits which contains programs for automatic startup of a system by insertion or installation of the storage medium having electronic circuits, and totally achieves commercial display of various services, internet services such as contract procedure, purchase of goods and guide and retrieval, and user information management, an information management method and in an information processing system using such a storage medium.

Abstract: A storage medium having intelligence and manufacture thereof which reduce load on a system main body when processing information stored in the storage medium and further manage and control an external system device by integrating the storage medium with electronic circuits adapted to the storage medium. An intelligent DVD 2 has an information recording surface 30 for recording information, and an electronic-circuit mounting surface 20 where electronic circuits are mounted at least on one portion. The intelligent DVD 2 is manufactured by a process of manufacturing the information recording surface, a process of manufacturing the electronic-circuit mounting surface, and a process of attaching the information recording surface and the electronic-circuit mounting surface to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a rotary storage medium having an electronic circuit that controls connection between an electronic circuit block and an external apparatus to enhance the performance of the entire system, and a system thereof. The system is an intelligent disk system including an intelligent disk having double-surface structure that stores information and is detachable from a drive unit, wherein an electronic circuit is mounted on at least one surface or between both surfaces of the intelligent disk and the electronic circuit is provided with a CPU, and wherein the system controls the intelligent disk so that contents of the disk surfaces of the intelligent disk may be transferred to or loaded in an external apparatus at the time of the intelligent disk rotating or mechanically operating (S36-S37) and the CPU may control the external apparatus when the intelligent disk is not operating.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive-integrated disk (an intelligent disk (ID)) having an electronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral. The drive-integrated disk comprises a disk block for storing information, a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block, an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via a bus, and a data input/output terminal group for connecting the electronic circuit block to an external apparatus, and is formed in a card shape.

Abstract: The present invention provides a storage medium having intelligence that has, in one-piece, a storage medium and an electronic circuit, and has communication structure with an external apparatus to reduce loads of a main-frame of a system, and that can further manage and control external system equipment, the apparatus communicating information with the electronic circuit, and a system including them. The electronic circuit mounted on the intelligent disk 2 has a contact type or a non-contact type interface as communication structure. The contact type interface is connected to an external contact electrically and/or mechanically. The non-contact type interface is connected to an external interface via sound, light, radio waves, or induction. The non-contact type, a plurality of balanced microstrip lines are formed on a rotating medium and a fixed body in concentric circles, they are located so that respective balanced microstrip lines face.

Abstract: A storage medium having an electronic circuit portion serves as a central unit, and a main body serves as a peripheral unit, so that a system using the storage medium can be arbitrarily constructed and a computer system having the storage medium, for example, a personal computer, a car navigation system, a multi-functional television set, or the like can be provided. In an intelligent disk having a disk portion for storing information and an electronic circuit portion for processing information, a program for controlling at least an external device as a peripheral device is stored in the disk portion, and the electronic circuit portion executes the program to control the external device as a peripheral device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive-integrated disk (an intelligent disk (ID)) having an electronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral. The drive-integrated disk comprises a disk block for storing information, a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block, an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via a bus, and a data input/output terminal group for connecting the electronic circuit block to an external apparatus, and is formed in a card shape.

Abstract: A storage medium having intelligence and manufacture thereof which reduce load on a system main body when processing information stored in the storage medium and further manage and control an external system device by integrating the storage medium with electronic circuits adapted to the storage medium. An intelligent DVD 2 has an information recording surface 30 for recording information, and an electronic-circuit mounting surface 20 where electronic circuits are mounted at least on one portion. The intelligent DVD 2 is manufactured by a process of manufacturing the information recording surface, a process of manufacturing the electronic-circuit mounting surface, and a process of attaching the information recording surface and the electronic-circuit mounting surface to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a speech-synthesizing apparatus that synthesizes various types of voices and words, such as a dialect, on the basis of more compact databases, and a storage medium that has an electronic circuit making the speech-synthesizing apparatus feasible. The storage medium is an intelligent disk having part for storing information and part of an electronic circuit for processing the information. The disk stores at least parameters for controlling speech synthesis in an external apparatus or information to be speech-synthesized and a voice database that are used in the speech synthesis. The electronic circuit part selects the parameters corresponding to information to be speech-synthesized.

Abstract: The invention provides an information management method comprising the steps of, when connecting a removable storage medium having a program storage area and an information storage area, to an information processing unit on the network; selectively displaying header thumb-nail images corresponding to commercial information such as images, music, voice and documents stored by the storage medium in the information storage area thereof by operating programs stored in the storage medium in the program storage area thereof by the information processing unit; and calling and displaying of corresponding commercial information and/or purchase of information corresponding to the commercial information, and/or purchase of information corresponding to the commercial information, and/or connection to, or registration of, a service provider on the network corresponding to the commercial information, in accordance with selection and instruction of thumbnail images desired by the operator.

Abstract: A storage media for automating a control and a computer system including the storage media, which abolishes the restriction between the hardware models and the software processes, and in which a desired software process can be simply utilized in any hardware models, and a computer system including the storage media are provided. In the intelligent disk 1 having the disk 3 for storing information and the electronic circuit portion 2 for processing the information, wherein the disk stores a plurality of information to be used in an external system, and wherein the electronic circuit portion distinguishes the information stored in the disk, which matches with the external system. Also, the disk unit or the electronic circuit further includes an emulator for matching the system program with the external system.