Abstract: A flexible wristband includes conductive silicone rubber loops and an insulating rubber portion. The conductive silicone rubber loops are formed parallel to one another, and substantially define a circumference of the wristband. The conductive silicone loops are connected through a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit package to form a loop antenna. The insulating silicone rubber portion is formed parallel to the conductive silicone rubber loops, separating the conductive silicone rubber loops and providing an insulating break in the conductive loops. The RFID integrated circuit package includes multiple terminals respectively connected to the conductive silicone rubber loops to create a loop antenna, enabling the RFID integrated circuit package to transmit data through the loop antenna.

Abstract: A flexible wristband includes conductive silicone rubber loops and an insulating rubber portion. The conductive silicone rubber loops are formed parallel to one another, and substantially define a circumference of the wristband. The conductive silicone loops are connected through a radio frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuit package to form a loop antenna. The insulating silicone rubber portion is formed parallel to the conductive silicone rubber loops, separating the conductive silicone rubber loops and providing an insulating break in the conductive loops. The RFID integrated circuit package includes multiple terminals respectively connected to the conductive silicone rubber loops to create a loop antenna, enabling the RFID integrated circuit package to transmit data through the loop antenna.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of copy-protection of information stored on an information carrying medium. The method allows a reading device (e.g. a DVD drive) and an application device (e.g. an MPEG decoder) to exchange copy-protection information regarding the information carrying medium (e.g. an optical record carrier like a CD or DVD) and the content on that medium. The method is cryptographically secure, taking into account the situation where reading device and application device are connected to an open bus in a personal computer. In view of the high-volume nature of the drive, the method can be implemented cheaply. The inventive method is robust against a so-called man-in-the-middle attack. The invention relates also to a method of exchanging copy-protection information, to a copy-protection system and to devices for carrying out these methods, in particular a reading device, an application device and a device for playback and/or recording of information.

Abstract: DVD data is read from an optical disc. Double buffering is used for outer error correction syndromes, the syndrome for one ECC frame being accumulated in one syndrome buffer, while error correction calculations for preceding data block are performed using a syndrome accumulated previously in another syndrome buffer). The syndrome buffers are used in alternating fashion as further blocks of data are received, while the flow of data to a main buffer is uninterrupted. This reduces buffering requirements in the decoder, and relaxes time constraints on the error correction calculations. A multi-beam implementation is disclosed, providing higher throughput.

Abstract: A multi-beam optical disc system is disclosed for recording on DVD or CD optical discs. Recorded data includes inner and outer error protection codes applied to data blocks having a predetermined size. Each block comprises several sectors. Multi-channel read-out provides in parallel a set of N sub-sequences, without restriction to the block or sub-block boundaries. Sector ID codes are detected within each channel to identify a series of sub-blocks forming a part of a data block and, even in the absence of data from the start of the block, outer error protection circuitry processes the sub-blocks to accumulate a partial error protection syndrome for the block. Upon reaching the end of the block, a syndrome for a next block within the subsequence is accumulated.

Abstract: DVD data is read from an optical disc. Double buffering (230A/230B) is used for outer error correction syndromes, the syndrome for one ECC frame being accumulated in one syndrome buffer (230A), while error correction calculations for preceding data block are performed using a syndrome accumulated previously in another syndrome buffer (230B). The syndrome buffers are used in alternating fashion as further blocks of data are received, while the flow of data to a main buffer (208) is uninterrupted. This reduces buffering requirements in the decoder, and relaxes time constraints on the error correction calculations. A multi-beam implementation is disclosed, providing higher throughput.

Abstract: A range of architectures are disclosed for a practical multi-beam DVD system (or a CD system) recorded in a linear sequence on an optical disc. The data incorporates inner and outer error protection codes (PI, PO), the outer code being applied on the basis of a predetermined size of data block (ECC frame). Each block comprises a series of several sectors. Multi-channel read-out provides in parallel a set of N sub-sequences, starting without restriction to said block or sub-block boundaries. Sector ID codes are detected within each channel (a, b, c, d) to identify a series of sub-blocks forming a part of a data block and, even in the absence of data from the start of the block (blocks marked *), outer error protection circuitry 216 processes the sub-blocks to accumulate a partial error protection syndrome relating to said block. Upon reaching the end of said block, a syndrome for a next block within the subsequence is accumulated.

Abstract: An optical disc drive includes a system controller in the form of a microcontroller and a FLASH memory which holds program code for the micro controller. The FLASH memory is formed in two areas, the first being a protected area in which the code cannot be changed and the second being an unprotected area in which the micro controller can write updated program code. The updated code is received from a host computer over an interface (28). The code in the protected area and in the micro controller ROM is sufficient to enable the basic functions of requesting and receiving program code from the host computer and writing the received program code into the unprotected area of the FLASH memory to be performed. This enables recovery of the drive if the code in the unprotected area becomes corrupted, for example if a power supply failure occurs during transfer of the code.