Apparatus for and a method of copy-protecting a content carrying recording medium
View Patent ↗Recording data for an optical disc such as a DVD has video content data and navigation data. Button data defines one or more user-selectable selection buttons to enable a viewer to select content data when the recording medium is played. Further button data defines at least one phantom button that is not selectable by a viewer because, for example, it is not visually distinguishable, it is hidden within the video data or it is displayed for a short period of time. Although the at least one phantom button is not selectable by a viewer, a copying apparatus parsing the recording data will erroneously identify the phantom button as a user-selectable selection button and will copy data associated with the phantom button. The data associated with the phantom button may adversely affect the copying process or render the copy unplayable or unwatchable.
1. Apparatus for providing recording data to be recorded onto a recording medium, the apparatus comprising a processor and an associated storage medium storing instructions executed by the processor, the instructions comprising:
providing recording data having content data comprising video data and navigation data to enable a player of the recording medium to navigate through the content data, the recording data comprising button data defining one or more user-selectable selection buttons to be presented to a viewer to enable the viewer to select content data to be played by the player; and
providing the recording data with further button data defining at least one phantom button that is not intended for access by a viewer but is identified as a selection button by a copying apparatus; wherein the instructions associate the at least one phantom button with a subversive region of the recording medium which inhibits copying of the recording medium or adversely affects the quality or playability of a copy.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one phantom button is not recognized as a selection button by a viewer when the recording medium is played by a player.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one phantom button is not recognized as a selection button by a viewer when the recording medium is played by a player.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the subversive region includes at least one:
scrambled or unreadable data;
incorrect data;
data that includes non-correctable errors;
a damaged area of the recording medium.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one phantom button comprises at least one of:
an indiscernible button;
a button of the same colour as a background of a video frame containing the phantom button;
a button camouflaged in the video frame or frames within which it is present;
a button that is visible for a period of time shorter than that within which a viewer would be able to act to select the button;
a button having at least one dimension of no more than two pixels;
a button that extends along at least part of an edge of a video frame.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions provide the recording data with a phantom menu having the at least one phantom button.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions provide the recording data with a phantom menu having the at least one phantom button and wherein the phantom menu is displayed for about 0.4 seconds or less.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the navigation data comprises menu data comprising the button data for the one or more user-selectable selection buttons and the processor provides the further button data for the at least one phantom button in that menu data.
9. A method of providing recording data to be recorded onto a recording medium, comprising:
providing on a storage medium recording data having content data comprising video data and navigation data to enable a player of the recording medium to navigate through the content data, the recording data comprising button data defining one or more user-selectable selection buttons to be presented to a viewer of the recording medium to enable the viewer to select content data to be played by the player; and
a processor coupled to the storage medium and adding to the recording data further button data defining at least one phantom button that is not intended for access by a viewer but is identified as a selection button by a copying apparatus; and
associating the at least one phantom button with a subversive region of the recording medium which inhibits copying of the recording medium or adversely affects the quality or playability of a copy.
10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one phantom button is not recognized as a selection button by a viewer when the recording medium is played by a player.
11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the subversive data is at least one of:
scrambled or unreadable data;
incorrect data;
data that includes non-correctable errors;
a damaged area of the recording medium.
12. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one phantom button comprises at least one of:
an indiscernible button;
a button of the same colour as a background of a video frame containing the phantom button;
a button camouflaged in the video frame or frames within which it is present;
a button that is visible for a period of time shorter than that within which a viewer would be able to act to select the button;
a button having at least one dimension of no more than two pixels;
a button that borders at least part of at least one video frame.
13. A method according to claim 9 , which further comprises providing the recording data with a phantom menu having the at least one phantom button.
14. A method according to claim 9 , which further comprises providing in the navigation data menu data comprising the button data for the one or more user-selectable selection buttons and the further button data for the at least one phantom button.
15. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one of: providing a recording data file comprising the recording data; producing a master carrying the recording data; producing a precursor to a master carrying the recording data; producing at least one recorded medium carrying the recording data; and writing the recording data onto an optical disc.
16. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing processor instructions comprising instructions to program a processor to:
provide recording data having content data comprising video data and navigation data to enable a player of the recording medium to navigate through the content data, the navigation data comprising button data defining one or more user-selectable selection buttons to be presented to a viewer to enable the viewer to select content data to be played by the player; and
to incorporate in the navigation data further button data defining at least one phantom button that will not be selected by the viewer but is identified as a selection button by a copying apparatus; and
associating the phantom button with a subversive region of the recording medium which inhibits copying of the recording medium or adversely affects the quality or playability of a copy.