Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Method for protecting sound recordings and the labels and/or
package~ thereof against imitation.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a method of protecting sound re-
cordings and the labels and/or packages thereof against
irnitation, in which the labels and/or packages are marked
with individual characteristic data.
.
BACKGROUND O~ THE INVENTION
'
In the recent years records or sound cassettes marketed by
the original producers are more and more often found to be
copied in fraudulent manner and infringing copy-right by
non-authorized persons. The duplications which cannot be
distinguished from the original records are provided with
labels and packages which also exactly correspond to those
of the original records. Therefore, in addition to non-au-
,
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thorized duplication of the content of records, the pur-
chasers are deceived with respect to the origin believing
they wo~lld buy original products.
It is of major difficulty for the producers of the original
records or cassettes to verify sound records marketed in the
name of the original producer whether they are originals or
copies. Even in case the labels and/or packages of the re-
cords are provided with successive numbers during production
and are thus individually characterized it is quite easy to
fraudulently apply numbers to the copied labels or packages
which are quite similar to the series of numbers of the ori-
ginal producer. The numbers can be varied in such a way that
the original producer is unable to distinguish duplications
from their own products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of the
kind indicated at the outset allowing the original records
and/or labels and/or packages thereof to be marked in such
a way that duplications may be discovered easily.
To achieve this object, in accordance with the invention, the
labels, packages or sound records are marked with both the
individual characterizing data and an additional distinctive
mark corresponding to the individual characterizing data in
coded form and resulting into the individual characterizing
data after decoding, the labels, packages or sound re-
cords are verified for coincidence of the characterizing da-
ta with the coded data and a duplication is determined
in case more than one label, package or sound record is pro-
vided with the same characterizing data or the same decoded
characterizing data.
The individual characterizing data are thus related to the
additional distinctive mark in coded form. The type of code
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cannot be recognized by a copier . If the copier would
modify the individual characterizing data from one sound
record to another in accordance with successive numbers,
he would also have to modify the additional distinctive
mark in corresponding manner. As he is not aware of the
type of coding of the additional distinctive mark and the
relation thereof with respect to the individual characte-
rizing data, a duplication would immediately be recogni-
zed through the fact that the additional distinctive mark
would not correspond to the individual characterizing data.
This is a first possibility of identifying duplications. In
casethe copier would take an original sound record including
packages and labels and duplicate all of these items, then
sound records would appear on the market (including packages
and labels) having all the same characterizing data and the
same additional distinctive mark. Between the characterizing
data and the additional mark there is thedetermined relation
so that it is not possible to determine from a single item
whether this is an original or a duplication. However, in ca-
se a plurality of sound records (including labels and packa-
ges) bearing the same characterizing data and the same addi-
tional distinctive mark would appear, then one may determine
immediately that there may be a maximum of one original sound
record among these sound records. Thus, it would be certain
that there are duplications, and the origin thereof may then
be easily retraced.
The method of the invention allows sound records to be easi-
ly protected by associating the individual characterzing da-
ta with an additional distinctive mark, the type of associa-
tion being secret. Therefore, the copier would be merely be
able to duplicate single items of the original sound record.
This would make duplication uneconomic. The copier is not free
to modify the individual characterizing data because, doing so,
he would have to modify the associated additional distinctive
mark at the same time in a manner unknown to him. Duplications
in which the individual characterizing data would not be in
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the determined relation with respect to the additional dis-
tinctive mark, would be recognized by inspection or by au-
tomatic monitoring devices. In case a plurality of sound
records bearing the same individual characterizing data
would be discovered on the market, this would obviously
indicate the presence of duplications.
The code or association of the individual characterizing
data with the additional distinctive mark may be embodied
in various manners. Thus, the characterizing data and the
additional distinctive mark may e.g. consist of numerals,
being related through an algebraic operation. The algebra-
ic operation may be a complicated instruction in accordance
with which the numerals or numbers of the individual charac-
terizing data are related with each other. The individual
characterizing data may be freely selected. These may be
successive numbers of the respective sound records. In addi-
tion, the individual characterizing data may comprise a
number corresponding to the title of the music. Finally,
the characterizing data may by themselves indicate the ty-
pe of algebraic relation to the additional distinctive mark.
In case several types of relation are available, these may
be successiuely numbered, and one numeral or group of nume
rals out of the individual characterizing data would indi-
cate the type of relation.
Preferably, the characterizing data and/or the additional
~istinctive mark consist of characters which may be read
automatically. In this case, the sound record and/or the la-
bel or packages may be automatically read, and all of the
required relations between the individual characterizing da-
ta and the additional distinctive mark may be performed by a
calculator or microprocessor. The advantage of this is that
the inspectors would not have to be informed with respect
to the type of association or code. In this way, the number
of informed persons would be very small. The inspectors
which would inspect the labels or packages of the sound re-
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cords would be provided with devices into which the in-
dividual characterizing data and the additional distinctive
mark would be introduced automatically or through a key-
board.These devices would determine whether both data are
related in the correct manner.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the in-
vention, a marking device for performing the method of the
invention is characterized in that a coding device is con-
nected with a device for marking individual characterizing
data on labels or packages, the coding device generating a
coded distinctive mark from the characterizing data and
controlling a marking device for marki~g said distinctive
mark on the labels, the package or the sound records.
The technical expense required for such marking device is
quite reduced and is of no substantial relevance in the pro-
duction of sound records.
The individual characterizing data and the additional dis-
tinctive marks are not necessarily numerals or letters. It
may ~ell be a mark or the positioning of a mark on a label
or the package, or a colour code.
The invention further relates to an inspecting device for
performing the method. This is provided with an input de-
vice for two sets of input data connected to a calculator
cicuit and supplying the introduced input data of one group
to the calculator circuit. The calculator circuit is connected
to a comparator comparing the output data of the calculator
circuit with the input data of the other group, and the com-
parator is connected to a storing circuit for storing at
least the last introduced input data of one or the other
group and generating an alarm signal if a newly introduced
value is already contained in the storing circuit.
Thus, an inspection device of this kind not only determines
whether the prescribed relation between the characterizing
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data and the additional distinctive mark is correct, in
addition r it is provided with a certain storing capacity
for determining whether the respective value has b~en
input previously. This storing capacity is quite large
and may comprise e.g. ten or a hundred values. The larger
the storing capacity, the l~ are the requirements to the
inspector. In case of a large storing capacity of the ins-
pection aevice, the inspector will merely have to intro-
duce the sound records to be checked as to their originali-
ty into the inspection device, at randomO
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention
will be disclosed in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sound tape cassette
with a label glued thereon and with the associated inside
strip.
Figure 2 shows a record and the associated packaging enve-
lope.
Figure 3 shows an inspection device for inspecting records,
inside strips and packaging envelopes.
Figure 4 shows a block diagram of the inspection device.
BEST MODE OF PERFORMING THE INVENTION
In accordance with Figure 1a the label 10 o~ a sound tape
cassette 11 contains various prints which, in the embodiment
shown, are contained in a single line. Field 12 includes the
title code of the label, e.g. a number corresponding to the
title of the music recorded on the tape. This is followed
by the individual characterizing data 13 which may e.g. be
.'
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the current production number of the cassette which is
only applied to one single cassette. Thus, all cassettes
have different individual characterizing data.
The individual characterizing data 13 are followed by the
additional characterizing or distinctive mark 14. This may
consist of numbers or letters just as the title code 12
and the individual characteri7ing data 13, but it may al-
so be the positioning of a line in a corresponding marking
zone. When the label 10 is printed, the individual charac-
terizing data 13 are processed by an arithmetic combination
of their numbers or groups of numbers to generate the addi-
tional distinctive mark 14. The additional distinctive mark
14 will thus be in a well determined relation with respect
to the individual characterizing data 1~3. For example, cer-
tain numerals of the individual characterizing data 14 may
be added to or multiplied with each other and the result
will be found at certain positions of the additional dis-
tinctive mark 14. Should only one single numeral of the in-
dividual characterizing data 13 be modified, the additional
distinctive mark 14 would have to be modified too.
The information groups 12, 13, 14 on the label 10 are fur-
ther provided on the inside strip 15 shown in Figure 1b
which is inserted into the cassette box. They are printed
on the front side of the inside strip 15.
Figure 2a shows a record 16 on which a label 17 is glued
which also comprises the information groups 12, 13 and 14
circularly arranged around the center hole 18. The infor-
mation groups have the same signification and structure as
the embodiment of figure 1.
-
Figure 2b shows a packaging envelope 19 of the r~o~bl Out-
side of the packaging envelope and at a certain distance
from one of its edges are the information groups 12, 13 and
14 forming a line.
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The inspection device 20 shown in Figure 3 is intended to
inspect records and cassettes or inside strip 15 and packa-
ging envelope 19 whether they are authentic. The inspection
device 20 is provided with a casing having a display field
21 comprised of a plural digits numeral display device. In
addition, a key-board 22 is provided for introducing nume-
rals.
The inspection device 20 is provided with a slot 23 ex-
tending over one corner of the device for inserting a re-
cord 16. A reading head 24 is provided near the corner of
a delimiting wall of the slot 23. When the record 16 is
introduced into the slot 23, the hole 18 is outside the ins-
pection device. The outside edge of the record 16 is applied
against the circular front wall of the slot 23 so that the
record may be rotated inside the slot 23. The reading head
24 is positioned in such a way that the information groups
12 r 13 ~14 will pass in front thereof upon rotating of the
record so that it will be able to read at least the infor-
mation 13, 14 recorded thereon in a way to be read automa-
tically, to supply the information to a processing circuit.
A further reading head 25 is provided on the bottom of an
inspection path 26 at the top of the inspection device 20.
The inside strips 15 and/or the packaging envelopes 19 are
pushed along the inspection path 26. In doing so, the in-
formation groups 13 ~ 14 will pass over the reading head 25.
The information within the information groups 13, 14 may
suitably be magnetic records which may be read using very
simple means, and which must correspond with each other. The
individual characterizing data and the additional distinctive
mark arenot required to be in optically visible and readable
form.
With respect to the inspection device~ the individual charac-
terizing data 13 and the additional distinctive mark, if they
are in optically readable form on the labels or packages,
may be manually introduced through the key-board 22. The
inspection device will then determine whether the required
relation between. both information groups 13 and.14 applies.
As an alternative to the individual characterizi.ng data of
the labels and packages, an individual marking of the sound
record itself may be provided which may be read out automa-
tically. This would require computer controlled laser print-
ings systems.
Figure 4. shows a block diagram of the electric system pro-
vided within the inspection device 20.
Instead of the input key-board 22, both reading heads 24,
25 may be connected through a switch 26. Although the switch
26 is shown as a mechanical switch here for simplicity, it
will be embodied by electronic means in practice. When one
of both reading heads 24, 25 is connected with switch 26,
the read individual characterizing data 13 will be supplied
to a calculator circuit 28 through a further electronic
switch 27. Then, the electronic switch 27 will be switched
over so that the signal of the respective reading head will
be directly supplied to one input of the comparator 29.The
output signal of the calculator circuit 28 will be provided
to the other input of the comparator 29. In this way it-will
be determined whether there is coincidence between the indi-
vidual characterizing data processed by the calculator cir-
cuit and the additional distinctive mark. If there is no coin-
cidence, the output of the comparator 29 will provide an alarm
signal on line 30.
The input of a storing circuit 31 is further connected with
the first input of the comparator 29, the individ'ual charac-
terizing data 13 of the inspected sound record or package or
label being supplied to said storing circuit. The storing
circuit 31 may store a substantial number of these characteri-
zing data successively and will check whether newly introduced
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characterizing data are stored therein. If this is the case,
it will provide an alarm signal at its output 32.
The numeral display device 21 allows the numerals read by
the reading heads 24, 25 or the numerals introduced by the
input key-board 22 to be visibly displayed.
