BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The invention relates to a method of disc identification, and in particular, to an identification system for a DVD player capable of reading additional information and evaluating characteristics of digital versatile discs (DVDs) or compact discs (CDs).  
         [0002]     Current DVD players are capable of identifying a DVD by reading a label, a table of contents and the serial number therein. DVDs typically comprise information label, table of contents and serial numbers; however, some DVDs do not. In this case, only through playing the DVD can the content therein be identified. In addition to format compatibility issues, DVD identification may fail due to data loss caused by disc damage. Conventionally, ejection of a DVD results in loss of playback parameters, including the point where disc play has stopped, customized language and view angle selections. Thus, when the same DVD is inserted again, the settings must be reconfigured, which may be considered inconvenient. Thus an enhanced disc identification system is desirable.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     An embodiment of the invention provides an identification method for a DVD player. The identification method comprises the following steps. First, file information from a digital versatile disc (DVD) is read, and a characteristic value is generated from the file information. Thereafter, whether the characteristic value exists in a database, is verified, and a corresponding disc profile indicating further functionality is obtained if the characteristic value exists in the database. If no additional characteristic value exists in the database, the characteristic value, and the corresponding disc profile are added to the database. When ejecting the DVD, the corresponding disc profile in the database is updated.  
         [0004]     Another embodiment of the invention provides a database storing DVD identification information for use in a DVD device. The database comprises a characteristic column for storing a characteristic value as a primary index, and a data column for storing a disc profile comprising customized information of a DVD. The disc profile comprises a stop point for indicating addresses where last play stopped, a text column for adding descriptions of files on the DVD, an address book for keeping favorite movie segments, and a configuration file for customizing subtitles and languages.  
         [0005]     A further embodiment of the invention provides a DVD player capable of identifying a DVD. The DVD player comprises a DVD reader for reading file information from a DVD, an identification processor for verifying whether the DVD is logged in a usage history and a database for storing at least a characteristic value and a disc profile corresponding to the DVD. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     The following detailed description, given byway of example and not intended to limit the invention solely to the embodiments described herein, will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a disc identification system according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 2   b  is a flowchart of disc identification according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of disc characteristic generation. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A detailed description of an embodiment of the invention is provided in the following.  
         [0011]     File contents vary from disc to disc, on this basis, individual characteristics may be generated accordingly to implement a disc identification mechanism. For example, a unique number can be generated by evaluating information of file contents, file name and file size of the first ten files in a disc, thus individual discs can be distinguished thereby. In addition, a database comprising tables associating the unique number with information about the disc can be established. When a disc is inserted, conventional disc identification takes place, which often fails, and a more robust identification and management system is activated to ensure the identification succeeds and further functionality is enabled.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention. A DVD player  110  with a disc identification and management system comprises a disc reader  102 , an identification engine  109  and a database  104 . The disc reader  102  reads disc information  108  from DVD  101 , and the identification engine  109  determines if the DVD  101  has ever been played in the DVD player  110  by checking related information in the database  104 . The database  104  comprises corresponding information of DVD  101  such as playback parameters and last stopping point.  
         [0013]     After the characteristic value  106  is generated, the database  104  determines whether associated records of characteristic value  106  exist, indicating that the DVD  101  has previously been played in the DVD player  110 . If the record exists, a corresponding disc profile  107  can be obtained from database  104 , and further functionality can be enabled. Otherwise, if the DVD  101  is new to the DVD player  110 , a new data slot  103  is created in the database  104 , and corresponding new information of characteristic value  106  and disc profile  107  are generated and stored thereto. When the identification engine  109  receives an eject command, the DVD  101  is ejected, and the characteristic value  106  and disc profile  107  are kept in the corresponding data slot  103  of database  104 .  
         [0014]     In an embodiment of the invention, the database  104  comprises a plurality of data slot  103 , each comprising a data pair, characteristic value  106  and disc profile  107 . The characteristic value  106  is taken as a unique index of each disc, and the disc profile  107  comprises additional information for enhanced functionality, such as last stop point, file comments, favorite sections, preferred language settings and the like. The capacity of database  104  determines number of data slot  103 , and the database  104  can be a storage device, or memory with a processor.  
         [0015]     The sequence of disc identification is shown in  FIG. 3 . First, in step  301 , assessing the DVD  101 , and if the DVD  101  is assessed as conforming to the DVD standard, step  302  and step  303  are processed where information of file contents, file address and file size from a plurality of files are taken as the evaluation basis. If the DVD  101  is assessed incompatible with the DVD standard, step  306  and step  307  are processed where track content and table of contents (TOC) information are taken as the evaluation basis. Thus, disc information  108  of the DVD  101  in  FIG. 1  can be obtained to generate characteristic value  106 . Characteristic value  106  is a bit sequence of a certain length, long enough to distinguish discs with low collision probability. Collision is defined as presentation failure due to two different discs producing the same characteristic value  106 . The generation of characteristic value  106  can be based on a hash algorithm which creates a one-to-one mapping table converting a series of given characteristics to a unique number. Step  304  determines whether more than ten files or tracks are present. If so, step  305  proceeds to generate characteristic value  106  by calculating the first ten files or tracks. If not, step  308  generates characteristic value  106  by calculating the all files or tracks.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2   a  and  FIG. 2   b  show an embodiment of detailed use of the disc identification system. First, a first DVD  201  is inserted in the disc reader  102  for the first time, through assessment by identification engine  109 , a first data slot  203  comprising a characteristic value  106  and a disc profile  107  is created to store related information of first DVD  201 . Thereafter, the first DVD  201  is ejected and a second DVD  202  is inserted. The identification engine  109  then compares the characteristic value  106  of the second DVD  202  against all characteristic value  106  stored in the database  104 . If no matching records are found, a second data slot  204  comprising a characteristic value  106  and a disc profile  107  is created to keep related information of the second DVD  202 . When first DVD  201  is replaced, the identification engine  109  generates a characteristic value  106  of the first DVD  201 , and through comparison against all characteristic values  106  in the database  104 , a match is found in corresponding first data slot  203 , thus, disc profile  107  stored therein is restored for playback.  
         [0017]     The above described embodiments of the invention provide a flexible disc identification system preventing disc compatibility problems, and the additional database expand functionality to enhance convenience.  
         [0018]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
An identification system for a DVD player is capable of determining whether a DVD has been inserted therein. The method reads additional information and evaluates characteristics of the digital versatile disc (DVD) or compact disc (CD). A database storing DVD identification information for use in a DVD player, comprising a characteristic column for storing a characteristic value as a primary index and a data column for storing a disc profile comprising customized information of a DVD.