Patent Publication Number: US-2003231418-A1

Title: Storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus that make a storage medium for disposal be in an unusable condition to prevent data stored on the storage medium from being leaked to the third party.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] Generally, optical discs such as music CDs (Compact Discs), audio-visual DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), etc. are subject to be an unusable condition at a disposing time to prevent music data and image data recorded thereon from being leaked to the third party.  
       [0005] There are various kinds of methods and apparatuses to make the disposing optical discs unusable condition. One well-known example is a method and apparatus that bends the optical disc. Another methods and apparatuses are disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-30302, Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3034847 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H9-293348.  
       [0006] The method and apparatus that bends the disposing optical discs has a drawback in that the volume of bent optical discs is increased depending on the degree of bending. It does not matter if the amount of bent optical discs is relatively small, but if the amount of bent optical discs is relatively large, the bent optical discs would be bulky because of the increase in the volume at the time of putting them together. This causes uselessness of a space for putting the optical discs in unusable condition, resulting in inefficiency. If the optical disc is bent with the bending degree of not being bulky, then sufficient physical damage to make the optical disc be unusable is not applied to both the optical disc and data recorded on the optical disc.  
       [0007] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-30302 discloses an optical disc that is devised such that the recording area on which data is recorded can be peeled from the optical disc entirely. However, the method using this optical disc has a disadvantage that peeling the recording area from the optical disc substantially doubles the amount of the disposing optical disc. Accordingly, a volume of the space for placing the optical discs is also doubled, thus the method with this optical disc is inefficient.  
       [0008] The apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3034847 forms flaws on the entire surface of the disposing optical disc by using a brush, etc., thereby making data recorded on the optical disc substantially unreadable. However, this apparatus causes unevenness in flaws formed on the entire surface of the optical disc in case that the brush, etc. are worn due to the long-time use. For this reason, the optical disc cannot be certainly rendered unusable and data cannot be rendered unreadable in some cases. In considering maintenance for replacing the brush, etc., the method using this apparatus is complicated in the process , thus resulting in inefficiency.  
       [0009] The apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H9-293348 forms cracks on the entire surface of the disposing optical disc by passing a punch, etc. throughout the disposing optical disc, thereby making the optical disc unusable. However, formation of cracks generates a large quantity of dust and fragments which will fly. Collection of the large quantity of flown dust and fragments is not easy to be carried out, thus the method using this apparatus is complicated, resulting in inefficiency.  
       [0010] As mentioned above, the conventional methods and apparatuses do not certainly make the disposing optical discs unusable and are complicated, thus inefficient in some cases.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011] The present invention has been made with consideration given to the aforementioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus that is capable of rendering a disposing storage medium unusable efficiently.  
       [0012] In order to attain the above object, a storage medium disabling apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus that renders a disposing disc-like storage medium having one or a plurality of first areas on which data is recorded and one or a plurality of second areas on which specifying information for specifying contents of the data is recorded. The apparatus includes a processing section that causes an irreversible change on a predetermined portion for destroying said specifying information physically and rendering contents of said data unreadable, which is a part of the storage medium and which includes a part of the second area, and a jig that positions the predetermined portion of the storage medium and the processing section by placing the storage medium.  
       [0013] According to the above-structured storage medium disabling apparatus, the processing section causes the irreversible change such as deformation, deterioration, and the like on the second area on which information (for example, TOC information) for specifying the data recorded on the first area is recorded. This substantially destroys the information. Reading information recorded on the second area is indispensable when the storage medium drive device reads data from the storage medium. However, since this information is destroyed, the storage medium drive device cannot read data from the storage medium. Accordingly, the storage medium disabling apparatus can render the recording medium unusable certainly. Moreover, since the storage medium can be rendered unusable only by causing the change on only the predetermined portion, this storage medium disabling apparatus can render the storage medium unusable efficiently.  
       [0014] The processing section may include a punch blade for punching the predetermined portion from each storage medium.  
       [0015] The processing section may include a heating mechanism for heating and melting the predetermined portion.  
       [0016] The heating mechanism may include an electrically heated metallic wire.  
       [0017] The processing section may include a cutting blade that contacts with the predetermined portion to cut and shave the predetermined portion.  
       [0018] Moreover, in order to attain the above object, a storage medium disabling method according to a second aspect of the present invention is a method that renders a disposing disc-like storage medium having one or a plurality of first areas on which data is recorded and one or a plurality of second areas on which specifying information for specifying contents of the data is recorded. The method includes the step of causing an irreversible change on a predetermined portion of the storage medium including a part of the second area to render the specifying information recorded on the second area unreadable and the storage medium unusable.  
       [0019] According to the above method, the irreversible changes such as deformation, deterioration, and the like are caused on the second area on which information (for example, TOC information) for specifying data recorded on the first area is recorded. This substantially destroys the information. Reading information recorded on the second area is indispensable when the storage medium drive device reads data from the storage medium. However, since this information is destroyed, the storage medium drive device cannot read data from the storage medium. Accordingly, this method can render the recording medium unusable without fail. Moreover, since the storage medium can be rendered unusable by such a local process that the change is caused on only the predetermined portion, this method is relatively easy. Therefore, this method is efficient.  
       [0020] In the step, the predetermined portion may be punched from the storage medium by a punching blade.  
       [0021] In the step, an electrically heated metallic wire may be pressed onto the predetermined portion to heat and melt the predetermined portion.  
       [0022] In the step, the predetermined portion may be cut and shaved by a cutting blade that contacts with the predetermined portion.  
       [0023] Moreover, in order to attain the above object, a storage medium disabling method according to a third aspect of the present invention is a method that renders a disc-like storage medium having a first area on which data is recorded by arraying a plurality of pits and a second area on which TOC information on the data is recorded by arraying a plurality of pits, wherein an irreversible change is added onto the array of pits corresponding to the TOC information to destroy continuity of the TOC information and to render the storage medium unusable.  
       [0024] According to this method, the irreversible change is added onto the array of pits corresponding to TOC information. For this reason, continuity of the TOC information is substantially destroyed. Reading TOC information is indispensable when the storage medium drive device reads data from the storage medium. However, since continuity of the TOC information is destroyed, the storage medium drive device cannot read data from the storage medium. Accordingly, this method can render the recording medium unusable without fail. Moreover, since the storage medium can be rendered unusable only by causing the irreversible change on only the portion of the pit array, the process is relatively easy. Therefore, this method is efficient. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0025] These objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0026]FIG. 1A is a plane view illustrating one example of the structure of optical disc used in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a plane view illustrating one example of an optical disc to which a storage medium disabling method according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied;  
     [0027]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one example of the structure of the storage medium disabling apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0028]FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views each illustrating one example of the storage medium disabling apparatus;  
     [0029]FIG. 4A is a side view illustrating a state in which a plurality of optical discs rendered unstable by bending is stacked on top of each other, and FIG. 4B is a side view illustrating a state in which a plurality of optical discs, to which the storage medium disabling method according to the first embodiment is applied, is stacked on top of each other;  
     [0030]FIG. 5A is a plane view explaining modification 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view illustrating one example of the punch blade that the storage medium disabling apparatus according to modification 1 of the first embodiment has;  
     [0031]FIG. 6A is a plane view explaining modification 2 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6B is a side view illustrating one example of the storage medium disabling apparatus according to modification 2 of the first embodiment;  
     [0032]FIG. 7A is a plane view explaining modification 3 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view illustrating one example of the punch blade which the storage medium disabling apparatus according to modification 3 of the first embodiment has;  
     [0033]FIG. 8 is a side view showing the structure of the storage medium disabling apparatus used in modification 4 of the first embodiment;  
     [0034]FIGS. 9A to  9 C are views each explaining the structure of the storage medium disabling apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0035]FIGS. 10A and 10B are plane views each illustrating the optical disc in which a predetermined portion is cut by a storage medium disabling method according to a second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0036] The following will specifically explain a storage medium disabling method and a storage medium disabling apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.  
     [0037] (First Embodiment)  
     [0038] A storage medium disabling method according to this embodiment makes a disposing disc-like storage medium such as a CD (Compact Disc) and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), etc., which is namely a disposing optical disc, unusable. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, an optical disc  10  includes a data area  11  and a read-in area  12  with a predetermined distance from a center hole  13 .  
     [0039] On the data area  11 , music data, image data, and the like are recorded. On the other hand, on the read-in area  12 , information that a disc drive device such as CD player needs to read out the data recorded on the data area  11 , is recorded. This information and the data recorded on the data area  11  are recorded on the data area  11  and the read-in area  12  as a so-called “pit array”.  
     [0040] One example of the information that is necessary for a disc drive device to read out the data recorded on the data area  11  is TOC (Table Of Contents) information. In case that the optical disc  10  comprises a CD, TOC information includes information for specifying contents of the data recorded on the data area  11 (information representing a kind of the optical disc  10 , information representing a number of music pieces recorded on the data area  11 , start address information and end address information of the data recorded on the data area  11 , etc.). In general, an optical disc drive device first specifies contents of the data recorded on the data area  11  by reading TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  when the optical disc  10  is loaded.  
     [0041] For this reason, the storage medium disabling method causes irreversible changes (for example, deformation in a pit array, deterioration in the reflection rate of read-in area  12 , etc.) on a predetermined portion including at least a part of the read-in area  12  to destroy TOC information physically. This makes the optical disc  10  substantially unusable. In the present embodiment, the information necessary for reading out the data recorded on the data area  11  will be specifically explained by employing TOC information as an example.  
     [0042] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the storage medium disabling method includes a step of punching out a predetermined circular portion  20 , which includes the part of the read-in area  12  with a predetermined distance from the center hole  13 , from the optical disc  10 . This makes TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  unreadable and data recorded on the data area  11  unreadable, so that the optical disc  10  is to be substantially unusable. In addition, according to the storage medium disabling method, the optical disc  10  may be unusable one by one, or the plurality of optical discs  10  may be rendered unusable at one time.  
     [0043] Accordingly, the apparatus for carrying out storage medium disabling method (hereinafter, referred to as storage medium disabling apparatus) is one that punches the predetermined portion  20  from the optical disc  10 . As illustrated in FIG. 2, a storage medium disabling apparatus  30  includes: a working section  31  that punches out the predetermined portion  20  from the optical disc  10 ; and a jig  32  that positions the optical disc  10  such that the working section  31  is pressed onto the predetermined portion  20  locating in a predetermined distance from the center hole  13 . Examples of the above-structured storage medium disabling apparatus are a punch type press (punch), a drill with a hole saw, an apparatus that presses an electrically heated nichrome wire onto the optical disc  10 , and a melting apparatus such as an ultrasonic welder.  
     [0044] In the present embodiment, the punch is used as the storage medium disabling apparatus  30 . One example of this storage medium disabling apparatus  30  is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As illustrated in the figures, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  includes a punch working section  31   a , and a jig  32  comprising a first holder  33 , a second holder  34 , a base  35 , an arm stand  36 , and an arm  37 . The storage medium disabling apparatus  30  punches out the predetermined portion  20  from one optical disc  10  at one time.  
     [0045] Seeing from the side surface, the first holder  33  has substantially square shape. And the first holder  33  has a projection  38  having substantially the same diameter as the center hole of the optical disc  10 , at the upper surface thereof. The projection  38  is passed through the center hole  13 , and thereby placing the optical disc  10  on its upper surface.  
     [0046] As shown in FIG. 3B, the second holder  34  comes in contact with the outer periphery (edge) of the optical disc  10  placed on the first holder  33 , thereby pressing and holding the optical disc  10  downwardly (from top to down in the figure).  
     [0047] The base  35  has a substantially square shape and fixes a tray  39  to its one side surface. The first holder  33  is slidably placed on the tray  39 . The base  35  places an outer periphery neighborhood portion of the optical disk  10  (portion of the optical disk  10  pressed downward by the second holder  34 ) onto the surface horizontally plane with the upper surface of the first holder  33  placed on the tray  39 . Regarding the upper surface of the base  35  (plane where the outer periphery neighborhood portion of the optical disc  10 ), on the surface where the outer periphery neighborhood portion of the optical disc  10  is not placed, the arm stand  36  is provided in a fixing manner to extend to a vertical direction (upper direction in the figure).  
     [0048] In addition, as illustrated in the figure, a space whose width is substantially the same as the diameter of the predetermined portion  20 , is formed between one side surface of the base  35  and the first holder  33 .  
     [0049] Seeing from the side surface, the arm stand  36  rotatably fixes one end of the arm  37  having a substantially rectangular shape.  
     [0050] The arm  37  moves between an opened position shown in FIG. 3A and a closed position shown in FIG. 3B with its one end rotatably fixed to the arm stand  36  as a center of rotation. A projection  40 , which is coaxially engaged with the projection  38  of the first holder  33  at the closed position, is fixed to the other end of the arm  37 . The projection  38  and the projection  40  are engaged with each other, thereby preventing the first holder  33  from being rattled in the tray  39 .  
     [0051] The second holder  34  is fixed to a predetermined portion between one end of the arm  37  and the other end thereof so that the second holder  34  can press the outer periphery portion of the optical disc  20  in a state that the arm  37  is placed at the closed position. Accordingly, in the state that the arm  37  is placed at the closed position, the second holder  34  fixes the outer periphery portion of the optical disc  10 . On the other hand, in the state that the arm  37  is placed at the opened position, the second holder  34  releases the outer periphery portion of the optical disc  10  according to movement of the arm  37 .  
     [0052] Furthermore, the punch working section  31   a  is attached to a predetermined portion between the second holder  34  and the projection  40 . The working section  31   a  vertically opposes to the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10  in a state that the arm  37  is placed at the closed position.  
     [0053] The punch working section  31   a  includes a punch blade with a cylindrical shape. The punch working section  31   a  is attached to a predetermined portion of the arm  37  through a spring (not shown) to be reciprocatable in up and down directions.  
     [0054] In the above-structured storage medium disabling apparatus  30 , the projection  38  of the first holder  33  is passed through the center hole  13  of the optical disc  10  in a state that the arm  37  is placed at the opened position. The arm  37  is moved to the closed position, and thereby the respective structural elements of the jig  32  align the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10  and the punch working section  31   a.    
     [0055] The punch working section  31   a  is pressed in the direction of an arrow shown in FIG. 3B, and thereby the punch working section  31   a  contacts with the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10 . The punch working section  31   a  is further pressed. In this state, one of the side surfaces of the base  35  fixing the tray  39  and a side surface of the first holder  33  facing to the side surface of the base  35  fixing the tray  39 , function as a die. The predetermined portion  20  is punched out from the optical disc  10  by the punch working section  31   a  and the die. The fragment of the optical disc  10  obtained by punching the predetermined portion  20  is contained in a space formed between one side surface of the first holder  33  and one side surface of the base  35 .  
     [0056] In this way, the predetermined portion  20  including the part of the read-in area  12  is punched out from the optical disc  10 , and thereby the pit array shape is destroyed and continuity of TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  is destroyed. For this reason, even if the optical disc  10  from which the predetermined portion  20  is loaded on an optical disc drive device such as a CD player, etc., the optical disc  10  is not recognized by the optical disc drive device. Accordingly, it is certainly possible to make the optical disk  10  in an unusable condition with the process that the predetermined portion  20  is punched from the optical disc  10 . Additionally, as compared with the process in which cracks are formed, the amount of generated dust and fragments in this process is small.  
     [0057] Moreover, according to the present embodiment, the degree of the entire deformation of the unusable optical disc  10  is small as compared with the bent optical disc. For example, even if the bent optical discs  10  are stacked on top of each other to be put together in a compact form, they are bulky as illustrated in FIG. 4A, so that a useless space is formed in the stacking direction. On the other hand, the optical discs  10 , which are rendered unusable by the storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus according to this embodiment, can be easily stacked on top of each other as illustrated in FIG. 4B. For this reason, even when the optical disc  10  rendered unusable and the fragment obtained by punching the predetermined portion  20  are stored, the storing space can be relatively easily ensured.  
     [0058] Because the disposing optical disc  10  can be rendered unusable certainly, and treatment after making the disposing optical disc  10  unusable is relatively easy, the storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus according to this embodiment are efficient.  
     [0059] In addition, the fragment obtained by punching the predetermined portion  20  and the optical disc  10  are preferably discarded separately. This makes it possible to prevent such a situation that the third party obtains both the optical disc  10  and the fragment and fills the fragment in the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10  to try the playback of the optical disc  10 . Namely, the risk of data leakage can be reduced.  
     [0060] (Modification 1 of the First Embodiment)  
     [0061] The predetermined portion  20  may have any shape without being limited to the circular shape. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the predetermined portion  20  may be strap-shaped along the shape of the read-in area  12 . In this case, the punch blade  31   a  may have a shape illustrated in FIG. 5B. Even if the predetermined portion  20  has any shape, the same effect as the aforementioned embodiment can be obtained. However, it is indispensable that the predetermined portion  20  should include the part of the read-in area  12 .  
     [0062] (Modification 2 of the First Embodiment)  
     [0063] Reducing the risk of data leakage further, the predetermined portion  20  including the part of the read-in area  12  and a predetermined portion  20   a  including the part of the data area  11  may be punched out from the optical disc  10  as illustrated in FIG. 6A.  
     [0064] In this case, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  may have a press-type punch blade  31   b  in addition to have the punch blade  31   a . In a state that the arm  37  is placed on the closed position, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  punches out the predetermined portions  20 ,  20   a  by the punch blades  31   a ,  31   b  pressed in.  
     [0065] This destroys not only continuity of TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  but also continuity of data recorded on the data area  1 . Accordingly, the risk of data leakage can be more reduced.  
     [0066] (Modification 3 of the First Embodiment)  
     [0067] There is a case in which the optical disc  10  is a multisession optical disc having a plurality of data areas  11  and a plurality of read-in areas  12  corresponding to the respective data areas  11  as illustrated in FIG. 7A. In this case, the predetermined portion  20  may be punched for each read-in area  12 . However, this is complicated since the number of punching times is increased.  
     [0068] For this reason, in such a case, the predetermined portion  20  may include the part of each read-in area  12 . This makes it possible to render the optical disc  10  unusable certainly by one punching process.  
     [0069] More specifically, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  preferably has a punch blade  31   c  with a substantially elliptic shape as shown in FIG. 7B. In this case, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  punches out the predetermined portion  20  with a substantially elliptic shape which includes the part of each of the plurality of read-in areas  12 , from the optical disc  10 . This makes it possible to destroy the continuity of TOC information recorded on each read-in area  12  of the multisession optical disc  10 .  
     [0070] (Modification 4 of the First Embodiment)  
     [0071] In a case that the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  comprises a melting apparatus that presses electrically heated metal wire onto the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10 , the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  may have a structure such as shown in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  has the same structure shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B except a heating mechanism  31   d.    
     [0072] The heating mechanism  31   d  includes a power source  41  and a metal wire  42  electrically connected to the power source  41 .  
     [0073] The power source  41  supplies electrical power to the metal wire  42 .  
     [0074] The metal wire  42  is electrically heated by power supplied from the power source  41 . The metal wire  42  comprises nichrome wire, etc., and has a coil shape. The metal wire  42  is attached to one end of a cylinder  43  which is attached to a predetermined portion of the arm  37  through a spring (not shown) to be reciprocatable in up and down directions.  
     [0075] In the above-structured storage medium disabling apparatus  30 , the metal wire  42  is electrically heated by power supplied from the power source  41 . In a state that the arm  37  is in the closed position, the cylinder  43  is pressed, and the metal wire  42  attached on one end of the cylinder  43  comes in contact with the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10 . The cylinder  43  is further pressed and the metal wire  42  punches out the predetermined portion  20  by melting. Thus the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  having the above structure can attain the same effect as that of punch-type.  
     [0076] (Second Embodiment)  
     [0077] This embodiment is a storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus that causes irreversible changes (deformation, deterioration and the like) on the predetermined portion  20  without punching out the predetermined portion from the optical disc  10 .  
     [0078] The storage medium disabling apparatus  30  according to this embodiment is composed of, for example, a device that forms flows on the predetermined portion  20  or a melting device that heats the predetermined portion  20  and emits an ultrasonic wave to the predetermined portion  20 . The storage medium disabling apparatus  30  includes at least the working section  31  that adds irreversible changes to the predetermined portion  20  with a distance from the center hole  13  and the jig  32  that positions the optical disc  10 .  
     [0079] The storage medium disabling apparatus according to this embodiment may render the optical disc  10  unusable one by one, or the plurality of optical discs  10  unusable at one time, similar to the apparatus descried in the first embodiment.  
     [0080] For example, in a case where the storage medium disabling apparatus is composed of the device that forms flaws on the predetermined portion  20 , the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  may have a structure such as shown in FIGS. 9A to  9 C, instead of the structure shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As illustrated, the storage medium disabling apparatus includes a cutting blade  31   e  as the working section  31 , and jig  32  comprising a first holder  33 , a second holder  34   a , an arm  37  and a tray  39 .  
     [0081] The first holder  33  has the same structure as the first holder  33  shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.  
     [0082] The second holder  34   a  has a circular cylindrical shape and has a rotating mechanism  43  at one end thereof. As shown in FIG. 9B, the rotating mechanism  43  rotatably fixes one end of the second holder  34   a . As shown in FIG. 9C, the rotating mechanism  43  has an opening for fitting the projection  38  of the first holder  33 . The second holder  34   a  sandwiches the optical disc  10  with the first holder  33  by fitting the projection  38  into the opening of the rotating mechanism  43 . The second holder  34   a  further holds one end of the arm  37 .  
     [0083] The arm  37  rotates with the second holder  34   a . The cutting blade  31   e  as the working section  31  is attached onto the other end of the arm  37 . The arm  37  aligns the predetermined portion  20  with a predetermined distance from the center hole  13 , and the cutting blade  31   e.    
     [0084] The first holder  33  is placed at the center of the tray  39 . The tray  39  receives and collects fragments, etc. generated by cutting.  
     [0085] In the above-structured storage medium disabling apparatus  30 , the projection  38  of the first holder  33  is passed through the center hole  13  of the optical disc  10  in a state that the second holder  34   a  and the arm  37  are placed at a opened position. From this state, the second holder  34   a  and the arm  37  are placed at a closed position by the projection  38  fitting into the opening of the rotating mechanism  43  as shown in FIG. 9C.  
     [0086] The second holder  34   a  is pressed in the direction of an arrow shown in FIG. 9C, and thereby the portion of the optical disc  10  near the center hole  13  is pressed by the rotating mechanism  43 . The optical disc  10  is firmly placed onto the upper surface of the first holder  33 , and the cutting blade  31   e  comes in contact with the predetermined portion  20  of the optical disc  10 . From this state, the second holder  34   a  is rotated, thereby the cutting blade  31   e  forms a flaw onto the predetermined portion  20  along the read-in area  12  by cutting (and shaving), as shown in FIG. 10A or FIG. 10B.  
     [0087] An irreversible change (deformation) is caused on the pit shape of the read-in area  12  by cutting, and TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  is substantially destroyed. Thus this makes it possible to render the optical disc  10  unusable.  
     [0088] On the other hand, in a case where the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  is composed of the heating and melting device, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  includes an electrically heated nichrome wire, a laser irradiation mechanism, etc. as the working section  31 . In this case, the storage medium disabling apparatus  30  provides heat treatment to the predetermined portion  20  including at least a part of the read-in area  12  as illustrated in FIG. 1B, FIGS.  5  to  7 . Additionally, the heat treatment may be contact heating or non-contact heating.  
     [0089] The pit shape of the predetermined portion  20  is irreversibly deformed by the heating and melting and the characteristic of the predetermined portion  20  such as a reflection rate deteriorates, so that continuity of TOC information recorded on the read-in area  12  is substantially destroyed. This makes the optical disc  10  be in an unusable condition.  
     [0090] As described above, the storage medium disabling apparatus and storage medium disabling method according to this embodiment causes the irreversible change on only the predetermined portion  20  of the entire surface of the optical disc  10 , and the process is relatively easy. Moreover, the irreversible change is caused on the predetermined portion  20 , making it possible to render the optical disc  10  unusable without a failure.  
     [0091] Further, the storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus according to this embodiment renders the optical disc  10  unusable reliably without punching out the predetermined portion  20  from the optical disc  10 . Accordingly, as a treatment such that disposing the fragment generated by punching is not necessary, the process after rendering the disposing optical disc  10  unusable can be relatively easy.  
     [0092] Therefore, the storage medium disabling method and storage medium disabling apparatus according to this embodiment is efficient.  
     [0093] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the first and second embodiments have explained the case in which the storage medium is composed of the optical disc such as CD or DVD. However, any kinds of storing media having the data area recording data and the area recording information such as TOC may be used.  
     [0094] More specifically, the storage medium may be composed of an optical magnetic disc such as MD. In this case, the storage medium disabling method according to the first and second embodiments may be applied in a state that MD is unloaded from the cartridge.  
     [0095] It is assumed that the optical disc used in the first and second embodiments has an arbitrary size. The optical disc may have any diameter size of, for example, 12 cm, 8 cm, 3 cm, or 3.5 in.  
     [0096] Various embodiments and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the present invention, not to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is shown by the attached claims rather than the embodiments. Various modifications made within the meaning of an equivalent of the claims of the invention and within the claims are to be regarded to be in the scope of the present invention.  
     [0097] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-172335 filed on Jun. 13, 2002 and including specification, claims, drawings and summary. The disclosure of the above Japanese Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.