Importance

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Abstract

A mainframe computer programmed to convert input data sets and build HSG or ISO-9660 Compact Disc (CD) images communicates with a channel attached controller that is in turn attached to one or more writers of respective Writable Compact Discs (CD-Ws). The images generated through batch processing in the mainframe computer are cached on the writers both so as to increase the speed of CD-W generation. Both subsequent labeling, and distribution of the CD-Ws to remotely-situated end users who view the CD-W images on PCs, are automated under positive closed loop feedback, control. In particular, the mainframe computer batch executes an image build program on batch input data but one time to create each unique CD-W image, batch writing so much of the data of this image as is common onto each CD-W but leaving blank data spaces in which are stored individual data unique to each physical CD-W and to the end user thereof the individual data preferably includes a redundant copy of the visually-detectable serial number of the CD-W, a volume number and a number of total volumes in the set, a table of pointers to all the indexed contents of the entire set, authenticating information of origin including origin time and place, and the name and address of the intended end user of the CD-W. A large number of related, but individually unique, CD-Ws are thus efficiently written. Individually respective, unique, CD-W labels, packing slips, etc. are printed, normally off-line, for each CD-W from the unique data stored within the CD-W itself, including the redundant copy of its serial number now written upon the CD-W. The compendium of common and unique data permits (i) expedient batch mode generation of unique CD-Ws, and (ii) total positive control of the identification, history and origin of each CD-W as it is distributed over time and space.

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First Claim