Appeal No. 2004-0779
Application No. 09/790,185 Page 8
In a first configuration of an apparatus for recording and
reproducing optical disks whereon information can be recorded,
erased and reproduced.
[A] recording layer 303 of a phase-changeable
material that can reversibly change between a crystal
phase and an amorphous phase is formed on top of the
dielectric layer 302.
When an optical disk has a recording layer
consisting of a thin film that can be reversibly
changed between these two optically detectable states,
it can be used as a high-density rewritable
exchangeable medium, for example a DVD-RAM.
From this disclosure of Oshima, we find a suggestion that
the recording layer may be rewritable. However, from the
disclosure of Oshima (col. 4, line 63 through col. 5, line 2)
that:
[T]he write-once information is recorded by partially
removing the reflective layer.
It is preferable that in the optical disk according
to the third configuration, the main information and
the write-once information are recorded by partially
changing a reflection coefficient of a reflective
layer.
From this disclosure of Oshima that the write-once information is
recorded by partially removing the reflective layer, we find that
in Oshima, the recording layer is "write-only" and is not
rewritable. However, even assuming arguendo that we are
incorrect in our understanding of the disclosure of Oshima, and
Oshima teaches a rewritable recording layer, claim 1 is still not
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