A patent filing for a new type of DVD disc capable of playing both Blu-ray and HD-DVD could signal a new twist in the saga over competing formats.

If successful, such a patent could at least raise a white flag between hostilities over disc compatibility.

Wayne M. Smith, who has filed previously for Warner Bros. at the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, and two others, filed an updated patent application for a disc with three readable layers with the patent office. If it works out, the new disc could mean the end of incompatibility problems for home movie viewers.

The application states that the new disc contains three layers, any of which can be read by any of the three existing types of DVD players. The top layer could be read with Blu-ray technology, the second layer with HD-DVD, and the bottom layer a traditional DVD player, according to the application.

Such layering is not unknown in the industry. The breakthrough here is that the layers were made less reflective, allowing the blue ray that reads the disc to reach its appropriate layer, according to the patent application.

“By reducing the reflectivity of the layers the transmissivity can be increased,” Mr. Smith wrote in the filing, along with Alan Bell and Lewis Ostrover.

"We are always looking into new ways to improve the consumer experience," a Warner spokesman said. "We have no immediate plans to put the three format disc into production."

Separately, Matsushita Electric Industrial made a move Wednesday that might swing the balance toward Blu-ray technologies. The maker of Panasonic products said it plans to release two new HD players that utilize Blu-ray in Japan by mid-November, according to a company statement.

Blu-ray, funded by Sony, is the top pick for most Hollywood film studios. However, HD-DVD has backing from Toshiba and is favored by Microsoft. Some commentators say the existence of two incompatible systems is dampening consumer enthusiasm for the coming high-definition revolution (see High-Def DVDs Tune Out).

Contact the writer:SMugrabi@RedHerring.com

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