SMART CARDS, RFID DEVICES AND METHODS

• US 20170017871A1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmaTech Group Limited (Paragon Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Féinics AmaTech Teoranta (Paragon Group Limited)
• Inventors: Finn, David, Lotya, Mustafa, Molloy, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07722 the record carrier being multilayered, e.g. laminated sheets flat articles in general, see B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07747 at least one of the integrated circuit chips being mounted as a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07756 the connection being non-galvanic, e.g. capacitive
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07788 the antenna being of the capacitive type
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07794 the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

Smartcards having (i) a metal card body (MCB) with a slit (S) overlapping a module antenna (MA) of a chip module (TCM) or (ii) multiple metal layers (M1, M2, M3) each having a slit (S1, S2, S3) offset or oriented differently than each other. A front metal layer may be continuous (no slit), and may be shielded from underlying metal layers by a shielding layer (SL). Metal backing inserts (MBI) reinforcing the slit(s) may also have a slit (S2) overlapping the module antenna. Diamond like coating filling the slit. Key fobs similarly fabricated. Plastic-Metal-Plastic smart cards and methods of manufacture are disclosed. Such cards may be contactless only, contact only, or may be dual-interface (contact and contactless) cards.

Claims

1. An RFID device having a card body comprising multiple metal layers, at least some of the layers having a slit (S) or discontinuity (NCS) extending from an outer edge of a given layer to a position corresponding to the location of a transponder chip module (TCM) which may be an opening (MO) for accepting the transponder chip module, wherein the slit in each layer overlaps a module antenna (MA) of the transponder chip module and is located in a different position or orientation than the slits of other layers so that the slits of the various layers are not aligned with one another.

2. The RFID device of claim 1, further comprising:

a front metal layer (ML1) which is continuous, not having a slit or discontinuity, shielded from the other metal layers by a shielding layer (SL).

3. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein:

the device is a smart card or a key fob.

4. The RFID device of claim 1, wherein:

the device is operable in both contact and contactless modes.

5. A solid metal smart card comprising:

a metal card body (MCB) having an opening (MO) for receiving a transponder chip module (TCM);

a slit (S1) extending from an edge of the card body to the opening;

wherein the card body is thinned in an area including the slit so that a back side of the metal card body is recessed; and

a metal backing insert (MBI) disposed in the recess, spanning the slit and reinforcing the card body at the slit area.

6. The smart card of claim 5, further comprising:

a module cover (MC) inserted into the module opening in the back of the card body.

7. The smart card of claim 5, wherein:

the thinned area extends to the area of the transponder chip module (TCM), including surrounding the opening;

the metal backing insert (MBI) comprises a module opening and a slit (S2) extending from an edge of the MBI to the module opening; and

the metal backing insert (MBI) is oriented in the card so that the slit (S2) does not extend to an edge of the card body, but rather is located in a central area of the card body.

8. The smart card of claim 5, wherein:

the thinned area extends to the area of the transponder chip module (TCM), including surrounding the opening; and

the metal backing insert (MBI) does not have a module opening, and has a slit (S2) extending from an edge of the metal backing insert (MBI) to a position at the interior of the metal backing insert (MBI) so that the slit is under a portion of and overlaps a module antenna (MA) of the transponder chip module (TCM).

9. A method of manufacturing smart cards comprising:

providing a front subassembly by joining a front clear overlay and a front printed core;

providing a rear subassembly by joining a rear clear overlay and a rear printed core;

providing a metal layer (ML) having an opening (MO) for accepting a portion of a chip module;

providing adhesive layers on both sides of the metal layer; and

pre-press laminating the front and rear subassemblies against the metal layer to form a card blank.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a slit (S) or a non-conductive stripe (NCS) extending from the opening in the metal layer to an edge of the metal layer so that the metal layer functions as a coupling frame for a contactless interface.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

disposing a plastic slug in the recess opening in the metal layer prior to laminating.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

milling a recess area through the front subassembly and into the plastic slug for accepting the chip module.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

including a magnetic stripe in the rear plastic subassembly.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the smart card is a “

Plastic-Metal-Plastic”

Hybrid Card.