DUAL-INTERFACE IC CARD

• US 20170140257A1
• Filed: 10/21/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Zenz, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 10,366,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07754 the connection being galvanic
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4853 Connection or disconnection of other leads to or from a metallisation, e.g. pins, wires, bumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6611 Wire connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85444 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85447 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85455 Nickel (Ni) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49838 Geometry or layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a dual-interface integrated circuit (IC) card. Embodiments disclosed include a dual-interface card (100) comprising: a card body (122) containing an antenna (120), the antenna having first and second antenna connections; and a dual-interface integrated circuit card module (150) comprising: a substrate (104) having first and second opposing surfaces; a contact area (102) on the first surface of the substrate (104), the contact area (102) comprising a plurality of contact pads (108) and first and second routing connections (106) each having a first end and a second end; an integrated circuit (110) on the second surface of the substrate (104); electrical connections through the substrate (104) connecting the integrated circuit (110) to the plurality of contact pads (108) and to the first end of each of the first and second routing connections (106); and first and second antenna connectors (118) disposed in respective first and second holes (103) in the substrate (104) and in electrical contact with the second end of the respective first and second routing connections, wherein the first and second antenna connectors (118) of the card module are electrically connected to the first and second antenna connections of the card body (122).

Claims

1. A dual-interface card comprising:

a card body containing an antenna, the antenna having first and second antenna connections; and

a dual-interface integrated circuit card module comprising;

a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces;

a contact area on the first surface of the substrate, the contact area comprising a plurality of contact pads and first and second routing connections each having a first end and a second end;

an integrated circuit on the second surface of the substrate;

electrical connections through the substrate connecting the integrated circuit to the plurality of contact pads and to the first end of each of the first and second routing connections; and

first and second antenna connectors disposed in respective first and second holes in the substrate and in electrical contact with the second end of the respective first and second routing connections,

wherein the first and second antenna connectors of the card module are electrically connected to the first and second antenna connections of the card body.

2. The dual-interface card of claim 1, wherein the antenna connectors comprise solder.

3. The dual-interface card of claim 1, wherein the antenna connectors comprise an electrically conductive adhesive.

4. The card of claim 2, further comprising a metal plug disposed in each of the first and second holes on the second surface of the substrate.

5. The dual-interface card of claim 4, wherein the first and second antenna connectors contact the respective first and second routing connections via the metal plug.

6. The dual-interface card of claim 1, wherein each of the antenna connectors comprises a metal plug or a stud bump.

7. The dual-interface card of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second routing connection comprises one of the plurality of contact pads.

8. The dual-interface card of claim 1, wherein each of the antenna connectors form a mechanical bond between the card module and the card body.

9. The dual-interface card of claim 1, further comprising a supplementary connection between each antenna connection of the card body and a respective antenna connector of the card module.

10. A method of manufacturing a dual-interface card, the method comprising:

providing a card body containing an antenna, the antenna having first and second antenna connections;

providing a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, a contact area on the first surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of contact pads and first and second routing connections each having a first end and a second end;

forming a plurality of holes through the substrate;

disposing an antenna connector into first and second ones of the plurality of holes, each antenna connector being in electrical contact with the second end of one of the routing connections;

disposing an integrated circuit on the second surface of the substrate;

forming electrical connections through the holes in the substrate to connect the integrated circuit to the plurality of contact pads and to the first end of each of the first and second routing connections; and

attaching the module to the card body, forming electrical connections between the antenna connections on the card body and the antenna connectors on the module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein disposing an antenna connector into each of the first and second holes comprises placing a ball of solder into each of the first and second holes and reflowing the balls of solder while or before attaching the module to the card body.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the antenna connectors comprise solder or a conductive adhesive, and wherein the method further comprises:

disposing metal plugs in each of the first and second holes; and

reflowing the solder or curing the conductive adhesive within the holes while attaching the module to the card body.