IC card system with removable IC modules
First Claim
1. An IC card including in combination:
- a card body of a predetermined thickness having a first surface and having a network bus conductor therein at a distance from said first surface which is less than said predetermined thickness;
an inlaid information processing unit in said card body having external signal connection terminals on an exposed face thereof at said first surface of said card body and electrically interconnected with said network bus conductor;
at least one open receptacle extending from the first surface of said card body to a depth to expose said network bus conductor therein for electrical contact with conductive terminals of a removable information processing unit configured to fit into said receptacle andretaining means comprising cover means extending over said receptacle in a first position thereof and movable to a second position to expose said receptacle for releasably retaining removable information processing units in said receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An IC card is disclosed having expanded on line utilization. The card includes a standard fixed microprocessor embedded in the plastic with exposed terminals for electrical interconnection with a standard card reader. The card, however, is modified by providing parallel data and control line bus conductors on an intermediate laminate in the card in electrical contact with the fixed microprocessor embedded in the card. A plurality of open receptacles then are provided in the surface of the card and extend to the bus conductors, exposing the bus conductors in the bottom of the receptacles. Removable information processing units embedded in tokens or modules may be placed into and removed from the receptacles and include contacts on the bottoms thereof for making electrical interconnections with the bus conductors. A slideable cover is used to hold the removable units in place after they have been inserted into the receptacles. The bus conductors electrically interconnect the removable units with the fixed standard microprocessor for access by the reader, thereby providing multiple on line use capability of the IC card. Customization and change of the systems with which the card may be used is effected by the choice of the removable units placed in the receptacles.
289 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An IC card including in combination:
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a card body of a predetermined thickness having a first surface and having a network bus conductor therein at a distance from said first surface which is less than said predetermined thickness; an inlaid information processing unit in said card body having external signal connection terminals on an exposed face thereof at said first surface of said card body and electrically interconnected with said network bus conductor; at least one open receptacle extending from the first surface of said card body to a depth to expose said network bus conductor therein for electrical contact with conductive terminals of a removable information processing unit configured to fit into said receptacle and retaining means comprising cover means extending over said receptacle in a first position thereof and movable to a second position to expose said receptacle for releasably retaining removable information processing units in said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19)
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15. An IC card including in combination:
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a card body of a predetermined thickness having a first surface and having a network bus conductor therein at a distance from said first surface which is less than said predetermined thickness; an inlaid information processing unit in said card body having external signal connection terminals on an exposed face thereof at said first surface of said card body and electrically interconnected with said network bus conductor; a plurality of open receptacles extending from the first surface of said card body to a depth to expose said network bus conductor in each of said receptacles for electrical contact with conductive terminals of different removable information processing units configured to fit into each of said receptacles. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification