Memory card having a recessed portion with contacts connected to an access card

• US 5,375,037 A
• Filed: 12/28/1992
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemplus (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemplus International SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Le Roux, Jean-Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/997,501
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/492, 439/59, 439/76, 439/74, 439/638, 361/684, 361/737, 361/783, 361/820, 361/728-730, 361/821, 273/148 B, 273/435
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/229 Hierarchy of users of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

The invention relates to exchangeable memory cards having several integrated circuits for personal computers. These memory cards serve as a large capacity mass memory for replacing floppy disks and other exchangeable magnetic supports. In particular, they have a plug-in connector (12) at the end of the card and can be inserted in the reader in accordance with PCMCIA standards of a micro-computer. According to an aspect of the invention, a flush contact chip card memory is formed by such a plug-in card (10) and for this purpose the latter has a supplementary connector with flush contacts on its principal face (14). The thus formed reader is transportable, with its application software stored in the card (10) and can be installed in any random microcomputer equipped with a PCMCIA reader. A credit card or security card (18) can then be inserted in the transportable reader. The memory card is typical a PCMCIA size card with a recess on one major plane surface and the security card fits into this recess.

Claims

1. A computer memory and access card system comprising a memory card and a separate access card, both adapted to be inserted into a card reader;

said access card having a first set of electrical contacts;

said memory card having memory, a first set of contacts located to make electrical contact with said first set of contacts of the access card when both cards are positioned in a card reader; and

a second set of contacts to make contact with the card reader;

wherein said memory card has a maximum thickness and portion of its main face of a reduced thickness, said access card has a thickness, which is approximately equal to the difference between said maximum thickness and said reduced thickness, and lateral dimensions to fit in said portion of said memory card, so that said two cards when so superimposed with the access card in said portion of said memory card and with said first sets of contacts together have an overall dimension to fit into and be accepted by the reader.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein both of said first sets of contacts are on principal faces of each of said cards.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said access card thickness is approximately 1 millimeter and said reduced thickness of said memory card is approximately 1 millimeter less than said maximum thickness, and said maximum thickness of said memory card is approximately 3 to 5 millimeters.