Contactless electronic module with self-supporting metal coil

• US 5,946,198 A
• Filed: 10/23/1995
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
• Original Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
• Inventors: Hohmann, Arno, Hoppe, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): SPARKS, DONALD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/546,990
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 174/52.1, 174/52.2, 174/52.3, 174/260, 174/261, 174/268, 156/625, 156/53, 257/531, 257/679, 257/676, 257/684, 257/723, 257/724, 257/904, 257/924, 257/666, 361/728, 361/737, 361/807, 361/809, 361/813, 361/820, 361/782, 361/811, 361/821, 343/702, 343/700 MS, 343/872, 235/487, 235/488, 235/449, 235/492, 336/198, 336/200, 336/208, 336/221, 340/573, 340/825
• US Class Current: 361/813
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07781 the coil being fabricated in a winding process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• 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: Y10S 257/924 with passive device, e.g. capacitor, or battery, as integral part of housing or housing element, e.g. cap

Abstract

An electronic module to be installed in a data carrier is described, the electronic module having an integrated circuit disposed on a carrier of the module and connected electrically with a coil for noncontacting data exchange. To make such electronic modules easy to produce and more cost-effective, the inventive module dispenses completely with an additional separate substrate for receiving the integrated circuit and coil.

Claims

1. An electronic module (31) to be installed in a data carrier (1) having an integrated circuit (4) disposed on a carrier of the module, said circuit being connected electrically with a coil (22) for noncontacting data exchange of the data carrier (1) with an external device, characterized in that the coil (22) is wire-wrapped, has a cross section of predetermined thickness and width and is self-supporting, and the coil (22) constitutes the carrier for the integrated circuit (4).

2. The electronic module of claim 1, characterized in that the coil ends are connected with the integrated circuit (4) in such a way that the coil wire is not crossed.

3. The electronic module of claim 1, characterized in that the integrated circuit (4) is in a plane with the coil (22).

4. The electronic module of claim 1 characterized in that the integrated circuit (4) is glued to the coil (22).

5. The electronic module of claim 1 characterized in that the coil (22) is cast with a casting compound (6) in the area of the integrated circuit (4).

6. The electronic module of claim 1 characterized in that the coil ends are electrically connected with the connection points (23) of the integrated circuit (4) directly.

7. The electronic module of claim 1 characterized in that the coil ends are connected with the connection points (23) of the integrated circuit (4) by means of additional electroconductive elements (29).

8. An electronic module comprising a carrier and an integrated circuit disposed on the carrier of the module, said circuit being connected electronically with a coil for noncontacting data exchange with an external device, characterized in that the coil is produced from a self-supporting metal band and the carrier is made of a material of the metal band.

9. The electronic module of claim 8, characterized in that the integrated circuit is disposed at least partly on the coil.

10. The electronic module of claim 9, characterized in that the coil comprises coil ends and in that the integrated circuit is carried by the coil ends.

11. The electronic module of claim 8, characterized in that the integrated circuit (4) is disposed in the area of the carrier which is not occupied by the coil.

12. The electronic module of claim 11, characterized in that two coils (2) are provided, one end of each-coil being electrically connected with the integrated circuit (4) and the other ends of the coils being interconnected by means of an electroconductive bridge (7).

13. The electronic module of claim 8, characterized in that the coil comprises coil ends and in that the electronic module further comprises additional electroconductive elements for connecting the integrated circuit with the coil ends.

14. The electronic module of claim 8, characterized in that the coil comprises coil ends and in that the integrated circuit is electrically connected with the coil ends directly.

15. The electronic module of claim 8, further comprising a casting compound for surrounding the integrated circuit.

16. The electronic module of claim 15, characterized in that a portion of the coil which protrudes beyond the casting compound is bent so as to be located on the casting compound.

17. The electronic module of claim 15, characterized in that the integrated circuit is connected to the coil through electroconductive connections and in that the casting compound also surrounds the electroconductive connections.

18. The electronic module of claim 17, characterized in that a portion of the coil which protrudes beyond the casting compound is bent so as to be located on the casting compound.

19. The electronic module of claim 8, characterized in that not only the coil but also contact surfaces (39) are provided via which the integrated circuit can communicate with external devices in contacting fashion.

20. The combination of a data carrier and an electronic module (31) contained therein, said electronic module comprising an integrated circuit (4) disposed on a carrier of the module, said circuit being connected electrically with a coil (22) for non-contacting data exchange of the data carrier (1) with an external device, characterized in that the coil (22) is wire-wrapped, has a cross section of predetermined thickness and width and is selfsupporting and the coil (22) constitutes the carrier for the integrated circuit (4).

21. The combination of a data carrier with an electronic module, said electronic module comprising a carrier and an integrated circuit disposed on the carrier of the module, said circuit being connected electronically with a coil for non-contacting data exchange between the data carrier and an external device, said combination being characterized in that the coil is produced from a self-supporting metal band and that the the carrier of the module is made of a material of the metal band.