Method and connection arrangement for producing a smart card

• US 6,190,942 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PAV Card GmbH, Siemens AG, Vereinigte Kunstoffwerke GmbH
• Original Assignee: INEOS Films Staufen GmbH, PAV Card GmbH, Siemens AG
• Inventors: Wilm, Robert, Rettig, Rainer, Reiner, Robert, Houdeau, Detlef
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, PHUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/284,228
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 257/679, 257/786, 257/678, 438/107, 438/106, 438/125, 438/108, 438/612, 438/613, 29/25, 315/277, 315/307, 315/308
• US Class Current: 438/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07747 at least one of the integrated circuit chips being mounted as a module
• 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 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• 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 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance

Abstract

The invention concerns a process and a connecting arrangement for producing a chip card, wherein a semiconductor chip on a module is fitted in an opening in a card carrier with the attainment of an electrical and mechanical connection. In accordance with the invention, in place of connections which were hitherto necessary involving a force-locking relationship and/or involving the materials being bonded together, recourse is made to inductive and/or capacitive coupling between the module and the IC-card. For that purpose the module and the card correspondingly have coils and/or capacitive coupling surfaces for signal transmission purposes.

Claims

1. A connecting arrangement for producing a chip card comprising a module having a semiconductor chip and a card carrier with an opening for receiving the module, characterized in that formed with the module is a first coil which is electrically connected to terminals of the semiconductor chip and that formed with the card carrier is a second coil, wherein after insertion of the module into the opening an inductive coupling results and that in addition there is an electrical connection to a third coil provided in the card carrier for wireless interconnecting with the surroundings.

2. A process for producing a chip card comprising the steps of:

providing an opening in a card carrier;

providing a region of the card carrier surrounding said opening with a first coil;

providing a module carrying a semiconductor chip with a second coil which is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip; and

fitting the module in the opening of the card carrier, thereby attaching the module and the card carrier to each other to inductively couple the first and second.

3. The process defined in claim 2, further comprising the step of providing the card carrier with a third coil, thereby wirelessly coupling the second coil of the module with the third coil.

4. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the third coil is spaced apart from the first coil.

5. The process defined in claim 3 wherein the third coil directly contacts the first coil.

6. The process defined in claim 2, further comprising the step of providing both the card carrier and the module with a highly permeable material at least in said region.

7. The process defined in claim 2 wherein the second inductive coils is embodied in the module by imprinting it on the module or by laser treating the module.

8. A process for producing a chip card comprising the steps of:

providing an opening in a card carrier;

providing a region of the card carrier surrounding said opening with a first capacitive coupling surface;

providing a module with a second capacitive coupling surface electrically connecting with a semiconductor chip, which is attached to the module; and

fitting the module in the opening of the card carrier, thereby attaching the module and the card carrier to each other to wirelessly couple the first and second capacitive coupling surfaces.

9. A process for producing a chip card comprising the steps of:

providing an opening in a card carrier;

providing a region of the card carrier surrounding said opening with a first reactive element selected from the group consisting of a capacitor and an inductive coil;

providing a module carrying a semiconductor chip with a second reactive element selected from the group consisting of a capacitor and an inductive; and

fitting the module in the opening of the card carrier, thereby attaching the module and the card carrier to each other to wirelessly couple the first and second reactive elements.

10. A connecting arrangement for producing a chip card comprising:

a card carrier having a region provided with an opening;

a first inductive coil in the region of the card carrier;

a module insertable in the opening so as the module and the card carrier are attached to one another;

a semiconductor chip attached to the module, the module being provided with a second inductive coil electrically connected to the semiconductor chip, said first and second inductive coils being inductively coupled with one another upon insertion of the module in the opening of the card carrier.

11. The connection arrangement defined in claim 10 wherein the card carrier has a third inductive coil inductively coupled with the second inductive coil of the module upon insertion thereof in the opening of the card carrier, said third inductive coil being an antenna for wirelessly interconnecting the connection arrangement with the surroundings.

12. The connection arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein the third coil is continuation of the first coil.

13. The connection arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein the third coil is spaced apart from the first coil.

14. The connecting arrangement defined in claim 10 wherein the module has an outside edge, said second coil being mounted at said outside edge to act as a stiffening frame for the semiconductor chip.

15. The connecting arrangement defined in claim 10 wherein the second inductive coil is embedded in the module.

16. The connecting arrangement defined in claim 10 wherein the module has an intermediate layer provided on a surface of the module which faces away from the semiconductor chip, said intermediary layer having the second coil embedded therein.

17. The connecting arrangement defined in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of ISO contacts on an outer surface of the intermediate layer spaced from the second inductive coil.

18. A connecting arrangement for producing a chip card comprising:

a card carrier having a region provided with an opening;

a first reactive element selected from the group consisting of a capacitive coupling surface and an inductive coil;

a module insertable in the opening so as the module and the card carrier are attached to one another;

a semiconductor chip attached to the module;

a second reactive element selected from the group consisting of a capacitive coupling surface and an inductive coil provided in the module to at least partially surround and be electrically connected to the semiconductor chip, said first and second reactive elements being wirelessly coupled with one another upon insertion of the module in the opening of the card carrier.