Contactless chip card associated with RF transmission means

• US 6,491,229 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NJC Innovations SARL
• Original Assignee: NJC Innovations SARL
• Inventors: Berney, Jean Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): TREMBLAY, MARK STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US09/423,535
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/382.5, 343/787, 343/788
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

The invention concerns a chip card associated with RF transmission means. Said chip card comprises on each surface high permeability zones arranged so as to concentrate the flux generated by the RF transmission means onto a sensor coil. To ensure the proper functioning of the system, the transmission means generate flux lines parallel to the surface of the chip card.

Claims

1. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means for communication with said smartcard and supplying it with power as required, this smartcard including at least one pick up coil connected to an integrated memory circuit, characterised in that said RF transmission means are arranged so as to generate lines of flux parallel to the surface of said smartcard, the latter including on its two faces zones of high magnetic permeability arranged so as to pick up these lines of flux across a first face, and to transfer them to a second face at the location in which the pick up coil is situated.

2. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 1, characterised in that said high permeability zones are arranged so that the smartcard has two axes of symmetry facing the RF transmission means.

3. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 1, characterised in that said high permeability zones are T shaped or rectangular, and are arranged so that the zone of the first face covers the zone of the second face facing the pick up coil.

4. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 1, characterised in that said zones are made by surface deposition of particles of high permeability material mixed with a binding agent.

5. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 1, characterised in that the RF transmission means include at least one primary coil mounted on a core of elongated shape arranged parallel to the surface of the smartcard.

6. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claims 1, characterised in that the RF transmission means include at least one primary coil mounted on a magnetic circuit arranged at the end of the smartcard, and are arranged so as to generate lines of flux parallel to the surface of said smartcard in the direction of the width.

7. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claims 1, characterised in that the RF transmission means are fixed and include at least one primary coil mounted on a magnetic circuit, and are arranged so as to generate vertical lines of flux.

8. Use of a smartcard in a system according to claim 1, characterised in that it is used as a “

hands free”

access card or electronic and/or magnetic tag.

9. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 5 characterised in that the RF transmission means include at least one primary coil mounted on a magnetic circuit arranged at the end of the smartcard, and are arranged so as to generate lines of flux parallel to the surface of said smartcard in the direction of the width.

10. System including a smartcard and RF transmission means according to claim 5 characterised in that the RF transmission means are fixed and include at least one primary coil mounted on a magnetic circuit, and are arranged so as to generate vertical lines of flux.