Response device in contact/contactless IC card communication system

• US 6,601,770 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ikefuji, Yoshihiro, Okada, Hiroharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US09/367,845
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 235/440, 235/441, 235/451, 235/476, 235/486, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0726 the arrangement including a circuit for tuning the resonance frequency of an antenna on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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 19/07769 the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• 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 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• 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 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01322 Eutectic Alloys, i.e. obtained by a liquid transforming into two solid phases
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance

Abstract

An IC card (80) has a communication module (20) embedded in a core member (30). The communication module (20) has a contact terminal (24), an antenna (60) and an IC chip (82) mounted on the same circuit board (22) for making the assembly work easier. The contact terminal (24) is formed at an upper surface of the circuit board (22) to be exposed from an opening (26a) of a surface material (26). The antenna (60) and the IC chip (82) are provided to a lower surface of the circuit board (22) to indirectly face the contact terminal (24). The IC chip (82) automatically adjusts the resonance frequency of the antenna (60) such that an output from the antenna (60) has the maximum value constantly.

Claims

1. A responser having a communication module and communicating with an interrogator, said communication module including:

a circuit board;

a contact terminal provided at said circuit board for electrical contact with said interrogator, wherein said contact terminal is provided at one surface of said circuit board;

an antenna provided at an other surface of said circuit board and formed to allow change in resonance frequency due to an influence of said contact terminal to be corrected for receiving electromagnetic waves from said interrogator; and

a processing circuit provided at the other side of said circuit board and connected to said contact terminal and said antenna to process a signal supplied from said interrogator via said contact terminal or said antenna and a signal to be supplied to said interrogator via said contact terminal or said antenna.

2. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said antenna is directly formed on said circuit board.

3. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said processing circuit includes a capacitor coupled with said antenna to form a resonance circuit.

4. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said communication module further includes a capacitor formed on said circuit board and coupled with said antenna to form a resonance circuit.

5. The responser according to claim 1, wherein said antenna is formed integrally with said processing circuit.

6. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said processing circuit includes:

switching means for switching a resonance frequency of said antenna; and

setting means for setting a switching manner of said switching means to cause an output from said antenna which changes depending on reactance between said contact terminal and said antenna to have a desired level.

7. The responser according to claim 6, wherein

said setting means includes:

determining means for determining which of switching manners of said switching means is a favorable switching manner that causes the output from said antenna to have the desired level; and

switching manner storing means for storing the favorable switching manner determined by said determining means.

8. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said processing circuit further includes power generating means for generating electric power based on the electromagnetic waves supplied from said interrogator to said antenna, and

said determining means includes:

reference voltage generating means for generating a constant reference voltage regardless of change in electric power from said power generating means;

output value measuring means for measuring an output value from said antenna in each switching manner based on the reference voltage from said reference voltage generating means; and

manner deciding means for deciding on said favorable switching manner based on an output value from said output value measuring means.

9. The responser according to claim 8, wherein

said determining means further includes output value storing means for associating the output value from said output value measuring means with each switching manner and storing the output value, and

said switching manner deciding means decides on said favorable switching manner based on the output value stored in said output value storing means.

10. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means determines that a switching manner which causes the output from said antenna to have a maximum level is said favorable switching manner.

11. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means measures the output value from said antenna each time the switching manner is sequentially switched and determined, when the output value exceeds a prescribed value, the switching manner which causes the output value as said favorable switching manner.

12. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said processing circuit includes:

a plurality of capacitors; and

a plurality of transistors selectively coupling said capacitors with said antenna to form a resonance circuit, and

said switching manner storing means stores which of said transistors should be turned on.

13. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means determines said favorable switching manner when said responser is manufactured.

14. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means determines said favorable switching manner on prescribed date and time.

15. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means determines said favorable switching manner each time a prescribed period has passed since said favorable switching manner was determined.

16. The responser according to claim 7, wherein

said determining means determines said favorable manner each time said responser is used a prescribed number of times.

17. The responser according to claim 6, wherein

said switching mean switches said resonance frequency by switching an electrostatic capacitance coupled with said antenna.

18. The responser according to claim 6, wherein

said antenna is used for supplying electric power to said processing circuit.

19. The responser according to claim 6, wherein

said antenna is used for communication with said interrogator.

20. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said communication module further includes a

printed interconnection line formed on said circuit board, and

a terminal of said processing circuit is connected to said printed interconnection line by a bumping technique.

21. The responser according to claim 1, wherein

said communication module further includes a

printed interconnection line formed on said circuit board, and

a terminal of said processing circuit is connected to said printed interconnection line via an anisotropic conductor.

22. A communication module used for a responser communicating with an interrogator, comprising:

a circuit board;

a contact terminal provided at one surface of said circuit board for electrically contacting with said interrogator;

an antenna directly provided at an other surface of said circuit board and formed to allow change in resonance frequency due to an influence of said contact terminal to be corrected for receiving electromagnetic waves from said interrogator; and

a processing circuit provided at said circuit board and connected to said contact terminal and said antenna to process a signal supplied from said interrogator via said contact terminal or said antenna and a signal to be supplied to said interrogator via said contact terminal or said antenna.

23. The communication module according to claim 22, wherein said processing circuit includes:

switching means for switching a resonance frequency of said antenna; and

setting means for setting a switching manner of said switching means to cause an output from said antenna which changes depending on reactance between said contact terminal and said antenna to have a desired level.

24. An IC card comprising:

a container having an opening; and

a communication module embedded in said container, said communication models including;

a circuit board;

a contact terminal formed on one surface of said circuit board and exposed from the opening of said container;

an antenna formed on an other surface of said circuit board to allow change, in resonance frequency due to an influence of said contact terminal to be corrected; and

an IC chip mounted on said circuit board and connected to said contact terminal and said antenna.

25. The IC card according to claim 24, wherein

said IC chip includes:

switching means for switching a resonance frequency of said antenna; and

setting means for setting a switching manner of said switching means to cause an output from said antenna which changes depending on reactance between said contact terminal and said antenna to have a desired level.