Integrated circuit card with multiple integral electronic modules

• US 6,641,049 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quadnovation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacusma Company, Ltd.
• Inventors: Luu, Lu Vinh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US09/934,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/487, 235/486, 235/488, 235/441, 361/686, 361/736, 361/737, 455/90, 455/550, 455/556, 455/551, 455/575, 455/558, 340/543, 340/815, 379/144, 379/357
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0719 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising an arrangement for application selection, e.g. an acceleration sensor or a set of radio buttons application selection on smart cards using pure software control, see G07F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/072 the record carrier comprising a plurality of integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts

Abstract

The smart card according to the present invention includes a first integrated electronic module on one surface and another integrated electronic module on the opposite surface of the card, whereby the card is merely flipped over and reinserted into the electronic device to change applications or functions. The two integrated electronic modules provided on opposing surfaces of the card may be formed as two separate chips each embedded on one side of the card, or as one chip having exposed contact terminals on both faces of the card, depending on the size of the chip(s) mounted in the card. Alternatively, two integrated electronic modules can be both provided on the same surface of the card, in which case the card is rotated 180° to place the desired integrated electronic module in contact with the contact interface in the device to access the desired application or function. In a further embodiment, the card is provided with four integrated electronic modules, so that four different functions or applications can be realized using the same electronic device by simply arranging the card in the electronic device so that the appropriate integrated electronic module is aligned with the contact interface in the device. When the card includes a plug-in sized SIM card, two or more corners of the card are notched, with each notch corresponding to the orientation of a respective integrated electronic module when correctly positioned in the activated position in an electronic device.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit card for being inserted into an electronic device, comprising:

a generally rectangular card having at least two corners each cut at an angle such that the perimeter of said generally rectangular card comprises at least six straight edges and no more than two generally right angled corners; and

at least two integrated electronic modules mounted in said generally rectangular card, said modules enabling at least a corresponding number of electronic device applications, wherein each corner of the card cut at an angle is associated with a respective one of the integrated electronic modules and is always positioned according to a predetermined relationship with respect to the location of the corresponding integrated electronic module, such that activation of each integrated electronic module can only be achieved by placing the card into an electronic device with the corresponding angled corner in a predetermined orientation to electronically connect the respective integrated electronic module with the electronic device.

2. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, wherein at least one integrated electronic module is mounted in one surface of the card and at least one integrated electronic module is mounted in an opposite surface of the card.

3. The integrated circuit card according to claim 2, wherein the number of integrated electronic modules mounted in the card is two, and wherein the at least two cut corners are adjacent along the perimeter of the card.

4. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, wherein two integrated electronic modules are mounted in the card at opposite ends and on opposite surfaces of the card.

5. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, wherein the number of integrated electronic modules mounted in the card is two, and wherein the two integrated electronic modules are mounted in the same surface of the card.

6. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, comprising four integrated electronic modules mounted in the card, wherein the integrated electronic modules are arranged such that each of two pairs of modules is positioned in a back-to-back relationship.

7. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, wherein two integrated electronic modules are provided as one semiconductor chip, said semiconductor chip having contact terminals on both surfaces of the card.

8. The integrated circuit card according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit card is selected from the group consisting of a SIM card, a MultiMedia card, a secure digital memory card, a flash memory card, and a solid-state memory card.

9. The integrated circuit card according to claim 8, wherein the integrated circuit card is a subscriber identity module card.

10. The integrated circuit card according to claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit card is a plug-in sized subscriber identity module card.

11. The integrated circuit card according to claim 10, wherein the integrated circuit card has dimensions as defined by the International Standards Organisation for integrated circuit cards.

12. The integrated circuit card according to claim 9, wherein the integrated circuit card has dimensions as defined by the International Standards Organisation for integrated circuit cards.