Data transaction card and method of manufacture thereof

• US 6,719,206 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On Track Innovations Limited (Nayax Ltd.)
• Inventors: Itay, Nehemya, Bashan, Oded, Gilboa, Ronnie, Aduk, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US09/554,734
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/491, 235/492, 235/494, 235/380, 235/457, 359/1-3, 283/72-81, 438/106-127, 361/737, 343/866, 343/867, 343/895
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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 19/07769 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: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• 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

Abstract

A data transaction card having an interface for bi-directional contactless communication, and comprising a support (20) having a cavity (12) for accommodating therein a chip carrier therein module (10). The chip carrier module comprises a substrate (11) having a first side (45) and a second side (46), and an integrated circuit (30) mounted on the first side of the substrate for managing functions of the data transaction card. A coil antenna (40) is electrically connected to the integrated circuit for inductive coupling with remote antenna, connections to the coil antenna being accessible from the first side of the substrate. The chip carrier module is packaged into one discrete unit so as to be amenable to mechanical assembly of the data transaction card without requiring additional electrical connections between the support and the chip carrier module during or subsequent to assembly. Such a construction allows for efficient mass-production of the data transaction card.

Claims

1. A data transaction card having an interface for bi-directional contactless communication, the data transaction card comprising:

a support having a cavity for accommodating therein a chip carrier module which comprises;

a substrate having a first side and a second side,

an integrated circuit mounted on the first side of the substrate for managing functions of the data transaction card, and

a coil antenna formed in the substrate around the integrated circuit and electrically connected via the substrate to the integrated circuit for inductive coupling with a remote antenna, connections to the coil antenna being accessible from the first side of the substrate;

the chip carrier module being packaged into one discrete unit so as to be amenable to mechanical assembly of the data transaction card without requiring additional electrical connections between the coil antenna and the chip carrier module during or subsequent to assembly.

2. The data transaction card according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical visual authentication mark applied to the second side of the substrate, so as to remain visible after packaging into the chip carrier module and after assembly of the chip carrier module with the support.

3. The data transaction card according to claim 2, wherein the visual authentication mark is a hologram.

4. The data transaction card according to claim 2, wherein the visual authentication mark is an encoded hologram which forms a personal identification of an authorized bearer of the data transaction card.

5. The data transaction card according to claim 4, wherein the encoded hologram is a picture of the authorized bearer of the data transaction card.

6. The data transaction card according to claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises:

a contact field with separate contacts applied on the second side of the substrate, for contact communication between the data transaction card and a card reader.

7. The data transaction card according to claim 6, wherein the contact field conforms to ISO 7816.

8. The data transaction card according to claim 6, wherein

the cavity is spatially disposed relative to the support so that when the chip carrier module is assembled on to the support, the contact field conforms to ISO 7816.

9. The data transaction card according to claim 6 wherein contact field is dimensioned so as to increase the effectiveness of the coil antenna.

10. The data transaction card according to claim 6 having an overall thickness no greater than 0.8 mm.

11. The data transaction card according to claim 1, wherein the coil antenna is applied on the first side of the substrate.

12. The data transaction card according to claim 11, further comprising:

a second coil antenna mounted on the second side of the substrate and being connected to the first coil antenna and to the integrated circuit by electrical interconnections passing from the first side of the substrate to the second side thereof.

13. The data transaction card according to claim 12, wherein the first and second coil antennae are provided each with a different number of windings.

14. The data transaction card according to claim 13, wherein:

the first and second coil antennae behave as a parallel plate capacitor, and

an operational frequency of the coil antennae is a function of a capacitance of said parallel plate capacitor.

15. The data transaction card according to claim 12, wherein:

the first and second coil antennae behave as a parallel plate capacitor, and

an operational frequency of the coil antennae is a function of a capacitance of said parallel plate capacitor.

16. The data transaction card according to claim 1, wherein the coil antenna is applied on to the second side of the substrate, and is connected to the integrated circuit by electrical interconnections passing from the first side of the substrate to the second side thereof.

17. The data transaction card according to claim 1, wherein the coil antenna is applied along a periphery of the chip carrier module.

18. A method for manufacturing a data transaction card, said method including the steps of:

(a) providing a support having a cavity therein,

(b) independently producing a chip carrier module including a substrate having a coil antenna formed therein around an integrated circuit mounted on the substrate and connected via the substrate to the coil antenna, and

(c) mounting the chip carrier module in the cavity of the support.