Smart card and method for its production

• US 7,306,163 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Scholz, Andreas, Schwarzer, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US11/203,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20060124753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/441, 235/487, 343/907, 343/702, 343/733, 343/895, 343/725
• 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

Abstract

A smart card having an extended communication distance includes a card body, at least one chip and at least one antenna attached to the chip, wherein the chip and the antenna are embedded in the card body. The smart card is characterized in that the antenna is provided with at least one metal core.

Claims

1. A smart card comprising:

a card body;

at least one chip;

at least one antenna forming at least one planar loop attached to said chip, wherein said chip and said antenna are embedded in said card body; and

a metal core separate from said antenna and positioned centrally within the at least one loop of the antenna.

2. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein said metal core is also embedded in said card body.

3. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein said card body includes at least one main surface and said metal core is positioned on one of said at least one main surfaces of said card body.

4. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the smart card comprises at least two chips attached to said at least one antenna.

5. The smart card according to claim 1, wherein the smart card comprises at least two chips and at least two antennas, each chip being attached to a different antenna.

6. A method for producing a smart card comprising the steps of:

assembling a bottom foil, a top foil, and at least one middle foil between said bottom foil and said top foil wherein one of said foils contains at least one antenna forming at least one planar loop;

disposing at least one chip between said top and bottom foils such that said antenna is attached to said chip;

positioning a separate metal core centrally within the at least one loop of the antenna; and

laminating said top, bottom, and at least one middle foils to form a card body, such that at least said chip and said antenna attached to said chip are embedded in said card body.

7. A method for enhancing a smart card comprising at least one chip and at least one antenna attached to said chip and forming at least one planar loop, said chip and said loop of said antenna being embedded in a card body, said method comprising the step of:

providing a separate metal core for said antenna such that the metal core is disposed centrally in the loop of the antenna.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a recess is produced in one surface of the card body such that the recess is surrounded by said antenna and wherein said metal core is positioned within said recess.