IC card and a method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,341,198 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Osawa, Kenji, Osako, Junichiro, Sugiyama, Michiaki, Nishizawa, Hirotaka, Wada, Tamaki
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN CHAU N
• Application Number:
  US10/588,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20070125866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/486, 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• 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 19/07745 Mounting details of integrated circuit chips
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]

Abstract

An IC card 1CD includes a frame member portion 1CB1, and an IC card main body 15 held in a state of being hung by a connecting portion 1CB2 in a frame thereof. The IC card main body 15 is made to constitute a card type information medium having a high functional performance having both of a function as a so-to-speak IC card and a function as a so-to-speak memory card having a capacity larger than that of the IC card and a function higher than that of the IC card capable of executing a security processing. An outer shape of the IC card main body 15 is formed in compliance with RS-MMC outer shape standard. A surface of a cap portion 1CB3 of the IC card main body 15 is printed with a desired character, pattern, diagram and photograph or the like by a printing method used in steps of fabricating a general IC card, and the IC card 15 is provided with higher acknowledgement performance, security performance and outlook.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an IC card characterized in comprising the following steps:

(a) a step of preparing a card board having a plurality of card regions and printed with first information at a first main face of each of a plurality of card regions, a second main face on an opposed side thereof or the two main faces;

(b) a step of forming a recess portion at the first main face of each of the plurality of card regions;

(c) a step of forming a recess portion at the second main face of each of the plurality of card regions;

(d) a step of cutting out each of the plurality of card regions from the card board;

(e) a step of fixing an IC portion including an IC chip having a memory function, a calculating function, and a control function to the recess portion formed at the second main face of a cap portion of each of the plurality of card regions;

(f) a step of writing a desired data to the IC chip; and

(g) a step of forming an opening portion penetrating the first main face and the second main face of the card board at a portion of the card board at a surrounding of the cap portion such that the cap portion is held in a state of being hung by the card board by way of a connecting portion.

2. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, wherein the (a) step is characterized in that the (a) step comprises the following steps:

(a1) a step of printing the first information to a printing sheet; and

(a2) a step of cutting the printing sheet printed with the first information for each unit region; and

(a3) a step of forming the card board by laminating the unit region(s) of the printing sheet on a first main face of a card base member, a second main face on an opposed side thereof or on the two main faces and thereafter bringing the unit region of the printing sheet and the card base member into press contact with each other.

3. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 2, characterized in that a printing method of the (a1) is an offset printing method.

4. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 2, characterized in that the card base member is harder than the printing sheet.

5. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in that the first information is common information common to a plurality of the IC cards.

6. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in further comprising:

(h) a step of printing second information constituting identification information which differs by a plurality of the respective IC cards at the first main face, the second main face or the two main faces of each of the plurality of card regions.

7. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 6, characterized in that the identification information is printed by a thermally transcribing method, a laser drawing method, embossing or a method compounded with two or more kinds thereof.

8. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in that in the (b) step and the (c) step, the recess portions are formed by milling using an end mill.

9. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in further comprising before the (d) step:

(i) a step of forming a positioning portion for matching positions of the card board and an IC card fabricating apparatus at the card region.

10. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 9, characterized in the positioning portion is formed at the (b) step, the (c) step or the both steps.

11. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 9, characterized in that the positioning portion is formed by a hole penetrating the first main face and the second main face of the card board, or the recess portion(s) formed at the first main face of the card board, the second main face or the two main faces.

12. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in that the (d) step is carried out after the (b) step and the (c) step.

13. The method of fabricating an IC card according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting portion of the (g) step is formed at a position which is not brought into contact with a guide portion in mounting an IC card main body of a desired electronic apparatus when the IC card main body including the IC portion and the cap portion is cut to be separated from the IC card to be mounted to the desired electronic apparatus.

14. A method of fabricating an IC card characterized in comprising the following steps:

(a) a step of preparing a card board printed with first information at a first main face, a second main face on an opposed side thereof or the two main faces of a card region;

(b) a step of forming a recess portion at the first main face of the card region;

(c) a step of forming a recess portion at the second main face the card region;

(d) a step of cutting out the card region from the card board;

(e) a step of printing second information to the first main face, the second main face or the two main faces of the card region;

(f) a step of fixing an IC portion including an IC chip having a memory function, a calculating function and a control function to the recess portion formed at a cap portion of the second main face of the card region;

(g) a step of writing a desired data to the IC chip; and

(h) a step of forming an opening portion penetrating the first main face and the second main face of the card board at a portion of the card board at a surrounding of the cap portion such that the cap portion is held in a state of being hung by the card board by way of a connecting portion.

15. An IC card characterized in comprising the following constitution characterized in comprising:

(a) a frame member portion; and

(b) an IC card main body mounted to inside of a frame of the frame member portion in a state of being hung by way of a connecting portion;

wherein the IC card main body comprises a cap portion connected with the connecting portion, an IC portion, and a card side portion formed in parallel with a direction of inserting the IC card;

wherein the IC portion comprises an IC chip having a memory function, a calculating function and a control function, and a wiring board for mounting the IC chip, the IC portion being fixed to a recess portion of a second main face of the cap portion; and

wherein the connecting portion is connected to a position of the IC card main body other than the card side portion.

16. The IC card according to claim 15, characterized in that the frame member portion and the cap portion are constructed by a constitution of laminating a card base member and a printing sheet(s) laminated to a first main face of the card base member, the second main face on an opposed side thereof or the two main faces.

17. The IC card according to claim 16, characterized in that the card base member is harder than the printing sheet.