Method of forming an inlay substrate having an antenna wire

• US 7,546,671 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HID Global GmbH (Assa Abloy AB), Micromechanic And Automation Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Micromechanic And Automation Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Finn, David
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US11/733,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20080072423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 295/94, 296/00, 298/27, 296/01, 29830-831, 29605-606, 235/492, 235/441, 235/487, 343/700.MS, 343/786, 343/872, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 29/592.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07327 Passive means, e.g. Faraday cages Faraday-type protection of electric circuits in general H05K9/00
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07781 the coil being fabricated in a winding process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45565 Single coating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45639 Silver (Ag) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/78 Apparatus for connecting with wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/78313 Wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85 using a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85203 Thermocompression bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85205 Ultrasonic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/78 Apparatus for connecting with wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01063 : Europium [Eu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01072 : Hafnium [Hf]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/2076 : equal to or larger than 100 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 : used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10287 : Metal wires as connectors or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0285 : Using ultrasound, e.g. for cleaning, soldering or wet treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/103 : by bonding or embedding conductive wires or strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 : Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 : with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 : by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 : On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 : Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 : Assembling terminal to elongated conductor

Abstract

Forming an inlay comprising an antenna wire having two end portions and a site for a transponder chip, comprises: mounting the wire to a surface of substrate; and leaving the end portions of the antenna wire free-standing, as loops adjacent terminal areas of a site on the substrate for the transponder chip. With the transponder chip installed on the substrate, the free-standing loops are repositioned to be substantially directly over the terminals of the transponder chip, in preparation for interconnection of the loops to the terminals of the transponder chip, then are bonded to the terminals. An embedding tool for mounting the wire on the substrate may embed the wire in or adhesively place a self-bonding wire on a surface of the substrate. The substrate may have two transponder chips, and function as a secure inlay. An anti-skimming feature is included in the inlay.

Claims

1. Method of forming an inlay substrate comprising a substrate, a site on a surface of the substrate for a transponder chip and an antenna wire having two end portions, the method comprising:

mounting a portion of the antenna wire, other than the end portions thereof, to the surface of the substrate; and

leaving the end portions of the antenna wire un-mounted, as free-standing loops adjacent the site on the substrate;

wherein mounting the antenna wire to a surface of the substrate comprises;

providing an embedding tool, and with the embedding tool performing the following steps;

at a starting point on the surface of the substrate, commencing mounting the antenna by lowering an embedding tool down onto the surface of the substrate to urge the wire into the substrate;

moving the embedding tool in x and y directions respectively parallel to the surface of the substrate a short distance sufficient to ensure embedding, to a second point, and then stopping embedding and raising up the embedding tool;

forming a first free-standing loop in the wire, between the second point and a third point which is adjacent the site on the inlay substrate;

lowering the embedding tool and resuming embedding from the third point to a fourth point along a prescribed path, parallel to the surface of the substrate, to form a desired pattern for the antenna;

at the fourth point, stopping embedding and raising up the embedding tool;

forming a second free-standing loop in the wire, between the fourth point and a point which is adjacent the site on the substrate; and

lowering the embedding tool and moving the embedding tool in the x and y directions parallel to the surface of the substrate a short distance sufficient to ensure embedding, to a sixth point, and then stopping embedding and raising up the embedding tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the portion of the antenna wire comprises:

embedding the portion of the antenna wire in the surface of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein embedding comprises:

application of ultrasonic energy to embed the portion of the antenna wire into the surface of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the portion of the antenna wire comprises:

adhesively placing the portion of the antenna wire on the surface of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adhesively placing the portion of the antenna wire comprises:

application of ultrasonic energy to adhesively place the portion of the antenna wire on the surface of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the loops is disposed in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the sixth point, cutting the wire.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna wire comprises a metallic wire covered by a coating of insulation, and further comprising:

removing the coating of insulation from at least a portion of the loops.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

removing the coating comprises using a laser.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

removing the coating is performed during mounting the antenna wire.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

removing the coating is performed after mounting the antenna wire.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing a transponder chip on the substrate at the site for the transponder chip; and

repositioning the free-standing loops to be substantially directly over terminals of the transponder chip, in preparation for interconnection of the loops to the terminals of the transponder chip.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

each of the loops is disposed in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

each of the loops is disposed in a plane which is initially substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; and

each of the loops are subsequently repositioned by pushing them over to be above a respective terminal of the transponder chip.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the site for the transponder chip comprises a recess in the surface of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing slots in the substrate adjacent the site for the transponder chip.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the end portions of the antenna wire span the slots.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein mounting the antenna wire comprises:

passing the antenna wire over a first one of the slots in the substrate along a side of the site for the transponder chip;

routing the antenna wire to form an antenna with a given number of turns of insulated wire; and

passing the antenna wire over a second one of the slots in the substrate along an opposite side of the site for the transponder chip.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

removing an insulation layer from a portion of the wire conductor passing over each slot in the substrate;

installing the transponder chip at the site for the transponder chip, so terminals of the transponder chip are along side the respective wire conductor passing over a slot;

drawing the wire conductor in over the terminals of the transponder chip; and

bonding the wire conductor to the terminals of the transponder chip.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the substrate comprises a multi-layered substrate.

21. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after cutting the wire, moving the embedding tool to another location on the substrate to form another antenna.