Dual communication fob assembly comprising an insert within a base

• US 8,203,453 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEMIA France (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oberthur Technologies SA (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Mosteller, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/094,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/10, 340/505
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/005 the record carrier comprising an arrangement to facilitate insertion into a holding device, e.g. an arrangement that makes the record carrier fit into an etui or a casing ticket holders A45C11/18
• 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 dual communication fob assembly provided with an attachment area for a ring or a chain and including in combination: an insert including a first contactless communication device; and a base with a pocket in the base for holding at least a part of the insert when inserted therein, and being provided with a second contactless communication device which is electrically separate from the first contactless communication device.

Claims

1. A dual communication fob assembly comprising:

an insert having a flat portion and comprising a first contactless communication device, the first contactless communication device comprising a first microcircuit and a first planar antenna;

a base comprising a pocket for holding the flat portion of the insert when inserted therein, and a second contactless communication device, the second contactless communication device comprising a second microcircuit and a second planar antenna formed of a plurality of loops and being electrically separate from the first contactless communication device; and

an attachment area for a ring or a chain,

wherein the second antenna is positioned in a periphery of the base and outside of the first antenna when the insert is inserted in the pocket.

2. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second contactless communication devices are short-range communication devices, adapted for communication at a range of no more than 50 cm.

3. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second contactless communication devices are embedded in a transparent or translucent material providing visual access to a holder.

4. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein the pocket comprises a flat slot and the at least a part of the insert comprises a flat portion adapted to be engaged into the slot.

5. The fob assembly of claim 4, wherein the insert further comprises a planar antenna provided in the flat portion and the antenna is a part of the first contactless communication device.

6. The fob assembly of claim 5, wherein the planar antenna is embedded within the flat portion of the insert.

7. The fob assembly of claim 6, wherein the planar antenna is embedded within the flat portion in a material that is translucent or transparent.

8. The fob assembly of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the base provides visual access to the first contactless communication device when the at least a part of the insert is inserted in the pocket.

9. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein the pocket is adapted to accommodate the entire insert.

10. The fob assembly of claim 9, wherein the attachment area is provided on the base.

11. The fob assembly of claim 9, wherein the pocket comprises a flat slot and the at least a part of the insert comprises a flat portion adapted to be engaged into the slot.

12. The fob assembly of claim 11, wherein the attachment area is provided at an entry of the slot so that the insert is maintained within the slot when a ring or a chain is attached to the attachment area.

13. The fob assembly of claim 9, wherein the base comprises two complementary parts that together define the pocket.

14. The fob assembly of claim 9, wherein the insert is a part which has been detached from a preliminary base that is larger than the insert.

15. The fob assembly of claim 9, wherein the insert is a part which has been detached from a larger preliminary base compliant with ID-1 format.

16. The fob assembly of claim 5, wherein the second contactless communication device comprises a planar antenna provided along a planar face of the base.

17. The fob assembly of claim 16, wherein the second contactless communication device is embedded within a portion of the base that is translucent or transparent.

18. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second contactless communication devices is a flat device compliant with ISO 14443.

19. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second contactless communication devices is a cylindrical device compliant with ISO 15693.

20. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second contactless communication devices comprises a cryptographic microcircuit cooperating with an antenna.

21. The fob assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a hook element and the base further comprises a slot adapted to cooperate with the hook element when the insert is inserted in the pocket, to lock the insert into the base.