Financial card with embedded circuit lock technology

• US 8,608,084 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pennaz, Thomas J., Steve Klaas
• Original Assignee: Pennaz, Thomas J., Steve Klaas
• Inventors: Klaas, Steve, Pennaz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, SEUNG H
• Application Number:
  US13/250,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20120111949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/492, 235/488
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches

Abstract

The claimed invention is directed to a contactless card, an inlay for a contactless card or a circuit embedded within a contactless card containing a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) circuit that is only actuated when the card is flexed. The RFID circuit comprises an antenna comprising a first conductive lead, a second conductive lead; and an RFID chip connected to the antenna. A dielectric layer having an aperture is embedded in between the antenna and a bridge, the aperture in the dielectric layer being situated between the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead of the antenna. Normally, the bridge is biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead. When the card is flexed, the bridge is biased into contact with the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead thereby completing the circuit.

Claims

1. An inlay for use with a proximity payment card comprising:

a flexible substrate layer comprising an antenna, the antenna comprising a first conductive lead and a second conductive lead and a space therebetween sufficient to interrupt transmission of the antenna;

an RFID chip electrically coupled to the antenna;

a flexible dielectric layer comprising a central aperture situated on top of the substrate layer;

a flexible bridge circuit layer situated on top of the dielectric layer, the bridge circuit layer comprising a bridge, the bridge being situated over the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead, the bridge being biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead in a first position and biased against the first conduct lead and the second conductive lead in a second position when the inlay is flexed.

2. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.003 and 0.006 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.125 and 0.250 inches.

3. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.006 and 0.0010 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.200 and 0.325 inches.

4. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.010 and 0.015 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.300 and 0.050 inches.

5. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 1 wherein the inlay is encased in a resiliently flexible plastic.

6. A contactless RFID card comprising:

a circuit encased within a card body comprising

a flexible substrate layer comprising an antenna, the antenna comprising a first conductive lead and a second conductive lead and a gap therebetween sufficient to interrupt transmission of the antenna;

an RFID chip electrically coupled to the antenna;

a flexible dielectric layer comprising a central aperture situated on top of the substrate layer; and

a flexible bridge circuit layer situated on top of the dielectric layer, the bridge circuit layer comprising a bridge, the bridge being situated over the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead, the bridge being biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead in a first position and biased against the first conduct lead and the second conductive lead in a second position when the circuit inlay is flexed.

7. The contactless card of claim 6 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.003 and 0.006 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.125 and 0.250 inches.

8. The contactless card of claim 6 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.006 and 0.0010 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.200 and 0.325 inches.

9. The contactless card of claim 6 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.010 and 0.015 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.300 and 0.050 inches.

10. The contactless card of claim 6 wherein the inlay is encased in a resiliently flexible plastic.

11. A flex-actuated contactless card comprising:

a resiliently flexible body having a first end and a second end and a center portion;

an antenna embedded in the body comprising a first conductive lead and a second conductive lead, the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead being situated within the center portion of the flexible body and being separated by a gap sufficient to interrupt the transmission of the antenna;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip embedded in the body, the antenna being coupled to the RFID chip;

a bridge embedded in the center portion of the body;

a dielectric layer embedded in between the antenna and the bridge, the dielectric layer comprising an aperture, the aperture being situated between the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead of the antenna and the bridge, the bridge being biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead in a first position wherein the body is generally flat, the bridge being biased into contact with the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead when the first end of the flexible body is biased towards the second end of the flexible body to complete the antenna circuit.

12. The flex-actuated contactless card of claim 11 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.003 and 0.006 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.125 and 0.250 inches.

13. The flex-actuated contactless card of claim 11 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.006 and 0.0010 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.200 and 0.325 inches.

14. The flex-actuated contactless card of claim 11 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.010 and 0.015 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.300 and 0.050 inches.

15. The flex-actuated contactless card of claim 11 wherein the inlay is encased in a resiliently flexible plastic.

16. An electronic card comprising:

a circuit encased within a card body comprising

a flexible substrate layer comprising a circuit, the circuit comprising a first conductive lead and a second conductive lead and a gap there between sufficient to interrupt electrical continuity of the circuit;

at least one component which is activated by electrical power;

a flexible dielectric layer comprising a central aperture situated on top of the substrate layer; and

a flexible bridge circuit layer situated on top of the dielectric layer, the bridge circuit layer comprising a bridge, the bridge being situated over the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead, the bridge being biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead in a first position and biased against the first conduct lead and the second conductive lead in a second position when the circuit inlay is flexed.

17. The electronic card of claim 16 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.003 and 0.006 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.125 and 0.250 inches.

18. The electronic card of claim 16 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.006 and 0.0010 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.200 and 0.325 inches.

19. The electronic card of claim 16 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.010 and 0.015 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.300 and 0.050 inches.

20. The electronic card of claim 16 wherein the inlay is encased in a resiliently flexible plastic.

21. An inlay for use with an electronic card comprising:

a flexible substrate layer comprising a circuit, the circuit comprising a first conductive lead and a second conductive lead and a gap there between sufficient to interrupt electrical continuity of the circuit;

at least one component which is activated by electrical power;

a flexible dielectric layer comprising a central aperture situated on top of the substrate layer; and

a flexible bridge circuit layer situated on top of the dielectric layer, the bridge circuit layer comprising a bridge, the bridge being situated over the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead, the bridge being biased away from the first conductive lead and the second conductive lead in a first position and biased against the first conduct lead and the second conductive lead in a second position when the circuit inlay is flexed.

22. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 21 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.003 and 0.006 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.125 and 0.250 inches.

23. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 21 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.006 and 0.0010 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.200 and 0.325 inches.

24. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 21 wherein the dielectric layer is between 0.010 and 0.015 inches and the aperture has a width of between 0.300 and 0.050 inches.

25. The inlay for use with a proximity payment card of claim 21 wherein the inlay is encased in a resiliently flexible plastic.