Metal smart card with dual interface capability
First Claim
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1. A metal smart card with dual interface capability comprising:
- a metal layer of thickness D having a top surface and a bottom surface extending parallel to each other;
an integrated circuit (IC) module having a top region with contacts enabling the IC module to make physical contact to a card reader and said IC module also including means for radio frequency (RF) communication with a card reader;
said IC module having a length L1, a width W1 and a thickness of D1, which is less than D;
a plug of non RF impeding material having lateral dimensions of L2, equal to or greater than L1, and W2 equal to or greater than W1;
an opening in said metal layer extending for the full thickness of said metal layer in which is securely located said IC module mounted on said plug, said IC module and said plug extending in the vertical direction between the top and bottom surfaces of the metal layer, with the contacts of the IC module being positioned along the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the metal layer.
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Abstract
A dual interface smart card having a metal layer includes an IC module, with contacts and RF capability, mounted on a plug, formed of non RF impeding material, between the top and bottom surfaces of the metal layer. The plug provides support for the IC module and a degree of electrical insulation and isolation from the metal layer. The resultant card can have contact and contactless operating capability and an entirely smooth external metal surface except for the contacts of the IC module.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A metal smart card with dual interface capability comprising:
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a metal layer of thickness D having a top surface and a bottom surface extending parallel to each other; an integrated circuit (IC) module having a top region with contacts enabling the IC module to make physical contact to a card reader and said IC module also including means for radio frequency (RF) communication with a card reader;
said IC module having a length L1, a width W1 and a thickness of D1, which is less than D;a plug of non RF impeding material having lateral dimensions of L2, equal to or greater than L1, and W2 equal to or greater than W1; an opening in said metal layer extending for the full thickness of said metal layer in which is securely located said IC module mounted on said plug, said IC module and said plug extending in the vertical direction between the top and bottom surfaces of the metal layer, with the contacts of the IC module being positioned along the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A card comprising:
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a metal layer having a top surface and a bottom surfaces extending parallel to each other; a first region cut out in said top surface of said metal layer having a depth D1, a length L1 and a width W1; an integrated circuit (IC) module whose dimensions are substantially equal to D1, L1 and W1 is snugly and securely placed within the first cut out region;
said IC module having contacts positioned along the top surface of the metal layer and including RF transmission means for enabling contact and contactless operation of the card;a second cut out region extending from said bottom surface of said metal layer until a distance D1 from the top surface, said second cut out region extending vertically below the first cut out region and generally in a symmetrical manner with respect to the first cut out region;
said second cut out region having a length L2 greater than L1 and a width W2 greater than W1; anda plug formed of non RF impeding material designed to fit snugly within said second cut out region is securely attached thereto. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of making a dual interface card which includes an integrated circuit (IC) module having contacts along its top surface and including RF transmission means for enabling contact and contactless operation of the card, and said IC module having a depth of D1, a length of L1 and a width of W1, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a metal layer having a top surface and a bottom surface extending parallel to each other and a depth D which is greater than D1; cutting out a plug region in said metal layer starting from said bottom surface of said metal layer for a distance D-D1 from the bottom surface of said metal layer, said plug region having lateral dimensions of length L2 equal to or greater than L1 and width W2 equal to or greater than W1; securely attaching a plug formed of non RF impeding material within said plug region, said plug designed to fit in and fill the plug cut out region; cutting out a module region in said top surface of said metal layer overlying said plug region;
said module cut out region being disposed symmetrically with respect to the plug region;
said module region having a depth D1 and a length L1 and a width W1;inserting and securely attaching said IC module within said module region with the contacts of the IC module positioned along the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of making a dual interface card which includes an integrated circuit (IC) module having contacts along its top surface and which includes RF transmission means for enabling contact and contactless operation of the card and said IC module having a depth of D1, a length of L1 and a width of W1, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting a metal layer having a top surface and a bottom surface extending parallel to each other, and said metal layer having a depth D which is greater than D1; forming a plug region in said metal layer having lateral dimensions of length L2 equal to or greater than L1 and width W2 equal to or greater than W1 and extending vertically from the bottom surface a distance D-D1; securely attaching a plug formed of non RF impeding material within said plug region, said plug designed to fit in and fill the plug region; forming a module region extending within said metal layer overlying said plug region;
said module region being disposed symmetrically with respect to the plug region;
said module region having a depth D1 and a length L1 and a width W1; andinserting said IC module within said module region and securely attaching said IC module to said plug with the contacts of the IC module positioned along the same horizontal plane as the top surface of the metal layer. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification