Document Having an Integrated Contactless Resonator Electronic Device

• US 20080314989A1
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oberthur Technologies SA
• Original Assignee: Oberthur Card Systems, S.A. (Advent International Corporation)
• Inventors: Eray, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07327 Passive means, e.g. Faraday cages Faraday-type protection of electric circuits in general H05K9/00

Abstract

A support (10) provided with at least first (12) and second (14) parts capable of displacing relative to one another along a selected axis of displacement (16), and a contactless electronic device (1) mounted in the first part (12) of the support and including an electronic microcircuit (3) and an antenna (2) electrically connected to the electronic microcircuit (3), and capable of being (electro)magnetically coupled with an external reading station (5), the electronic microcircuit (3) being capable of exchanging information with the outside. The second part (14) is provided with electromagnetic coupling attenuating elements, having a resonator circuit (7) coupled to the antenna (2), and situated in line with the antenna (2) when the first and second parts are essentially superimposed one above the other, and are capable of rendering the exchange of information with the outside inoperative or operative according to the distance between the first and second parts.

Claims

1. Document including a support (10) having at least a first portion (12) and a second portion (14) adapted to be moved relative to each other and a contactless electronic device (1) mounted in the first portion (12) of the support (10) and including an electronic microcircuit (3) and an antenna (2) electrically connected to said electronic microcircuit (3) and adapted to be (electro)magnetically coupled to an external reading station (5), the electronic microcircuit (3) being adapted to exchange information with the external environment, characterized in that the second portion (14) includes means (7) for attenuating the (electro)magnetic coupling, including a resonator circuit coupled to said antenna and disposed substantially in line with the antenna when the first portion (12) and the second portion (14) are substantially superposed one on the other, and adapted to render inoperative or operative the exchange of information with the external environment as a function of the offset between the first and second portions (12 and 14).

2. Document according to claim 1, wherein the first portion (12) and the second portion (14) of the support (10) are independent and not connected to each other.

3. Document according to claim 1, wherein the document can be folded and the first and second portions (12 and 14) are adapted to pivot relative to each other about a fold line (16) along edges (18 and 20) of these portions (12 and 14).

4. Document according to claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency of the resonator circuit (7) is outside the range of operating frequencies of the electronic microcircuit.

5. Document according to claim 4, wherein the electronic microcircuit (3) operates at a frequency below 100 MHz.

6. Document according to claim 5, wherein the operating frequency of the electronic microcircuit (3) is between 13 and 15 MHz.

7. Document according to claim 6, wherein the operating frequency of the electronic microcircuit (3) is approximately 13.56 MHz and has a bandwidth of the order of 1 MHz.

8. Document according to claim 6, wherein the resonant frequency of the resonator circuit (7) is between 6 and 10 MHz.

9. Document according to claim 8, wherein the resonant frequency of the resonator circuit (7) is between 7.5 MHz and 8.5 MHz.

10. Document according to claim 3, wherein virtually all of the antenna (2) extends over approximately half the area of the first portion (12) situated in the vicinity of the fold line.

11. Document according to claim 10, wherein the antenna (2) extends over virtually all of the edge (18) of the first portion along the fold line (16).

12. Document according to claim 3, wherein the resonator circuit (7) extends over substantially more than half the area of the second portion (14) situated in the vicinity of the fold line (16).

13. Document according to claim 12, wherein the resonator circuit (7) extends over virtually all of the edge (20) of the second portion along the fold line (16).

14. Document according to claim 1, wherein the resonator circuit (7) comprises a conductive winding.

15. Document according to claim 14, wherein the conductive winding has free ends (13 and 15).

16. Document according to claim 1, wherein the resonator circuit (7) comprises a plurality of turns.

17. Document according to claim 16, wherein the document is of small size and the resonator (7) comprises more than 20 turns.

18. Document according to claim 16, wherein the turns are separated two by two by a distance less than 0.5 mm.

19. Document according to claim 1, wherein the antenna (2) comprises a conductive winding connected to the electronic microcircuit.

20. Document according to claim 3, wherein the antenna (2) is of rectangular shape, with the longer side along the fold line.

21. Document according to claim 3, wherein the geometrical center of the antenna (2) is placed in the first quarter of the first portion (12) situated relatively close to the fold line (16).

22. Document according to claim 3, wherein the right-hand edge of the antenna (2) is situated at a distance (d) from the fold line (16) between 2 and 15 mm.

23. Document according to claim 22, wherein said distance (d) is approximately 5 mm.

24. Document according to claim 1, wherein the exchange of information with the external environment is rendered inoperative by the attenuation means for an angular offset between 0°

and 60°

.

25. Document according to claim 24, wherein the exchange of information with the external environment is rendered inoperative by the attenuation means for an angular offset between 0°

and 45°

.

26. Document according to claim 1, wherein the antenna (2) and the resonator (7) are produced during the same production step.

27. Document according to claim 1, wherein the document belongs to the group formed of security documents, identity documents, passports, driver'"'"'s permits.

28. Electronic entity including a support having at least first and second portions adapted to be moved relative to each other with respect to a chosen displacement axis and a contactless electronic device mounted in the first portion of the support and including an electronic microcircuit and an antenna electrically connected to that electronic microcircuit and adapted to be (electro)magnetically coupled to an external reading station, this electronic microcircuit being adapted to exchange information with the external environment, characterized in that the second portion has means for attenuating the electromagnetic coupling comprising a resonator circuit coupled to said antenna and disposed substantially in line with the antenna when the first and second portions are substantially superposed one on the other, and adapted to render the exchange of information with the external environment inoperative as a function of the offset between the first and second portions.

29. Method of controlling exchange of information between a document and an external reading station, said document including a support (10) having at least a first portion (12) and a second portion (14) adapted to be moved relative to each other with respect to a chosen displacement axis (16) and a contactless electronic device (1) mounted in the first portion (12) of the support and including an electronic microcircuit (3) and an antenna (2) electrically connected to that electronic microcircuit (3) and adapted to be (electro)magnetically coupled to an external reading station (5), this electronic microcircuit (3) being adapted to exchange information with the external environment, characterized in that the second portion (14) includes means for attenuating the electromagnetic coupling comprising a resonator circuit (7) coupled to said antenna (2) and disposed substantially in line with the antenna (2) when the first portion (12) and the second portion (14) are substantially superposed one on the other and in that the attenuation means (7) render the exchange of information with the external environment inoperative as a function of the offset between the first and second portions (12 and 14).