Radio frequency circuit and memory in thin flexible package

• US 5,528,222 A
• Filed: 09/09/1994
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Coteus, Paul W., Brady, Michael J., Moskowitz, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US08/303,977
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/825.34, 340/825.3, 340/825.54, 29/836, 29/829, 29/825
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16227 the bump connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• 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 2924/00011 Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/2075 : larger or equal to 1 micron less than 10 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20754 : larger or equal to 40 microns less than 50 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20755 : larger or equal to 50 microns less than 60 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20756 : larger or equal to 60 microns less than 70 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20757 : larger or equal to 70 microns less than 80 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20758 : larger or equal to 80 microns less than 90 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20759 : larger or equal to 90 microns less than 100 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/2076 : equal to or larger than 100 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• 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 29/49137 : Different components

Abstract

A novel thin and flexible radio frequency (RF) tag has a semiconductor circuit with logic, memory, and a radio frequency circuits, connected to an antenna with all interconnections placed on a single plane of wiring without crossovers. The elements of the package (substrate, antenna, and laminated covers) are flexible. The elements of the package are all thin. The tag is thin and flexible, enabling a unique range of applications including: RF ID tagging of credit cards, passports, admission tickets, and postage stamps.

Claims

1. A thin flexible electronic radio frequency tag circuit comprising;

a. an insulating, flexible substrate;

b. an antenna that is an integral part of the substrate and that has terminals;

c. a circuit chip having a modulator circuit, a logic circuit, a memory circuit, and chip connectors and being on the substrate in adjacent proximity to the antenna;

d. one or more connecting lines between the antenna terminals and the chip connectors, the connecting lines being coplanar with the antenna and antenna terminals.

2. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the substrate is organic.

3. A circuit, as in claim 2, wherein the substrate is polyimide.

4. A circuit, as in claim 2, wherein the substrate is polyester.

5. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the connecting lines are bonded to the chip connectors using any of the bonding types including thermal compression, single point bonding, C4 bonding, and conductive adhesive.

6. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the substrate has an aperture into which the chip is placed.

7. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the chip is covered by an encapsulant.

8. A circuit, as in claim 7, wherein the encapsulant is opaque.

9. A circuit, as in claim 7, wherein an organic cover surrounds the chip, the encapsulant, the substrate, and the antenna.

10. A circuit, as in claim 9, wherein the organic cover is one of the materials including polyester, mylar, polyimide, and polyethylene.

11. A circuit, as in claim 1, that is laminated by one or more layers.

12. A circuit, as in claim 11, that is laminated by a two layer laminate comprising a hard outer layer and a adhesive inner layer.

13. A circuit, as in claim 12, wherein the adhesive is one of the materials including ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), phenolic butyral, and silicone adhesive.

14. A circuit, as in claim 11, wherein the circuit is laminated on one side.

15. A circuit, as in claim 11, wherein the circuit is laminated on two sides.

16. A circuit, as in claim 11, wherein the circuit has at least one tag dimension that is less than 760 microns (30 mils).

17. A circuit, as in claim 16, that is encapsulated as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard credit card size package.

18. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the antenna is a resonant antenna and is any one of the following structures including folded dipole, dipole, and loop.

19. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein a battery is also affixed to the substrate in adjacent proximity to the antenna and chip and is connected by one or more battery connecting lines to two or more chip battery contacts wherein the battery connecting lines and the battery contacts are coplanar with the antenna and connecting lines.

20. A circuit, as in claim 19, wherein the battery contacts are connected to the battery connecting lines by any of the bonding types including spot welding, soldering, thermocompression bonding, and conducting adhesive.

21. A circuit, as in claim 19, wherein the battery contacts are connected by spot welding and the chip contacts are connected to the antenna by thermocompression bonding.

22. A circuit, as in claim 1, wherein the chip has at least one chip dimension less than 300 microns (12 mils), the antenna has at least one antenna dimension less than 35 microns (1.4 mils), and the substrate has at least one substrate dimension less than 125 microns (5 mils) whereby the circuit has at least one circuit dimension less than 508 microns (20 mils).

23. A circuit, as in claim 22, wherein the chip memory has information about mailing and the circuit is applied to a mailed letter or parcel.

24. A circuit, as in claim 23, wherein the RF tag is enclosed within a stamp.

25. A circuit, as in claim 23, wherein the RF tag is enclosed within the parcel or envelop membrane.

26. A circuit, as in claim 22, wherein the tag is enclosed in a passport.

27. A circuit, as in claim 22, wherein the tag is enclosed in an admission ticket.

28. A circuit, as in claim 22, that is enclosed in an article and the tag has information to prevent theft.

29. A circuit, as in claim 22, wherein the tag is enclosed in a drivers license.