(12) United States Patent
`Ayala
`
`I 1111111111111111 11111 lllll lllll 111111111111111 11111 11111 1111111111 11111111
`US006517005Bl
`US 6,517,005 Bl
`Feb. 11, 2003
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) METHOD FOR MAKING CONTACTLESS
`CARDS WITH COILED ANTENNA
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Stephane Ayala, Marseille (FR)
`
`(73) Assignee: Gemplus (FR)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/379,298
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Aug. 23, 1999
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63) Continuation of application No. PCT/FR98/00316, filed on
`Feb. 18, 1998.
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`(30)
`
`Feb. 24, 1997
`
`(FR) ............................................ 97 02145
`
`Int. Cl.7 ................................................ G06K 19/06
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 235/492; 235/441; 235/478
`(58) Field of Search ................................. 235/492, 441,
`235/478
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,417,413 A * 11/1983 Hoppe et al. ............... 235/441
`5,448,110 A * 9/1995 Tuttle et al. ................ 257/723
`5,588,885 A * 12/1996 Collins et al.
`.............. 439/204
`5,612,532 A * 3/1997 Iwasaki ...................... 235/486
`5,614,297 A * 3/1997 Velazquez ................... 428/212
`5,670,015 A * 9/1997 Finestone et al. ........... 156/324
`5,703,755 A * 12/1997 Flesher et al. .............. 174/254
`5,817,207 A * 10/1998 Leighton .................... 156/298
`5,852,289 A * 12/1998 Masahiko ................... 235/492
`
`5,962,099 A * 10/1999 Bloch et al. ................ 428/214
`6,036,099 A * 3/2000 Leighton .................... 156/154
`6,045,043 A * 4/2000 Bashan et al. .............. 235/441
`6,095,423 A * 8/2000 Houdeau et al. ............ 235/478
`6,095,424 A * 8/2000 Prancz ....................... 235/492
`6,214,155 Bl * 4/2001 Leighton .................... 156/298
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DE
`EP
`FR
`JP
`WO
`
`4/1996
`4437721
`11/1993
`0570784
`000709804 Al * 5/1996
`* 7/1998
`410193850
`WO96/17321
`6/1996
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner-Karl D. Frech
`Assistant Examiner-Allyson Sanders
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Burns, Doane, Swecker &
`Mathis, L.L.P.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`The invention concerns the production of contactless trans(cid:173)
`mission chip card, and particularly mixed cards operating
`with or without contact. The method for the reliable and
`efficient setting of an integrated circuit module (M) and of
`an inductive transmission antenna (A), consists in producing
`the module providing connection ranges for the antenna,
`making an antenna with a flat coiled wire, and soldering the
`ends of said antenna on the module ranges, then making a
`plastic wafer (30) provided with an opening, the bottom of
`this opening being closed by an adhesive film (34). The
`module and the antenna are set against the wafer, and
`maintained by the adhesive material at the bottom of the
`housing. Another wafer ( 40) is directly mounted on the
`assembly.
`
`13 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`10
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0001
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb.11,2003
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`US 6,517,005 Bl
`
`l[12
`-Jo
`'- ~1;
`
`, '-
`
`FIG. 1
`
`110
`
`~
`
`i-- -
`D
`j __
`
`27
`
`FRONT VIEW
`
`20
`
`20
`
`28
`
`/M
`
`FIG. 2
`
`25
`
`28
`
`21
`
`21
`
`REAR VIEW
`
`CROSS-SECTIONAL VIEW
`
`<I II .r.:, ~G . jj J
`
`II C II "
`
`26 ~ 1----M
`I
`L I
`l32
`
`l34
`
`21
`
`r-30
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0002
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Feb.11,2003
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`US 6,517,005 Bl
`
`30
`
`34
`
`FIG. 5
`
`(A
`
`~M
`
`FIG. 6
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0003
`
`

`

`US 6,517,005 Bl
`
`1
`METHOD FOR MAKING CONTACTLESS
`CARDS WITH COILED ANTENNA
`
`CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`this is a continuation of application No. PCT/FR98/
`00316, filed Feb. 13, 1998.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`5
`
`30
`
`2
`fixed against a plate made of plastics material having an
`opening which can serve as a housing for the module,
`another plate of plastics material is placed on the antenna/
`module assembly, and the two plates are connected, enclos-
`ing the antenna and module.
`The temporary fixing of the antenna/module assembly is
`preferably effected by bonding an adhesive sheet to the first
`plate and the module is applied against the adhesive face of
`this sheet inside the opening which serves as a housing for
`10 the module. The adhesive sheet is subsequently detached. If
`the card is a mixed card, the access contacts are bared when
`the sheet is removed, since they are flush with the bottom of
`the opening serving as a housing for the module.
`This method is simple and inexpensive and reliably and
`15 precisely resolves the problem of contact between the chip
`module and the antenna: the electrical connection is made
`before fitting the assembly in a plastic card. The module is
`correctly placed in the card, and the antenna also.
`The plastic film provided with metallic parts, on which the
`20 integrated circuit is placed in order to constitute the module,
`can in practice be in particular of two kinds: double-face
`printed-circuit film or metallic grille covered with an insu(cid:173)
`lated plastic film, but in practice the solution with a double(cid:173)
`face printed-circuit film is clearly preferably since it makes
`25 it possible to fix the antenna ends exactly flat on the
`connection areas, whilst the other solution would make it
`necessary to fix the antenna ends in insulating-film
`openings, the thickness of the insulating film around these
`openings impeding the fixing.
`In the case of a module produced from a double-face
`printed circuit, the chip is fixed on one side (the front face
`of the film) and connected by soldered wires to metallic
`connection areas situated on this side. The antenna is also
`welded to connection areas on this side. The rear face has
`35 metallic parts cropped to the format of the standardised
`contacts of a smart card (for a mixed card), conductive vias
`being provided between the metallic parts of the front face
`and those of the rear face in order to establish the necessary
`electrical connections between the external contacts of the
`40 rear face and the inputs/outputs of the chip.
`Conventionally, the chip is immersed in a protective resin
`before the module is inserted in the card.
`The two plates of plastics material of the card can be
`connected by hot or cold lamination, a resin being able to be
`interposed between the two plates, in order to serve as a
`binder between them and as a sealing product in order to
`isolate the module and antenna from the outside.
`In practice, the manufacturing method includes the fol(cid:173)
`lowing steps:
`there is produced an integrated-circuit module which can
`be inserted in a card, comprising an integrated-circuit
`chip mounted on a plastic film provided with metallic
`parts, the metallic parts comprising on the one hand
`connection areas allowing a connection with the chip
`and on the other hand two connection areas for con(cid:173)
`nection with an antenna, these two latter areas being at
`a given distance from each other and also being con(cid:173)
`nected electrically to connection areas permitting con(cid:173)
`nection with the chip;
`a flat-wound antenna wire is produced, having two ends
`situated substantially at the same predetermined dis(cid:173)
`tance from each other;
`the antenna ends are fixed to the two corresponding
`connection areas;
`the antenna/module assembly is bonded against a plate
`made of plastics material having an opening which can
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The invention concerns the manufacturing of chip cards,
`particularly cards capable of operating without contact by
`means of an antenna integrated into the card. Under this
`name "contactless cards", there are envisaged on the one
`hand cards which can communicate with the outside only
`through the antenna, and also and in particular mixed cards
`which can communicate with the outside either by means of
`the antenna or by means of standardised conventional con(cid:173)
`tacts.
`Such cards are intended to perform various operations
`such as, for example, banking operations, telephone
`communications, identification operations, operations of
`debiting or reloading units of account, all kinds of operations
`which can be performed either by inserting the card into a
`reader or remotely by electromagnetic coupling (in principle
`of the inductive type) between a sending/receiving terminal
`and a card placed in the zone of action of this terminal.
`2. Related Background
`Contactless cards must preferably have standardised
`dimensions identical to those of conventional smart cards
`provided with contacts. This is obviously particularly essen(cid:173)
`tial for mixed cards, and is desirable for cards operating
`solely without contacts.
`The usual standard ISO 7810 defines a card 85 mm long,
`54 mm wide and 0.76 mm thick. The contacts are flush at
`clearly defined positions on the surface of the card.
`These standards impose severe constraints in manufac(cid:173)
`ture. The very small thickness of the card is in particular a
`major constraint, more severe still for contactless cards than
`for cards simply provided with contacts, since it is necessary
`to provide for the incorporation of an antenna in the card.
`The technical problems which are posed are problems of
`positioning the antenna with respect to the card, since the
`antenna occupies almost an entire surface of the card,
`problems of positioning the integrated-circuit module
`( comprising the chip and its contacts, which provides the
`electronic functioning of the card), and problems of preci-
`sion and reliability of the connection between the module
`and the antenna; finally, constraints of mechanical strength,
`reliability and manufacturing cost must be taken into
`account.
`The aim of the invention is to propose a manufacturing 55
`method which best resolves the different constraints of
`sizing, manufacturing precision, mechanical strength, and
`more generally reliability, cost and efficiency in manufac(cid:173)
`turing the card.
`
`45
`
`50
`
`SUMMARY
`
`60
`
`For this purpose, according to the invention, a method of
`manufacturing a chip card with contactless transmission is
`proposed, principally characterised in that an integrated(cid:173)
`circuit module and an antenna made from flat-wound wire is 65
`produced, the antenna ends are fixed to connection areas of
`the module, the antenna/module assembly is temporarily
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0004
`
`

`

`US 6,517,005 Bl
`
`3
`serve as a housing for the module, so that the antenna/
`module assembly is held in place against the plate
`during the subsequent operations;
`another plate made of plastics material is placed on the
`antenna/module assembly;
`the two plates are connected, enclosing the antenna and
`module.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
`
`Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will
`emerge from a reading of the following detailed description
`which is given with reference to the accompanying
`drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 depicts an antenna made from a wound wire
`produced in a format which can be incorporated in a smart
`card;
`FIG. 2 depicts a module in front view, rear view and a
`view in section, in an embodiment on a doubleface metal(cid:173)
`lised film;
`FIG. 3 depicts the assembled antenna/module assembly;
`FIG. 4 depicts the fitting of the antenna/module assembly
`against a plastic plate in the format of the card, provided
`with an adhesive sheet;
`FIG. 5 depicts the fitting of another plastic plate in order
`to cover the module assembly;
`FIG. 6 depicts the finished card, at the stage of removal of
`the adhesive sheet and ready to be used.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`The antenna A depicted in FIG. 1 is a simple wire 10
`wound flat, the stiffness inherent in the wire being sufficient
`for the antenna to be able to be manipulated during the
`operations of insertion in the card, keeping its overall flat 35
`shape. This antenna represents an inductance allowing com(cid:173)
`munication at a distance by electromagnetic coupling of the
`inductive type.
`The wire can be covered with an insulant preventing
`contact between adjacent turns. In any event an insulant is
`provided if the turns intersect (the case where there are
`several turns). However, the ends of the wire are bared with
`a view to their electrical connection to an integrated-circuit
`module.
`The dimensions of the antenna are, for reasons of elec(cid:173)
`tromagnetic efficiency, very close to the outside dimensions
`of the chip card, and it is also one of the reasons why the
`positioning of the antenna in the card must be carried out
`precisely.
`The ends 12 and 14 of the antenna are at a predetermined
`distance D from each other, and are preferably turned
`towards the inside of the turns, so that the electronic module
`can be placed on the inside of the turns, the perimeter of the
`antenna then coming as close as possible to the perimeter of
`the smart card in which it is to be embedded.
`The module M of FIG. 2 comprises an insulating film 20,
`a front-face metallisation, a rear-face metallisation, and
`conductive vias connecting the front-face metallisations to
`the rear-face metallisations. The relative scale of the 60
`dimensions, particularly in thickness, is not complied with,
`in order for the figures to be be legible.
`The metallisation of the rear face is cut out into contacts
`21 in a standardised format for smart cards; these contacts
`will be flush on the smart card at the end of manufacture.
`A chip 22 is soldered to a central area 23 of the front-face
`metallisation; soldered wires 24 connect the chip to connec-
`
`45
`
`50
`
`4
`tion areas 25 of the front-face metallisation ( other connec(cid:173)
`tion methods can be envisaged, for example a direct con(cid:173)
`nection in the case of turned-over chips in "flip-chip" mode).
`Two connection areas 26 and 27 are reserved for fixing the
`5 ends of the antenna A. These areas are electrically connected
`to connection areas 25 serving to receive wires of a chip. In
`practice, the areas 26 and 27 constitute extensions of two
`connection areas 25, these extensions being sufficiently
`separated from the central area to which the chip is fixed: the
`10 chip 22 is covered with a drop of protective resin 28, but the
`connection areas 26 and 27 are sufficiently distant from the
`central area for the resin not to cover them.
`The connection areas 26 and 27 are situated on the film 20
`at a distance from each other corresponding substantially to
`15 the distance D between the ends of the antenna wire A, so
`that these ends can be soldered easily to the areas 26 and 27.
`FIG. 3 depicts, in lateral section, the antenna/module
`assembly, after the operation of soldering the antenna ends
`to the areas 26 and 27; it also depicts a plate made of plastics
`20 material 30 (which can already be in the format of a smart
`card or which will be subsequently cut to this format). The
`plastics material can be polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or another
`plastics material.
`This plate constitutes a part of the body of the smart card.
`25 It has an opening 32 which can serve as a housing for the
`module M, this opening passing through the entire thickness
`of the plate. The dimensions of the openings are at least
`equal to those of the module M. If possible these dimensions
`are accurately adjusted with respect to the dimensions of the
`30 modules. The position of the openings with respect to the
`format of the plate corresponds to the standardised position
`of the contacts of a smart card.
`The rear face of the plate is covered with an adhesive
`sheet 34, the adhesive face of which is applied against the
`plate. This sheet covers the opening 32 so that it constitutes
`a base for the housing formed in the card by the opening 32.
`This base is adhesive.
`FIG. 4 depicts the fitting of the antenna/module assembly
`against the plate 30, the module being inserted in the
`40 opening 32 and being bonded by the adhesive material
`against the sheet 34.
`The housing and the adhesive material keep the antenna/
`module assembly in precise position during the subsequent
`operations, which introduce mechanical stresses. The assem-
`bly can be coated at this stage with a thick resin which
`improves the holding in place and which will serve as a
`binder and sealing substance protecting the antenna and
`module.
`Another plate 40 made of plastics material cut to the
`format of the smart card ( except if the format is defined
`subsequently) is applied against the top face of the assembly
`thus produced, that is to say on the same side as the antenna
`rather than the adhesive sheet (FIG. 5). The plastics material
`can be polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other.
`A cold or hot lamination operation is performed in order
`to connect the plates whilst enclosing the antenna/module
`assembly. For cold lamination, the insertion of a bonding
`resin (which can be the resin mentioned above) is necessary.
`FIG. 5 depicts the chip card at this stage, with the plate 30
`and 40 an each side of the antenna/module assembly, and the
`binding resin 50 immersing the assembly between the plates.
`The last operation (FIG. 6) consists of removing the
`adhesive sheet 34, then revealing the bared contacts 21 of
`65 the smart card.
`The method which has just been described would also be
`applicable in the case of a module produced not from a
`
`55
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0005
`
`

`

`US 6,517,005 Bl
`
`15
`
`5
`double-face metallised film but from a grille cut out to the
`shapes of necessary contacts and covered with an insulating
`film cut so as to bare a chip fixing area, connections areas for
`the chip wires, and connection areas for the antenna wire. It
`would however be less easy to solder the antenna wire in the 5
`latter areas because of the thickness of the insulating film.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A method of manufacturing a smart card capable of
`operating in a contactless mode, comprising:
`forming an antenna/module assembly by affixing ends of 10
`an antenna to connection areas of a module, wherein
`the antenna is formed from a flat wound wire;
`securely positioning the antenna/module assembly against
`a first plastic plate, the first plastic plate having an
`opening which serves as a housing for the module;
`placing a second plastic plate on the antenna/module
`assembly; and
`connecting the second plastic plate to the first plastic
`plate, thereby enclosing the antenna/module assembly.
`2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plastic plate
`also includes an adhesive sheet affixed to the side of the first
`plastic sheet opposite the side the antenna/module assembly
`is positioned against.
`3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting
`the second plate to the first plate comprises connecting the
`second plastic plate to the first plastic plate through a cold
`bonding process and inserting a bonding resin between the
`second plastic plate and the first plastic plate.
`4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plastic plate 30
`is connected to the first plastic plate through a hot bonding
`process.
`5. The method of claim 2, wherein the antenna/module
`also includes access contacts, and wherein removal of the
`adhesive sheet reveals the access contacts as flush with an 35
`outside surface of the first plastic plate.
`6. A method of manufacturing a smart card capable of
`operating in a contactless mode, comprising:
`forming an antenna/module assembly by affixing ends of
`an antenna to connection areas of a module, wherein 40
`the antenna is formed from a flat wound wire;
`securely positioning the antenna/module assembly against
`a first plastic plate, the first plastic plate having an
`opening which serves as a housing for the module and
`having an adhesive sheet affixed to an outside surface; 45
`placing a second plastic plate on the antenna/module
`assembly;
`connecting the second plastic plate to the first plastic
`plate, thereby enclosing the antenna/module assembly; 50
`and removing the adhesive sheet to expose access con(cid:173)
`tacts of the module.
`7. The method of claim 6, wherein the access contacts are
`flush with an outside surface of the smart card formed by an
`outside surface of the first plastic plate.
`8. A method of manufacturing a mixed smart card capable
`of operating both in a contactless mode and in a contact
`mode, comprising:
`forming an antenna from a flat wound wire;
`forming a module which includes standardized access 60
`contacts;
`affixing ends of the antenna to connection areas of the
`module, so as to obtain an antenna/module assembly;
`
`6
`affixing the antenna/module assembly against a first plas(cid:173)
`tic plate, the first plastic plate having an opening which
`serves as a housing for the module;
`placing a second plastic plate on the antenna/module
`assembly; and
`connecting the second plastic plate to the first plastic
`plate, thereby enclosing the antenna and the module;
`wherein the affixing of the antenna/module assembly
`includes
`temporarily securely positioning an adhesive sheet to
`the first plastic plate, and
`securely positioning the module against an adhesive
`side of the adhesive sheet inside the opening for the
`module so the standardized access contacts are flush
`with an outside surface of the mixed smart card.
`9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adhesive sheet is
`removed after the connecting the second plastic plate to the
`first plastic plate, revealing the standardized access contacts
`flush with the outside surface of the mixed smart card.
`10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second plastic
`plate is connected to the first plastic plate through a cold
`bonding process, and wherein a bonding resin is inserted
`between the second plastic plate and the first plastic plate.
`11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second plastic
`plate is connected to the first plastic plate through a hot
`bonding process.
`12. A smart card comprising:
`a module with standardized access contacts and an
`antenna attached to the module, the antenna being
`formed from a flat wound wire, and ends of the antenna
`being affixed to connection areas of the module, so as
`to form an antenna/module assembly;
`a first plastic plate having an opening which serves as a
`housing for the module;
`an adhesive sheet securely positioned against the first
`plastic plate with the module inserted in the opening of
`the first plastic plate so the standardized access contacts
`are flush with a bottom of this opening in such a way
`that removing the adhesive sheet reveals bared stan(cid:173)
`dardized access contacts flush with an outside surface
`of the mixed smart card;
`a second plastic plate connected to the first plastic plate to
`enclose the antenna and the module.
`13. A mixed smart card comprising:
`a module having access contacts;
`an antenna formed of a flat wound wire attached to the
`module;
`a first plastic plate formed with an opening, the opening
`serving as a housing for the module,
`a second plastic plate, wherein the second plastic plate
`and the first plastic plate enclose the antenna and the
`module;
`the access contacts being flush with an outside surface of
`the first plastic plate that forms an outside surface of the
`mixed smart card;
`and an adhesive sheet temporarily securely affixed to the
`outside surface of the first plastic sheet, so that removal
`of the adhesive sheet exposes the access contacts flush
`with the outside surface of the first plastic plate.
`
`* * * * *
`
`20
`
`25
`
`55
`
`Petitioner Samsung and Google
`Ex-1023, 0006
`
`