Electronic card having an electronic interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11200386-B2
Application number	US-201916526880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2019
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to an electronic identification card or electronic card having various features. The electronic card may include an integrated circuit and a contact plate for electrically interfacing with the integrated circuit. The contact plate may include an array of terminal electrodes that are offset with respect to the edges of the contact plate. The electronic card may be coated with a coating layer that extends at least partially over a ferromagnetic element or film. The electronic card may also include a metal substrate having exposed chamfer portions that may provide a visual contrast to the coating layer and also improve the handling and use of the electronic card.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic identification card comprising:
a substrate comprising a metal layer and defining:
a stepped region formed into a first surface of the substrate; and
a recess formed into a second surface of the substrate, the second surface opposite to the first surface;

a ferromagnetic film disposed at least partially within the stepped region;
an integrated circuit disposed at least partially within the recess; and
a coating layer comprising a polymer and a pigment dispersed within the polymer, the coating layer disposed over the ferromagnetic film and at least a portion of the substrate.

2. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein the stepped region extends to an outer substrate edge of the substrate.

3. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate is formed from a titanium sheet that is bonded to a polymer sheet; and
a combined thickness of the titanium sheet and the polymer sheet is less than 1 mm.

4. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein:
the stepped region is a laser-ablated region formed into the first surface of the substrate; and
the recess is a laser-ablated recess formed into the second surface of the substrate.

5. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating layer comprises a first layer and a second layer;
the first layer comprises the polymer and the pigment; and
the second layer comprises a transparent polymer that is disposed over the first layer and defines at least a portion of an external surface of the electronic identification card.

6. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic identification card defines a first set of chamfered edges that surrounds the first surface; and
the electronic identification card defines a second set of chamfered edges that surrounds the second surface.

7. The electronic identification card of claim 6 , wherein:
the second set of chamfered edges is defined, at least in part, by a chamfer portion of the substrate;
the electronic identification card further comprises an oxide coating formed over the chamfer portion of the substrate;
the coating layer has a first color; and
the oxide coating has a second color that is visually different than the first color.

8. The electronic identification card of claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic identification card further comprises a laser-formed relief feature formed into a surface of the metal layer, the laser-formed relief feature comprising:
at least one recess wall defining a marking recess extending through the coating layer and at least partially into the metal layer; and
a recessed marking feature formed along a portion of the metal layer and defining a bottom of the marking recess and visually different from an adjacent portion of the coating layer.

9. The electronic identification card of claim 8 , wherein:
the recessed marking feature includes two oxide coatings;
a first oxide coating of the two oxide coatings has a first color and is adjacent to a first recess wall; and
a second oxide coating of the two oxide coatings has a second color that is different from the first color and is adjacent a second recess wall.

10. An electronic identification card comprising:
a substrate comprising first and second surfaces and a recess formed along the first surface;
a ferromagnetic stack disposed along the second surface of the substrate;
an integrated circuit disposed at least partially within the recess; and
a coating layer comprising:
a first layer that extends over at least a portion of the second surface of the substrate and the ferromagnetic stack, the first layer comprising a polymer and a pigment dispersed within the polymer; and
a second layer that extends over the first layer and comprises a transparent polymer.

11. The electronic identification card of claim 10 , wherein:
the coating layer is disposed over at least a portion of the first surface; and
the transparent polymer of the coating layer defines at least a portion of an external surface of the electronic identification card.

12. The electronic identification card of claim 11 , wherein:
the electronic identification card further comprises a contact plate positioned over the integrated circuit;
the portion of the external surface defined by the transparent polymer is a first portion; and
the contact plate defines an array of terminal electrodes that define a second portion of the external surface of the electronic identification card.

13. The electronic identification card of claim 10 , wherein:
the electronic identification card defines a first set of chamfered edges that extends around the first surface; and
the electronic identification card defines a second set of chamfered edges that extends around the second surface.

14. The electronic identification card of claim 13 , wherein:
the substrate includes a metal layer;
the second set of chamfered edges is defined, at least in part, by a chamfer portion of the metal layer;
the electronic identification card further comprises an oxide coating formed over the chamfer portion of the metal layer;
the coating layer has a first color; and
the oxide coating has a second color that is visually distinct from the first color.

15. The electronic identification card of claim 13 , wherein:
the ferromagnetic stack includes a ferromagnetic film that is attached to a backing layer; and
a first chamfered edge of the first set of chamfered edges is defined, at least in part, by a beveled edge formed within the ferromagnetic film and the backing layer.

16. The electronic identification card of claim 10 , wherein:
the substrate is formed from a metal material;
the ferromagnetic stack includes a ferromagnetic film that is attached to a backing layer;
the backing layer is formed from two polycarbonate sheets;
the ferromagnetic stack has a thickness of less than 750 microns;
the ferromagnetic stack defines a portion of an exterior surface of the electronic identification card; and
the portion of the exterior surface has a surface roughness of approximately 0.5 μm Ra.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Russell-Clarke Peter N
• Dionello Rafael L
• Groff John
• Lyandres Liliya
• Townsend Mark
• Saucier Matthew
• Reichenbach Robert
• Pedley Travis
• Nashner Michael S

Classifications

• G06K19/07769

  the further communication means being a galvanic interface, e.g. hybrid or mixed smart cards having a contact and a non-contact interface · CPC title

• B42D25/46

  using pressure · CPC title

• B42D25/455

  using heat · CPC title

• B42D25/369

  Magnetised or magnetisable materials · CPC title

• G06K19/077

  Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier · CPC title