Metal smart card with dual interface capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9390366-B1
Application number	US-201514793963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 8, 2015
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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 L 1 , a width W 1 and a thickness of D 1 , which is less than D;
a plug of non RF impeding material having lateral dimensions of L 2 , equal to or greater than L 1 , and W 2 equal to or greater than W 1 ;
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.

2. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 1 further including a ferrite layer attached to the bottom surface of the metal layer and a vertical hole formed in the plug and through the ferrite layer for enhancing RF transmission with the IC module via said vertical hole.

3. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 2 wherein the vertical hole has lateral dimension of L 3 and W 3 , which lateral dimensions are less than the corresponding lateral dimensions, L 1 and W 1 , of the IC module; and further including a booster antenna layer attached to the ferrite layer for enhancing RF transmission with the IC module via said vertical hole.

4. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 3 wherein the lateral dimensions of the plug L 2 and W 2 are greater than the lateral dimensions L 1 and W 1 of the IC module.

5. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening in the metal layer has a first region at and just below its the top surface for accommodating the IC module and a second region below the first region which extends until the bottom surface of the metal layer; in the first region the opening has the lateral dimensions of L 1 and W 1 for a depth of D 1 and in the second region the opening has the lateral dimension of L 2 and W 2 for a depth of (D-D 1 ) and wherein the IC module fits in and fills the opening in the first region and the plug fits in and fills the opening in the second region; and where L 2 and W 2 are respectively greater than L 1 and W 1 .

6. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a ferrite layer is attached to the bottom of the metal layer and a booster antenna layer is formed below the ferrite layer, and wherein a hole is formed in the ferrite layer to enhance RF transmission between the booster antenna layer and the IC module.

7. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening in the metal layer has lateral dimensions of L 2 and W 2 , where L 2 and W 2 are respectively greater than L 1 and W 1 , and wherein the plug is attached to the metal layer and fills the opening within the metal layer, and wherein the plug has a first cut out region with lateral dimensions of L 1 and D 1 extending for a depth D 1 below the top surface for accommodating the IC module and a second region below the first region which extends until the bottom surface of the metal layer for a depth of (D-D 1 ); and wherein a hole is formed in the second region below the IC module having lateral dimension of L 3 and W 3 , where L 3 is less than L 1 and W 3 is less than W 1 .

8. A metal smart card with dual interface capability as claimed in claim 7 further including a masking layer formed over the top metal surface and any exposed plug portion.

9. A card comprising:
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 D 1 , a length L 1 and a width W 1 ;
an integrated circuit (IC) module whose dimensions are substantially equal to D 1 , L 1 and W 1 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 D 1 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 L 2 greater than L 1 and a width W 2 greater than W 1 ; and
a plug formed of non RF impeding material designed to fit snugly within said second cut out region is securely attached thereto.

10. A card as claimed in claim 9 , and said plug has a centrally located opening, said centrally located opening having lateral dimensions of length L 3 which is smaller than L 1 and width W 3 which is less than W 1 ; and wherein said card also includes a layer of ferrite material attached to the bottom side of the metal layer via an adhesive layer; and a booster antenna attached to the ferrite layer; and wherein the centrally located opening in the plug is extended vertically down through the ferrite layer to enhance RF communication.

11. A card as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said card also includes a magnetic stripe, a signature panel and a hologram.

12. A card as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said metal layer is one of stainless steel, iron, tantalum, aluminum, brass, copper, or any alloy and wherein said plug is made of any non-metallic substance or a metal such as tungsten which does not impede RF transmission.

13. A card as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the dimensions of the length, width and thickness of the card are, respectively, in the range of 3.3 inches, 2.2 inches and 0.03 inches; wherein the thickness of the IC module may range from less than 0.005 inches to more than 0.02 inches; and wherein the length and width of the metal layer extends for the full length and width of the card and its thickness ranges from less than 0.01 inches to more than 0.02 inches.

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 D 1 , a length of L 1 and a width of W 1 , the method comprising the steps of:
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 D 1 ;
cutting out a plug region in said metal layer starting from said bottom surface of said metal layer for a distance D-D 1 from the bottom surface of said metal layer, said plug region having lateral dimensions of length L 2 equal to or greater than L 1 and width W 2 equal to or greater than W 1 ;
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 D 1 and a length L 1 and a width W 1 ;
inserting and securely attachin

Assignees

• Herslow John
• Lowe Adam
• Dasilva Luis
• Nester Brian
• Composecure Llc

Inventors

• Herslow John
• Lowe Adam
• Dasilva Luis
• Nester Brian

Classifications

• H10W90/293

  characterised by non-galvanic coupling between the chips, e.g. capacitive coupling · CPC title

• H10W74/114

  by a substrate and the encapsulations · CPC title

• H10W44/248

  for antennas · CPC title

• G06K19/07769 Primary

  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

• G06K19/07794

  the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit · CPC title