IL195386A - Radio frequency identification device medium and method for making same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a radio frequency identification device medium (2) comprising a screen-printed antenna (12) on a carrier (20) and a chip (10) connected to the antenna connection terminals (17 and 19). According to one main characteristic of the invention, a thermoplastic layer (22) and an upper synthetic paper layer (24) are stratified on the antenna carrier (20) so that the antenna and the chip are buried in the thermoplastic and the three layers (20, 22 and 24) are indissociable so as to make the device waterproof and moisture-proof.

Description

naan^ no»¾n mi *i*rn >mn pun 3»»n frequency identification device medium and method for making Radio frequency identification device support and its manufacturing method Technical field This invention concerns radio frequency identification devices designed to be built into objects such as security documents and specifically concerns a radio frequency identification device support and its manufacturing method.

Background art Contactless Radiofrequency Identification Devices (RFIDs) are increasingly used for identification of persons moving about in controlled access zones or transiting from one zone to another. A contactless RFID is a device made up of an antenna and a chip connected to the terminals of the' antenna. The chip is usually not powered and receives its energy by an electromagnetic coupling between the antenna of the reader and the antenna of the RFID, information is exchanged between the RFID and the reader and particularly information stored in the chip that relates to the identification of the holder of the object on which the RFID is located and to his/her authorization to enter into a controlled access zone.

In this manner, passports can incorporate RFIDs to identify the passport holder. The chip memory contains information such as the identity of the passport holder, his/her country of origin, his/her nationality, visas of different countries visited, dates of entry, restrictions of movements, biometric elements, etc. The RFID device is generally incorporated into the bottom cover board of the passport. An antenna is then screen-printed using ink loaded with particles of silver on the reinforced bottom cover board of the passport cover. The chip is then connected by gluing to the connection terminals of the antenna. Then, the flyleaf of the quire of passport pages is laminated to the back of the reinforced top cover board.

This embodiment has a drawback, as it is not waterproof and particularly cannot resist the passage of the passport through a washing machine. If the paper on which the antenna is screen-printed is not water resistant, the latter absorbs water and swells up, which causes fractures of the antenna and therefore a rupture of the electrical connection between the antenna and the chip.

This problem can be overcome by the use of an RFID device made up of a plastic "inlay". In this case, the inlay includes the antenna and the chip, the whole assembly being embedded in plastic layers. The inlay is then bonded between the flyleaf and the passport cover. One of the drawbacks of such an RFID device is the difference in material between the inlay and the passport. The latter being made of plastic, the bonding between the two is not optimal .

Using an RFID support with at least one of its external sides made of paper allows this disadvantage to be overcome .

But the problem of using paper depends on its ability to delaminate over its thickness in case of an attempt of pulling it out. The delamination can also occur on the edges of the support after a certain period of use, which is a definite disadvantage when the support is intended to be used in a secure document whose lifespan must extend over several years.

Furthermore, a secure document such as a passport implies that the passport pages and consequently the cover supporting the RFID device will be subjected to impacts due to stamping or affixing visas, which exposes the electronic chip to a significant risk of destruction.

Summary of the invention This is why the purpose of this invention is to counter these drawbacks by offering a radio frequency identif cation device support that has a good affinity to gluing with paper and that does not delaminate over the thickness and moreover that protects the RFID device from risks of destruction caused by impacts or shocks.

Another object of the invention is to supply an identity booklet such as a passport integrating such a radio frequency identification device.

The purpose of the invention is thus a radio frequency identification device support featuring an antenna screen-printed on a support and a chip connected to the connection terminals of the antenna. According to a main characteristic -of the invention, a thermoplastic layer and a top layer of synthetic paper are laminated on the antenna support in order to obtain an RFID device resistant to water and humid environments so that the antenna and the chip are trapped in the thermoplastic and so that the three layers cannot be separated.

Another purpose of the invention relates to an identity booklet, which includes a radio frequency identification device (RFID) support according to the first purpose of the invention.

Finally, another purpose of the invention concerns a manufacturing method of a radio frequency identification device (RFID) support, the device featuring an antenna and a chip connected to the antenna, the method including the following steps: - screen printing an antenna featuring contacts on a support, - placing adhesive dielectric material between the contacts of the antenna, - positioning the chip on the support so that the chip's contacts are located opposite the antenna's contacts, - connecting the chip to the antenna's contacts by exerting pressure on the chip, - placing on the support a thermoplastic layer and a top layer of a material that does not melt such as synthetic paper, the top layer being provided with a cavity at the location of the chip, - laminating together the support, the thermoplastic layer and the top layer in order to obtain an RFID device resistant to water and humid environments and so that the antenna and the chip are trapped in the thermoplastic and so that the three layers cannot be separated.

Brief description of the drawings The purposes, objects and characteristics of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 represents the front view of the antenna support to which the RFID device is bonded, Figure 2 represents a cross-section of the antenna support to which the RFID device is bonded, Figure 3 represents a cross-section of the various layers which make up the RFID device support, Figure 4 represents a cross-section of the RFID device support according to the invention, Figure 5 represents the installation of the RFID device support on the cover of an identity booklet, Figure 6 represents a cross-section of the cover of the booklet and the installation of the RFID device support, Figure 7 represents a cross-section of the RFID device support according to a variant of the invention, Figure 8 represents a cross-section of the cover of the booklet and the installation of the RFID device support according to the variant, Figure 9 represents the installation of the quire of inside pages of the booklet.

Description of the invention With reference to figure 1, a first layer 20 is used as a support for the antenna and its size corresponds to that of a closed passport, that is to say approximately 88 x 125 mm. The material of the layer 20 is a material that does not melt and thus does not deform irreversibly when the temperature increases. The material of layer 20 is preferably a material whose cohesion is not modified much during a hot lamination operation which consists in exerting pressure. The antenna 12 that makes up an essential element of the RFID device consists of one or more turns screen printed with an electrically conductive polymer ink, loaded with conductive elements such as silver, copper or carbon. Each end of the antenna is connected to one of the two contacts 17 and 19 of the antenna which are also screen-printed. The turns are interconnected by an electric bridge 21 most commonly referred to as the "cross-over". An insulating strip 23 of dielectric ink is screen printed between the cross-over and some of the turns of the antenna 12 to allow the turns of the antenna to overlap without electrical contact. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the antenna is screen printed on this material in several steps. The first step consists in screen printing the turns of the antenna 12 and the two contacts 17 and 19 of the antenna. The second step consists in screen printing an insulating strip 23 to allow the turns of the antenna 12 to overlap. The third step consists in screen printing the electric bridge 21 which connects the outermost turn of the antenna 12 of the group of turns.

The next step consists in connecting the chip on the contacts of the antenna 12. An adhesive dielectric material is placed on the antenna support 20, between the two contacts 17 and 19 of the antenna 12. This adhesive material is applied before the chip is placed on the support, unlike the traditional "Flip Chip" process in which the adhesive is applied once the chip is connected. This step is thus much easier to perform and output is much better. The adhesive used is preferably epoxy resin that cross-links at 150 °C. It is also possible to use cyanoacrylate type glue, which polymerises at ambient temperature.

Once the adhesive material has been applied, the chip 10 is positioned on the antenna support so that the chip' s contacts 17 and 19 are opposite the antenna's contacts as shown in cross-section on figure 2. Pressure is then exerted on the chip 10 so that the non-deformable contacts of the chip sink into the contacts 17 and 19 of the antenna 12. Under the exerted pressure, the antenna's contacts are then deformed. The antenna's support 20 is compressed under the pressure exerted on the chip and can also get deformed. It is then noted that the contact surface between the chip' s contacts and the contacts of the antenna 12 is maximum, even when the pressure is not being exerted any longer. The chip's contacts are preferably conical in shape. As a result of the pressure, the adhesive dielectric material 20 spreads and covers the entire surface of the chip between the contacts and penetrates into the depth of the antenna support. It thus enables the mechanical assembly between the chip 10 and the antenna support 20 - and thereby the electric contact between the chip and the antenna - to be reinforced. The adhesive dielectric material used is preferably fluid and has a strong penetrating power. The support is then passed through an oven in order to crosslink the glue.

Once the chip 10 is fixed to the support, the next step consists in laminating together the RFID device and the various layers that will make up the RFID device support. The embodiment described is adapted so that the RFID device support obtained can be built into an identity booklet such as a passport.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the various layers that make up the RFID device support as shown in figure 3 comprise the antenna support 20, a thermoplastic layer 22 and a top layer 24.

The device is made by laminating the various layers once the chip is fixed on the antenna support 20. A first layer of thermoplastic 22 is placed on the antenna support 20. The thickness of the thermoplastic layer is between 40 and 80 μπι and is preferably in the order of 50 \im. The top layer 24 features a cavity 26 located in such a way that it overlaps the chip and whose surface area is greater than that of the chip so that the pressure exerted during the lamination step does not reach the chip as the pressure is exerted uniformly over the entire surface of the sheet but is not exerted at the location of the cavity placed above the location of the chip. The cavity 26 is preferably circular with a diameter in the order of 6 mm.

The lamination step consists in welding by hot press moulding the layers 20, 22, 24 in order to obtain an RFID device support 2 as shown in figure 4. The temperature and the pressure reached are in the order of 160 °C and 200 bar respectively. As previously stated, the antenna support 20 is preferably made of a material that does not melt and thus does not deform irreversibly when the temperature increases up to 160 °C. Furthermore, this material cannot delaminate over time, whether or not it is intentional. The support 20 is preferably made of synthetic paper consisting of one single unoriented layer of a polymer such as polyethylene or polypropylene loaded with minerals between 40 and 80%. Its composition gives it a low density in the order of 0.57 g/cm3 thanks to its microporous network and its thickness is in the order of 180 urn. The thickness may be less without deviating from the scope of the invention. Even though the thermoplastic layer 22, directly in contact with the chip, is not pierced with a cavity at the location of the chip, the pressure exerted during lamination is not transmitted to the chip to the extent that it gets damaged.

At the temperature and pressure values used during the lamination step, the thermoplastic comprising the layer 22 becomes soft and liquefies while being trapped between the two respective layers of the antenna support 20 and the top layer 24. During the lamination, the antenna support provides the device consisting of the antenna 10 and the chip 12 with a stiffness and a cohesion that prevent any electrical rupture since the material of the layer forming the antenna support resists without getting deformed and especially without creeping at temperatures and pressure of the lamination step. The stiffened thermoplastic layer 22 has trapped the raised designs of the antenna support 20 so that the antenna 10 and the chip 12 are embedded in the thermoplastic 22. A cross-section of the various layers 20, 22, 24 will show that the antenna 10 and the chip 12 are moulded in the thermoplastic 22, the latter having covered the chip at the location of the cavity 26. In this manner, in a humid environment, it is the thermoplastic layer that provides the RFID device support with a stiffness and cohesion that prevent any electrical rupture. The thermoplastic enables the two layers 20 and 24 to be welded together and plays the role of a glue between these two layers .

The top layer 24 with a thickness of 180 urn is preferably of the same material as the antenna support 20, therefore of synthetic paper as defined above. The RFID device support 2 made in this manner by laminating layers 20, 22, 24 and shown in cross-section on figure 3 has a thickness of about 350 μπι.

The flexibility of the RFID device support 2 obtained depends on the thickness of the thermoplastic layer 22 used. The more the thickness of the thermoplastic layer is reduced, the more the RFID device support is flexible.

According to figure 5, the RFID device support 2 is glued onto one of the two cover boards 11 of the identity booklet, preferably on the bottom cover board 14 but could also be glued onto the top cover board 16. The side of the RFID device support opposite the antenna support and the chip, therefore layer 24, is glued on the cover board of the identity booklet in order to protect the chip as much as possible from impacts that could occur inside the booklet. More' generally, the RFID device support 2 is glued using a glue which, once dry, is insoluble in water.

In order to maintain the same thickness over the entire cover of the booklet, it is advantageous to affix on the other cover board of the booklet, the one that does not bear the RFID device support, one or more layers forming a support 3 as shown in figure 6 and whose total thickness is equivalent to the thickness of the RFID device support 2. The support 3 is therefore preferably of a size identical to that of the device support 2. For example and according to figure 6, it is possible to manufacture a support 3 without RFID device consisting of a single layer of synthetic paper 50 or, alternately, to laminate together a layer of synthetic paper, a layer of thermoplastic and a layer of synthetic paper, the single layer or the set of layers being of the same total thickness as all of the layers 20, 22, and 24. The support 3 thus manufactured is then glued to the second cover board 11 of the booklet, while leaving a free strip of the cover at the location of the booklet's joint.

According to a variant of the invention, the supports 2 and 3 can be manufactured together in order to be integral with one another by means of a single top layer of synthetic paper 64 to form an RFID device support 4 as shown in figure 7. A first layer of thermoplastic 22 is placed on the antenna support 20 whose thickness is between 40 and 80 pm but preferably in the order of 50 um. A second thermoplastic layer 62 is also placed on a second layer 60 of synthetic paper. The layers 20, 22, 60, and 62 having the same size corresponding in length to the size of a closed identity booklet but whose width is slightly .less than the width of a closed identity booklet. A top layer 64 is placed on the layers 22 and 62 so as to leave a space between them. The layer 64 features a cavity 26 located in such a way that it overlaps the chip and whose surface area is greater than that of the chip so that the pressure exerted during the lamination step does not reach the chip as the pressure is exerted uniformly over the entire surface of the sheet but is not exerted at the location of the cavity placed above the location of the chip. The cavity 26 is preferably circular with a diameter in the order of 6 mm. The lamination step then consists in welding by hot press moulding the various layers 20, 22, 60, 62, and 64.

The support 4 acting as an RFID device support for the variant of the invention is shown in cross-section in figure 8. Having a size equal to that of the open identity booklet, it includes two thick parts 42 and 43, the part 42 containing the RFID device, the two parts overlapping the cover 11 boards' 14 and 16 of the booklet, and a thinner part designed to overlap the identity booklet's joint.

However, the RFID device support 2 as described can also be integrated into the booklet by bonding one of its sides, preferably on the antenna support side, on any type of object such as clothes, books, paper documents, packaging, cartons, etc.

The identity booklet 1 represented diagrammatically in figure 9 is completely formed by installing the quire of inside pages 37. The manufacturing method consists in making the quire of inside pages by using a secure thread to connect them to one another. In the manufacture of a traditional passport, the flyleaves are laminated on the cover boards, the flyleaf 36 being laminated with the top cover board 16 while the bottom flyleaf 34 is laminated with the bottom cover board 1 . In this manner, according to the invention, the back of the bottom flyleaf 34 of the quire of pages of the identity booklet is pasted then pressed against the RFID device support 2 glued on the bottom cover board of the booklet's cover, thus on the side of the antenna support 20 layer. Or alternately, according to the variant described earlier, the back of the bottom flyleaf 34 of the quire of pages of the identity booklet is pasted then pressed against the part 42 of the support 4, the part 42 being the one containing the chip and the antenna whereas the front of the flyleaf 36 is pasted then pressed against the part 43 of the support 4. The glue used is preferably a glue that, once dry, becomes insoluble in water .

The use of synthetic paper in making the RFID device support is an indisputable advantage of the invention.

On the one hand, using synthetic paper simplifies the lamination operation carried out at temperatures in the order of 160 °C, as it is stable at these temperatures contrary to thermoplastic materials such as PVC or PETG. The RFID device support 2 or 4 made according to the invention has synthetic paper on both its sides, which simplifies bonding and optimises its integration on the identity booklet as the bondings are carried out paper against paper. As a result, the synthetic paper has a low density due to its microporous structure, which provides it with a good affinity to gluing with paper contrary to traditional plastic materials such as PVC or PET. The identity booklet thus obtained has the advantage of a great cohesion between all of the parts that make it up and particularly between the RFID device support and the identity booklet itself. The glue penetrates deeply into the synthetic paper as it penetrates into the paper and thus particularly in the paper of which the cover of the booklet is made, which makes it impossible to remove the layers 20, 22, and 24 from one another and which makes the three layers making up the support inseparable.

The thermoplastic material used for the layers 22 and 52 is preferably polyvinyl chloride (PVC) , but could also be polyester (PET, PETG), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) .

Furthermore, deliberate pulling out of the RFID device support built into the booklet is not possible as the synthetic paper does not delaminate over the thickness.

During the lamination or thereafter, the outside of the booklet's cover may be subjected to a plate having special raised designs to produce a particular grain on the cover to make the identity booklet tamper-resistant.

Advantageously, the RFID device support and the identity booklet according to the invention may be subjected to a washing cycle in a washing machine without the electrical connection between the chip and the antenna being altered, thus maintaining for these items the ability to be read by electromagnetic coupling with a reader provided for this purpose.

The RFID device support and the RFID device may also be made in ISO format of smart cards so that they can be used to manufacture contactless smart cards. The two outer layers of synthetic paper and the thermoplastic layer are in the ISO format of smart cards and the antenna is also adapted so that the size of turns is slightly less than the ISO format of smart cards. In this case, an additional step in the manufacturing method described above consists in customising the card by printing on one or both faces of the card.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS A radio frequency identification device support an antenna screen printed on a a chip connected to the connection j of said characterised in that a layer and a top layer of synthetic paper laminated on said antenna support in such a way that said antenna and said chip are trapped in the thermoplastic and so that the three layers and are The RFID device support according to claim in which said top layer includes a cavity located in such a way that it overlaps said chip The RFID device support according to claim 1 or in which said chip is glued on said antenna support using an adhesive dielectric material so that the contacts of the chip are located opposite the contacts and of the antenna The RFID device support according to claim in which said adhesive material is an epoxy resin that at 150 The RFID device support according to one of previous in which the lamination is done at values of temperature and pressure in the order of 160 and 200 The RFID device support according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which the synthetic paper of said top layer is made of a material which does not that is to say which does not deform when the temperature increases The RFI D device support according to one of previous claims in which said thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 50 The identity booklet featuring an RFI D device support ft according any of claims 1 to 7 in which said RFI D device support is integrated between a cover board or of the s cover and the flyleaf or of the booklet located opposite said cover The identity booklet according to claim 8 in which a support having a size equal to that of the device support 2 is integrated between the cover board or of the cover and the flyleaf or of the booklet located opposite said cover board between which the device has not been The identity booklet featuring an RFI D device support according to any of claims 1 to 7 in which the RFI D device support fti has a size equal to that of the open identity booklet and includes two thick parts and the part containing the RFI D the two parts overlapping the cover boards and of the booklet and a thinner part designed to overlap the identity joint The identity booklet according to claim or in which said RFI D device support is glued inside said identity booklet using a glue once is insoluble in A method for manufacturing a radio frequency identification support the device featuring an antenna and a chip connected to the said method having contacts placing between said contacts of the positioning the chip on said support so that the contacts of said chip are located opposite said contacts of said connecting the chip to said contacts of said antenna by exerting pressure on the placing on said support a thermoplastic layer environments A method for manufacturing a radio frequency identification device support the device featuring an antenna and a chip connected to the said method including the following antenna having contacts placing adhesive dielectric material between said contacts of the positioning the chip on said support so that the contacts of said chip are located opposite said contacts of said connecting the chip to said contacts of said antenna by exerting pressure on the on said support a thermoplastic layer on a top layer of a material that not synthetic paper on the layers and being provided with a cavity at the location of the chip laminating together said support thermoplastic layers and the layer of synthetic paper the top layer to obtain an RFI D device made up of two parts and of identical the part containing the RFI D and a thinner part located between the parts A method for manufacturing an identity booklet with a radio frequency identification device RFI D according to claim said device being integrated between the first cover board of the cover and a flyleaf or of the quire of inside said method including the following steps after the lamination gluing on said first cover board the identity cover the RFI D device support by gluing the opposite side of the antenna gluing on the second cover board of the cover a layer of a material that does not creep such as synthetic paper and whose thickness is equivalent to that of the RFI D device installing the quire of inside pages gluing the front of the flyleaf against said RFI D device support r thus against the antenna support A method for manufacturing an identity booklet with a radio frequency identification device RFI D according to claim said device being integrated between the cover boards and of the cover and the flyleaves and said method including the following steps after the lamination gluing the RFI D device support said cover boards of the identity by gluing the opposite side to the antenna support that the thinner part of the RFI D device support on the identity installing the quire of inside pages gluing the flyleaf against said device support to this the back of the bottom the quire of pages of the identity booklet is pasted then pressed against the part of the support the part being the one containing the chip and the antenna whereas the front of the flyleaf is pasted then pressed against the part of the support The RFID device according to one of the claims 1 through 7 made in ISO format of smart The smart card made according to claim 17 in which one of the or both of the card customized For the Applicants AND PARTNERS By insufficientOCRQuality