JP2009098871A - Ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IC card capable of preventing deterioration of reception sensitivity of an antenna while maintaining size. <P>SOLUTION: This IC card 30 is provided with the antenna 40 for communication, and an IC chip 52 having an electronic circuit on a substrate 51, and performs radio communication with external equipment such as a personal computer 10. The IC card 30 has an EPD (Electrophoretic Display) 31, and an electricity-storing capacitor 33a or a battery 33 storing power supplied to the EPD 31 on the substrate 51, and an element 40a of the antenna 40 is disposed on the substrate 51 such that the element 40a surrounds the battery 33 or the electricity-storing capacitor 33a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an IC card having a wireless communication function.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an IC card is known that includes a substrate and an antenna that is provided on the substrate and receives radio waves, and performs wireless communication via the antenna (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-102840 A

By the way, when it is considered to provide a display panel and a battery for storing power supplied to the display panel on the above-described IC card substrate, the following problems occur.
That is, since the case of the battery is formed of a conductive member, when the battery comes into contact with the antenna, the reception sensitivity of the antenna is deteriorated. In order to prevent the deterioration of the reception sensitivity, when the battery and the antenna are arranged apart from each other on the board, the board must be designed to have a large size, and the size of the IC card inevitably increases.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card that can prevent deterioration in reception sensitivity of an antenna while maintaining the size.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an IC card in which a communication loop antenna and an electronic circuit are provided on a substrate and wirelessly communicates with an external device, the display panel on the substrate, and the display panel. A battery or a storage capacitor for storing power to be supplied, and the element of the loop antenna is disposed on the substrate so as to surround the battery or the storage capacitor.
According to this configuration, since the element of the loop antenna is arranged on the substrate so as to surround the battery or the storage capacitor, the battery or the storage capacitor is located inside the element of the loop antenna. There is no contact with the loop antenna. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the reception sensitivity of the loop antenna from deteriorating without increasing the card size.

Here, in the IC card of the present invention, each of the display panel and the battery or the storage capacitor is configured in a plate shape having substantially the same height, and is arranged in parallel on the same surface of the substrate. You may make it seal by crimping | bonding a sheet material to the surface of a board | substrate.
According to this configuration, when the sheet material is pressed toward the substrate on which the display panel and the battery or the capacitor are provided in order to crimp and seal the sheet material on the surface of the IC card in the manufacturing process of the IC card. A uniform pressure is applied to the display panel and the battery or capacitor, and the pressure is distributed to the display panel and the battery or capacitor. Thereby, the pressing force applied to the display panel is reduced, and the display panel is prevented from being damaged.
In the IC card of the above invention, the battery or the capacitor for electric storage is disposed in the approximate center of the substrate, and the loop antenna is provided near the edge of the substrate along the edge. Also good.
According to this configuration, by providing the antenna along the edge of the substrate, the length of the antenna can be ensured, and the battery or capacitor is provided at the approximate center of the substrate where the distance from the antenna is farthest on the substrate. By providing the antenna, the antenna and the battery or the capacitor can be separated from each other. For this reason, by increasing the size of the IC card, it is not necessary to dispose the battery or the capacitor and the antenna separately. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the antenna reception sensitivity from deteriorating while maintaining the size of the IC card.
In the IC card of the above invention, the display panel may be an electrophoretic display panel.
According to this configuration, the electrophoretic display panel does not require power when maintaining the display contents, and thus power saving can be realized. Therefore, the battery can be made small and thin, the size of the IC card can be maintained, and the cost can be reduced.

  According to the present invention, the battery or the capacitor and the antenna can be arranged on the substrate of the IC card in a separated state. For this reason, by increasing the size of the IC card, it is not necessary to dispose the battery or the capacitor and the antenna separately. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the antenna reception sensitivity from deteriorating while maintaining the size of the IC card.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an IC card system including an IC card according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the IC card system includes a personal computer 10 (external device), a communication router 20, and IC cards 30-1 and 30-2 as main components. In this example, the number of personal computers and communication routers is one, and the number of IC cards is two, but the number (or the number) may be other than this.

  Here, the personal computer 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like, which are not shown, and is stored in the HDD. By executing the application program, information to be displayed on the IC cards 30-1 and 30-2 is generated, and information generated via the communication router 20 is transmitted. Based on the information supplied from the personal computer 10, the communication router 20 modulates the carrier wave by a predetermined modulation method, and transmits the modulated carrier wave to the IC cards 30-1 and 30-2 as a radio wave. The IC cards 30-1 and 30-2 receive and demodulate the radio waves transmitted from the communication router 20 to acquire information contained in the carrier wave, and the acquired information is an EPD (Electrophoretic Display) described later. (Display panel).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration example of the IC card 30-1 shown in FIG. Since the IC card 30-1 and the IC card 30-2 have the same configuration, the IC card 30-1 will be described below as an example.
The IC card 30-1 includes an EPD 31, a display control circuit 32, a battery 33, a power supply circuit 34, an input device 35, and a display control MCU (Main Control Unit) 36 (corresponding to “search means” and “acquisition means” in the claims). , Nonvolatile memory 37 (corresponding to “font data storage means” and “corresponding relationship information storage means” in the claims), communication control MCU 38 (corresponding to “input means” in the claims), RF (Radio Frequency) circuit 39, The antenna 40 is a main component.

  Here, the EPD 31 is a display device that displays characters, figures, and the like by moving fine particles floating in a transparent liquid by an electric field. The display control circuit 32 is a circuit that performs control when displaying information on the EPD 31. For example, the display control circuit 32 performs control that converts a voltage between the display control MCU 36 and the EPD 31. The battery 33 accumulates electric power to be supplied to the EPD 31 and the like, and is configured by, for example, a lithium ion battery or the like, and supplies DC power to the power supply circuit 34. The power supply circuit 34 boosts or lowers the power supply voltage supplied from the battery 33 to a predetermined voltage and supplies it to each part of the apparatus via a power supply line (not shown). The input device 35 includes an operation button 35a (FIG. 3). When the operation button 35a is operated by the user, the switch is turned on or off, and the display control MCU 36 is operated based on the state of the switch. It is detected that the button 35a has been operated. The display control MCU 36 interprets the command supplied from the communication control MCU 38, acquires the corresponding font data or bitmap data stored in the nonvolatile memory 37, forms an image, and supplies the image to the display control circuit 32. Display on the EPD 31. The non-volatile memory 37 is configured by, for example, FeRAM (Ferroelectric RAM), stores font data and bitmap data used by the display control MCU 36, and stores a program executed by the display control MCU 36. The communication control MCU 38 interprets the digital signal supplied from the RF circuit 39, rewrites a built-in memory (not shown), and supplies a command restored from the digital signal to the display control MCU 36. The RF circuit 39 demodulates the radio wave captured by the antenna 40, generates a digital signal, and supplies the digital signal to the communication control MCU 38. The antenna 40 has, for example, a coil shape, captures radio waves transmitted from the communication router 20, and supplies them to the RF circuit 39.

By the way, since the battery 33 includes a conductive member such as metal, the battery 33 provided in the IC card 30-1 and the antenna 40 are in contact with each other, or when these are close to each other, the antenna The battery 33 adversely affects the magnetic flux formed by the antenna 40, and the reception sensitivity of the antenna 40 is degraded. In order to prevent the reception sensitivity from deteriorating, it is conceivable to design the IC card 30-1 to be large and dispose the antenna 40 at a position away from the battery 33. In this case, however, to prevent the reception sensitivity from deteriorating. However, the size of the IC card 30-1 is increased.
In view of this, in this embodiment, by arranging the battery 33 and the antenna 40 in the IC card 30-1 as follows, the reception sensitivity of the antenna 40 is maintained while maintaining the size of the IC card 30-1. Prevents deterioration.
Hereinafter, the configuration of the IC card 30-1 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

3 is a front view of the IC card 30-1, FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the surface sheet 50a is removed from the IC card in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. In addition, in FIG. 5, the surface sheet 50a and the back surface sheet 50b are the states crimped | bonded and sealed.
The IC card 30-1 according to this embodiment is manufactured by laminating, and a substrate 51 and a surface sheet 50a (FIGS. 3 and 5) that are pressure-bonded and sealed to the surface 51a of the substrate 51 ( Sheet material) and a back sheet 50b (FIG. 5) that is pressure-bonded and sealed to the back surface 51b of the substrate 51.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the substrate 51 is a plate-like member having a rectangular shape in front view. Various electronic circuits such as the power supply circuit 34 and the display control circuit 32 described above are provided on the back surface 51 b of the substrate 51. An IC chip 52 is mounted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the EPD 31, the battery 33, the operation button 35 a, and the antenna 40 described above are provided on the surface 51 a of the substrate 51. The antenna 40 is a loop antenna. In the following description, a case in which a battery 33 such as a lithium ion battery is applied as a member for accumulating electric power supplied to the EPD 31 is illustrated. However, electric power is supplied from an external device using the received radio wave of the antenna 40. In the case of the configuration, instead of the battery 33, as shown in FIG. 6, a capacitor 33a for storing the supplied power may be provided, and the power stored in the capacitor 33a may be supplied to the EPD 31.

The battery 33 is a plate-like member, and as shown in FIG. 4, when the surface 51 a of the substrate 51 is divided into left and right by a center line T extending vertically, the battery 33 is formed to the right of the center line T. It is provided in the arrangement part 53. Specifically, the battery 33 is disposed in the battery placement portion 53 at a substantially central position in the up-down direction and a position near the center line T in the left-right direction, that is, a position close to the center of the surface 51 a of the substrate 51.
The EPD 31 is a plate-like member, and is provided in the approximate center of the EPD placement portion 54 formed on the left side of the center line T on the surface 51 a of the substrate 51 in a state where the battery 33 is avoided. That is, the EPD 31 is provided in parallel with the battery 33 on the flat surface (see also FIG. 5) of the surface 51a of the substrate 51 without overlapping the battery 33, the IC chip 52, or the like.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the height H1 of the battery 33 with respect to the substrate 51 and the height H2 of the EPD 31 with respect to the substrate 51 are formed substantially the same.
As described above, in the present embodiment, the EPD 31 is provided on a flat surface of the surface 51a of the substrate 51, and the height H1 of the battery 33 and the height H2 of the EPD 31 are formed substantially the same. An effect can be obtained.

That is, if the EPD 31 is provided on a surface on which irregularities are formed by the battery 33 or the IC chip 52 instead of a flat surface, the following problem occurs when the IC card 30-1 is manufactured. That is, in the manufacturing process of the IC card 30-1, when the surface sheet 50a is pressed toward the surface 51a of the substrate 51 by a laminating roller or the like in order to pressure-bond and seal the surface sheet 50a to the surface 51a of the substrate 51, When uneven pressing force is applied to the EPD 31 due to the unevenness and an excessive pressing force is applied to the EPD 31 due to the pressing force, there arises a problem that the microcapsules and the like constituting the EPD 31 are damaged. However, in this embodiment, since the EPD 31 is provided on a flat surface, when the top sheet 50a is pressed toward the substrate 51 in the manufacturing process of the IC card 30-1, the EPD 31 is uniformly pressed. Pressure is applied and damage to the EPD 31 is prevented.
Further, since the height H1 of the battery 33 and the height H2 of the EPD 31 are formed to be substantially the same, when the top sheet 50a is pressed toward the surface of the substrate 51, a uniform pressure is applied to the surfaces of the battery 33 and the EPD 31. Is added to the battery 33 and the EPD 31. Thereby, the pressing force applied to the display panel is reduced, and damage to the EPD 31 is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 4, the element 40 a of the antenna 40 is provided so as to be wound several times along the edge of the surface 51 a of the substrate 51 in a state of surrounding the battery 33 and the EPD 31.
In the present embodiment, the battery 33 is provided at a position close to the center of the surface 51 a of the substrate 51, and the surface of the substrate 51 that is the farthest from the battery 33 so that the element 40 a of the antenna 40 surrounds the battery 33. It is provided by being wound along the edge of 51a. For this reason, the length of the antenna 40 is ensured on the substrate 51, and the distance between the battery 33 and the element 40a of the antenna 40 is sufficiently maintained. As a result, all parts of the battery 33 are separated from the element 40a of the antenna 40, the battery 33 is prevented from adversely affecting the magnetic flux of the antenna 40, and the reception sensitivity of the antenna 40 is prevented from deteriorating. Yes. Therefore, by increasing the size of the substrate 51, the battery 33 and the antenna 40 can be arranged apart from each other while maintaining the size of the substrate 51 without arranging the battery 33 and the antenna 40 apart. The deterioration of the reception sensitivity of the antenna 40 can be prevented while maintaining the size of the IC card 30-1.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the element 40a of the antenna 40 is provided in a state of surrounding the battery 33 on the substrate 51, specifically, the battery 33 is placed at the center of the surface 51a of the substrate 51. The antenna 40 is provided in a state along the edge of the substrate 51. For this reason, the battery 33 and the antenna 40 can be separated from each other on the substrate 51 while ensuring the length of the antenna 40. Therefore, by increasing the size of the substrate 51, the battery 33 and the antenna 40 can be arranged apart from each other without arranging the battery 33 and the antenna 40 apart from each other. Thus, it is possible to prevent the reception sensitivity of the antenna 40 from deteriorating.

In the present embodiment, since the height H1 of the battery 33 and the height H2 of the EPD 31 are formed substantially the same, the topsheet 50a is moved to the top surface 51a of the substrate 51 in the manufacturing process of the IC card 30-1. When the pressure is pressed, the pressure is uniformly applied to the EPD 31 and the battery 33, and the pressure is distributed to the battery 33 and the EPD 31. Thereby, the pressing force applied to the EPD 31 is reduced, and damage to the EPD 31 is prevented.
In the present embodiment, an EPD (electrophoresis panel) is applied as the display panel of the IC card 30-1. Since this electrophoretic display panel does not require power when maintaining display contents, power saving can be realized. Therefore, the battery 33 can be reduced in size and thickness, the size of the IC card 30-1 can be maintained, and the cost can be reduced.

The above-described embodiment is merely an aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied within the scope of the present invention.
For example, although the IC card 30-1 according to the present embodiment is manufactured by laminating, the IC card 30-1 may be manufactured by housing the substrate 51 in a case-like member.
In addition, the arrangement positions of the EPD 31 and the battery 33 on the substrate 51 are not limited to the aspects exemplified in this embodiment. That is, as long as the battery 33 is surrounded by the antenna 40 and the battery 33 and the antenna 40 are separated from each other, the battery 33 and the antenna 40 can be appropriately arranged according to the specifications and use of the IC card 30-1.
The substrate 51 may be molded with resin.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the system containing the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structural example of IC card shown in FIG. It is a front view of an IC card. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of an IC card. It is VV sectional drawing in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure inside an IC card provided with a capacitor.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Personal computer (external device), 30 ... IC card, 31 ... EPD (display panel), 33 ... Battery, 33a ... Capacitor, 40 ... Antenna, 40a ... Element, 50a ... Top sheet, 50b ... Back sheet, 51 ... Substrate, 52 ... IC chip (electronic circuit)

Claims (4)

In an IC card that is provided with a loop antenna and electronic circuit for communication on a substrate and wirelessly communicates with an external device,
On the substrate, a display panel, and a battery or a storage capacitor for storing electric power to be supplied to the display panel,
An IC card, wherein an element of the loop antenna is arranged on the substrate so as to surround the battery or the storage capacitor. Each of the display panel and the battery or the storage capacitor is configured in a plate shape having substantially the same height, and is arranged side by side on the same surface of the substrate, and a sheet material is crimped to the surface of the substrate. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein the IC card is sealed. 3. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery or the storage capacitor is disposed at a substantially center of the substrate, and the loop antenna is provided in the vicinity of the edge of the substrate along the edge. IC card of description. The IC card according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display panel is an electrophoretic display panel.

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