JP7108902B2 - IC card and IC card case - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an IC card and an IC card case capable of wireless communication using different communication methods.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, RFID systems that read information recorded on an RFID tag or write information to the RFID tag by wirelessly communicating with the RFID tag using a reader/writer have become widespread. Communication methods between the RFID system and the reader/writer include an electromagnetic induction method that performs wireless communication using electromagnetic induction and a radio wave method that performs wireless communication using radio waves. Such RFID tags are used, for example, in authentication systems and article management systems.

When using different communication methods in the RFID system, for example, when using both an authentication system using an electromagnetic induction type RFID tag and an authentication system using a radio wave type RFID tag, from the viewpoint of user convenience Therefore, it is desirable to integrate an electromagnetic induction type RFID tag and a radio wave type RFID tag into one.

A conventional technique that enables this is proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-200310. In the prior art of Patent Document 1, a coil antenna (spiral conductive object) and a monopole antenna (conductive object) are arranged on the same plane, and in electromagnetic induction communication, the coil antenna is used, In radio wave communication, a wireless communication device (RFID tag) configured to use a coil antenna and a monopole antenna is disclosed. According to this prior art, by sharing the coil antenna for each communication method of the electromagnetic induction method and the radio wave method, the mounting area of the antenna for each communication method on a plane with a limited size such as an IC card is reduced to It is said that a larger antenna can be secured than when each antenna is arranged side by side.

Patent No. 5051213

However, in the prior art of Patent Document 1, since the antennas for each communication system are arranged on the same plane, it is still difficult to ensure a large mounting area for each antenna on a plane of a limited size. There was a problem that it was not possible to If a large mounting area for each antenna cannot be secured, each antenna cannot obtain sufficient antenna characteristics.

The present invention has been devised in view of such problems of the prior art, and uses a plurality of RFID tags capable of wireless communication in different communication methods to perform each communication method on a plane of a limited size. A main object of the present invention is to provide an IC card and an IC card case that can secure a large mounting area for an antenna for use with a mobile phone.

An IC card of the present invention transmits and receives signals by radio waves to and from a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by electromagnetic induction and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna. a second substrate having a second antenna, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna; and a magnetic sheet made of a magnetic material. and wherein the magnetic sheet is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and at least part of the ground plane faces the first substrate. The second substrate is formed so as to protrude outward from the outer peripheral edge of the main body portion so as not to overlap the first substrate and the body portion overlapping the first substrate. and a protruding portion, wherein the second antenna and the second IC chip are arranged on the protruding portion .

According to the present invention, by using a plurality of RFID tags capable of wireless communication in different communication methods, it is possible to secure a large mounting area for antennas for each communication method on a plane of a limited size.

1 is a perspective view showing an IC card according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the IC card shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing each component of the IC card according to the first embodiment of the present invention; A plan view showing each component of an IC card according to a second embodiment of the present invention. A plan view showing each component of an IC card according to a third embodiment of the present invention. A plan view showing each component of an IC card according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. A plan view showing an IC card case according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state before an existing IC card is accommodated in the accommodating portion of the case member; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state after the existing IC card is accommodated in the accommodating portion of the case member;

A first invention made to solve the above problems is a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by an electromagnetic induction method, and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna; a second substrate having a second antenna for transmitting and receiving signals in a radio wave system, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna; and a magnetic body and a magnetic sheet formed of a material, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate have the magnetic sheet interposed between the substrates, and at least a portion of the ground plane is located on the second substrate. The second substrate includes a main body portion overlapping the first substrate and a main body portion not overlapping the first substrate. and a protruding portion protruding outward from an outer peripheral edge, wherein the second antenna and the second IC chip are arranged on the protruding portion .

According to this, the first antenna for transmitting/receiving signals by electromagnetic induction and the second antenna for transmitting/receiving signals by radio waves can be arranged on different planes. As a result, compared to the case where the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged on the same plane, it is possible to secure a large mounting area for each antenna on a plane of a limited size. Further, since the magnetic sheet is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the communication of the first antenna or the second antenna is not hindered. Further, according to this, the second antenna can be exposed on the first substrate side (that is, the front side of the IC card), so that the antenna characteristics of the second antenna can be improved.

In a second invention based on the first invention, the magnetic sheet includes an opening in its central portion, and the opening is provided for the first antenna and the first antenna of the first substrate. is formed so as not to overlap the position of the IC chip.

According to this, since the magnetic sheet can be formed from a smaller amount of magnetic material, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the IC card. Also, the portion of the ground plane that overlaps the opening, that is, the portion that does not come into contact with the magnetic sheet can function as part of the second antenna. This makes it possible to improve the antenna characteristics of the second antenna.

In a third aspect of the invention, a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by electromagnetic induction, and a first substrate having a first IC chip connected to the first antenna, transmit and receive signals by radio waves. a second substrate having a second antenna connected to the second antenna, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna; and a magnetic body made of a magnetic material and a sheet, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged such that the magnetic sheet is interposed between the substrates, and at least part of the ground plane faces the first substrate. The outer shape of the second substrate has substantially the same shape as the outer shape of the first substrate, and at least a portion of the magnetic sheet overlapping the second antenna is notched. The IC card is characterized by:

According to this, the second substrate can be formed in a rectangular shape. As a result, the IC card of the present invention can be used in the same manner as an existing IC card, thereby improving the user's convenience during storage and use, for example. Moreover, since the magnetic sheet can be prevented from overlapping the position of the second antenna, it is possible to improve the antenna characteristics of the second antenna.

In a fourth aspect based on the third aspect, the first antenna and the first IC chip on the first substrate are overlapped with the notched portion of the magnetic sheet. It is characterized in that it is arranged so as not to

According to this, mutual interference between the first antenna and the second antenna can be prevented. This makes it possible to further improve the antenna characteristics of the first antenna and the second antenna.

A fifth invention provides a first IC card comprising a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by an electromagnetic induction system, and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna. A second antenna having a housing that can be freely put in and taken out, a second antenna that transmits and receives signals in a radio wave system, a second IC chip that is connected to the antenna, and a ground plane that is connected to the second antenna. and a case member provided integrally with a second IC card in which a magnetic sheet made of a magnetic material is laminated, and the first IC card is placed in the accommodating portion The IC card case is characterized in that the magnetic sheet is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate when accommodated.

According to this, by housing an existing electromagnetic induction type IC card in a case member provided integrally with the second substrate and the magnetic sheet, wireless communication by a different communication method is made possible and limited. It is possible to secure a large mounting area for the antenna for each communication system on a plane of the specified size.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an IC card according to a first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the IC card shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the IC card 1 includes a first substrate 2, a second substrate 3, and a magnetic sheet 4. FIG. The IC card 1 shown in FIG. 1 is configured by laminating the first substrate 2 and the second substrate 3 with the magnetic sheet 4 interposed therebetween. As an example, the first substrate 2 is the front side of the IC card 1 and the second substrate 3 is the back side of the IC card 1 .

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing each component of the IC card 1, where (a) shows the first substrate 2, (b) shows the magnetic sheet 4, and (c) shows the second substrate 3, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the first substrate 2 has a rectangular (card-like) outer shape. To the first substrate 2, a first antenna 21, which is an antenna coil arranged in a loop along the outer periphery of the first substrate 2, and both ends of the first antenna 21 are connected. A first IC chip 22 is mounted. Also, although not shown, the exposed surface of the first substrate 2 is coated with a surface protection material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PP (polypropylene), vinyl chloride (PVC), etc., and the first antenna 21 and the magnetic field are coated. The body sheets 4 do not touch.

The first antenna 21 transmits and receives signals to and from an electromagnetic induction reader/writer (not shown) by electromagnetic induction. The electromagnetic induction system is a communication system in which an antenna coil of an RFID tag and an antenna coil of a reader/writer are magnetically coupled to transmit and receive signals. Signal transmission/reception between the first antenna 21 and the electromagnetic induction reader/writer is performed using a frequency in the HF band (eg, 13.56 MHz). A signal received by the first antenna 21 from the electromagnetic induction reader/writer is output to the first IC chip 22 .

The first IC chip 22 stores various information such as personal authentication information and article management information, and is equipped with a predetermined arithmetic processing function. The first IC chip 22 executes arithmetic processing based on instructions included in the signal input from the first antenna 21 and outputs the processing result to the first antenna 21 . The first antenna 21 then transmits a signal including the processing result input from the first IC chip 22 to the electromagnetic induction reader/writer.

As shown in FIG. 3(c), the second substrate 3 includes a main body portion 3a having substantially the same rectangular outer shape as the first substrate 2, and a projecting portion projecting outward from the outer peripheral edge of the main body portion 3a. 3b. The outer shape of the protruding portion 3b is formed to be smaller than the outer shape of the main body portion 3a. The protruding portion 3b has a rectangular outer shape and is formed on the upper right side of the main body portion 3a so as to be continuous with the main body portion 3a. The position of the projecting portion 3b is not limited to the upper right side of the main body portion 3a, and may be other various positions as long as it is continuous with the main body portion 3a. Also, the shape and size of the projecting portion 3b can be changed arbitrarily.

A ground plane 31 whose entire surface is made of metal is formed on the main body portion 3a. is implemented. Here, the ground plane 31 and the second IC chip 33 are connected by a meandering line. One end of the second antenna 32 is connected to the ground plane 31 .

The shape of the second antenna 32 is not limited to the meander shape, and may be various shapes such as a linear shape (for example, an inverted L shape), a folded shape, and a loop shape. Also, the size of the second antenna 32 can be arbitrarily changed. Further, the shape of the line connecting the ground plane 31 and the second IC chip 33 is not limited to the meander shape, and may be various shapes.

The second antenna 32 transmits and receives signals to and from a radio wave reader/writer (not shown) by radio waves. The radio wave system is a communication system in which signals are transmitted and received by exchanging radio waves between the antenna of the RFID tag and the antenna of the reader/writer. Signal transmission/reception between the second antenna 32 and the radio wave reader/writer is performed using a UHF band frequency (eg, 920 MHz). A signal received by the second antenna 32 from the radio wave reader/writer is output to the second IC chip 33 .

As with the first IC chip 22, the second IC chip 33 stores various information such as personal authentication information and article management information, and is equipped with a predetermined arithmetic processing function. . This second IC chip 33 executes arithmetic processing based on instructions included in the signal input from the second antenna 32 and outputs the processing result to the second antenna 32 . Then, the second antenna 32 transmits a signal including the processing result input from the second IC chip 33 to the radio wave reader/writer.

The magnetic sheet 4 shown in FIG. 3B has substantially the same rectangular outer shape as the first substrate 2 . The magnetic sheet 4 is made of a magnetic material, and plays a role in suppressing the influence of the ground plane 31 of the adjacent second substrate 3 on the first antenna 21 of the first substrate 2 . As a result, when the first antenna 21 performs wireless communication with an electromagnetic induction type reader/writer on the front side of the IC card 1 (not shown), eddy currents flow in the ground plane 31 and generation of reaction magnetic flux is suppressed. be able to. Then, an oscillating magnetic field from the card reader side is absorbed by the magnetic sheet 4, passes through the magnetic sheet 4, is reflected by the ground plane 31, forms a magnetic path returning to the reader/writer, and connects the reader/writer side and the first magnetic field. The antenna 21 is electromagnetically coupled to enable communication with the reader/writer. Further, even if the electromagnetic induction type reader/writer is on the back side of the IC card 1, the magnetic field that goes around the back side of the IC card 1 enables communication with the reader/writer. Further, when the second antenna 32 performs wireless communication with the radio wave reader/writer, the second antenna 32 is connected to the ground plane 31 having a large area via the second IC chip 33, so the antenna performance is improved. can be ensured.

The IC card 1 configured as described above has the first antenna 21 arranged on the first substrate 2 and the second antenna 32 arranged on the second substrate 3, whereby the first antenna 21 and the second antenna 32 are arranged. 2 antennas 32 can be arranged in different planes. As a result, compared to the case where the first antenna 21 and the second antenna 32 are arranged on the same plane, it is possible to ensure a large mounting area for each of the antennas 21 and 32 on a plane of limited size. .

Further, by arranging the second antenna 32 on the protruding portion 3b of the second substrate 3, contact with the magnetic sheet 4 can be avoided, so that the antenna characteristics of the second antenna 32 (for example, gain and radiation efficiency) can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the first IC chip 22 and the second IC chip 33 are of a passive type that uses the signal received from the reader/writer as a power supply, but the first IC chip 22 and the second IC chip 33 may be of an active type powered by an internal battery (not shown).

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described. In addition, in the second embodiment, matters that are not particularly mentioned below are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the magnetic sheet 4 is formed with openings 41 .

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing each component of the IC card 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is the first substrate 2, (b) is the magnetic sheet 4, and (c) is A second substrate 3 is shown, respectively. The first substrate 2 shown in FIG. 4(a) and the second substrate 3 shown in FIG. 4(c) are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, so description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4B , the magnetic sheet 4 includes an opening 41 provided in its central portion and an outer peripheral portion 42 surrounding the opening 41 . The opening 41 is formed in a rectangular shape and is formed so as not to overlap the first antenna 21 of the first substrate 2 . The outer peripheral portion 42 is formed so as to overlap the position of the first antenna 21 of the first substrate 2 .

By providing the opening 41 in the central portion of the magnetic sheet 4 in this way, the magnetic sheet 4 can be formed from a smaller amount of magnetic material, so that the manufacturing cost of the IC card 1 can be reduced. It becomes possible. In addition, since a portion of the ground plane 31 that overlaps with the opening 41 , that is, a portion that does not contact the magnetic sheet 4 is formed, that portion can efficiently function as the ground plane of the second antenna 32 . This makes it possible to improve the antenna characteristics of the second antenna 32 .

(Third Embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described. In this third embodiment, matters not particularly mentioned below are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment. This third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the second substrate 3 does not have the projecting portion 3b and that the magnetic sheet 4 is formed with the notch portion 43 .

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing each component of an IC card 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is the first substrate 2, (b) is the magnetic sheet 4, and (c) is A second substrate 3 is shown, respectively. The first substrate 2 shown in FIG. 4A is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, so the explanation is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5C, the second substrate 3 is formed in substantially the same rectangular shape as the first substrate 2 . A mounting area 34 for mounting a second antenna 32 and a second IC chip 33 is provided in the upper right portion of the second substrate 3 . The mounting area 34 is formed in a rectangular shape substantially the same as the projecting portion 3b shown in FIG. 3(c). The ground plane 31 is formed in a portion other than the mounting area 34 on the second substrate 3 .

Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, the portion of the magnetic sheet 4 that overlaps the mounting region 34 is cut out. That is, a notch 43 having substantially the same rectangular shape as the mounting area 34 is formed in the upper right portion of the magnetic sheet 4 .

By forming the second substrate 3 in substantially the same rectangular shape as the first substrate 2 in this manner, the IC card 1 can be used in the same manner as existing IC cards, so that it can be stored for example. and the convenience of the user at the time of use is improved. Further, by forming the notch 43 in the magnetic sheet 4, the position of the magnetic sheet 4 and the second antenna 32 can be prevented from overlapping, so that the antenna characteristics of the second antenna 32 can be improved. be able to.

In the example of FIG. 5, the position of the mounting area 34 of the second substrate 3 is the upper right portion of the second substrate 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be other various positions. you can However, considering the antenna characteristics of the second antenna 32 , it is desirable to provide the mounting area 34 at the corner of the second substrate 3 . Also, the shape and size of the mounting area 34 can be changed arbitrarily.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described. In the fourth embodiment, matters not particularly mentioned below are the same as those in the above-described third embodiment. The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that the first antenna 21 of the first substrate 2 is arranged so as not to overlap the notch 43 of the magnetic sheet 4 .

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing each component of an IC card 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is the first substrate 2, (b) is the magnetic sheet 4, and (c) is A second substrate 3 is shown, respectively. The magnetic sheet 4 in FIG. 5(b) and the second substrate 3 in FIG. 5(c) are the same as those in the above-described third embodiment, so description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6( a ), the first antenna 21 and the first IC chip 22 of the first substrate 2 are placed on the first substrate so as not to overlap the notch 43 of the magnetic sheet 4 . 2 are arranged so as to avoid the upper right part of 2. That is, the right side of the upper side 21a of the first antenna 21 is bent downward along the left side 43a of the notch 43 of the magnetic sheet 4, and then bent rightward along the lower side 43b of the notch 43. . Since the first IC chip 22 is arranged on the left side of the first substrate 2 , it does not overlap the notch 43 of the magnetic sheet 4 .

By arranging the first antenna 21 of the first substrate 2 so as not to overlap the mounting area 34 of the second substrate 3 in this way, the first antenna 21 and the second antenna 32 Mutual interference can be suppressed. This makes it possible to further improve the antenna characteristics of the first antenna 21 and the second antenna 32 .

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, in the fifth embodiment, matters that are not particularly mentioned below are the same as those in the above-described first, second, or third embodiment. This fifth embodiment differs from these embodiments in that it further includes a case member 5 .

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an IC card case 7 according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 7, an IC card case 7 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention includes a case member 5, an accommodating portion 51 capable of accommodating an existing electromagnetic induction type IC card 6 in a detachable manner, and a second and a magnetic sheet 4. It is assumed that the existing IC card 6 accommodated in the accommodation portion 51 has the same configuration as the first substrate 2 of the first embodiment. The second substrate 3 and the magnetic sheet 4 are integrated with the case member 5 in a laminated state.

The case member 5 is formed in the same shape as a general ID card holder, and has a strap 52 for hanging around the user's neck. Further, the case member 5 has an accommodating portion 51 capable of accommodating the IC card 6 in a detachable manner. 8 is a perspective view showing a state before an existing IC card 6 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 51 of the case member 5, and FIG. 9 is a state after the existing IC card 6 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 51. FIG. It is a perspective view showing.

The accommodating portion 51 is configured so that the IC card 6 can be positioned such that the IC card 6 is stacked on the magnetic sheet 4 when the IC card 6 is accommodated. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, by accommodating the IC card 6 in the accommodating portion 51, the IC card 6 can be stacked on the magnetic sheet 4. As shown in FIG. That is, it is possible to configure a three-layer structure (see FIG. 2) similar to that of the first embodiment, in which the IC card 6, the magnetic sheet 4, and the second substrate 3 are laminated in that order.

7, 8, and 9 show the state in which the second substrate 3 of the first embodiment and the magnetic sheet 4 are laminated, the second substrate of the second embodiment 3 and the magnetic sheet 4, or the second substrate 3 of the third embodiment and the magnetic sheet 4 may be laminated.

As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the electromagnetic induction type IC card 6 can be used to realize a configuration similar to that of the first, second, and third embodiments. . That is, by housing an existing electromagnetic induction type IC card 6 in an IC card case 7, a plurality of RFID tags capable of wireless communication by different communication methods are stacked, and a plurality of RFID tags can be stacked on a plane of a limited size. It becomes possible to secure a large mounting area for the antenna for each communication method.

Although the present invention has been described above based on specific embodiments, these embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Moreover, all of the constituent elements of the IC card and the IC card case according to the present invention shown in the above embodiments are not necessarily essential, and can be appropriately selected as long as they do not depart from the scope of the present invention. .

An IC card and an IC card case according to the present invention use a plurality of RFID tags capable of wireless communication in different communication methods to ensure a large mounting area for antennas for each communication method on a plane of a limited size. It is useful as an IC card, an IC card case, etc.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 IC card 2 first substrate 3 second substrate 4 magnetic sheet 5 case member 6 existing electromagnetic induction type IC card 7 IC card case 21 first antenna 22 first IC chip 3a body portion 3b projecting portion 31 Ground Plane 32 Second Antenna 33 Second IC Chip 34 Mounting Area 41 Opening 42 Periphery 43 Notch 51 Accommodating Part 52 Strap

Claims (5)

a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by electromagnetic induction, and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna;
a second substrate having a second antenna for transmitting and receiving signals in a radio wave system, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna;
a magnetic sheet formed from a magnetic material,
The first substrate and the second substrate are laminated such that the magnetic sheet is interposed between the substrates and at least part of the ground plane faces the first substrate. cage,
The second substrate has a main body portion overlapping the first substrate, and a protruding portion formed so as to protrude outward from an outer peripheral edge of the main body portion so as not to overlap the first substrate. including
The second antenna and the second IC chip are arranged on the projecting portion. An IC card characterized by: The magnetic sheet includes an opening in its central portion,
2. The IC card according to claim 1 , wherein said opening is formed so as not to overlap said first antenna and said first IC chip of said first substrate. a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by electromagnetic induction, and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna;
a second substrate having a second antenna for transmitting and receiving signals in a radio wave system, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna;
a magnetic sheet formed from a magnetic material,
The first substrate and the second substrate are laminated such that the magnetic sheet is interposed between the substrates and at least part of the ground plane faces the first substrate. ,
the outer shape of the second substrate has substantially the same shape as the outer shape of the first substrate;
A portion of the magnetic sheet that overlaps at least the second antenna is cut out.Ru IC card. 4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first antenna and the first IC chip of the first substrate are arranged so as not to overlap the cutout portion of the magnetic sheet. The listed IC card. A housing part capable of detachably housing a first IC card consisting of a first substrate having a first antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by an electromagnetic induction system and a first IC chip connected to the first antenna. When,
A second substrate having a second antenna for transmitting and receiving signals in a radio wave system, a second IC chip connected to the second antenna, and a ground plane connected to the second antenna, and a magnetic material and a case member provided integrally with a second IC card laminated with a magnetic sheet formed from
An IC card case, wherein the magnetic sheet is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate when the first IC card is accommodated in the accommodation portion.

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