JPS60176187A - Semiconductor card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a direct impression of static electricity, etc. to a conductive part by utilizing a solar battery as a power source of a semiconductor card, by executing data transmission/reception between the card and an external device by means of photo-connection and by eliminating an exposed terminal to the surface. CONSTITUTION:A semiconductor card 11 main body is constituted of a opaque resin 14, and on its surface a transparent film 15 with a small transmission loss of light is bonded. A semiconductor light emitting element 16 and a semiconductor photodetector element 17 are provided as a data I/O part 13. A solar battery 12 as a power source of a semiconductor card, a semiconductor memory and a control circuit and the like are separately burried in the card interior, and they are electrically connected respectively. The built-in semiconductor devices are driven by electric power of the solar battery 12. When the semiconductor card is connected to a card write (read) device, energy is given to the solar battery 12 from the write (read) device. A light emitting element of the write (read) device and a photodetector of said device are arranged at opposite positions of a photodetector of the card and of a light emitting element of the card, respectively, and data are transmitted and received.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a semiconductor card, and more particularly to an improvement in the terminal portion of the card.

(Conventional Structure and its Problems) In recent years, a new type of so-called semiconductor card, in which a semiconductor device is built into the card, is being used instead of a so-called magnetic card in which a magnetic stripe is arranged on the card.

A conventional semiconductor card is constructed as shown in FIG. 1, where 1 is a card body and 2 is a terminal portion. The semiconductor device is stored inside the card on the back side of the terminal section 2. In this way, the terminals (plurality) for writing data to or reading data from the semiconductor memory inside the card are exposed as conductors on the surface of the card. Semiconductor cards are often carried by individuals for their intended use. Therefore, when handling the card, there is a high risk of static electricity being applied to the terminals, such as when the terminals 2 of this card come into contact with clothes or other objects, and as a result, there is a drawback that the internal semiconductor device @ may be destroyed. was.

(Objects and Structure of the Invention) The present invention eliminates the disadvantage that semiconductor cards may be destroyed by static electricity, etc., and eliminates power terminals exposed on the surface by using solar cells as a power source. Further, in order to transmit and receive data between the card and external equipment by optical coupling, a semiconductor light receiving element and a light emitting element are arranged in place of the conventional terminal section. This can prevent static electricity and the like from being directly applied to the conductive parts of the semiconductor card. Hereinafter, the actual construction will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Description of an Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which 11 is a semiconductor card, 12 is a solar cell, and 13 is a data input/output section consisting of a semiconductor light emitting element and a light receiving element.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the data input/output section of FIG. 2. The main body of the semiconductor card 11 is made of an opaque resin 14, and a transparent film 15 with low light transmission loss is adhered to the surface thereof.

16 is a semiconductor light emitting device, and 17 is a semiconductor light receiving device.

These semiconductor light emitting device 16 and light receiving device 17 constitute a data input/output section 13. The main semiconductor memory, control circuit, etc. of the semiconductor card are embedded separately in this card, and the semiconductor light receiving element 1 of the data input/output section 13 is embedded separately in the main card.
7 and the semiconductor light emitting device 16 .

These built-in semiconductor devices are driven by the power of the solar cell 12, and when this semiconductor card is connected to a card writer or reader, energy is given to the solar cell by the writer (reader). , power is supplied to the internal semiconductor device. On the other hand, the light-emitting elements of these writers (readers) are arranged in positions opposite to the light-receiving elements of this card, and the light-receiving elements of these writers (readers) are arranged opposite to the light-emitting elements of this card. The necessary data is exchanged via light. Therefore, there is no physical contact between the writer (reader) and the card for electrical connection.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, since the conductive terminal is not exposed to the outside, static electricity is not directly applied, and therefore, it is safe against electrostatic damage.

In the above embodiment, a transparent film was bonded to the opaque resin of the card body, but only the semiconductor light receiving element, semiconductor light emitting element, and solar cell may be made transparent. In addition to the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, and solar cell, the semiconductor device buried in the card body may include a linear amplifier circuit, etc. in addition to the semiconductor memory and the arithmetic element, and there are no restrictions on the type thereof.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional semiconductor card, FIG. 2 is a front view of a semiconductor card according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the data output section of the semiconductor card. . 11...Semiconductor card, 12...Solar cell, 13.
...Data input/output section, 16...Semiconductor light emitting device, 17
...Semiconductor photodetector. ＼Knee“r Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A semiconductor card with a semiconductor device embedded inside a thin card,
A semiconductor card comprising a solar cell, a semiconductor light emitting element and a semiconductor light receiving element for transmitting and receiving signals.