WO2003102713A2

WO2003102713A2 - Decorative contactless communication unit for a portable intelligent object with a transparent body

Info

Publication number: WO2003102713A2
Application number: PCT/FR2003/001543
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Paul Caruana
Original assignee: Gemplus
Priority date: 2002-05-29
Filing date: 2003-05-22
Publication date: 2003-12-11
Also published as: WO2003102713A3; AU2003260561A1; FR2840430B1; FR2840430A1; AU2003260561A8

Abstract

An electromagnetic communication unit (2) is integrated in a visibly transparent or translucent part of the body (1) of a contactless intelligent portable object such as a chipcard or an electronic label. In order to render the presence of said unit (2) visually attractive the above is given a decorative form taking into account an improvement in the electromagnetic communication properties thereof.

Description

DECORATIVE CONTACTLESS COMMUNICATION ASSEMBLY FOR INTELLIGENT PORTABLE OBJECT WITH TRANSPARENT BODY

The invention relates to the field of intelligent portable objects capable of communicating without contact, the body of which has at least one transparent and / or translucent part in the visible spectrum.

The invention is described in an example of application to intelligent portable objects in the form of smart cards. However, it also applies to other objects, such as electronic labels, electronic tickets and smart keys. The invention also applies to objects having a so-called mixed communication interface

"Combi" or "Twin", that is to say with galvanic contact as well as without contact.

For years, it has been common to produce smart cards with and / or contactless, whose body is transparent, to serve as a demonstration sample.

More recently, documents WO 01/25872, WO

02/05204 and WO 01/18745 discuss specific characteristics of smart cards with transparent bodies.

None of these requests mentions a contactless antenna, however.

In the field of the usual structures for forming a smart card antenna, the document DE-4410732 summarizes the use of a plastic substrate called "inlay", to be integrated into the card body.

On one face of the card body is deposited a conductive circuit which forms the antenna. In FIG. 1, the antenna circuit has a zigzag shape to improve the resistance of the substrate during the bending of the card body. The document FR-2662013 describes a technique for precise adjustment of the length of an adjustable resistor, by selective removal by laser of connections between resistive elements mounted in series. This technique is used in embodiments of the invention, to obtain the desired capacity and / or length properties for antenna lines. This technique is called "trimming" and cutting is often done with a laser.

The document FR-2771141 proposes to increase the distance between a reader and a transponder without increasing the transmission power of the reader, to reduce the antenna surface necessary for operation, and to solve design problems of these transponders, in integrating an additional oscillating circuit to the main oscillating circuit in the transponder.

It will also be noted that the manufacture of an intelligent portable object according to the invention uses techniques such as hot or cold rolling or even injection molding with regard to the card body and integration with it. body of electrically active components. These techniques are common. The same is true for graphic personalization techniques by printing on plastic material such as screen printing, inkjet or similar techniques. One of the problems with contactless portable objects with transparent bodies is the unattractive visual appearance of its contactless communication interface visible through the body. In addition, it is good to improve the contactless communication of such a transparent portable object.

Thus, it is often desirable to regulate the field capable of being received by the contactless communication interface and the corresponding reader.

For example, in certain regions of the world such as Asia, several standards of contactless communication coexist. Each standard is linked to a given reader antenna diameter. Consequently, the field capable of being picked up by the interface in portable objects must be accorded with the standard proper to its use. This makes it necessary to provide several communication interface structures, and prevents mass savings by limiting the number of units produced according to the same type of given object. Being able to adapt the same object to most standards by a simple and inexpensive regulation operation would be very beneficial.

In the same vein, we know that in a circuit comprising a contactless communication interface, the introduction of the chip which makes the portable object intelligent modifies the electromagnetic properties of this circuit. In particular, it is desirable, by a simple and inexpensive operation, to be able to match, as a function of this or that chip to be integrated, the capacity of the contactless interface circuit. Also, it is desirable to guarantee the chip against voltage peaks which can be generated when the contactless communication interface and the reader correspond to a too short distance from each other. Therefore, it is interesting to integrate into a contactless portable object an electromagnetically active structure acting as a buffer which overcomes or at least limits the harmful effects of such voltage peaks.

The invention seeks to solve these problems, in particular.

To this end, the invention firstly relates to an electromagnetic communication assembly for an intelligent portable object capable of communicating without contact, such as a smart card or electronic label, this object having a body which has at least one transparent part and / or translucent in the visible spectrum opposite the communication assembly, this assembly being integral with a thin electrically insulating substrate and intended to be included in the body.

According to the invention, the assembly forms a visible decorative pattern after integration of the assembly into the body of the object.

In one embodiment, the visible decorative pattern forms at least part of a sensor-transmitter without additional contact cooperating by electromagnetic coupling with a sensor-transmitter without main contact of the object. In one example, the main contactless sensor-transmitter comprises a deposit of conductive material on at least one substrate. In one example, the sensor-transmitter without additional contact comprises a print of conductive material on at least one substrate.

An example provides that the assembly is at least partially secured, by printing and / or deposition, to a substrate intended to form an external layer which defines one of the main external faces of the body. of the object. The assembly is at least partially secured to a substrate intended to form an internal layer on the body of the object, in one embodiment. The internal substrate is called "inlay". In another embodiment, the assembly has no through or "via" circuit between two faces of its substrate while being extended on both sides of this substrate. This assembly comprises on one of the faces at least two capacitive zones respectively opposite two other capacitive zones on the other opposite face of the substrate. On at least one face of the substrate, at least one non-contact capture-emission line is coupled to one of the capacitive zones of this same face, from the point of view of electrical conduction.

The invention then relates to an intelligent portable object without electrical contact, such as a smart card or electronic label, having a body which has at least one transparent and / or translucent part in the visible spectrum opposite an electromagnetic communication assembly. The assembly is integral with an electrically insulating substrate included in the body. The whole forms a visible decorative pattern after integration into the body of the object.

In particular, an external face of the body of the object, locally or partially transparent and / or translucent in the visible spectrum, comprises at least one graphic personalization pattern, such as a decorative print and / or magnetic stripe. This pattern is arranged within the body to visually combine with the electromagnetic communication assembly. For example, this mask pattern and / or at least partially underlines the electromagnetic communication assembly.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments illustrated by the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of transverse elevation of a first embodiment an intelligent portable object according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of transverse elevation of a second embodiment of an intelligent portable object according to the invention;

- Figure 3 is a top plan view of a substrate supporting an electromagnetic communication assembly according to the invention; and FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a substrate for an intelligent portable object bearing on two of its faces, an electromagnetic communication assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

In the figures are represented three directions orthogonal to each other. A direction E called elevation corresponds to the heights, depths and thicknesses of the structures described: the terms up / down refer to it. Another direction L called longitudinal corresponds to the main lengths or dimensions of the structures described. Yet another so-called transverse direction T corresponds to the widths or lateral dimensions of the structures described. The directions L and T jointly define a plane, coincident with that of the sheet in FIG. 3, according to which the structures described are essentially extended. In the case of a portable object conforming to ISO 7816-1, a body of the object measures 85 mm in the direction L, 54 mm in the direction T and 0.76 mm in the direction E.

Further on, the word "face" designates an external surface of a structure, such as substrate, layer, etc., extended in the directions L and.

In FIG. 1, an intelligent portable object is a contactless smart card 7. The card 7 is provided with a body 1 at least partly translucent and / or transparent in the visible spectrum. This card 7 also includes a communication interface 8. The interface 8 has an electromagnetic communication assembly 2. The assembly 2 forms at least part of a sensor-transmitter without main contact of the card 7.

The card 7 also has a chip 9 and connections 10 from the chip to the interface 8 in particular.

In FIG. 1, a main antenna 3 is partially represented in bold broken lines, at the bottom left. An embodiment is thus illustrated in which the interface 8 has, as main sensor-transmitter, this antenna 3 which is formed on a substrate 11 in the form of an electrically insulating intermediate sheet called "inlay". The interface 8 also has a so-called additional assembly 2. This set 2 does not function as a main sensor-transmitter since it is the role of the antenna 3. The sets 2 and antenna 3 are then tuned for a contactless communication of the card 7. Indeed, the assembly 2 then acts as a device for adjusting the antenna 3 with which this assembly cooperates from the electromagnetic point of view. In FIG. 1, the assembly 2 forms a decorative motif 12 which defines at least one logo visible through the transparent or translucent material of the body 1. This motif 12 here represents the letter G according to a particular calligraphy. Depending on the case, the pattern 12 defines at least one written message, a graphic or a combination of designs and / or lettering.

In FIG. 2, an intelligent portable object is also a smart card 13 having a body 1 at least partly translucent and / or transparent in the visible spectrum. Here the communication interface 8 is mixed 4 and called "Combi", that is to say with galvanic contact and without contact. An electromagnetic communication assembly 2 of the interface 8 functions as a sensor-transmitter without main contact of the card 13.

As in FIG. 1, an embodiment with a main antenna 3 is partially represented in broken dashed line, at the bottom left, in this same FIG. 2. The mixed interface 8 then has as sensor-transmitter without main contact, the 'antenna 3 called "inlay", as well as an electromagnetic communication assembly called additional 2. As in FIG. 1, the assembly 2 forms a pattern 12 visible through the transparent or translucent material of the body 1.

The body 1 can be, in embodiments not illustrated, partly opaque and partly transparent. FIG. 3 represents a substrate 5 in the form of a sheet which forms an intermediate internal layer of the body 1 of an intelligent portable object. When this substrate 5 is disposed between a lower layer and an upper outer coating layer of the body 1, it is called "inlay". According to the invention, as here the substrate 5 is at least partly translucent and / or transparent in the visible spectrum. At least one of the faces of the substrate 5 supports an assembly 2. The assembly 2 is formed on one and / or the other of the faces of the substrate 5 by printing, for example by screen printing or jet of material (ink jet ), and / or by deposition of solid or viscous material.

As in FIGS. 1 and 2, a main antenna 3 is partially represented in bold dashed line, at the bottom left, in FIG. 3. This antenna 3 plays the role of main sensor-transmitter, in accordance with an assembly 2. In this embodiment, the thickness in the direction E of this substrate 5 or "inlay" is 0.048 mm: it is therefore a so-called thin substrate.

In examples, the assembly 2 is formed, for example by printing and / or depositing on a substrate which defines one of the main external layers of the body 2.

In one embodiment, the assembly 2 is formed on an internal face of an external layer of the body 2. For example, an impression is produced on the opposite face of this same external layer.

Depending on the case, it is an upper and / or lower outer layer of the body 2. These layers are entirely or partly transparent and / or translucent, as in the case of inlay 5. In FIG. 4, a transparent substrate 5A supports an assembly 2 extended on two of the faces of this substrate 5A. To avoid circuits in through passages called "vias", the assembly 2 comprises at least two capacitive zones 2A and 2B on one of the main faces of the substrate 5A and two other capacitive zones 2C and 2D on the other opposite main face of substrate 5A. The capacitive areas 2A and 2B are respectively opposite the capacitive areas 2C and 2D, the substrate 5A forming the dielectric between the capacitive areas forming armatures 2A and 2C, 2B and 2D of two capacitors.

The capacitive zones 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D on each face of the substrate 5A are shaped respectively at the head and the base of the capital letter G of the decorative pattern 12.

Each of the faces of the substrate 5A also supports at least one contactless capture-emission line 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D. Each line 6A to 6D is electromagnetically coupled to a respective area 2A to 2D on the same face. Here, the line / zone pairs 2A + 6A, 2B + 6B, 2C + 6C and 2D + 6D are unitary. In other words, the line 6A and the zone 2A in a pair are produced simultaneously according to the same process, for example by printing or deposit.

The lines 6A and 6B each have a range 14A and 14B for connection of the assembly 2 to the chip 9 in particular. In FIG. 4, the assembly 2 comprises lines 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D which respectively surround the capacitive zones 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. Each line 6A to 6D constitutes a main antenna or adjustment section. In this embodiment, the lines 6A to 6D are with contiguous sections and breakable bridges capable of allowing fine adjustment of a conductive length, in order to tune or adjust the antenna. The electromagnetic properties of the antenna line are thus adapted by selective cutting of sections and / or bridges, for example by laser.

Once the substrate has been integrated into its portable destination object, the pattern 12 of the assembly 2 is here visually combined with at least one so-called functional zone 16, that is to say without effect on the electrically isolated contactless communication of the pattern 12, applied to the same substrate or to a structure separate from the body 1, as shown in FIG. 1.

Still in FIG. 4, part 15 of an intelligent portable object is seen, which is here an electronic label. The substrate 5A is integrated into the body 1 of this label 15 according to the embodiments, by rolling and / or injection.

Similarly, the cards 7 and 13 each comprise at least one substrate provided with an assembly 2 printed and / or deposited, this substrate being integrated by rolling and / or injection.

In the case of FIG. 2, a cavity is formed in an upper external layer of the body 1. A module 16 provided with an ohmic terminal block 17 is inserted in this cavity of the body 1. To electrically connect the chip 9 of the module 16 to the assembly 2 and optionally to an antenna 3, areas similar to those designated in 14A and 14B are accessible at the bottom of the body cavity 1. In FIG. 1, these are the connections 10 which electrically connect the chip 9 to the interface 8 having the decorative assembly 2.

Claims

1 - Set (2) of electromagnetic communication for intelligent contactless portable object and having a body (1) which has at least one transparent and / or translucent part in the visible spectrum opposite the communication set (2), this assembly being formed on an electrically insulating substrate (5, 5A) and included in the body; characterized in that the assembly (2) forms a decorative pattern (12) visible after integration of the assembly (2) to the body (1) of one object.

2 - assembly (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) defines at least one logo and / or written message.

3 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) forms at least part of a sensor-transmitter without main contact of the object.

4 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) forms at least partially a main antenna (3).

5 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) forms at least part of a sensor-transmitter without additional contact cooperating by electromagnetic coupling with a sensor-transmitter without main object contact. 6 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) is at least partly formed by a deposit of conductive material on at least one substrate (5, 5A).

7 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the decorative pattern (12) is at least partially formed by an impression of conductive material on at least one substrate (5, 5A).

8 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it (2) is at least partially integral with at least one substrate intended to form an internal layer of the body (1).

9 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it (2) is at least partially integral with at least one substrate intended to form an external layer of the body (1).

10 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is extended on two faces of the substrate (5A), and comprises on one of the faces, at least two capacitive zones (2A, 2B) respectively opposite two other capacitive zones (2C, 2D) on the other opposite face of the substrate, at least one non-contact capture-emission line (6A, 6B, 6C, 6D) being provided between the two capacitive zones on the same side.

11 - assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one antenna line (6A, 6B, 6C, 6D) with contiguous sections and breakable bridges for an adjustment of a conductive length of the antenna line. 12 - Contactless intelligent portable object having a body (1) which has at least one transparent and / or translucent part in the visible spectrum opposite an electromagnetic communication assembly (2) according to one of claims 1 to 11 and included in the body, characterized in that the assembly (2) forms a decorative pattern (12) visible after integration of the assembly (2) into the body (1).

13 - Object according to claim 12, characterized in that the body (1) comprises on at least one transparent and / or translucent part in the visible spectrum, at least one functional area (16) without effect on the contactless communication arranged by relative to the assembly (2) to combine visually with the latter (2).

14 - Object according to claim 13, characterized in that the area (16) includes a personalization decoration which masks and / or at least partially emphasizes the assembly (2).

15 - Object according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that it forms a smart card

(7, 13) or an electronic label (15).