Transaction card

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a transaction card comprising: a metal layer having at least one discontinuity extending from a periphery of the card to at least one of at least two openings in the metal layer; and at least one discontinuity connected to the at least two openings and extending between the at least two openings; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer; a light emitting diode module disposed in the other one of the at least two openings in the metal layer; and at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metallic layer, where the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering an illumination area of the light emitting diode module, and is visible above the non-illumination area of the light emitting diode module.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of patent application No. 202180010673.3 entitled "Transaction Card with Window or Window Pattern and Optional Backlighting Metal, Ceramic or Ceramic Coating", filed on January 18, 2021, with international application number PCT / US2021 / 013796 and entered the Chinese national phase on July 22, 2022.

[0002] Cross-reference to related applications

[0003] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 751,285, filed January 24, 2020, entitled “METAL, CERAMIC, OR CERAMIC-COATEDTRANSACTION CARD WITH WINDOW OR WINDOW PATTERN AND OPTIONAL BACKLIGHTING,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0004] This invention relates to transaction cards, and more particularly to transaction cards made of metal, ceramic or ceramic coating having a window or window pattern and optional backlighting. Background Technology

[0005] Transaction cards can have any number of features to differentiate one product from another. Consumers have shown a demand for metal cards due to their durability and overall luxurious feel compared to plastic. Ceramic cards offer similar durability with a unique and desirable overall luxurious feel.

[0006] U.S. Patent Nos. 5,412,199, 5,434,405, and 5,608,203 disclose a credit card with a plastic substrate material having a transparent area forming a magnifying lens, such as a Fresnel lens, which allows the credit card to be used as a magnifying glass, for example, to read small printed details on a transaction receipt. U.S. Patent No. 6,902,116 discloses a transaction card with a transparent window, wherein the window has collimation characteristics for focusing LED light.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 7,997,503 discloses a card with a plastic substrate having a transparent window with a set of fixed elongated segments printed thereon. When superimposed on a display of a dynamic visual code combined with the set of elongated segments, the transparent window displays the visual code to a viewer looking through the window. Thus, such a card has printed information on the window, and this printed information is functional in nature because the pattern must be aligned with the elongated segments combined with the visual code.

[0008] Cards made primarily of metal, ceramic, or ceramic-coated bodies (such as metal) are offered, allowing them to possess a certain look and feel (e.g., weight) not found in plastic cards, and the inclusion of a transparent window in such cards provides a desired differentiation from other card products. Metal and / or ceramic cards are generally more expensive to produce and can therefore be offered as luxury cards targeting cardholders with net worth exceeding a certain threshold, members of a select high-value customer group for the card issuer, and / or a willingness to pay substantial annual fees. Carriers of such luxury cards may not desire any need for a magnifying glass and therefore may not expect a magnifying or collimating transparent window. Carriers of such cards may prefer a transparent window where the central portion does not have printing that obscures the view through the card, or where the window is decorated with decorative, non-functional patterns, rather than elongated segments of functional patterns (such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 7,997,503), which tend to be aesthetically unpleasant. Embedding transparent windows within metal and / or ceramic frames may present different manufacturing and structural challenges and opportunities than those of the card types described in the aforementioned references.

[0009] Card users and manufacturers often desire designs that are visually and / or tactilely perceptible from at least one surface of the card. For example, U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 20060086802 discloses a card containing gemstones, in which gemstones are embedded in a plastic card. Card issuers and cardholders may be interested in creating designs that offer a gemstone-like appearance without the labor-intensive steps and costs of embedding numerous individual gemstones into the card. Summary of the Invention

[0010] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer; and an LED module disposed in the other of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illuminated area visible from the processed surface of the transaction card. The transponder module includes components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader. The card reader is configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves with energy. The transaction circuit is configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to respond by outputting an RF signal and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves. The LED module includes: one or more LEDs configured to emit light; and a light guide for distributing the light emitted by the one or more LEDs across the illuminated area. In some embodiments, the LED module includes components of an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the RF waves to power one or more LEDs. The lighting circuit can be configured to illuminate independently of the state of a payment transaction executed by the transaction circuit. In other embodiments, the lighting circuit and the transaction circuit include components in a unified circuit in which the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate in a manner that indicates the state of a payment transaction executed by the transaction circuit.

[0011] The metal layer may have at least one discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to at least one of at least two openings in the metal layer. The at least one discontinuity may connect to and extend between the at least two openings. The metal layer may have a first discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the transponder module and a second discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the LED module. The card may also include at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each opposite surface of the metal layer. A printed pattern may cover the illumination area of ​​the LED module. The LED module may be located in the metal layer at a position relative to a card without an LED module to improve the RF performance of the transponder module.

[0012] The lighting circuit can be configured to have variable lighting characteristics that depend on the energy collected. For example, the lighting circuit may include at least one LED with variable intensity, wherein the LED is configured to illuminate at a first relatively low intensity in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and at a second relatively high intensity in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range. A lighting circuit with at least two LEDs can be configured to illuminate one of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and to illuminate the other of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range. The first and second ranges may overlap, such that the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate both of the at least two LEDs when the collected energy is within the overlapping range. The at least two LEDs may each be configured to emit light of the same wavelength, or at least one of the at least two LEDs may be configured to emit light of a different wavelength than the other of the at least two LEDs. For example, one of the at least two LEDs may be configured to produce a wavelength in the green visible spectrum, and the other of the at least two LEDs may be configured to produce a wavelength in the red visible spectrum. In such an implementation, the lighting circuit can be configured to illuminate a red LED in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, illuminate a green LED in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range, and illuminate both the red and green LEDs when the collected energy is in response to energy collected in a third intermediate range between the first relatively low range and the second relatively high range. One or both of the red and green LEDs can be configured to illuminate with variable intensity.

[0013] Another embodiment may include a transaction card having a metal layer with a visual appearance, thickness, a front side of the metal layer, a back side of the metal layer, and one or more windows or slots extending through at least the front side. The transponder module and the insert may be respectively disposed in one or more windows or slots. The front side of the insert, visible through the windows, has a different visual appearance from the metal layer. The one or more non-functional features are visible from the front of the card in contrast to the visual appearance of the front-facing surface of the insert disposed below non-functional features. The insert is one of: (a) opaque and non-transparent; or (b) transparent or translucent, and configured to transmit backlight through the back side of the card to the non-functional features. The position of the insert within the metal layer relative to a card without an insert improves the RF performance of the transponder module. In some embodiments, the non-functional features include printed features. In some embodiments, the insert is opaque and non-transparent, but has an illuminated front-facing surface. The insert may include an illuminated LED display, such as an illuminated LED display powered by energy harvested from RF waves. In embodiments where the metal layer has at least two openings, the transponder module may be disposed in one of the at least two openings, and the insert may be disposed in the other of the at least two openings.

[0014] The transponder module may include transaction circuitry configured to inductively couple the transponder module to a card reader using RFID technology. An illuminateable LED display may be configured to illuminate as an indicator of card operability or independently of the status of a payment transaction performed by the transaction circuitry. In embodiments where the insert is translucent or transparent and the window extends from the front surface of the metal layer to the rear surface of the metal layer, decollimated light may pass through the insert to provide a contrast with one or more non-functional features visible from the front surface of the card. Non-functional features may include at least one of printed features, engraved features, etched features, or cut features. The window or slot may include a plurality of openings located on the front side of the metal layer, the plurality of openings defining one or more non-functional features disposed within a first region. At least one opening on the back side of the body may be aligned with the first region, and the insert may be disposed in at least one opening on the back side of the body, positioned such that the front-facing surface of the insert is recessed relative to the front side of the metal layer, such that the front-facing surface of the insert is visible through the plurality of openings on the front side of the metal layer. A backing layer may be laminated to the back side of the body. A portion of the insert or the opening containing the insert may be partially obscured by printed or decorative content. A first interruption extends from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the transponder module, and a second interruption extends from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the LED module.

[0015] An illuminateable LED display may include: one or more LEDs configured to emit light; and a light guide for distributing the light emitted by the one or more LEDs across an illumination area on the front-facing surface of the insert; or an OLED module. An illuminateable LED display may have variable illumination characteristics depending on the amount of energy collected, including one or more LEDs having variable intensities and / or being configured to emit the same or different wavelengths and / or being configured to illuminate in different combinations (as described in more detail herein).

[0016] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces, wherein the metal layer has: at least one discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to at least one of the at least two openings in the metal layer; and at least one discontinuity connected to and extending between the at least two openings; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, and the transaction circuit configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to output an RF signal. The system responds to and powers the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the radio frequency waves; a light-emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from the processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module comprising one or more LEDs configured to emit light, the LED module including components in the illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the radio frequency waves to power the one or more LEDs; and at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposite processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of ​​the LED module and visible above the non-illumination area of ​​the LED module.

[0017] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves with energy, the transaction circuit being configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to communicate... The system responds to an output radio frequency signal and powers the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the radio frequency wave; a light-emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from the processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module comprising one or more LEDs configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the radio frequency wave to power the one or more LEDs; at least one non-metallic layer. The at least one non-metallic layer is disposed on each of the opposite processed surfaces of the metallic layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of ​​the LED module and visible above the non-illumination area of ​​the LED module; wherein the illumination circuit has at least two LEDs and is configured to: illuminate one of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and illuminate the other of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics depending on the characteristics of the collected energy; wherein the illumination circuit has at least two LEDs and is configured to: illuminate one of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and illuminate the other of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range; and wherein the first range and the second range overlap, such that the illumination circuit is configured to: illuminate both of the at least two LEDs when the collected energy is within the overlapping range.

[0018] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves with energy, the transaction circuit being configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to transmit an output RF wave. The system responds to a radio frequency signal and powers the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the radio frequency wave; a light-emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from the processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module comprising one or more LEDs configured to emit light, the LED module including components in the illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the radio frequency wave to power the one or more LEDs; at least one non-metallic layer, the at least one non-metallic layer... A non-metallic layer is disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of ​​the LED module and visible above the non-illumination area of ​​the LED module; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics depending on the characteristics of the collected energy; wherein at least one of the at least two LEDs is configured to emit light of a different wavelength than the other of the at least two LEDs; wherein one of the at least two LEDs is configured to generate a wavelength in the green visible spectrum, and the other of the at least two LEDs is configured to generate a wavelength in the red visible spectrum; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to: illuminate the red LED in response to collected energy in a first relatively low range, and illuminate the green LED in response to collected energy in a second relatively high range; and when the first range and the second range overlap, the illumination circuit is configured to: illuminate both the red LED and the green LED when the collected energy is in a third intermediate range between the first relatively low range and the second relatively high range.

[0019] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to respond by outputting an RF signal, and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; and a light-emitting diode (LED) module disposed in the at least two openings in the metal layer. The LED module includes one or more LEDs configured to emit light, and includes components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the radio frequency waves to power the one or more LEDs; at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metallic layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of ​​the LED module and visible above the non-illumination area of ​​the LED module; and wherein the LEDs are located in the metallic layer at a position that improves the radio frequency performance of the transponder module relative to a card without the LEDs.

[0020] One aspect of the invention includes a transaction card having opposing machined surfaces and a periphery, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing machined surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves with energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader to respond by outputting an RF signal, and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; and a light-emitting diode (LED) module disposed in the metal layer. The light-emitting diode module includes one or more light-emitting diodes configured to emit light, and includes components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the radio frequency waves to power the one or more light-emitting diodes; at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposite processed surfaces of the metallic layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of ​​the light-emitting diode module and visible over the non-illumination area of ​​the light-emitting diode module; wherein the illumination circuit includes voltage boosting or voltage deboosting components, and the illumination circuit includes a charge pump. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1A The front of an exemplary transaction card with a transparent window is depicted according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1B Depicting Figure 1A The exploded cross-sectional view of the card.

[0023] Figure 1C Depicting Figure 1A On the back of the card.

[0024] Figure 2 The drawing can be cut into multiple parts. Figure 1A An example sheet of card.

[0025] Figure 3 An exemplary card is depicted with a window having electronic devices disposed thereon.

[0026] Figure 4 An exemplary card with multi-layered windows featuring embedded electronics is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 An exemplary card with a window containing embedded electronics is depicted.

[0028] Figure 6 An exemplary card with a window featuring embedded electronics and an embedded antenna is depicted.

[0029] Figure 7 A perspective view depicting the front of an exemplary card implementation having multiple window openings.

[0030] Figure 8 Depicting Figure 7 A perspective view of the back of an exemplary card and the insert.

[0031] Figure 9 Depicting Figure 8 A three-dimensional close-up view of the front of the body of the exemplary card, the front of the insert, and the outer periphery.

[0032] Figure 10A A floor plan depicting an exemplary card having multiple window openings cut into a pattern.

[0033] Figure 10B A plan view of an exemplary card depicting multiple narrow slit window openings cut into a pattern that together form alphanumeric characters.

[0034] Figure 10C A plan view of an exemplary card depicting multiple narrow slit window openings, each cut into a pattern of alphanumeric characters.

[0035] Figure 11 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary card having multiple window openings on its front side is depicted.

[0036] Figure 12 Depicting Figures 7-9 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary card.

[0037] Figure 13 A cross-sectional view of a window region in an exemplary card embodiment, in which multiple window openings are filled or partially filled with protruding insert material, is depicted.

[0038] Figure 14 A cross-sectional view of the window area of ​​an exemplary card embodiment in which multiple window openings are filled or partially filled with a translucent or transparent material different from the insert material is depicted.

[0039] Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of a window area in an exemplary card embodiment, in which multiple window openings are filled or partially filled with a translucent or transparent material protruding from a layer or coating disposed on the front side, is depicted.

[0040] Figure 16A cross-sectional view of a window area in an exemplary card embodiment, in which multiple window openings are filled or partially filled with a translucent or transparent material protruding from a layer or coating disposed below the front, is depicted.

[0041] Figure 17 A cross-sectional view of a window area in an exemplary card embodiment, in which multiple window openings are filled or have a translucent or transparent material with a layer or coating disposed on top of the front and back sides, is depicted.

[0042] Figure 18 A cross-sectional view of the window region of an exemplary card implementation in which a light guide transmits light through multiple window openings is depicted.

[0043] Figure 19A A plan view of an exemplary transaction card, including a printed design backlit by LED modules, is depicted.

[0044] Figure 19B Depicting Figure 19A A cross-sectional view of the card.

[0045] Figure 19C An exemplary LED module is depicted, which includes a light guide with side-emitting LEDs. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Now refer to the attached diagram, Figures 1A-1C An exemplary transaction card 100 is depicted, comprising a relatively thick body 102, a window insert 112, and a backing layer 120. The body 102 has a thickness (T), a front side 104, a back side 106, and a hole 108 extending from the front side to the back side. Figure 1A and Figure 1C As depicted, the hole 108 has a rounded edge; however, it should be understood that the edge of the hole can take any geometric shape (elliptical, triangular, square, rectangular, or any regular or irregular polygonal shape with three or more sides), or it can have an edge that includes a combination of curved and / or linear portions that do not conform to any of the foregoing geometric categories. It should also be understood that the transparent or translucent window can be of any size characterized by its total area, as long as its total area is less than the area of ​​the body 102, and preferably is completely contained within the area of ​​the card (i.e., the periphery of the window is completely radially inward of the periphery of the body).

[0047] A non-magnified window insert 112, having a front side 114, a back side 116, the same thickness (T) as the body 102, and an edge that matches the edge of the hole 108, is disposed in the hole. The window may be non-magnified and non-aligned. A “matching” edge means that the window insert has an edge that matches the edge of the hole, but with a diameter (or its equivalent) sufficiently small to be inserted into the hole without having to fit the hole, leaving no gap, or a minimal gap that is barely perceptible to the human eye, at the interface between the inner edge of the hole and the outer edge of the insert. Similarly, “the same” thickness means that the window insert and the metal body have the same thickness within acceptable tolerances relative to the desired level of accuracy. It should be recognized that such tolerances may include thickness differences perceptible to human touch or thickness differences that take into account the thickness of printed layers on the body.

[0048] In some embodiments, the window insert has no functional printed content on its front or back (or embedded therein). "No functional printed content" means that in some embodiments, the insert has no printed content (not shown) at all, or in other embodiments, any content printed on the insert (e.g., the ship graphic 118 depicted in FIG. 1) is purely decorative in nature and is not used, for example, in conjunction with an authentication or verification scheme implemented by placing the window on the corresponding graphic. Instead of printing, or in addition to printing, graphics or other content disposed in the window may also be engraved, etched, or otherwise cut into the window. The engraved, etched, or otherwise cut content in the window may also be non-functional, including aesthetic content with a 3D embossed nature, for example, to provide an embossed jewelry-like appearance. In other embodiments, as further described herein, the window may include electronics (e.g., LEDs) mounted thereon or therein, in which case traces that are "invisible" or minimally visible (not visible to the naked eye in ambient lighting without careful inspection) may preferably be printed or otherwise disposed on or in the window. Such traces can connect LEDs to electrical traces within the body, which can be connected to a hidden power source within the body or to a source and / or receiver of electrical signals. In some embodiments, the LEDs may include backlight LEDs. The window may include a light guide that transmits light from a light source (e.g., an LED) located at the input surface of the light guide to the output surface of the light guide. However, it should be understood that all electrical signals have some inherent electrical power, where the term "electrical power" as used herein refers to the power used to supply power to the electronic feature, while the term "electrical signal" as used herein refers to a signal used to transmit information rather than to provide power. Therefore, electrical pulses traveling to and from the electronic feature to any connected component may include electrical power, electrical signals, or a combination thereof.

[0049] "Non-magnifying" means that the window insert is not functional and does not act like a magnifying lens (i.e., an object at a given distance observed through the window insert appears to be the same size as an object observed without the window). "Non-collimating" means that the window does not focus radiation of any wavelength (not limited to visible light) passing through the window toward a focal point. The window can be light-divergent. The window insert is non-metallic and preferably comprises polished polycarbonate, but can include glass or any transparent plastic or resin known in the art. In some embodiments, the window insert may have predominantly transparent or translucent areas with one or more different materials embedded within it, such as metal, ceramic, wood, crystal, natural or synthetic gemstones, mother-of-pearl, leather, etc. Although referred to herein as "transparent," the window may cause sufficient light scattering and diffusion, making objects observed through the window not visible with optimal clarity. A window alone is more transparent than a combination of a window and a backing layer (and any layer on top of the window). The material of the window insert can be any material falling between translucent (where objects viewed through the window are not clearly visible at all) and transparent (where objects viewed through the window are clearly visible). At a minimum, the window is translucent for the spectrum of light typically visible to the human eye (i.e., wavelengths from about 390 nm to 700 nm; and frequencies in the range of about 430 THz to 770 THz). In a preferred embodiment, the window is not colored. Therefore, for example, when stacked in a cardholder's wallet, the window allows the user to see the card located directly below it with a certain degree of clarity.

[0050] In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the window to be conductive or have conductive features. For example, in some embodiments, the window may comprise glass coated with a conductive coating (e.g., indium tin oxide coating) or conductive ink, or another non-conductive material (e.g., plastic resin). In other embodiments, the window may comprise wholly or partially conductive plastic (i.e., polycarbonate or another plastic material formed from conductive plastic resin).

[0051] In some implementations, such as Figures 3-6As depicted, cards 300, 400, 500, and 600 may have electronic devices 310, 410, 510, and 610 incorporated into windows 320, 420, 520, and 620 using "invisible" traces 330, 430, 530, and 630, such as integrated circuits, LED inlays, switches, or any other electronic features known in the art. The "invisible" traces 330, 430, 530, and 630 include ITO or other printed conductive inks or adhesives that can connect the electronic devices to electrical connectors 340, 440, and 540 at the interface between bodies 350, 450, and 550 at the edges of the windows and holes. In some embodiments, electrical connectors 340, 440, and 550 may then be connected to a power source 360, 460, and 560, such as a battery, or an antenna for harvesting RF power. Therefore, LED displays, such as those for displaying dynamic codes or for emitting light to indicate card operability (e.g., illuminated when information is actively read from the card), can be bonded to or embedded in the window and connected to connection points at the periphery of the window using ITO or other printed traces. Conductive adhesives can be used to bond all or only the conductive portions of the electronics to the window, and / or non-conductive adhesives can be used to bond all or only the non-conductive portions of the electronics to the window. The use of printed conductive traces in transparent, translucent, or minimally visible thin conductive materials allows for the integration of electronics into the window without unsightly, easily visible wiring or copper traces.

[0052] The window has electrically driven features (such as...) Figures 3-5In the depicted embodiment where power is supplied to the feature from a power source embedded in the body, the power may be connected to the feature inductively or via physical traces, wherein the physical traces in the body are connected to physical traces in the window by a conductive interface bridging any gap between the window and the body. Conductive interfaces 335, 435, 535 may include, for example, solder, wiring adhesive, conductive ink, or conductive adhesive (such as conductive adhesive patches or ACF tape). The conductive interfaces 335, 435, 535 and any traces 340, 440, 540 embedded in the metal bodies 350, 450, 550 are insulated from the metal body by any insulator known in the art and methods for setting the insulator. For example, as known in the art, traces 340, 440, 540 may include copper traces disposed on a flexible, non-conductive substrate in a recess in the body. The conductive interface may simply include connection endpoints connecting the traces (e.g., 330 and 340), or may be slightly larger than the connecting traces to facilitate alignment when the window is inserted into the hole. What may be particularly effective is to apply conductive interfaces 335, 435, 535 in the form of solder bumps after inserting the window. These conductive interfaces are applied to bridge the gaps between traces 330, 430, 530 in the window and traces 340, 440, 540 in the card. To facilitate alignment of the electrical connections, the holes and corresponding inserts can be non-circular or keyed, for example, having protrusions in the window that mate with recesses in the holes (or vice versa), such that the inserts fit into the holes only in a single or limited number of easily distinguishable orientations.

[0053] exist Figure 6 In the depicted embodiment, the electronic feature 610 disposed in window 620 can be powered entirely by inductively receiving RF from the card reader, wherein the antenna 630 is also disposed in the card and connected to the electronic feature, without needing to be connected to a power source embedded in the body 650. Thus, for example, where the electronic feature 610 is an illumination feature activated when the card is read, the antenna 630 receives sufficient power to power this illumination and does not need to be connected to any other feature embedded in the card. In other configurations, the electronic feature 610 and / or antenna 630 may be disposed on the surface of the card instead of being embedded in the card. In other embodiments, the electronic feature 610 and / or antenna 630 may be inductively (or via a similar method) Figures 3-5 Any of the connections shown are physically connected to features (e.g., power supplies) embedded in the body, or, for example, in embodiments where the electronic feature is a dual-interface chip, to contacts (e.g., contact 160 depicted in FIG1) for reading by a contact-based reader.

[0054] Window pattern implementation method

[0055] In another aspect of the invention, the transaction card can be as follows: Figures 7-17The depicted area includes multiple openings on the front of the card. Specifically, as shown... Figure 10A As shown, the multiple window openings 1010 in the card body 1000 form a spherical geometric pattern. (As shown...) Figure 10B As shown, multiple window openings 1022, 1024, and 1032 in card 1020 collectively form a stylized Q-shaped alphanumeric character associated with a specific card brand. For example... Figure 10C As shown, each of the multiple window openings 1052 includes alphanumeric characters, which are arranged together to spell out a word associated with a specific card brand. Figures 7-9 The opening is generally depicted as a set of different ellipses, and... Figures 11-15 In their cross-section, they do not have a recognizable geometric shape. The shape, size, and number of patterns and openings forming the patterns are not limited in any way. Openings can form recognizable patterns or abstract patterns. Openings are preferably purely aesthetic and serve no functional purpose other than producing a suitable pattern or design, which may be user-selected or chosen for its difficulty in replication. Thus, while patterns or designs can passively enhance card security—because they provide a mark of authenticity that is difficult to replicate by their very existence—preferred patterns or designs are referred to herein as “non-functional” because they do not have active or interactive functionality.

[0056] like Figures 7-9 As depicted, the card body 700 has a plurality of window openings 702, 704, and 706 penetrating the front of the card body. Although referred to herein and in the appended claims as the “front” side, the term “front” as used herein in conjunction with this embodiment and other embodiments refers to the side of the card on which the window openings are provided, which can be the side conventionally referred to as the “front” or “back” side of a functional card having a magnetic stripe, contacts, and other markings that can generally be understood as distinguishing the “front” and “back” of the card. Each opening has a different perimeter visible from the front side of the card, but all window openings are positioned by means of… Figure 8 The depicted pocket 804 defines a single opening on the back of the card. An insert 800 is configured to be disposed within the pocket 804. Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 12 The card body 700 depicted has a recessed flange 802 surrounding a single opening 804 on the back side, wherein the insert 800 includes a stepped periphery comprising an outermost region 902 and an innermost region 904, the outermost region 902 having a geometry configured to mate with the recessed flange, and the innermost region 904 being configured to fit within the single opening.

[0057] exist Figure 11In another depicted embodiment, the body may include at least two layers, including a first layer 1100 defining a front side 1150 of the body and a second portion 1102 defining a back side 1152 of the body. A plurality of openings 1110a, 1110b, 1110c penetrate the entire thickness of layer 1100, while a single opening 1120 penetrates the entire thickness of layer 1102. An insert 1104 is configured to fit within the opening 1120, which defines a groove when layers 1100 and 1102 are combined. Although a recessed flange in layer 1102 and a corresponding outer peripheral region on the insert 1104 are not shown, this feature may also be present in this embodiment. Despite... Figure 11 The layers are depicted as having the same thickness, but the two layers 1100 and 1102 may have different thicknesses, and one may be larger than the other. These layers may be bonded together with an adhesive. An additional layer may also be present, including a transparent or translucent adhesive layer between layers 1100 and 1102, which fills a plurality of openings 1110a to 1110c during the lamination step. A backing layer 1106 may be laminated or otherwise bonded to the back of layer 1102 to hold the insert 1104 in place.

[0058] like Figure 11 As shown, the insert may consist only of member 1104. In some embodiments, member 1104 and backing layer 1106 (and any intermediate or upper layer) may be transparent or translucent, allowing light to pass through openings 1110a to 1110c. However, in a preferred embodiment, insert 1104 includes a non-transparent member chosen for aesthetic purposes. For example, insert 1104 may include plastic, metal (e.g., having visual properties different from any visible metal in the body), ceramic (e.g., having visual properties different from any ceramic or ceramic coating including the body), wood, crystal, mother-of-pearl, stone (including artificial or natural gemstones), natural or synthetic bone products, and natural or synthetic leather. Any of the foregoing may have printing thereon (e.g., a printed plastic insert with a graphic that provides visibility of different colors through different openings). Typically, non-transparent members are opaque, but in other embodiments, they may have some degree of translucency. Component 1106 may have printing on one or both sides, and in some embodiments includes printing visible from one surface of the card, which is different from printing visible from the opposite surface of the card.

[0059] Typically, component 1104 is passive and static, but it can be dynamic, such as a photoluminescent component (e.g., emitting light or fluorescence in the dark when illuminated by light of a specific wavelength). Component 1104 can also be a light source such as an LED, more specifically a backlight LED, connected to a power source (not shown) in the same manner as described herein for other components connected to a power source. In yet another embodiment, component 1104 can be a light guide that receives light input from a light source such as an LED or backlight LED (not shown) at its input surface and transmits the light to an output surface. The light can cooperate with a window to produce a pattern that illuminates to indicate, for example, reading by a payment module, but is not limited to any particular purpose.

[0060] In another embodiment, component 1104 may include an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). The use of OLED components in transaction cards has been generally described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,665,818 entitled “ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (“OLED”) UNIVERSAL PLASTIC” and PCT Publication No. WO2013131153A1 entitled “FLEXIBLE OLED CARD,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference. While the referenced disclosures describe the use of OLED technology in conjunction with flexible plastic cards, it should be understood that general techniques for providing OLED displays are applicable to incorporating OLED displays into relatively non-flexible card constructions or flexible card constructions. However, the flexibility of the OLED display combined with an integral card construction having enhanced flexibility (e.g., exceeding the flexibility of the ISO / IEC 7810ID-1 standard for transaction cards or meeting or exceeding the flexibility of the ISO / IEC 15457 standard for thin flexible cards) may be particularly useful. Flexible card constructions using OLED displays may also include flexible circuit boards. Therefore, the term "LED" used in this article regarding displays should be interpreted as referring to OLED or non-organic LED.

[0061] In other embodiments, component 1104 may be an active or dynamic component, such as that described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 545,630 entitled “CARDWITH DYNAMIC SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY TACTILE FEATURE,” which is incorporated herein by reference. Component 1104 may differ from the body in any number of ways, including color, texture, reflectivity, opacity, and combinations thereof. Component 1104 may include a display and a processor configured to generate dynamic security code on the display, such as that described in application '711. Any or all electronic components described herein may be embedded in a card in any manner known in the art, including methods as described in application '711 or U.S. Patent No. 10,406,734, filed October 18, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Application Serial No. 16 / 320,597, filed January 25, 2019, both entitled "OVERMOLDEDELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FOR TRANSACTION CARDS AND METHODS OF MAKING THEREOF", and both applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0062] like Figure 12 As depicted, the insert may comprise only a single member 800, wherein, when the card is assembled, the entire front-facing surface of the member is configured to be recessed relative to the front of the body, meaning that multiple windows 702 to 706 on the front of the card are tactilely perceptible. Therefore, for example, when the insert 800 comprises mother-of-pearl, the lamination of the card will not alter this physical relationship between the components. Although preferably opaque, in some embodiments, member 800 may be transparent.

[0063] However, in such Figure 13 In other embodiments depicted, insert 1302 may include a material that is flowable at lamination temperature and may flow partially or completely into a plurality of openings in body 1300 during the lamination step, such that a plurality of portions 1304, 1306, 1308 of the front-facing surface of the non-transparent member protrude into the plurality of openings and are configured to be flush with the front of the body.

[0064] exist Figure 14 In other embodiments depicted, the entire front-facing surface of the non-transparent member 1402 may remain recessed relative to the front of the body, and a plurality of transparent or translucent members 1404, 1406, 1408 may be disposed in the opening. The transparent or translucent members may comprise optically transparent epoxy resin deposited in the opening via automatic dispensing.

[0065] exist Figure 15 In other embodiments depicted, a transparent or translucent layer 1510 may be disposed above the front surface of the body 1500 and above a plurality of openings, such that protrusions 1504, 1506 and 1508 from the layer flow completely or partially into the openings during the lamination step, wherein layer 1502 remains recessed overall relative to the front surface of the body.

[0066] like Figure 16 As described, in a multi-layer body construction, an intermediate transparent or translucent adhesive layer 1610 may be disposed between the first layer 1500 and the second layer 1502 of the body, such that during the lamination step, protrusions 1604, 1606 and 1608 flow completely or partially into the opening, wherein layer 1620 remains recessed in its entirety relative to the front of the body.

[0067] like Figure 17 As depicted, during the lamination step, transparent or translucent layers 1702 or 1704, respectively disposed on the front and back sides of the body 1700, can flow together completely or partially into openings 1710 and 1712. This structure and manufacturing method are particularly well-suited for embodiments where openings 1710 and 1712 are slits, for example... Figure 10B and 10C Window features 1022, 1024, 1032, and 1052 are depicted. Although an upper and lower layer are shown, some embodiments may have only one or the other. Although a single discrete upper layer and a single discrete lower layer are shown, some embodiments may have multiple layers on and / or under the body, and in some of these embodiments, more than one layer may help fill the opening. For example, an adhesive layer comprising a carrier having adhesive on both sides may be between the body and each of the upper and / or lower layers, and during the lamination step, the adhesive, the carrier, and the upper or lower layer may all flow into the opening. In other embodiments, the adhesive on the underside of the carrier (or directly disposed on the underside of the upper and / or lower layer) may be the only material flowing into the opening.

[0068] Despite Figure 17 The diagram shows coplanar surfaces, but it should be understood that the flow of material can result in convex, concave, coplanar, or irregularly shaped surfaces of the flowing material on one or both sides of the card. In any embodiment where material flows into the window / groove / slot, convex, concave, coplanar, or irregularly shaped surfaces can be formed, and the overall shape can be intentionally controlled to have a specific shape. Similarly, in embodiments where the insert is pre-formed and assembled into the window / groove / slot, the insert can also conform to any of the aforementioned shapes.

[0069] althoughFigures 13-17 All embodiments depict monolithic bodies, but it should be understood that the body in these embodiments may include, for example, Figure 11 The multi-layered entity depicted.

[0070] For example, refer to Figure 12 A method and process for manufacturing a card with a window pattern may include: providing a body 700 with a metal, ceramic, or ceramic coating and forming a groove 804 in the body, the groove 804 having a periphery and extending from the back side to a position adjacent to the front side; then forming a plurality of openings 702, 704, 706 extending from the front side into the groove, the plurality of openings forming a pattern. An insert 804 is positioned in the groove, and then a non-metallic backing layer 1206 adjacent to the back side of the body and the back side of the insert is laminated to the body and the insert.

[0071] In example Figure 11 In some of the depicted embodiments, the step of providing the body may include providing a first layer 1100 defining the front side of the body and a second layer 1102 defining the back side of the body. In such embodiments, the step of creating a groove includes creating a through-hole 1120 in the second layer 1102, while the step of creating a plurality of openings includes creating a plurality of through-holes 1110a to 1110c in the first layer 1100. The openings, grooves, and through-holes mentioned in these methods may be laser-cut, milled, etched, or processed by any method known in the art. For embodiments with ceramic coatings, the metal or other material body or body layer may first be coated with ceramic, and then various openings may be cut and the layers assembled, or the openings and / or the layers may first be cut in the metal or other body and / or assembled, and then the ceramic coating may be applied to the outer surface before assembling the remaining components.

[0072] like Figure 12 The process described may include: creating a recessed flange 802 around a groove 804 on the back side of the body, and forming an insert 800 with a stepped periphery including an outermost region 902 having a geometry configured to mate with the recessed flange 802, and an innermost periphery 904 configured to fit within the groove 804.

[0073] The step of placing the insert in the groove may include, for example, bonding the outermost region of the insert to a recessed flange in the body using an adhesive or via non-adhesive mechanical bonding, such as ultrasonic welding, brazing, or soldering. Using a flange design in conjunction with an adhesive material such as an adhesive, solder, or brazing alloy allows bonding to the flange in a manner that minimizes the amount of adhesive or other adhesive material flowing into the openings in the front of the body. However, in other embodiments, it may be necessary to allow an adhesive material, such as a difficult-to-dry transparent epoxy resin, to flow into and fill the openings to form, for example... Figure 14The transparent window depicted in the figure may not require a flange in this case. Other methods of filling multiple openings with transparent epoxy resin may include automatically dispensing epoxy resin into the openings after the insert has been in place. Other methods of filling openings with transparent or translucent materials may include (e.g., via lamination of a solid layer, or by applying a sprayed coating or liquid layer) applying a transparent or translucent coating to the front side of the body, and at least partially filling the multiple openings with a portion of the transparent coating that flows into the multiple openings, for example, during the lamination step.

[0074] As described above, in embodiments where the insert comprises a material flowable during lamination, the method may include performing a lamination step under sufficient heat and pressure to allow the protrusions from the insert to flow completely or partially into multiple openings during the lamination step. In embodiments having, for example... Figure 10B , Figure 10C and Figure 17 In the embodiments of the slits depicted, the openings can be etched, milled, or generated by a laser (however, not limited to any particular method of formation).

[0075] like Figure 10B As depicted, for ease of manufacturing, the step of creating the slit 1032 may include creating a continuous slit defined by portions 1030 and 1032 extending from the payment module slot 1034 to the edge of the card. If, for aesthetic reasons, a portion of the slit (e.g., portion 1030) is not desired to be transparent or translucent, such a portion may be filled using different types of fillers (e.g., non-transparent or translucent non-conductive fillers). Such a filling step will be performed prior to the lamination step of filling the transparent or translucent window portion. As disclosed in U.S. Application Serial No. 15 / 928,813, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a continuous slit defined by portions 1030 and 1032, in which portion 1030 is filled with a non-conductive card-matching filler and portion 1032 is filled with a non-conductive transparent filler, may be operable to enable the ground metal frame 1020 to be used as an amplifying antenna or coupling frame. Figure 10C As shown, in other embodiments, the slit 1056 originating from the module slot 1054 in the card 1050 may be a separate element that is not integrated into the fabrication of the design defined by the transparent or translucent window 1052.

[0076] It should be understood that, such as Figure 10BThe depiction of creating extended openings and filling one portion with a transparent or translucent filler while filling another portion with an opaque / non-translucent portion is not limited to embodiments in which the slit as a whole connects the payment module slot to the edge of the card. For example, for ease of manufacture, it may be desirable to create continuous slits, and then fill portions of the slits with different fillers for purely aesthetic reasons, and the different fillers can be of any type. For example, the filler can be transparent, translucent, opaque, conductive, non-conductive, or some combination thereof, wherein different portions of the same continuous opening (or different discrete openings) have different fillers, each filler having a different aesthetic appearance such as different colors, different textures, etc. If desired, the filler can include precious metals such as gold. In other cases, the window or portions thereof can be illuminated, for example using LEDs or in any manner known in the art, as described herein. The “filler” (and insert material) can completely or partially fill all or some of the openings in any of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0077] exist Figure 18 In one depicted embodiment, a light guide layer 1825, including a light guide 1810 and a light source 1815 such as a backlight LED, can be sandwiched between metal layers 1820 and 1830. The LED 1815 is positioned adjacent to the input of the light guide, while windows 1802, 1804, and 1806 are positioned adjacent to the output surface of the light guide. Light from the LED 1815 illuminates the light guide and is transmitted through windows 1802, 1804, and 1806. Although in Figure 18 One embodiment has been described, but it should be understood that embodiments in which the light guide is disposed beneath the apertures in the metal layer can be provided in any other configuration described herein. Windows 1802, 1804, 1806 may be without filler or with transparent or translucent filler, and may be formed by any method or conform to any structure described herein.

[0078] In some implementations or designs, for the overall structural stability of the card, it may be more desirable to create discrete gaps with one or more metal bridges 1026, 1028 therebetween, rather than creating continuous gaps in a circular shape, such as those formed by gaps 1022 and 1024. Figure 10B As depicted, the absence of bridges 1026 and 1028 would completely separate the central circular portion of the metal body from the rest. However, providing metal separation between adjacent gaps is not limited to implementations where separation is desired.

[0079] As used herein, the term "gap" refers to a gap formed between metal edges, where the distance from edge to edge is typically small enough that placing a separate filler material in the gap prior to the lamination step is undesirable or impractical, and minimizes the risk of air bubble formation during lamination. Lamination conditions can be controlled as needed so that the gap is filled by the upper and lower layers without leaving a noticeable recess, or partially filled to provide a tactilely distinguishable recess.

[0080] Other card features

[0081] In embodiments where the card body is a metal or ceramic-coated metal and the transaction card includes a payment module configured to interface "contactlessly" with a reader (e.g., where, in at least one operating mode, transaction circuitry embedded in the card is inductively coupled to the reader using RFID technology), positioning the window adjacent to the module can enhance the card's RF performance, thereby extending the distance at which the card can be read in contactless mode. Specifically, compared to cards without a transparent window, the absence of metal near the module's antenna can significantly improve (extend) the reading distance between the card and the reader required to couple the card to the reader. The optimal distance can be determined by producing several otherwise identical cards with different window sizes and positions and testing the differences in reading distance between the different designs. The applicant has found that, typically, the percentage improvement in reading distance ranges from 12% to 50%, depending on the distance between the edge of the metal card and the module in the range of 1-5 cm. Therefore, the absence of a significant metal area within a 1-4 cm distance due to the aperture in the metal body for accommodating the window is expected to provide a measurable level of improvement. It should be understood that because dual-interface devices operate in both "contactless" and "contact" modes, the mention of devices with "contactless" functionality encompasses both modules with only contactless functionality and modules with dual-interface functionality.

[0082] In some embodiments, the payment module can be positioned inside a transparent window, in which case the coupling antenna can be positioned around the module using the smallest visible trace inside the transparent window. In other embodiments, as known in the art, the entire metal card body can be used as the coupling antenna, or the coupling antenna can be embedded in the body. The smallest visible trace including the antenna trace and the module can be obscured by or integrated into graphic content of a printed design nature on the window. However, the positioning of the card reader module within the window is not limited to metal or ceramic-coated metal embodiments, and can also exist in embodiments characterized by a non-metallic body with an all-ceramic or ceramic-coated body.

[0083] like Figure 3As shown, electronic components 310 and any connecting traces 330 can be disposed on the surface of the window, preferably on the back surface of the window, wherein the electronic components can be further covered and protected by a backing layer. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in an alternative embodiment, electronic devices 410 and 510 can be embedded in windows 420 and 520. Figure 5 In one depicted embodiment, the embedded electronics can be embedded by injection molding the electronics 510 within a transparent or translucent polymer including the window 520. In such an embodiment, one or more conductive members 532 connected to the electronics can be oriented in the window along the thickness direction of the window (perpendicular to the front and back sides) to transmit power and / or signals from the interior portion of the window to the surface 522 of the window (or a layer closer to the surface of the window), wherein the conductive member 532 is connected to conductive traces 530 printed on the window. An exemplary process for embedding electronics for insertion into a metal card body is described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 555,367, entitled “TRANSACTION CARD WITHEMBEDDED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURE”, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0084] exist Figure 4 In another depicted embodiment, the electronics may optionally be disposed on a first layer 422 of a transparent or translucent polymer, wherein a second layer 424 is disposed thereon to encapsulate the electronics (and optionally, one or more wires 430 for connection to the electronics). The multilayer window is not limited to only two layers and may include any number of layers that can provide the desired aesthetic or functional quality. In the multilayer embodiment, the wires 430 may be printed on the first layer 422 before another layer (e.g., 424) is disposed.

[0085] A relatively thin non-metallic backing layer 120 (e.g., transparent PVC, but not limited to any particular construction material) is preferably laminated to the back of the body and the back of the window, compared to the relatively thick substrate. Although not limited to any particular thickness range, transaction cards are generally standardized in size to a thickness of about 0.032 inches, and the body is generally in the range of 0.008 inches to 0.028 inches, preferably in the range of 0.010 inches to 0.020 inches, more preferably in the range of 0.012 inches to 0.018 inches, wherein the backing layer optionally has a thickness that compensates for the difference between the total thickness and the body minus the thickness of any adhesive layer or other coating.

[0086] One or more features can be printed onto the body, which may include a printable metal such as printable stainless steel (e.g., stainless steel with a coating (not shown) at least on the front side 104 to improve ink acceptance on the steel surface). The coating may include, for example, a polyester-based coating that accepts UV-curable screen and inkjet inks or solvent or oxidative printing. In other embodiments, dye printing or sublimation printing may be used. For embodiments with a ceramic body or ceramic-coated body, the ceramic may be similarly coated or roughened (e.g., chemically, mechanically, or using a laser) to accept the printed layer. The printing embodiments are not limited to any particular printing technique or skill.

[0087] like Figure 1A The front of the card may feature decorative designs. These designs may be printed (or, as further explained below, engraved or etched), or the front may be printed with a solid color (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 1A The black color shown may be used, or it may include a combination of solid colors, printed graphics or patterns, printed information, and engraved or etched patterns, graphics, or information. Printed information may include the card issuer's name (e.g., Citibank, etc. – issued by...). Figure 1A The text "bank" indicates the card type and / or name (e.g., bank). SAPPHIRE, AMERICAN Wait—by Figure 1A The text in the image refers to the card name, the cardholder's name, the card's unique serial number, and the expiry date. Certain printed information (e.g., graphics, card name) can be printed in the first printing step to produce a card "blank" ready for personalization, and other printed information (cardholder, serial number, expiry date) can be printed in the second personalization printing step. The first and second printing steps are typically geographically and temporally distant and performed by different printing presses. Printing can extend to printing on the window insert, including printing across the interface between the perimeter of the window and the perimeter of the opening. UV-curable inks can be used for printing, but the invention is not limited to any particular type of ink.

[0088] The front surface of the body may also have decorative grooves formed in the body, for example, through etching, machining, laser processing, etc. Therefore, in one embodiment, Figure 1A The pattern shown may include a solid black printed base, with grooves set within the pattern. Figure 1AThe pattern is depicted as a fish scale pattern, but is not limited to any particular type of pattern, not limited to repeating or regular patterns, not limited to a single pattern, and not limited to a pattern with any particular coverage (i.e., the pattern can extend across the entire card surface or can be limited to one or more different areas of the card). The grooves can, for example, be filled with ink of a different color than the card surface, or the grooves can expose the color of the body beneath the metal or ceramic or ceramic layer below the printed layer. The grooves can penetrate only the printed layer, or they can penetrate the body. The grooves can be cut into windows and extend across the interface between the edge of the body and the window. Similarly, the printed layer on the card can extend across this interface.

[0089] Therefore, as Figure 1A As depicted, the interface 132 between the window insert 112 and the corresponding periphery of the hole 108 can be radially positioned within a printed feature, such as a printed solid black circle 130 surrounding the ship graphic 118, so that the print extending across the interface helps to visually weaken the interface. In another embodiment, the interface can be positioned slightly radially outward of the circle 130, so that the design provided by the recess also extends across the interface, further weakening the interface. In embodiments where it is desired that the window is substantially free of print, the print content can consist only of a decorative periphery outline overlapping the interface (i.e., provided on both the window and the card body on either side of the interface), such that the majority of the window positioned radially inward of the interface or radially inward of the printed periphery outline is free of print.

[0090] In some embodiments, the front side may also include an optional hard coating 140, while other embodiments may not have a coating on the printed / engraved layer or on an uncoated metal or ceramic surface on the front side of the card. The transaction card may also include a magnetic stripe 150, a signature plate 152, a hologram 154, a machine-readable code 156 (depicted as a barcode, but may include any type of machine-readable code, including but not limited to QR codes), or combinations thereof, preferably disposed on a backing layer 120 on the back side 106 of the body 102, on a backing layer 120. Most embodiments also include an embedded integrated circuit (not shown) connected to contacts 160 configured to be read by a card reader, an embedded RFID antenna (not shown), or a combination thereof (for dual-interface (DI) cards) to allow use with contact-based and / or contactless card readers. While the aperture 108 may be purely aesthetic, the aperture may be strategically positioned on the card to enhance the RF performance of the dual-interface card.

[0091] An exemplary process for manufacturing a transaction card, as described herein, may include: first, providing a body 102 having a thickness (T), creating holes 108 in the body having perimeters and extending from a front side 104 to a back side 106 of the body. A non-metallic backing layer 120 is positioned adjacent to the back side of the body, preferably adhered in place by an adhesive disposed on the body-facing side of the backing layer, and a non-magnified transparent insert 112 is inserted into the holes 108 to contact the adhesive of the backing layer 120, and then the components are laminated together. The inserts may be produced by any means known in the art, such as by cutting or stamping a plurality of inserts having desired perimeters from a sheet of insert material, or by extruding a bar having the perimeter of the insert and cutting it into small pieces according to the bar having a thickness (T).

[0092] Holes 108 can be created in the metal body by any method known in the art, such as using a computer-controlled machine (e.g., CNC) by cutting (e.g., mechanical or laser), stamping, or etching. In embodiments where the body comprises printable stainless steel (or any other coated metal where the integrity of the coating is important), a resist can be applied to the coated surface or to portions of the coated surface where it is desired to retain the coating during any acid etching step (e.g., if the etching step is used to create holes). For example, the resist can be applied to the entire surface of the metal except where holes 108 and any other grooves or surface patterns are to be formed. After etching, any remaining resist is removed, and the body is ready for further processing.

[0093] In exemplary embodiments of a ceramic body comprising solid ceramic, pores are preferably formed in the green state of the ceramic before firing. The size of the pore size before firing is selected to produce the desired post-filled pore size, given the properties of the ceramic material and the expected changes in pore size during the firing process (if any). While alternative treatments may involve manufacturing a ceramic blank without pores and then mechanically grinding, lasering, or freezing / breaking the pores after firing, such methods are generally less efficient and therefore not preferred. In exemplary embodiments of a body comprising a metal core with a ceramic coating, the metal body can be formed as described above, and then the desired ceramic coating can be applied to the metal. For example, a sprayed ceramic coating bonded to a binder can be applied, or the ceramic can be arranged around the metal, for example via injection molding, followed by firing. In a preferred embodiment, the sprayed ceramic coating can be applied only to the front side of the metal core. Bodies with ceramic coatings and non-metallic cores can be treated similarly.

[0094] The laminated assembly can then undergo a printing step to print the desired printout on the front side of the body. In an exemplary method, the printing step includes: printing the printout using an inkjet printer employing UV-curable ink, and then exposing the printout to UV radiation suitable for curing the ink. The front side of the body may be etched or engraved with grooves before or after printing. In the process of filling the grooves using, for example, different colored inks or metals, a groove filling step (e.g., an erasure step by wiping away the filler material across the surface so that the filler (ink, metal, resin, etc.) is deposited only in the recesses created by the grooves) can be performed after the grooves are created.

[0095] Although the steps have been described above in a preferred order, it should be understood that the steps are not limited to being performed in any particular order. For example, in some methods, the steps of cutting holes, adhering the backing layer in place, and inserting windows may be performed after steps related to printing on the front of the card, creating grooves, etc. In other methods, grooves may be created before printing.

[0096] like Figure 2 As depicted, each completed transaction card 100 defines a first defined area (corresponding to the card's length and width, minus the area of ​​any circular edges). In a metal card implementation, this can be based on a multiple slightly larger than the first area (e.g., as...). Figure 2 As depicted, a sheet 200 (slightly larger than 8X) of the second region is used to manufacture cards. This manufacturing process also includes cutting the metal sheet into multiple transaction cards corresponding to the multiplier. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the ratio of the second area to the first area is usually not an integer (e.g., as shown in the figure). Figure 2 The value described is somewhere between 8 and 9, and the multiple corresponding to the number of cards cut from the sheet can be represented as the nearest integer rounded down to the second region. The cutting steps for cutting holes and cutting individual cards from the sheet can be performed by laser. Any grooves can be machined, etched, or laser-formed. Although in Figure 2 The card is depicted as near completion, but it should be understood that in some implementations, a core of metal or other material may be similarly cut from a larger sheet before the ceramic coating is applied.

[0097] For example, as described by reference in U.S. Patent 9,390,366, which is incorporated herein by reference, an integrated circuit, along with connected contacts and / or antennas, can be embedded in the metal card body by any method known in the art. In embodiments where an optional hard coating is applied to the front of the card, the hard coating can be applied as a coating or as a discrete layer, as described, for example, in U.S. Publication No. 20140224881, which is also incorporated herein by reference, for its teachings on applying a hard coating to a metal card. Although only certain layers are described herein, it should be understood that some embodiments may include additional layers, including but not limited to laminates, adhesive layers, printed content, or coatings (including but not limited to ceramic coatings), between, on, or under the described layers.

[0098] Now refer to Figures 19A-19C Another implementation of the transaction card 1900 is shown. The transaction card includes a metal layer 1910 having a front surface and a rear surface, and at least two openings 1920 and 1930, each opening extending through one or both of the front and rear surfaces of the metal layer. Figure 19B In the illustrated embodiment, both openings 1920 and 1930 extend through the upper and lower surfaces of the metal layer, with opening 1920 having a relatively larger perimeter on the upper surface than on the lower surface. A transponder module 1925 (preferably contactless or dual-interface) is disposed in opening 1920 and can rest on step 1921 between the relatively wider and relatively narrower portions of opening 1920. As is known in the art, transponder module 1925 can be disposed on or within a plug made of non-metallic material.

[0099] LED module 1935 is disposed in opening 1930. LED module 1935 has a planar illumination area 1937 visible from the machined surface (e.g., front surface) of the transaction card. Figure 19C As shown, in one embodiment, LED module 1935 includes LED 1932 (depicted as a side-emitting LED) and light guide 1933. LED 1932 is configured to emit light, and light guide 1933 is used to distribute the light emitted by one or more LEDs onto an illuminated area 1937. Therefore, some portions of LED module 1934 may not be illuminated. Thus, the unilluminated portions can be hidden behind opaque areas of the overlay or behind printing on the top of the overlay, and features of the overlay or printing thereon can be optimized to be printed on the interface between the periphery of opening 1930 and the illuminated portion 1937 of the LED module. Figure 19BAs shown, the LED module is fixed in window 1930, which completely penetrates the metal layer from top to bottom, such that the lower surface of the LED module is flush with the lower surface of the metal layer, and the upper surface of the LED module is flush with the upper surface of the metal layer. In other embodiments, the LED module may be fixed in a blind slot that does not completely penetrate the metal layer from top to bottom. Typically, the LED module (particularly the illumination area 1950) is opaque or non-transparent, so that anything disposed behind the LED module (e.g., the backing layer 1940 or the bottom of the blind slot) is not visible from the front of the card.

[0100] Any number of LEDs 1932 can be provided. In some embodiments, the lighting circuit for the LEDs may include at least two LEDs, more, or different LEDs illuminating as an indicator of field strength (e.g., a greater field strength translates to more energy harvested, and therefore to greater power available for the lighting circuit, which can illuminate in various power-related ways). In some embodiments, all LEDs (e.g., 1932a, 1932b) may be the same color, and the circuit is configured such that only the first LED is illuminated at the minimum field strength, and both the first and second LEDs are illuminated at a relatively larger field strength. In a circuit with more than two such LEDs (not shown), all the first, second, and third LEDs can be illuminated at the relatively maximum field strength. Thus, the energy range of the first LED overlaps with the entire energy range of the second LED. In a configuration with three LEDs, the energy range of the first LED overlaps with the entire energy range of each of the second and third LEDs, and the energy range of the second LED overlaps with the entire energy range of the third LED.

[0101] In other embodiments, LEDs of multiple colors can be provided, and the circuit is configured to illuminate a first LED 1932a (e.g., red) corresponding to a relatively weak field strength, and to illuminate a second LED 1932b (e.g., green) corresponding to a relatively strong field strength. The illumination ranges of the two different LEDs may overlap. For example, a dual-LED setup can be configured to illuminate the red LED 1932a within a first power range (e.g., 1-66%), and the green LED 1932b within a second power range (e.g., 33%-100%), and both LEDs within an overlapping range (e.g., 33-66%) to produce yellow light.

[0102] The illumination intensity can also vary based on the field strength, allowing a single LED or multiple LEDs with the same wavelength to provide brightness variations as a field strength indicator. For example, in an embodiment where both LEDs 1932a and 1932b emit the same wavelength, the illumination intensity of LED 1932a can range from a relatively weak intensity of 1% of the field strength to a relatively strong intensity of 50%-100% of the field strength, and the illumination intensity of LED 1932b can range from a relatively weak intensity of 51% to a relatively strong intensity of 100% of the field strength. Similarly, multiple LEDs with different wavelengths can illuminate in various combinations of one or more LEDs to produce a color spectrum based on the field strength. For example, LEDs can illuminate in the spectrum from the relatively weakest to the relatively strongest field strength (e.g., red = only red LEDs, optionally in a relatively dark to relatively bright intensity range; orange = red LEDs with higher intensity than green LEDs; yellow = relatively equal red and green LED intensities; yellow-green = green LEDs with higher intensity than red LEDs; green = only green LEDs, optionally in a relatively dark to relatively bright intensity range). The number and / or color of LEDs are not limited to any particular configuration. Those skilled in the art of electronics are familiar with the basic circuitry required to illuminate different LEDs in response to power supplied to the circuit; therefore, specific configurations are not described in detail herein. Scopes and variations thereof are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.

[0103] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, in use, a contactless or dual-interface transponder module is a component in a transaction circuit configured to communicate with a card reader (not shown) configured to emit energetic radio frequency (RF) waves. As is known in the art, the transaction circuit includes a transponder module 1925 configured (using a receiver connected to antenna 1986) to receive an input RF signal 1984 emitted by a transmitting antenna 1982 of a transmitter in card reader 1980, and to respond with an output RF signal 1985 emitted by a transmitter having a transmitting antenna 1988, which is received by a receiver of the card reader having a receiving antenna 1983. The receiver / receiving antenna 1982 and the transmitter / transmitting antenna 1983 may include a single transceiver / transceiver antenna configured for two-way communication. The transponder is typically powered by harvesting energy from the RF waves 1984 emitted by card reader 1980. Transponders typically have their own power generation circuitry, similar to the circuitry described below regarding the power supply for LED modules. In other implementations, power may be provided by an actively driven RF transceiver with a power source (e.g., a battery) installed in the device, and / or the LEDs may also have (or share with the transponder) a power source installed in the device.

[0104] LED module 1933 includes one or more components of a lighting circuit, which is also powered by energy harvested from RF wave 1984. The lighting circuit includes: a power supply 1990, which includes energy harvesting circuitry (configured to generate AC or DC power); an LED 1932; and one or more surface mount technology (SMT) components 1938. The lighting circuit (e.g., the lighting circuitry within one or more SMT components) may include a charge pump (also known as a voltage pump or voltage generator), circuitry well-known to those skilled in the art, for raising the operating voltage of the lighting circuit above the voltage of the RF wave. Any type of circuitry for raising or lowering the voltage can be provided. In some embodiments, the lighting circuitry and the transaction circuitry are isolated from each other, such that the lighting circuitry is configured to illuminate independently of the state of a transaction executed by the transaction circuitry. As used herein, the term "transaction circuitry" refers to any circuitry used for processing transactions. In payment devices (credit cards, debit cards), the transaction circuit may include a typical payment circuit configured to exchange payment information between the card and a reader, resulting in a debit to the payer's account and ultimately a deposit into the payee's account. However, suitable transactions are not limited to payment transactions and may include any information exchange between the card and the reader that ultimately leads to a record. For example, a casino membership card may track the amount a user has bet, won, or lost; this record is a "transaction," but the membership card does not actually manage payments associated with bets, wins, or losses. Therefore, for the purposes of this document, the term "transaction circuit" should be understood to refer to any information exchange associated with any type of transaction, including but not limited to payment circuits. In other embodiments, the lighting circuit and the transaction circuit include components in a unified circuit in which the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate in a manner indicating the state of a transaction performed by the transaction circuit. In still other embodiments, where the transaction circuit and the lighting circuit are not otherwise interconnected (i.e., the lighting is independent of the state of the transaction), both the transaction circuit and the lighting circuit may share power from a single energy harvesting source.

[0105] An exemplary simple energy harvesting circuit 1900 is schematically depicted in the enlarged area of ​​Figure 19, and as is known in the art, the energy harvesting circuit 1900 typically includes a receiving antenna 1991 for receiving RF waves from a source (in this case, wave 1984 from the reader 1980), the receiving antenna 1991 being attached to a rectifier / voltage multiplier 1994, a capacitor (or battery) 1995 connected in parallel with one or more resistors 1992 disposed between the antenna 1991 and ground 1993, and generating a direct current (DC) voltage between its two terminals 1996 and 1997. This DC voltage powers the connected circuitry. Additional components (such as an impedance matching network (IMN) between the antenna and the rectifier (not shown) and / or any other logic or other circuitry known in the art for power harvesting applications) may also be included in circuit 1900.

[0106] like Figure 19A and Figure 19B As shown, the metal layer 1910 has a first discontinuity 1902 extending from the periphery of the card to the opening 1920 and a second discontinuity 1904 extending from the periphery of the card to the opening 1930. The card 1900 also includes a rear non-metallic layer 1940 disposed on the rear surface of the metal layer 1910 and a front non-metallic layer 1950 disposed on the front surface of the metal layer. A pattern 1960 (e.g., words, logos, or graphics printed or otherwise disposed on or in the front non-metallic layer 1950) covers the illumination area 1937 of the LED module, which is positioned for backlighting by the LED module. Although in Figure 19B The pattern is shown as a positive raised pattern 1960 (e.g., from printed ink disposed on layer 1950), but the pattern may include opaque portions of the non-metallic layer 1950 itself, or a negative pattern formed by holes in the originally opaque non-metallic layer 1950. The pattern may be multi-colored. The metallic layer 1910 may be used as a booster antenna connected to one of the two antennas 1986, 1991 to enhance the signal received from the card reader, or it may be isolated from one or both of the payment and / or lighting circuitry.

[0107] Compared to a card without a window, the LED module adjacent to the transponder module 1925 and the location of the opening 1930 can provide improved RF performance for the card. Similarly, compared to a card without an interruption, the first interruption 1902 and the second interruption 1904 can also improve RF performance.

[0108] In addition, this technology can also be configured as follows:

[0109] (1). A transaction card having opposing machined surfaces and periphery, the transaction card comprising:

[0110] A metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing machined surfaces;

[0111] A transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components of a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit energetic radio frequency (RF) waves, the transaction circuit configured to receive an input RF signal from the card reader in response by outputting an RF signal, and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; and

[0112] An LED module is disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and has a planar illumination area visible from the processed surface of the transaction card. The LED module includes one or more LEDs configured to emit light. The LED module includes components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the RF wave to power the one or more LEDs.

[0113] (2). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate independently of the state of the payment transaction performed by the transaction circuit.

[0114] (3). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the lighting circuit and the transaction circuit include components in a unified circuit, wherein the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate in a manner that indicates the state of a payment transaction performed by the transaction circuit.

[0115] (4). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the metal layer has at least one discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to at least one of the at least two openings in the metal layer.

[0116] (5). The transaction card according to (4) further includes: at least one discontinuity connected to the at least two openings and extending between the at least two openings.

[0117] (6) The transaction card according to (4), wherein the metal layer has a first discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to an opening containing the transponder module and a second discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to an opening containing the LED module.

[0118] (7). The transaction card according to (1) further includes at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposite surfaces of the metallic layer.

[0119] (8). The transaction card according to (1) also includes a printed pattern covering the lighting area of ​​the LED module.

[0120] (9) The transaction card according to (1), wherein the lighting circuit is configured to have variable lighting characteristics that depend on the characteristics of the collected energy.

[0121] (10) The transaction card according to (9), wherein the lighting circuit includes at least one LED with variable intensity, wherein the LED is configured to illuminate with a first relatively low intensity in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and to illuminate with a second relatively high intensity in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range.

[0122] (11). The transaction card according to (9), wherein the lighting circuit has at least two LEDs and is configured to: illuminate one of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, and illuminate the other of the at least two LEDs in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range.

[0123] (12). The transaction card according to (11), wherein the first range and the second range overlap, such that the lighting circuit is configured to illuminate both of the at least two LEDs when the collected energy is within the overlapping range.

[0124] (13). The transaction card according to (9), wherein each of the at least two LEDs is configured to emit light of the same wavelength.

[0125] (14). The transaction card according to (11), wherein at least one of the at least two LEDs is configured to emit light of a different wavelength than the other of the at least two LEDs.

[0126] (15) The transaction card according to (14), wherein one of the at least two LEDs is configured to generate a wavelength in the green visible spectrum, and the other of the at least two LEDs is configured to generate a wavelength in the red visible spectrum.

[0127] (16) According to the transaction card of (15), wherein the lighting circuit is configured to: illuminate red in response to energy collected in a first relatively low range, illuminate green LED in response to energy collected in a second relatively high range, and illuminate both the red LED and the green LED when the collected energy is in response to energy collected in a third intermediate range between the first relatively low range and the second relatively high range.

[0128] (17). The transaction card according to (16), wherein one or both of the red LED and the green LED are configured to illuminate with variable intensity.

[0129] (18). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the LED module is located in the metal layer at a position that improves the RF performance of the transponder module relative to a card without the LED module.

[0130] (19). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the LED module further includes a light guide for distributing light emitted by the one or more LEDs on the illumination area.

[0131] (20). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the LED module is an OLED module.

[0132] (21). The transaction card according to (1), wherein the lighting circuit includes a voltage boosting or voltage deflating component.

[0133] (22). The transaction card according to (21), wherein the lighting circuit includes a charge pump.

[0134] (23). A transaction card, comprising:

[0135] A metal layer having a visual appearance, thickness, a front side of the metal layer, a back side of the metal layer, and one or more windows or slots extending through at least the front side;

[0136] The transponder module and the insert are respectively disposed in one or more windows or slots, the insert having a front side visible through the window, the front side of the insert having a different visual appearance from the metal layer;

[0137] One or more non-functional features contrast visually with the front-facing surface of the insert disposed below the non-functional features, the one or more non-functional features being visible from the front surface of the card, wherein the insert is one of the following:

[0138] (a) Opaque and non-transparent; or

[0139] (b) Transparent or translucent, and configured to transmit backlight through the rear surface of the card to the non-functional feature;

[0140] The insertion element, located within the metal layer, improves the RF performance of the transponder module compared to a card without the insertion element.

[0141] (24). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the non-functional features include printing features.

[0142] (25). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the insert is non-transparent and non-transparent, but has an illuminated front-facing surface.

[0143] (26). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the insert includes an illuminateable LED display.

[0144] (27). The transaction card according to (26), wherein the illuminateable LED display is powered by energy harvested from RF waves.

[0145] (28) The transaction card according to (26), wherein the metal layer has at least two openings, wherein the transponder module is disposed in one of the at least two openings, and the insert is disposed in the other of the at least two openings.

[0146] (29) The transaction card according to (28), wherein the transponder module includes a transaction circuit configured to inductively couple the transponder module to a card reader using RFID technology.

[0147] (30). The transaction card according to (26), wherein the illuminateable LED display is configured to illuminate as an indicator of card operability.

[0148] (31). The transaction card according to (26), wherein the illuminateable LED display is configured to illuminate independently of the state of the payment transaction executed by the transaction circuit.

[0149] (32). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the insert is semi-transparent or transparent, and the window extends from the front surface of the metal layer to the rear surface of the metal layer, such that non-collimated light passes through the insert to provide a contrast with the one or more non-functional features visible from the front surface of the card.

[0150] (33). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the non-functional features include at least one of the following: printing features, engraving features, etching features or cutting features.

[0151] (34). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the window or slot includes: a plurality of openings located in the front side of the metal layer, the plurality of openings defining the one or more non-functional features disposed in a first region, at least one opening in the back side of the body aligned with the first region, and the insert disposed in at least one opening in the back side of the body, positioned such that the front-facing surface of the insert is recessed relative to the front side of the metal layer, such that the front-facing surface of the insert is visible through the plurality of openings in the front side of the metal layer.

[0152] (35). The transaction card according to (23) further includes a backing layer laminated to the back of the body.

[0153] (36). The transaction card according to (23), wherein the insert or a portion of the opening containing the insert is partially obscured by printed or decorative contents.

[0154] (37). The transaction card according to (23) further includes a first discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the transponder module and a second discontinuity extending from the periphery of the card to the opening containing the LED module.

[0155] (38) The transaction card according to (26), wherein the illuminateable LED display includes one or more LEDs and a light guide, the one or more LEDs being configured to emit light, and the light guide being used to distribute the light emitted by the one or more LEDs onto an illuminated area of ​​the front-facing surface of the insert.

[0156] (39). The transaction card according to (27), wherein the illuminateable LED display has variable illumination characteristics depending on the amount of energy collected.

[0157] Although the invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications to the details may be made within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention.

Claims

1. A transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a perimeter, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces, and wherein the metal layer has at least one discontinuity extending from the perimeter of the card to at least one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, and at least one discontinuity connected to and extending between the at least two openings; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components in a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an incoming RF signal from the card reader to respond with an outgoing RF signal, and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; a light emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from a processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module including one or more LEDs configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the RF waves to power the one or more LEDs; and at least one non-metal layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metal layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of the LED module and visible over non-illumination areas of the LED module.

2. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, the illumination circuit is configured to illuminate independent of a status of a payment transaction performed by the transaction circuit.

3. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, the illumination circuit and the transaction circuit include components in a unified circuit in which the illumination circuit is configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a status of a payment transaction performed by the transaction circuit.

4. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, the at least one discontinuity extends from the perimeter of the card to the opening containing the transponder module, and another of the at least one discontinuity extends from the perimeter of the card to the opening containing the LED module.

5. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics dependent on characteristics of the harvested energy.

6. The transaction card of claim 5, wherein, the illumination circuit includes at least one LED having variable intensity, wherein the LED is configured to illuminate at a first relatively lower intensity in response to harvested energy in a first relatively lower range, and at a second relatively higher intensity in response to harvested energy in a second relatively higher range. the illumination circuit includes at least one LED having variable intensity, wherein the LED is configured to illuminate at a first relatively lower intensity in response to harvested energy in a first relatively lower range, and at a second relatively higher intensity in response to harvested energy in a second relatively higher range.

7. The transaction card of claim 5, wherein, The illumination circuit has at least two light emitting diodes and is configured to illuminate one of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a first, relatively lower range and to illuminate another of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a second, relatively higher range.

8. The transaction card of claim 7, wherein, The at least two light emitting diodes are each configured to emit light of the same wavelength.

9. The transaction card of claim 7, wherein, At least one of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to emit light of a different wavelength than another of the at least two light emitting diodes.

10. The transaction card of claim 9, wherein, One of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to produce wavelengths in the green visible light spectrum and another of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to produce wavelengths in the red visible light spectrum.

11. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, The light emitting diode module further includes a light guide for distributing light emitted by the one or more light emitting diodes over the illumination area.

12. The transaction card of claim 1, wherein, The printed pattern has a first section covering the illumination area of the light emitting diode module and a second section disposed across an interface between an edge of at least one of the openings in the metal layer and the illumination area of the light emitting diode module and the second section is visible over the non-illumination area of the light emitting diode module.

13. A transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a perimeter, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components in a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an incoming RF signal from the card reader to respond with an outgoing RF signal and to power the transaction circuit by collecting energy from the RF waves; a light emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from a processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module including one or more light emitting diodes configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to collect energy from the RF waves to power the one or more light emitting diodes; at least one non-metal layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metal layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of the LED module and visible over the non-illumination area of the LED module; wherein the illumination circuit has at least two light emitting diodes and is configured to illuminate one of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a first, relatively lower range and another of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a second, relatively higher range; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics dependent on characteristics of the collected energy; wherein the illumination circuit has at least two light emitting diodes and is configured to illuminate one of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a first, relatively lower range and another of the at least two light emitting diodes in response to collected energy in a second, relatively higher range; and wherein the first and second ranges overlap, such that the illumination circuit is configured to illuminate both of the at least two LEDs when the collected energy is in the overlapping range.

14. A transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a perimeter, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components in a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an incoming RF signal from the card reader to respond with an outgoing RF signal and to power the transaction circuit by collecting energy from the RF waves; a light emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from a processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module including one or more light emitting diodes configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to collect energy from the RF waves to power the one or more light emitting diodes; at least one non-metal layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metal layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of the LED module and visible over non-illumination areas of the LED module; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics dependent on characteristics of the collected energy; wherein at least one of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to emit light of a different wavelength than another of the at least two light emitting diodes; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to have variable illumination characteristics dependent on characteristics of the collected energy; wherein one of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to produce wavelengths in a green visible light spectrum and another of the at least two light emitting diodes is configured to produce wavelengths in a red visible light spectrum; wherein the illumination circuit is configured to illuminate the red light emitting diode in response to harvested energy in a first, relatively lower range and to illuminate the green light emitting diode in response to harvested energy in a second, relatively higher range; and when the first and second ranges are overlapping, such that the illumination circuit is configured to: and when harvested energy is in a third, intermediate range between the first, relatively lower range and the second, relatively higher range, to illuminate both the red light emitting diode and the green light emitting diode.

15. The transaction card of claim 14, wherein, One or both of the red light emitting diode and the green light emitting diode are configured to illuminate at variable intensities.

16. A transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a perimeter, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components in a transaction circuit configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an incoming RF signal from the card reader to respond with an outgoing RF signal and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; a light emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from a processed surface of the transaction card, the LED module including one or more light emitting diodes configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the RF waves to power the one or more light emitting diodes; at least one non-metal layer disposed on each of the opposing processed surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metal layer includes a printed pattern covering the illumination area of the LED module and visible over non-illumination areas of the LED module; and wherein the LED module is located in the metal layer in a position relative to a card without the LED module that improves radio frequency performance of the transponder module.

17. A transaction card having opposing processed surfaces and a perimeter, the transaction card comprising: a metal layer having opposing surfaces and at least two openings, each opening extending through one or both of the opposing processed surfaces; a transponder module disposed in one of the at least two openings in the metal layer, the transponder module including components in a transaction circuit, the components configured to wirelessly communicate with a card reader, the card reader configured to emit radio frequency (RF) waves having energy, the transaction circuit configured to receive an incoming RF signal from the card reader, to respond with an outgoing RF signal, and to power the transaction circuit by harvesting energy from the RF waves; a light emitting diode (LED) module disposed in another of the at least two openings in the metal layer and having a planar illumination area visible from a fabricated surface of the transaction card, the LED module including one or more LEDs configured to emit light, the LED module including components in an illumination circuit configured to harvest energy from the RF waves to power the one or more LEDs; at least one non-metallic layer disposed on each of the opposing fabricated surfaces of the metal layer, wherein the at least one non-metallic layer includes a printed pattern that covers the illumination area of the LED module and is visible over non-illumination areas of the LED module; wherein the illumination circuit includes a voltage boost or voltage drop component and the illumination circuit includes a charge pump.

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