COIN OR MEDAL PART WITH DIGITAL CERTIFICATE

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of medals and coins.

[0002] The present invention relates more particularly to a medal or coin comprising an NFC element issuing a digital certificate. Previous technique

[0003] A coin is defined today as a metallic object with two engraved sides and a specific edge. An engraved face value gives it legal tender status, whether it's a collector's coin or circulating currency. Medals, on the other hand, are composed entirely or partially of metal and do not have a face value, but only two engravings on the obverse and reverse, and sometimes on the edge. Beyond the engraved elements, these two types of objects convey no other information, neither static nor dynamic.

[0004] The invention presented below introduces a concept of a smart coin / smart medal which refers to a coin / medal which has various information stored in it, readable by means of a reader (e.g. smartphones, RFID-NFC terminals).

[0005] Currently, the only technologies used occasionally to make coins / medals smart are QR codes laser-engraved or applied to the coin during minting: Royal Dutch Mint: world's first QR coded coin, 2011 National Bank of Ukraine: The 30th Anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, 2021

[0006] This type of identification code, like barcodes, only allows for a single response and is very limited in terms of complexity: A QR code is simply a "key" and is therefore limited in its response capabilities: it can only return a URL, a short text entry, a business card, a file (PDF, Word, etc.), an application, or an email. It is also limited in terms of the number of responses it can link to: it can only connect to a single, unique object. Furthermore, the amount of information it can contain is dictated by its size; the larger it is, the more information it can hold, but at the expense of space for artistic expression.

[0007] U.S. Patent Application No. US 2012 / 055996 A1 relates to a coin comprising a metallic base element, preferably disc-shaped, and at least one flat insertion element which is housed in the disc-shaped metallic base element. Description of the invention

[0008] The invention aims to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a solution enabling the provision of innovative and secure metallic products such as coins or medals with digital certificates via blockchain, creating for each serial number of a product a unique digital certificate of authenticity linked to that serial number, and preventing counterfeiting, protecting original products, enabling secure transfers, and introducing data allowing complex and dynamic digital exchange with the products.

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a metallic device, of the medal or coin type, comprising an NFC (“Near Field Communication”) electronic tag element housed in a cavity, encapsulated with resin and integrated into a ferrite complex within said metallic device, and further comprising an aluminum layer located under the ferrite complex.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the ferrite complex has a thickness of 2xE, where E is between 80 and 120 µm.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the aluminum layer has a thickness between 30 and 60 µm.

[0012] According to a particular method of implementation, the said cavity has a depth between 0.60 and 0.80 mm.

[0013] Advantageously, the resin is poured and then baked at a temperature between 65°C and 95°C for a period of between 45 and 75 minutes.

[0014] According to one embodiment, one or more layers of ink are applied to the resin.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the metallic device according to the present invention comprises a digital certificate integrated into said NFC electronic element.

[0016] According to one embodiment, said digital certificate is associated with a blockchain technology.

[0017] Advantageously, the metallic device according to the present invention is coupled to a mobile application installed on a smartphone-type device. Brief description of the drawings

[0018] [ Fig. 1 ] There figure 1 illustrates the device according to the invention, in one embodiment. Fig. 2A ] There figure 2A also represents the device according to the invention, in one embodiment. Fig. 2B ] There figure 2B is an AA cup of the figure 2A . Detailed description

[0019] The objectives of the present invention are as follows: 1. Offer innovative and secure metallic products such as coins or medals with digital certificates via blockchain, 2. Create a unique digital certificate of authenticity linked to each product serial number, 3. Prevent counterfeiting, protect original products, and enable secure transfers, 4. Introduce data enabling complex and dynamic digital exchange with the products.

[0020] The technologies used so far allow the processing of this kind of data but in a unique and isolated way, that is to say, a QR Code would be needed for each piece of information / URL / document, which is technically unfeasible given the size of the products, and is of no interest.

[0021] The inventors of the present invention have therefore turned to the contactless technology of NFC tags that can be read directly with a smartphone or a specific terminal.

[0022] An NFC tag consists at a minimum of an electronic chip, antenna and support for these.

[0023] The NFC (Near Field Communication) system is a subset of RFID technology based on passive communication via a magnetic field (13.56 MHz). This frequency is unrestricted in all countries and offers good data rates. The technology is accessible and can be miniaturized. This communication is called "passive" because the NFC tag has no internal power source. The reader provides the necessary energy (via the magnetic field) to the tag to power it and enable the sharing of the information stored on its chip.

[0024] Communication takes place via this field and allows the exchange of information over a short distance (< 10 cm) between the reader (smartphone or specific reader) and the NFC tag (credit card for example).

[0025] There are many NFC tag references on the market with different sizes, shapes and substrates, but none that meet the objectives of the present invention: The first technical challenge lay in its miniaturization. Indeed, due to the final aesthetic requirements and the mastery of stamping techniques, it was desirable to have an NFC tag that was as small as possible (diameter less than 10 or 12 mm) and as thin as possible (less than 1 mm). The second challenge was to make this NFC tag functional and readable within a metallic object (such as a coin or medal). Metal is conductive, and in the presence of a magnetic field, eddy currents are generated (due to variations in the surrounding field). This results in destructive interference that significantly reduces the sensitivity and efficiency of the NFC antenna, ultimately rendering communication between the tag and the reader impossible.The more metal there is around the tag, the more interference there will be, disrupting the tag's performance and leading to significant signal degradation, a reduction in reading distance, or even rendering it inoperable.

[0026] The invention consists of: The creation of a miniature, custom-made, ultra-thin NFC tag, specifically developed by the Applicant to enable its operation within a metallic environment such as a coin or medal. The resulting NFC tag is insulated by a specific multilayer metallic complex primarily composed of ferrite and aluminum elements, designed to largely neutralize eddy currents within the metallic object, which degrade the performance of the tag's antenna. The tag is then deeply embedded in a cavity within the object and subsequently encapsulated tamper-proof using a resin coating and pad printing process. This step ensures protection against removal and counterfeiting.The development of complex, secure and anti-counterfeiting data via blockchain, uniquely linked to the physical product (certificate of authenticity and numbering, ownership certificates, content specially designed for each of the linked projects...) very easily readable with a smartphone equipped with NFC technology.

[0027] The present invention relates more particularly to a metallic device 100, of the medal or coin type, comprising an NFC element 110 ( “Near Field Communication” ) of the tag type housed in a cavity, encapsulated with resin and integrated into a ferrite complex 120 within said metallic device 100, and further comprising an aluminium layer 130 located below the ferrite complex 120.

[0028] In one embodiment, the ferrite complex 120 has a thickness of 2xE, where E is between 80 and 120 µm.

[0029] In one embodiment, the aluminum layer 130 has a thickness between 30 and 60 µm.

[0030] In one embodiment, said cavity has a depth between 0.60 and 0.80 mm.

[0031] In one embodiment, the resin is poured and then baked at a temperature between 65°C and 95°C for a period of between 45 and 75 minutes.

[0032] In a particular implementation method, one or more layers of ink are applied to the resin.

[0033] In one embodiment, said metallic device 100 includes a digital certificate integrated into said NFC element 110.

[0034] In one embodiment, said digital certificate is associated with a blockchain technology.

[0035] In a particular implementation mode, said metallic device 100 is coupled to a mobile application installed on a smartphone-type device.

[0036] The metallic composition of the Applicant's products (gold, silver, platinum, palladium, bronzes, and copper alloys, among others), as previously mentioned, generates interference that degrades the effectiveness of the NFC tag. Indeed, without specific protection, the presence of the surrounding metallic mass around the cavity in which the tag is inserted renders it inert. Furthermore, generally speaking, when this mass increases, as in the case of a large product, performance deteriorates, the response distance decreases, and eventually disappears completely, resulting in a complete lack of functionality.

[0037] To isolate the functional part of the tag from interference as much as possible, a sandwich complex of ferrite with a thickness of 2xE was developed, where E is between 80 and 120 µm, precisely matching the size of the tag. This complex provides high magnetic permeability in very localized areas. In this way, the field lines are more concentrated locally within this complex, minimizing the influence of the metal. A second advantage of this complex is that it increases the efficiency of antennas for small and thin tags, such as those of the invention. However, the results obtained were not entirely satisfactory.

[0038] A second improvement was implemented to mitigate the impact of the metal thickness encasing the tag: the addition of an aluminum layer between 30 and 60 µm thick beneath the ferrite layer. This layer lowers the resonant frequency, bringing it closer to the ideal frequency of 13.56 MHz, thus improving readability at short distances.

[0039] The device 100 according to the present invention is shown Figure 1 .

[0040] We observe on the Figure 1 the device 100, comprising a face layer, a substrate and an antenna, the ferrite complex 120, and the aluminum layer 130 located under the ferrite complex 120.

[0041] There Figure 2A also represents the device according to the invention, in one embodiment.

[0042] There Figure 2B is an AA cup of the figure 2A .

[0043] We observe on the Figure 2B the NFC tag, the encapsulation resin and the finishing pad printing.

[0044] We describe below a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0045] To accommodate the tag, a cavity between 0.60 and 0.80 mm deep was created in the metal piece during the minting process. The tag, which has a strong adhesive layer, is then glued to the bottom of this cavity and subsequently encapsulated with resin. This resin is then cured at a temperature between 65°C and 95°C for 45 to 75 minutes. In this way, the tag is securely attached to the product and undergoes a process of protection against removal and tampering through this encapsulation. The tag protrudes only slightly, if at all, from the top surface of the product: its height does not exceed the rim (the edge of the minted piece in the case of a coin) and may protrude very slightly in the case of a medal, which may not have a rim. The aim is to insert the tag so that it is flush with the surface once mounted.The security is then reinforced by pad printing with several layers of specific colored ink applied to the resin, certifying the tag's factory integrity. This pad printing is then baked at a temperature between 105°C and 135°C for 10 to 20 minutes.

[0046] A dedicated mobile application complements this invention. Indeed, any smartphone equipped with NFC technology can read the tamper-proof data (via blockchain) embedded in the NFC tag using an application. This application is part of a larger ecosystem, complemented by a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform, which serves as an administrative back office for the Applicant, enabling the management of digital twin products and their blockchain alongside physical products.

[0047] The solution offered by the present invention is a unique solution in the world of numismatics, or even in that of connected objects, given the small size and performance of the component integrated in an exclusively metallic environment.

[0048] The invented tag is a unique solution because it has been miniaturized (diameter less than 10-12 mm) and is functional in a metallic environment thanks to its multi-layered insulating complex, thus allowing its integration into a collectible coin or medal. Furthermore, this technology is tamper-proof through sealing / encapsulation (bonding, resin casting, curing, and pad printing) within the coin.

[0049] The possibilities for storing information and content related to the product are vast, even limitless, with the tag and blockchain serving as the key, and accessible via any smartphone equipped with NFC technology and a specifically developed mobile application. The collectible coin / medal can thus provide access to: Digital certificate of authenticity linked to the serial number, tamper-proof via blockchain to counter any potential counterfeiting; Protected and tamper-proof certificate of ownership via blockchain (transfer link in case of resale between individuals) with the possibility of transferring ownership during a sale between individuals via a secure portal / links; Specific or exclusive content (videos, articles, images, archives, contacts, price reductions, news...) accessible only by the owner of the collectible coin / medal.

Claims

1. A metal device (100) of the medal or coin type comprising a tag-type NFC - Near Field Communication electronic element (110) housed in a cavity, encapsulated with resin, said metal device (100) being characterized in that said NFC - Near Field Communication electronic element (110) is integrated into a ferrite complex (120) within said metal device (100), and in that said metal device (100) further comprises an aluminum layer (130) located under the ferrite complex (120).

2. The metal device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the ferrite complex (120) has a thickness of 2xE, where E is between 80 and 120 µm.

3. The metal device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aluminum layer (130) has a thickness between 30 and 60 µm.

4. The metal device (100) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said cavity has a depth between 0.60 and 0.80 mm.

5. The metal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resin is poured and then cooked at a temperature between 65°C and 95°C for a duration between 45 and 75 minutes.

6. The metal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more ink layers are applied to the resin.

7. The metal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a digital certificate integrated into said NFC electronic element (110).

8. The metal device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that said digital certificate is associated with a blockchain technology.

9. The metal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is coupled to a mobile application installed on a smartphone-type device.