Method of forming integrated circuit(IC) card with visual display
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2024774216
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-03-22
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-28
Smart Images
Figure CN2024083040_26092024_PF_FP
Abstract
Description
Method of Forming an Integrated Circuit (IC) Card with a Visual DisplayField of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) card (also called a “Smart Card” ) with a visual display, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) display.Background of the Invention
[0002] For the purpose of reducing the occurrence of fraud in so called “Card-Not-Present” (CNP) transactions, in which electronic payment transactions are made in the absence of a payment card (such as prepaid cards, debit cards or credit cards) being read by a card reader, it has been proposed to provide a payment card capable of displaying a dynamic security code with a limited use, e.g. for one time use only.
[0003] There are also prepaid cards and debit cards in which a certain sum of money has been “deposited” , which a user may use for effecting electronic payment transactions. For most such conventional prepaid cards or debit cards, it is only possible to ascertain the balance of deposit in a card by establishing physical and / or electrical connection of the card with a card reader (of a third party) connected with a network, whereby the balance deposit in the card is shown in a visual display associated with the card reader. The card holder may not be comfortable with allowing the amount of the deposit balance in the card to be perceivable by a third party.
[0004] It is thus an objective of the present invention to provide a method of forming an IC card (which may be a dual-interface card or a contactless card) with a visual display in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated or at least to provide a useful alternative to the trade and public.Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) card, including positioning an IC module at least partly within a first cavity of a first substrate, positioning a visual display member at least partly within a second cavity of said first substrate, and electrically connecting said IC module and said visual display member to allow data transmission between said IC module and said visual display member.Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0007] Fig. 1 shows a front major surface of a lead frame suitable for use in a method according to the present invention;
[0008] Fig. 2 shows a rear major surface of the lead frame of Fig. 1;
[0009] Fig. 3 shows a front major surface of a semi-processed integrated circuit (IC) module suitable for use in a method according to the present invention;
[0010] Fig. 4 shows a rear major surface of the semi-processed IC module of Fig. 3;
[0011] Figs. 5 and 6 show further steps of processing the semi-processed IC of Fig. 3 to form a fully-processed IC chip suitable for use in a method according to the present invention;
[0012] Fig. 7 shows a front major surface of an inlay substrate suitable for forming an IC card according to a method of the present invention;
[0013] Fig. 8 shows a rear major surface of the inlay substrate of Fig. 7;
[0014] Figs. 9 to 11 shows further steps of forming a IC in a method according to the present invention;
[0015] Fig. 12 is a partial exploded sectional view of the IC card of Fig. 11;
[0016] Fig. 13 shows a front view of the assembled IC card;
[0017] Fig. 14 shows a rear view of the assembled IC card of Fig. 13;
[0018] Fig. 15 shows a sectional view of the IC card of Fig. 13;
[0019] Fig. 16 shows a sectional view of an IC module suitable for use in forming a contactless IC card according to a further method of the present invention;
[0020] Fig. 17 shows a front major surface of the IC module of Fig. 16;
[0021] Fig. 18 shows a rear major surface of the IC module of Fig. 16;
[0022] Figs. 19 and 20 show further steps of processing the IC module of Fig. 16 to form a fully-processed IC module suitable for use in the further method of the present invention;
[0023] Fig. 21 shows the IC module of Fig. 19 received within a first cavity of an inlay substrate;
[0024] Fig. 22 shows fixed engagement of an outer substrate with the inlay substrate of Fig. 21;and
[0025] Fig. 23 shows a sectional view of the assembled IC card of Fig. 22.
[0026] Description of the Embodiments
[0027] Fig. 1 shows a front major surface 12 of a lead frame 14, and Fig. 2 shows a rear major surface 16 of the lead frame 14. The front major surface 12 of the lead frame 14 is covered by a layer of electrically conductive material (e.g. copper) which is further partitioned into six regions 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e, 18f (collectively, “18a-f” ) . Five regions 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e of the six regions 18a-f are each electrically connected, e.g. each via a respective electroplated through-hole which runs through the thickness of the lead frame 14, with a respective electrical connection point 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e (collectively, “20a-e” ) on the rear major surface 16 of the lead frame 14.
[0028] Fig. 3 shows a front major surface 22 of a semi-processed integrated circuit (IC) module 24, and Fig. 4 shows a rear major surface 26 of the semi-processed IC module 24. On the front major surface 22 of the IC module 24 are five electrical connection points 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 28e (collectively, “28a-e” ) which are positioned, when assembled, to correspond and be aligned with the electrical connection points 20a-20e on the rear major surface 16 of the lead frame 14.
[0029] The electrical connection points 28a-e on the front major surface 22 of the IC module 24 are each electrically connected, e.g. via a respective electroplated through-hole which runs through the thickness of the IC module 24, with a respective electrical connection point 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e on the rear major surface 26 of the IC module 24.
[0030] Fig. 5 shows the rear major surface 26 of the semi-processed IC module 24, in which various electrical connection points 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f, 30g, 30h, 30i, 30j, 30k, 30l, 30m are duly electrically connected with one another and with an IC chip 32 by wire-bonding or flip chip. Fig. 6 shows the IC chip 32 of the IC module 24 protected by a globe 34 made of a protection material, forming the fully-processed IC module 24.
[0031] A front major surface 36 of an inlay substrate 38 for forming an IC card 10 of the present invention (see Figs. 13 to 15) is shown in Fig. 7, and a rear major surface 39 of the inlay substrate 38 is shown in Fig. 8. The inlay substrate 38 is formed with a first cavity 43 (see Fig. 15) which runs through the thickness of the inlay substrate 38 for receiving the fully-processed IC module 24. After duly assembling the IC module 24 within the first cavity 43 of the inlay substrate 38, the front major surface 22 of the IC module 24 is exposed to the outside environment. The inlay substrate 38 also includes a second cavity 47 (see Fig. 15) , which may or may not run through the thickness of the inlay substrate 38, for receiving a visual display module, e.g. an LED module 40 with a data processing unit (such as a microcontroller unit (MCU) 37) and a visual display, which may provide static and / or running visual images and / or patterns. In one embodiment, the visual display may be an LED display 41 comprising a number of seven-segment displays for displaying a number of numeral digits, for showing, for example, dynamic security codes for use in CNP transactions involving the IC card 10, the balance of deposit in the relevant debit card or prepayment card, or some other numerically presentable information. In another embodiment, the LED module 40 may include a running LED light module which may display static and / or running images and / or patterns, for providing various visual indications to the users.
[0032] The IC module 24 is electrically connected with a loop antenna 42 (which may be made of copper) laid out on the front major surface 36 of the inlay substrate 38 to enable wireless communication between the IC module 24 (and thus the IC card 10 formed of the IC module 24) and the outside environment, e.g. an outside card reader (not shown) , and / or to enable the IC module 24 (and thus the IC card 10) to receive electromagnetic radiation from the outside environment, such as a smart phone with near field communication (NFC) capability (not shown) , e.g. for activating the IC module 24 to operate the LED module 40. The IC module 24 is also electrically connected with the LED module 40 by electric wires 45 to allow data transmission between the IC module 24 and the LED module 40, such as from the IC module 24 to the LED module 40, for controlling the operation of the LED display 41 or running LED light module.
[0033] As shown in Fig. 9, to the rear major surface 39 of the inlay substrate 38 is fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) a correspondingly sized and configured first outer substrate 44 with a through-hole or transparent window through which, when the inlay substrate 38 and the first outer substrate 44 are duly assembled with each other, the LED display 41 or running LED light module may be seen.
[0034] As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, to form the IC card 10, to the front major surface 36 of the inlay substrate 38 is fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) a correspondingly sized and configured second outer substrate 46. The second outer substrate 46 is formed with a through-hole or cavity 48 which is sized and configured to receive the lead frame 14. The through-hole or cavity 48 may be formed prior to lamination of the second outer substrate 46 with the inlay substrate 38, or after lamination of the second outer substrate 46 with the inlay substrate 38 (e.g. by milling away material from the second outer substrate until the front major surface 22 of the IC module 24 is exposed to the outside environment) . When duly assembled and received within the through-hole 48 of the second outer substrate 46, the lead frame 14 is electrically connected with the IC module 24 via an electrically conductive adhesive material, e.g. an anisotropic conductive (ACF) hot-melt film or tape 50.
[0035] As shown more clearly in Fig. 12, the electrical connection points 20a-e on the rear major surface 16 of the lead frame 14 include tin contact balls or gold contact balls 52, which, when the lead frame 14 is duly assembled with the IC card 10, come into electrical and physical contact with the ACF hot-melt film or tape 50. The ACF hot-melt film or tape 50 is sandwiched between and fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) with the lead frame 14 and the IC module 24. By way of such an arrangement, the IC module 24 and the lead frame 14 are electrically connected and are in a two-way data- communicable relationship with each other.
[0036] Although the first outer substrate 44 and the second outer substrate 46 are referred to as “outer” substrates, it should be noted that these two outer substrates may not be the outer-most layers of the final IC card 10. For example, graphics substrate (s) and / or protecting substrate (s) may be provided to further cover the first outer substrate 44 and / or the second outer substrate 46, while always ensuring that the LED display 41 or running LED light module can be viewed from the outside, and that the front major surface 12 of the lead frame 14 are exposed to the outside environment.
[0037] As shown in Fig. 13, which shows a front view of the IC card 10, the front major surface 16 of the lead frame 14 is exposed to the outside environment, thus allowing the IC card 10 to come into physical contact with an outside card reader (not shown) for establishing two-way data communication between the IC card 10 and the outside card reader.
[0038] As shown in Fig. 14, which shows a rear view of the IC card 10, the LED display 41 is viewable through a hole of a rear major surface 56 of the IC card 10. As in other conventional pre-paid cards, debit cards or credit cards, a magnetic stripe 58 and a signature area 60 are provided on the rear major surface 56 of the IC card 10. It can be seen that while the front major surface 12 of the lead frame 14 is exposed to the outside environment through a front side of the IC card 10 (as shown in Fig. 13) , the LED display 41 is viewable through an opposite rear side of the IC card 10 (as shown in Fig. 14) .
[0039] Fig. 15 shows a sectional view of the IC card 10. The inlay substrate 38 is sandwiched between and fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) with the first outer substrate 44 and the second outer substrate 46. The lead frame 14 is received within the through-hole 48 of the second outer substrate 46, and is in electrical connection, via the ACF hot-melt film or tape 50, with the IC module 24 which is received within the first cavity 43 of the inlay substrate 38. The LED module 40 is also received within the second cavity 47 within the inlay substrate 38. Although it is here disclosed that the inlay substrate 38 is sandwiched between the first outer substrate 44 and the second outer substrate 46, it is envisaged that the first outer substrate 44 and / or the second outer substrate 46 may not be in direct contact with the inlay substrate 38. For example, one or more intermediate substrate layers may, for functional or structural reasons, be disposed between the inlay substrate 38 and the first outer substrate 44 and / or between the inlay substrate 38 and the second outer substrate 46.
[0040] While the IC card 10 is a dual-interface card allowing (i) data communication of the IC card 10 with an outside card reader (not shown) or reception of electromagnetic radiation from an outside smart phone with NFC capability (not shown) wirelessly via the loop antenna 42, and (ii) data communication of the IC card 10 with an outside card reader (not shown) by way of physical contact via the lead frame 14, the present invention also relates to a method of forming a contactless IC card with a visual display.
[0041] Fig. 16 shows a sectional view of an IC module 102 suitable for use in forming a contactless IC card 100 (see Fig. 23) according to the present invention. Fig. 17 shows a front major surface 104 of the IC module 102 and Fig. 18 shows a rear major surface 106 of the IC module 102.
[0042] As distinct from the IC module 24 of the IC card 10 discussed above, the IC module 102 does not have to establish electrical connection with a lead frame. The front major surface 104 of the IC module 102 is provided with four electrical connection regions 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d (collectively, “108a-d” ) each electrically connected, e.g. via a respective electroplated through-hole which runs through the thickness of the IC module 102, with a respective electrical connection point 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d (collectively, “110a-d” ) on the rear major surface 106 of the IC module 102. On the rear major surface 106 of the IC module 102 is also fixedly engaged an IC chip 112.
[0043] The IC module 102 shown in Fig. 18 is further processed by electrically connecting the electrical connection points 110a-d with the IC chip 112, as shown in Fig. 19, e.g. by wire bonding or flip chip. As shown in Fig. 20, the IC module 102 shown in Fig. 19 is further processed by protecting the IC chip 112 with a globe 114 made of a protection material to form the fully-processed IC module 102.
[0044] As shown in Fig. 21, the IC module 102 is received within a first cavity 116 (see Fig. 23) of an inlay substrate 118. The IC module 102 is electrically connected with a loop antenna 120 (e.g. made of a copper wire) laid out on the inlay substrate 118, thus enabling the IC module 102 to establish two-way wireless data communication with an outside card reader (not shown) . The IC module 102 is also electrically connected by electric wires 121 with a visual display module, such as an LED module 122. The LED module 122 is received within a second cavity 125 of the inlay substrate 118, and has a data processing unit (for example a microcontroller unit 123) and a visual display, e.g. an LED display 124 (such as an LED display comprising a number of seven-segment displays or a running LED display module) . By way of such an arrangement, data transmission between the IC module 102 and the LED module 122 (such as from the IC module 102 to the LED module 122) is allowed, for example to allow the IC module 102 to control the operation of the LED display 124 or running LED display module. In addition, the loop antenna 120 also allows the IC module 102 to receive electromagnetic radiation from the outside environment, such as a smart phone with NFC capability (not shown) , for activating the IC module 102 to operate the LED module 122.
[0045] As shown in Fig. 22, a correspondingly sized and configured first outer substrate 126 is fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) with the inlay substrate 118 to protect the various parts and components assembled into or onto the inlay substrate 118, except with a through-hole or transparent window allowing the LED display 124 or running LED display module to be viewed from the outside.
[0046] Turning to Fig. 23, it can be seen that, in the contactless IC card 100, a correspondingly sized and configured second outer substrate 128 is fixedly engaged (e.g. by lamination) with the inlay substrate 118, such that the inlay substrate 118 is sandwiched between and fixedly engaged with the first outer substrate 126 and the second outer substrate 128.
[0047] Again, although the first outer substrate 126 and the second outer substrate 128 are referred to as “outer” substrates, it should be noted that these two outer substrates may not be the outer-most layers of the final IC card 100. For example, graphics substrate (s) and / or protecting substrate (s) may be provided to further cover the first outer substrate 126 and / or the second outer substrate 128, while always ensuring that the LED display 124 can be viewed from the outside.
[0048] In addition, although it is here disclosed that the inlay substrate 118 is sandwiched between the first outer substrate 126 and the second outer substrate 128, it is envisaged that the first outer substrate 126 and / or the second outer substrate 128 may not be in direct contact with the inlay substrate 118. For example, one or more intermediate substrate layers may, for functional or structural reasons, be disposed between the inlay substrate 118 and the first outer substrate 126 and / or between the inlay substrate 118 and the second outer substrate 128.
[0049] It should be understood that the above only illustrates examples whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications and / or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.
[0050] It should also be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations.
Claims
1.A method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) card, including:positioning an IC module at least partly within a first cavity of a first substrate,positioning a visual display member at least partly within a second cavity of said first substrate, andelectrically connecting said IC module and said visual display member to allow data transmission between said IC module and said visual display member.2.The method of Claim 1, wherein said IC module is adapted to control the operation of said visual display member.3.The method of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said visual display member includes a data processing unit and a visual display unit.4.The method of Claim 3, wherein said visual display unit comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) display or an LED running light display.5.The method of Claim 3, wherein said data processing unit comprises a microcontroller unit (MCU) .6.The method of Claim 1 or 2, further including fixedly engaging and electrically connecting a lead frame with said IC module.7.The method of Claim 6, wherein said lead frame and said IC module are fixedly engaged and electrically connected with each other via an electrically conductive adhesive layer.8.The method of Claim 7, wherein said electrically conductive adhesive layer comprises an anisotropic conductive (ACF) hot-melt film or tape.9.The method of Claim 6, further including fixedly engaging a second substrate with said first substrate, wherein said second substrate includes a through-hole or a third cavity for at least partly receiving said lead frame.10.The method of Claim 6, wherein said lead frame is exposed to the outside environment through a first side of said IC card, said visual display member is viewable through an opposite second side of said IC card.