Dual interface IC card

Abstract

To provide a dual interface IC card configured to suppress increase in manufacturing load without reducing reliability of non-contact communication, and properly adjust resonance frequency easily in accordance with individual difference of IC chips.SOLUTION: An IC card 1 includes: a card substrate 2 having a recess 9; an IC module 70 having an IC chip body 74 and a terminal 73a; an antenna 80 having an antenna wire 81 and a plate-like first end 110, a tip of the antenna wire 81 and the first end 110 being electrically connected, and the first end 110 partially being exposed to the recess 9 of the card substrate 2; and a capacitance formation unit having wiring 83 and a second end 120, the second end 120 being formed by a repeated folding structure of a tip of the wiring 83. A plurality of first ends 110 and second ends 120 are separated and face each other so as to partially overlap each other in plan view of the card substrate 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dual interface IC card capable of contact and non-contact communication with an external device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, IC cards include contact IC cards that input and output electrical signals through an external connection terminal on the surface of the card, and contactless IC cards that input and output electrical signals by electromagnetic induction through an antenna. In addition to these, contact and contactless IC cards, i.e., dual interface IC cards, are also used, which can realize both the functions of a contact IC card and a contactless IC card with a single IC chip. Among them, dual interface IC cards can be used as contact IC cards that are effective in preventing external leakage of input and output data during financial settlement, and as highly convenient contactless IC cards that exchange data in close proximity when entering and leaving a room or at a ticket gate at a station. For this reason, dual interface IC cards are also becoming more and more popular in the market.

[0003] Meanwhile, a dual interface IC card is manufactured as follows. The dual interface IC card described in Patent Document 1 has a card substrate including one or more core sheets, and an IC module embedded from the surface of the card substrate. A conductor is arranged on one of the one or more core sheets of the IC card, and the conductor forms a wound antenna section for providing a contactless communication function, and a contact terminal section that is in electrical contact with a terminal of the IC module. Here, the contact terminal section and the terminal of the IC module are in electrical contact with, for example, the contact terminal section of the conductor and a terminal on the back side of the substrate section of the IC module via a conductive adhesive.

[0004] Moreover, the antenna sheet for non-contact communication medium described in Patent Document 2 is an antenna sheet for non-contact communication medium that includes an antenna and a capacitor section formed by embedding metal conductors covered with an insulating layer in parallel with a part of the surface of a substrate so that the metal conductors are partially exposed. The capacitor section is made of a regular repeating pattern that extends in one direction and is made of a series of metal conductors, and a conductive ink layer is coated on the regular repeating pattern, and the capacitance of the capacitor section can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the area of ​​the conductive ink layer.

[0005] In the cited document 1, when the capacity of the internal circuit of the IC chip varies due to individual differences, it is difficult to properly adjust the resonance frequency of the communication circuit formed by the IC chip and the winding antenna part of the card substrate. On the other hand, in the cited document 2, the capacitance of the capacitor part can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the area of ​​the conductive ink layer, so that it is considered possible to properly adjust the resonance frequency of the communication circuit formed by the IC chip and the antenna of the antenna sheet to some extent when the capacity of the IC chip varies due to individual differences. However, it is time-consuming to form an additional capacitor part on the antenna sheet, and there is a concern that the processing load of trimming it with a cutting machine or the like in a separate process will increase. Furthermore, when the antenna sheet is heat-pressed with another substrate to finish the card substrate of the IC card, the resonance frequency of the communication circuit may be shifted due to thermal deformation of the antenna, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-219732 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-212777 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has as its objective the provision of a dual-interface IC card that suppresses an increase in manufacturing load without reducing the reliability of contactless communication, and that can easily optimize the resonant frequency in accordance with individual differences in IC chips. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first configuration of a dual interface IC card according to this embodiment, which is capable of contact communication and contactless communication with an external device, comprises a card base with a recess, an IC module embedded in the recess and having an IC chip and a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the IC chip, an antenna disposed inside the card base and having an antenna wire and a plurality of plate-shaped first ends, wherein a plurality of tips of the antenna wire and the plurality of first ends are electrically connected to each other and a portion of the first end is exposed in the recess of the card base when the IC module is removed, and a capacitance forming portion disposed inside the card base and having wiring and a plurality of second ends, wherein the plurality of second ends are configured by a repeated folded structure of the plurality of tips of the wiring, and the plurality of first ends and the plurality of second ends are disposed opposite to each other at a distance so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base.

[0009] In addition, a second configuration of a dual interface IC card according to another embodiment of the present invention is the first configuration, wherein the second ends of the plurality of wirings may have breaks therein.

[0010] In addition, a third configuration of a dual interface IC card according to another embodiment of the present invention is such that, for the first or second configuration described above, the direction in which the multiple second ends of the folded structure formed by the multiple tips of the wiring is repeated is along the short side direction of the card base.

[0011] In addition, a fourth configuration of a dual interface IC card according to another form of the present embodiment may be such that, in any of the first to third configurations, the multiple second ends are located deeper from the surface of the opening side of the recess in the thickness direction of the card base than the multiple first ends.

[0012] In addition, a fifth configuration of a dual interface IC card according to another form of the present embodiment may be such that, in any of the first to third configurations, the multiple second ends are located at a shallower position from the surface on the opening side of the recess in the thickness direction of the card base than the multiple first ends.

[0013] Furthermore, a sixth configuration of a dual interface IC card according to another embodiment of the present invention may be such that, in any of the first to fifth configurations, the card base is formed by laminating another substrate on the front and back surfaces of at least a first substrate, and the first ends and the second ends are formed on one side and the other side of the first substrate, respectively.

[0014] A seventh configuration of a manufacturing method of a dual interface IC card capable of contact communication and contactless communication with an external device according to this embodiment includes the steps of: preparing an IC module having an IC chip and a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the IC chip; preparing a card base having an antenna having an antenna wire and a plurality of plate-shaped first ends, the plurality of tips of the antenna wire and the plurality of first ends electrically connected to each other; and a capacitance forming portion having wiring and a plurality of second ends, the plurality of second ends being configured by a repeated folded structure of the plurality of tips of the wiring, each of which is disposed therein; and measuring the frequency characteristics of the IC module. The method includes the steps of: measuring frequency characteristics of a communication circuit of the card base; calculating trimming positions for the second ends; forming a recess in the card base, exposing a portion of the first end in the recess, and performing trimming for the second ends in accordance with the calculated trimming positions; embedding the IC module in the recess of the card base and electrically connecting the terminals of the IC module and the first ends of the antenna, respectively; and wherein the first ends and the second ends are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart so as to partially overlap each other when viewed in a plan view of the card base. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a dual-interface IC card that can easily optimize the resonant frequency in accordance with individual differences in IC chips without reducing the reliability of contactless communication and while suppressing an increase in manufacturing load. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the structure of a dual interface IC card according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view of a dual interface IC card, focusing on a surface on which an antenna is arranged and a surface on which a capacitance generating portion is arranged. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a dual interface IC card. [Figure 4] 11 is a plan view illustrating a configuration in the vicinity of a recess of the card base. FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a plan view illustrating a configuration in the vicinity of a recess of the card base. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an IC module. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram showing an equivalent circuit of a dual interface IC card. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating trimming of a capacitance forming portion. [Figure 9] 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a dual interface IC card according to a first modified example. FIG. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views for explaining the structure of a dual interface IC card according to Modification 2 and Modification 3. [Figure 11] 13 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of a dual interface IC card according to Modification 4 and Modification 5. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an IC card manufacturing system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the main operations of the IC card manufacturing system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] An example of a dual interface IC card according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings, etc. However, the dual interface IC card according to the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or example described below.

[0018] The figures shown below are schematic. Therefore, the size and shape of each part are appropriately exaggerated to facilitate understanding. In addition, hatching showing the cross section of a member is appropriately omitted in each figure. The numerical values ​​such as dimensions of each member and the material names described in this specification are examples of embodiments, and are not limited thereto, and can be appropriately selected and used. In this specification, terms that specify shapes and geometric conditions, such as parallel, orthogonal, and vertical, are intended to include substantially the same state in addition to their strict meanings.

[0019] 1. First embodiment of the present disclosure An example of a typical first embodiment of a dual interface IC card of the present disclosure will be described. Here, for convenience of explanation, an XYZ coordinate system is set for the IC card 1. The IC card 1 is a dual interface IC card. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, etc., the Z axis is taken in the normal direction of the main surface of the IC card 1. The direction from the main surface on the side where the external connection terminals 71 of the IC module 70 are not arranged to the main surface on the side where the external connection terminals 71 are arranged is defined as the +Z direction or the upward direction in the thickness direction, and the opposite direction is defined as the -Z direction or the downward direction in the thickness direction.

[0020] When IC card 1 is viewed from the +Z direction, the straight line perpendicular to both short sides of IC card 1 and the Z axis is defined as the X axis, the direction from one short side closer to external connection terminal 71 to the other short side is defined as the +X direction or rightward direction, and the opposite direction is defined as the -X direction or leftward direction. Furthermore, the axis perpendicular to the X and Z axes is defined as the Y axis, the direction from one long side farther from external connection terminal 71 to the other long side is defined as the +Y direction or upward, and the opposite direction is defined as the -Y direction or downward.

[0021] Here, Fig. 1 is a plan view of IC card 1 as viewed from the +Z direction, and Fig. 2(a) is a plan view of IC card 1 of Fig. 1 excluding IC module 70 and capacitance forming portion 82 and mainly showing the arrangement of antenna 80 in card base 2. Fig. 2(b) is a plan view of IC card 1 of Fig. 1 excluding IC module 70 and antenna 80 and mainly showing the arrangement of capacitance forming portion 82 in card base 2. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of IC card 1 of Fig. 1 taken along line AA along the X-axis near IC module 70 as viewed from the -Y direction.

[0022] Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the recess 9 of the card base 2 with the IC module 70 removed. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first end 110 and the second end 120 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the IC module 70, Fig. 6(a) is an enlarged view of the IC module 70 and its vicinity when the IC card 1 is viewed from the +Z direction, and Fig. 6(b) is a view of the IC module 70 when viewed from the -Z direction opposite to Fig. 6(a). Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic equivalent circuit of the IC card 1.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the IC card 1 has a shape of a substantially rectangular thin plate with rounded corners in a plan view from the +Z direction side. An IC module 70 including an external connection terminal 71 is disposed on the surface of the dual interface IC card on the +Z direction side, slightly to the upper left of the center, that is, closer to the -X direction and closer to the +Y direction than the center. As shown in Fig. 3, the IC module 70 is embedded in a recess 9 formed in the card base 2, and disposed so that the surface of the external connection terminal 71 on the +Z direction side is exposed on substantially the same plane as the surface of the card base 2 on the +Z direction side. Such a shape of the IC card 1 complies with ISO / IEC7816, which is an international standard for IC cards.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the card base 2 constituting the card body of the IC card 1 is formed by stacking and integrating, in order, an oversheet layer 8, a core layer 7, inner layers 6 and 5, a core layer 4, and an oversheet layer 3, as viewed from the -Z direction side. Typically, the oversheet layers 3 and 8 are transparent base materials, and the core layers 4 and 7 and the inner layers 5 and 6 are white base materials, but this is not limited thereto. In addition, between the core layer 7 and the inner layer 6, an antenna wire 81 constituting the antenna 80 and a first end portion 110 which is a plate-shaped end portion are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the two. Furthermore, between the inner layers 6 and 5, a wiring 83 constituting the capacitance forming portion 82 and a second end portion 120 constituted by a repeated folded structure at the tip of the wiring are arranged so as to be sandwiched between the two.

[0025] The antenna wire 81 constituting the antenna 80 is disposed inside the card base 2, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 2(a). The antenna wire 81 is wound one or more times around the periphery of the substantially rectangular card, and both ends form first ends 110, which are a pair of conductive plate-like ends. That is, the antenna wire 81 and the pair of first ends 110 are electrically connected to each other. The first end 110 is composed of a first piece 110a disposed substantially to the left of the recess 9 and a second piece 110b disposed substantially to the right of the recess 9 in a plan view from the +Z direction.

[0026] On the other hand, a capacitance forming portion 82 is disposed inside the card base 2 above the antenna 80 in the thickness direction, as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 2(b). The capacitance forming portion 82 includes a pair of second ends 120 that at least partially overlap the pair of first ends 110, and a wiring 83 that electrically connects each of the pair of second ends 120. The second ends 120 refer to an area formed by a repeated folded structure at both ends of the wiring 83. The second end 120 is composed of a first piece 120a disposed substantially to the left of the recess 9 and a second piece 120b disposed substantially to the right of the recess 9 in a plan view from the +Z direction. Also, the first and second pieces 120a and 120b are disposed opposite each other at a distance so as to partially overlap the first and second pieces 110a and 110b of the first end 110.

[0027] As described below, terminals 73a and 73b electrically connected to the IC chip contained therein are provided on the surface of the substrate 72 of the IC module 70 facing the card base 2. Then, as shown in Fig. 3, the terminal 73a of the IC module 70 is electrically connected to the plate-like first end portion 110 via the conductive adhesive 12, and is also mechanically joined to the card base 2 via the adhesive layer 11.

[0028] Thus, the IC card 1 of this embodiment, which is a dual interface IC card capable of contact communication and contactless communication with an external device, has the following configuration: the card base 2 with a recess 9, and an IC module 70 embedded in the recess 9 and having an IC chip 74a and a plurality of terminals 73a, 73b electrically connected to the IC chip 74a. The IC card 1 also has an antenna 80 and a capacitance forming portion 82 as described below.

[0029] The antenna 80 is disposed inside the card base 2, and includes an antenna wire 81 and a plurality of plate-shaped first ends 110, and the plurality of tips of the antenna wire 81 and the plurality of first ends 110 are electrically connected to each other. Here, a part of the first end 110 is exposed in the recess 9 of the card base 2 when the IC module 70 is removed. Meanwhile, the capacitance forming portion 82 is also disposed inside the card base 2, and includes a wiring 83 and a plurality of second ends 120. The plurality of second ends 120 are configured by a repeated folded-back structure of the plurality of tips of the wiring 83.

[0030] Here, the multiple first ends 110 and the multiple second ends 120 are arranged facing each other at a distance so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base 2. The electrical equivalent circuit of the IC card 1 at this time is as shown in Fig. 7, where the first piece 110a of the first end 110 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120, which are arranged facing each other at a distance, form a capacitance C2, and the second pieces 110b and 120b form a capacitance C3. Hereinafter, the capacitance may be simply referred to as capacitance.

[0031] On the other hand, a certain capacitance C1 and resistance R are formed in the internal circuit of the IC chip 74a built in the IC module 70, as shown in the dashed line area in FIG. 7. In addition, the antenna 80 forms a coil inductance L. If the resistance R of the IC chip 74a is ignored, the equivalent circuit forms a resonant circuit formed by the inductance L and the capacitances C1, C2, and C3. Here, if the total capacitance of the circuit is C, then C=(C1×C2+C2×C3+C3×C1) / (C2+C3), and the resonant frequency f of the equivalent circuit can be calculated as f=1 / (2π×√(L×C)). Note that "×" is a multiplication symbol and may be omitted.

[0032] At this time, capacitance C1 is a value specific to the IC chip used, i.e., the IC module 70 used, and varies for each individual IC chip. In contrast, capacitances C2 and C3 can change the overlapping area and separation distance of first piece 110a of first end 110 and first piece 120a and second piece 110b and second piece 120b of second end 120, which are arranged facing each other with a space between them. This makes it possible to change capacitances for each IC card 1.

[0033] When the IC card 1 communicates with an external device such as a contactless reader / writer in a non-contact manner, the maximum communication sensitivity and communication efficiency can be obtained by setting a common resonance frequency f between the device and the IC card 1. For example, in ISO / IEC18092 and ISO / IEC144443, the resonance frequency is often set to the HF frequency band of 13.56 MHz. However, due to individual differences in the IC chip 74a and the IC module 70, the capacitance C1 specific to the IC chip varies from one to another. For this reason, in a typical dual interface IC card in which an antenna on the card base side and an IC chip are electrically connected, the resonance frequency is often larger or smaller than a predetermined frequency such as 13.56 MHz, and the communication sensitivity and communication efficiency vary from card to card.

[0034] However, as described above, the IC card 1, which is a dual interface IC card of this embodiment, can individually change the capacitances C2 and C3 in the equivalent circuit of Fig. 7. That is, by changing the overlapping area or the separation distance of the first end 110 and the second end 120 that are disposed opposite to each other with a space between them, the capacitances C2 and C3 can be individually adjusted. Then, the resonant frequency of the communication circuit of the IC card 1 can be adjusted to an optimal resonant frequency f according to the capacitance C1 of the IC chip.

[0035] As a result, even if there is variation in the capacitance of the IC module 70 or the IC chip, the variation in the resonant frequency of the IC card 1 can be suppressed as much as possible, and stable communication sensitivity and communication efficiency can be obtained in non-contact communication. Also, a dual interface IC card can be provided that can easily optimize the resonant frequency according to the individual differences of the IC chip without reducing the reliability of non-contact communication.

[0036] The configuration of an IC card 1, which is a dual interface IC card of this embodiment, and a method for manufacturing the same will be described in detail below.

[0037] (a) Card base The card base 2 refers to the card body excluding the IC module 70 that constitutes the IC card 1. As described above, the card base 2 typically has a configuration in which the over-sheet layer 8, the core layer 7, the inner layers 6 and 5, the core layer 4, and the over-sheet layer 3 are laminated in this order from one end on the -Z direction side in the thickness direction.

[0038] In addition, the antenna wire 81 constituting the antenna 80 and the first end 110 which is a plate-shaped end are arranged between the core layer 7 and the inner layer 6. Furthermore, the wiring 83 constituting the capacitance forming portion 82 and the second end 120 which is configured by a repeated folded structure at its tip are arranged between the inner layers 6 and 5 so as to be sandwiched between them. The multiple second ends 120 are provided at positions shallower from the surface on the opening side of the recess 9 in the thickness direction of the card base 2 than the multiple first ends 110.

[0039] The card base 2 may refer to both the card before the recess 9 is formed and the card after the recess 9 is formed, and may refer to both the card not including the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 and the card including these. In addition, both ends of the antenna wire 81 of the antenna 80 are electrically connected to a pair of first ends 110 arranged along the left-right direction with respect to the recess 9. In addition, both ends of the wiring 83 of the capacitance forming portion 82 are electrically connected to a pair of second ends 120 arranged along the left-right direction with respect to each other.

[0040] Here, in this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the antenna wire 81 of the antenna 80 is described as a single conductor wire wound in a loop shape without branches, etc., but the present disclosure is not limited to this, and includes an antenna wire 81 that is appropriately branched and has three or more ends. In addition, three or more plate-shaped first ends 110 can be arranged according to the number of ends of the antenna wire 81. Similarly, the wiring 83 of the capacitance forming portion 82 can also include a wiring that has three or more ends in accordance with the branching of the antenna wire 81, and three or more second ends 120 can also be arranged.

[0041] The layer structure of the card base 2 is not limited to the above, and may be a three-layer structure of an oversheet layer, a core layer, and an oversheet layer, or a two-layer structure of a core layer and a core layer. Alternatively, the layer structure of the card base 2 may be a multi-layer structure of seven or more layers, such as an oversheet layer, a core layer, a second inner layer, a first inner layer, a second inner layer, a core layer, and an oversheet layer. In this case, the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming part 82 may be disposed at the interface between any of the core layers, the first inner layer, and the second inner layer and other layers. In addition, the surface of the oversheet layer 3 or 8 of the card base 2 opposite to the core layer 4 or 7 may be printed or a magnetic stripe may be embedded therein, or the surface of the core layer 4 or 7 adjacent to the oversheet layer 3 or 8 may be printed.

[0042] From the standpoint of conforming to standards such as ISO / IEC7816, the thickness of the card base 2 is preferably 0.76 mm or more and 0.84 mm or less, but may be outside this range.

[0043] (i) Core layer A wide variety of white or colored plastic sheets can be used for the core layers 4 and 7, including the following single films or composite films thereof: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PET-G (terephthalic acid-cyclohexanedimethanol-ethylene glycol copolymer), polyvinyl chloride, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyimide, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, polystyrene, ABS, polyacrylic ester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, etc. The thickness of the core layers 4 and 7 can be appropriately selected taking into account the overall thickness of the card, and can be, for example, about 0.10 mm or more and 0.38 mm or less.

[0044] (ii) Inner layer The inner layer is a layer that is provided closer to the center in the thickness direction than the core layer and is made of the same material as the core layer. The inner layers 5 and 6 can be made of a wide variety of plastic sheets similar to those of the core layers 4 and 7. The inner layers 5 and 6 may be made of the same material as the core layers 4 and 7, or may be made of different materials. The thickness of the inner layers 5 and 6 can be appropriately selected taking into account the overall thickness of the card, and can be, for example, about 0.10 mm or more and 0.38 mm or less.

[0045] (iii) Oversheet layer The over-sheet layers 3 and 8 are usually made of the same material as the core layer and the inner layer, and are often made of a transparent material having a thickness of about 0.05 mm or more and 0.10 mm or less. From the viewpoint of preventing curling when the laminate of the inner layer, the core layer, and the over-sheet layer is integrated by heat pressing or the like, it is preferable that the over-sheet layers 3 and 8 have the same thickness, but they do not necessarily have to be the same. This also applies to the above-mentioned core layers 4 and 7 and the inner layers 5 and 6.

[0046] The material of the over-sheet layers 3 and 8 may be any material that has adhesiveness when heated, but even if the over-sheet layer itself does not have adhesiveness when heated, the core layer and the over-sheet layer can be integrated by additionally forming a layer of a known adhesive that generates adhesive force when heated between them. In addition, when the IC card 1 is used as a magnetic card, a magnetic stripe may be embedded in advance by thermal transfer or the like into either or both of the over-sheet layers 3 and 8 on the main surface opposite to that of both or one of the core layers 4 and 7.

[0047] (iv) Antenna sheet In this embodiment, an antenna 80 is formed on one surface of the inner layer 6 facing the core layer 7, and both ends of an antenna wire 81 constituting the antenna 80 are electrically connected to a plate-shaped conductive first end 110. Furthermore, a capacitance forming portion 82 is formed on the other surface of the inner layer 6 facing the inner layer 5, and both ends of a wiring 83 constituting the capacitance forming portion 82 form a second end 120 constituted by a repeated folded structure of the wiring 83. In other words, the card base 2 is formed by laminating at least the inner layer 5 and the core layer 7, which are other base materials, on the front and back surfaces of the inner layer 6, which is the first base material. The first end portions 110 and the second end portions 120 are formed on one surface and the other surface of the first base material, respectively.

[0048] The antenna 80 is formed on the inner layer 6 as described above, for example, as follows. First, the plate-like first piece 110a and second piece 110b that will become the first end 110 are adhered and fixed to the surface of the inner layer 6 facing the core layer 7 before lamination by applying heat and pressure or the like. At this time, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b may be arranged after applying an adhesive to the surface of the inner layer 6. The first piece 110a and the second piece 110b are arranged in the left-right direction at the intended mounting position of the IC module 70 so that parts of them overlap the terminals 73a and 73b of the IC module 70 when mounted.

[0049] Thereafter, the tip of the antenna wire 81 is welded to either the first piece 110a or the second piece 110b. Then, starting from this point, a predetermined heat pressure is applied to the antenna wire 81, and the antenna wire 81, which is a coated conductor coated with an insulating material, is embedded in the surface of the inner layer 6 by a winding former. That is, while applying a predetermined heat pressure to the antenna wire 81, an antenna supply head is drawn in a loop shape as shown in FIG. 1, and the antenna wire 81 supplied from the antenna supply head is sequentially embedded in the inner layer 6. The antenna wire 81 that has been embedded is cut, and the tip of the cut antenna wire 81 is used as an end point and welded to the other of the first piece 110a or the second piece 110b.

[0050] Furthermore, the second end 120, which is configured by a repeated folded structure of the wiring 83 that becomes the second end 120, is formed on the surface of the inner layer 6 on which the antenna 80 is formed as described above, facing the inner layer 5. First, a predetermined heat pressure is applied to the wiring 83, and the wiring 83, which is a coated conductor coated with an insulating material, is embedded in the surface of the inner layer 6 by a winding former. That is, while applying a predetermined heat pressure to the wiring 83, a wiring supply head is drawn so as to form, for example, from the lower side to the upper side, a first piece 120a that is a repeated folded structure along the up-down direction as shown in FIG. 2(b) and FIG. 5. As a result, the wiring 83 supplied from the wiring supply head is sequentially embedded in the inner layer 6.

[0051] Then, while moving the wiring supply head upward, rightward, and downward in a predetermined direction, drawing and embedding of the wiring 83 are continued. Thereafter, the wiring supply head is caused to draw so as to form, for example, from the upper side to the lower side, the second piece 120b, which is a structure in which the wiring is repeatedly folded back along the up-down direction, and the wiring 83 supplied from the wiring supply head is embedded sequentially into the inner layer 6. At this time, the second end 120 is formed such that, in a plan view from the thickness direction of the inner layer 6, the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b constituting the second end 120 partially overlap the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b constituting the first end 110, respectively.

[0052] In this way, the inner layer 6 (antenna sheet 14) is obtained with the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 formed on the front and back surfaces, respectively. An intermediate product in which the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 are embedded in the inner layer 6, or an intermediate product in which either the antenna 80 or the capacitance forming portion 82 is embedded in the inner layer 6, may be referred to as an antenna sheet 14. The antenna sheet 14 can be distributed on the market by itself as a part for manufacturing the IC card 1, which is a dual interface IC card. Alternatively, there may be a commercial form in which a sheet material such as the inner layer 6 is supplied to a processor, who processes it into the antenna sheet 14 and delivers it to the supplier.

[0053] (v) Antenna In the antenna 80 formed in the inner layer 6, the terminals 73a and 73b of the IC module 70 are electrically connected to the pair of first ends 110, that is, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b, to which the multiple tips of the antenna wire 81 are electrically connected, via the conductive adhesive 12 or the like. As a result, the IC chip 74a and the antenna 80 included in the IC module 70 constitute a communication circuit for non-contact communication. The communication circuit may be one that performs close-proximity communication using, for example, the HF frequency band of 13.56 MHz specified in ISO / IEC18092, ISO / IEC144443, or the like. Alternatively, it may be one that performs communication using, for example, the UHF frequency band of 920 MHz, the LF frequency band of 125 KHz, or the microwave frequency band of 2.45 GHz.

[0054] When IC card 1, which is a dual interface IC card, is held over an external device such as a reader / writer, an electromotive force or current is generated in the communication circuit by the magnetic field or radio waves generated by the reader / writer, and power is supplied to IC chip 74a. This enables IC chip 74a to be driven, enabling contactless transmission and reception of information with the reader / writer, and reading and rewriting of information from and to the memory.

[0055] The antenna wire 81 constituting the antenna 80 is typically formed of a coated conductor wire in which the periphery of a copper wire is coated with an insulating material. In addition to the above, it is also possible to select copper alloy wires such as Cu-Ni, Cu-Cr, Cu-Zn, Cu-Sn, and Cu-Be, or various metal wires and metal alloy wires such as iron, stainless steel, and aluminum. By using a coated conductor wire, the IC card 1 can be manufactured more inexpensively than, for example, a copper foil etching method. However, the IC card 1 of the present disclosure may use an antenna wire formed by a copper foil etching method, a metal foil punching method, or the like.

[0056] The diameter of the antenna wire 81 is not particularly limited as long as the characteristics as a non-contact communication circuit can be ensured, but it can be, for example, 0.03 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less, and preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less. By setting the diameter in the latter range, durability against heat pressure due to embedding processing and external forces due to cutting processing can be improved, and good communication characteristics can be ensured.

[0057] Next, a detailed description will be given of the configuration of the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b which are the conductive first end 110. The first piece 110a and the second piece 110b are both plate-like members having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view along the thickness direction of the IC card 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b have an area overlapping with the first recess 91 and an area located outside the first recess 91 in the plan view.

[0058] 4, the straight lines overlapping the edge 94a on the -X direction side and the edge 94b on the +X direction side along the Y axis of the outer periphery 94 of the recess 9 in the plan view are defined as straight lines m1 and m2, respectively. In this case, the first piece 110a overlaps with the first recess 91 in an area on the +X direction side of the straight line m1, and is exposed from the card base 2 at a third recess 93 formed deeper than the first recess 91 within the area of ​​the first recess 91. Similarly, the second piece 110b overlaps with the first recess 91 in an area on the -X direction side of the straight line m2, and is exposed from the card base 2 at a third recess 93 formed deeper than the first recess 91 within the area of ​​the first recess 91.

[0059] Taking the first piece 110a as an example, the width along the X-axis direction of the first piece 110a exposed from the card base 2 in the first recess 91 is W12, which is the same as the width of the first recess 91, and is narrower than the width W11 including the portion covered by the card base 2. Also, the vertical width along the Y-axis direction of the first piece 110a exposed from the card base 2 in the first recess 91 is W2. The sizes and ratios of W12, W11, and W2 are arbitrary, but it is preferable that the area of ​​the third recess 93 encompasses the area of ​​the terminal 73a when the IC module 70 is placed. This is because a stable contact area for electrical connection between the terminal 73a and the first piece 110a can be obtained. The same is true for the second piece 110b.

[0060] On the other hand, the positions of the end of the +X direction of the first piece 110a and the end of the -X direction of the second piece 110b are the same as the positions of the ends of the +X direction and -X direction of the first recess 91 that overlap with them, respectively. That is, the end of the +X direction of the first piece 110a and the end of the -X direction of the second piece 110b before the recess 9 is formed are arranged so as to enter the inside of the second recess 92 in a plan view from the +Z direction. As described later, the second recess is a recess area for storing an IC chip body that is cut deeper than the first recess surrounding it. Then, during the formation processing of the recess 9, the plate portion in the area of ​​the second recess 92 is cut and removed. In other words, in the plan view, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b after the cutting processing of the recess 9 are arranged in the area outside the second recess 92.

[0061] By arranging and sizing the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b in this way, even if the arrangement positions of the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b are shifted along the X-axis direction, the contact area with the terminals 73a, 73b of the IC module 70 can be reliably secured. However, the end on the +X direction side of the first piece 110a may be shifted toward the -X direction side from the end on the +X direction side of the first recess 91 overlapping therewith, and the end on the -X direction side of the second piece 110b may be shifted toward the -X direction side from the end on the -X direction side of the first recess 91 overlapping therewith. In addition, if the thickness of the IC chip body is sufficiently thin, the second recess 92 may be the same depth as the first recess 91, and it is not necessary to provide the second recess 92 with a depth different from that of the first recess 91.

[0062] As described above, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b may have a laminated structure including at least two layers, a first conductive member and a second conductive member laminated on the +Z direction side of the first conductive member. In this case, the second conductive member is a member that is less likely to oxidize than the first conductive member. In other words, a member that is less likely to oxidize is a metal in which the second conductive member has a smaller ionization tendency than the first conductive member, for example, when the first conductive member and the second conductive member are both metals. As an example of such a metal, the first conductive member can be aluminum, iron, nickel, or copper, and the second conductive member can be silver, palladium, platinum, or gold.

[0063] Furthermore, the first conductive member and the second conductive member are not limited to members made of a single metal, but may be alloys or nonmetallic members such as carbon. In such cases, the relative resistance to oxidation of the first conductive member and the second conductive member may be evaluated by calculation from the compounding ratio of the metals of each member, or may be experimentally obtained.

[0064] The first piece 110a and the second piece 110b may have a three or more layered structure including layers of different conductive materials other than the first conductive member and the second conductive member. For example, the first conductive member, the third conductive member, and the second conductive member are laminated in this order from the -Z direction side to the +Z direction side. In this case, it is preferable that the second conductive member is a member that is less likely to oxidize than either one of the first conductive member and the third conductive member. This is because if the second conductive member is a member that is more likely to oxidize than both the first conductive member and the third conductive member, it is difficult to achieve the effects of the present disclosure. As an appropriate example of such a structure, for example, the first conductive member can be copper, the third conductive member can be nickel-plated, and the second conductive member can be gold-plated.

[0065] Considering the ease of material procurement, cost, processing suitability, electrical properties, etc., it is preferable to use copper, which has high electrical conductivity, as the first conductive member and silver plating as the second conductive member among the above-mentioned materials. By using copper, which can ensure sufficient electrical conductivity, as the first conductive member and silver, which is difficult to oxidize and easily exposes the metal interface when cutting the resin layer with an end mill, as the second conductive member, it is possible to obtain good electrical properties and processing suitability while suppressing cost increases. In this embodiment, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b are configured to be a laminate of the first conductive member and the second conductive member, which is more difficult to oxidize than the first conductive member. Furthermore, the tip of the antenna wire 81 and the terminals 73a and 73b are electrically connected to the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b facing the second conductive member.

[0066] (vi) Capacitance forming part A capacitance forming portion 82 is formed on the opposite side of the surface of the inner layer 6 where the antenna 80 is formed, that is, at the interface with the inner layer 5 on the upper side in the thickness direction of the inner layer 6 in the card base 2. The capacitance forming portion 82 is formed by forming a first piece 120a and a second piece 120b that are the second end 120 having a repeatedly folded structure in the left-right direction, and connecting the two pieces by the wiring 83. The first piece 120a and the second piece 120b that are the second end 120 are arranged opposite to the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b that are the plate-like first end 110, with a space between them, so that they partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base 2. In this embodiment, the distance between the first end 110 and the second end 120 is the thickness of the inner layer 6.

[0067] As a result, the IC chip 74a, the antenna 80, and the capacitance forming portion 82 included in the IC module 70 constitute the communication circuit for the non-contact communication described above. The terminals 73a, 73b of the IC module 70 and the first ends 110 of the antenna 80 are electrically connected to each other. The first ends 110 and the second ends 120 are arranged facing each other at a distance so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base 2. The electrical equivalent circuit of the IC card 1 at this time is as shown in FIG. 7, where the first piece 110a of the first end 110 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120, which are arranged facing each other at a distance, form a capacitance C2, and the second pieces 110b and 120b form a capacitance C3.

[0068] At this time, as described above, capacitance C1 is a value specific to the IC chip used, i.e., the IC module 70 used, and varies for each individual IC chip. In contrast, capacitances C2 and C3 can be changed for each individual IC card 1 by changing the overlapping area or separation distance of first piece 110a of first end 110 and first piece 120a of second end 120, or second pieces 110b and 120b, which are arranged facing each other at a distance from each other.

[0069] Here, a method for adjusting the capacitance C2 formed by the first piece 110a of the first end 110 of the antenna 80 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120 of the capacitance forming portion 82 will be described. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view showing the first recess 91 on the left side of the recess 9 of the card base 2, the first end 110, and the vicinity of the second end 120 in Fig. 5. Fig. 8(a) is a view showing that the entire areas of the first piece 110a of the capacitance forming portion 82 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120 are arranged to face each other with a space between them. At this time, C2 becomes the maximum value in the IC card 1.

[0070] In the capacitance forming portion 82 of this embodiment, taking the first piece 120a of the second end portion 120 as an example, the wiring 83 extends downward (-Y direction), then extends substantially linearly to the left (-X direction), and then bends downward by drawing an arc at approximately 180°. Furthermore, the wiring 83 extends substantially linearly to the right (+X direction), and then bends downward by drawing an arc at approximately 180°, and the above configuration is repeatedly connected to the downward side.

[0071] That is, capacitance forming portion 82 has a configuration in which wiring 83 is extended in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), then bent in the up-down direction (Y-axis direction), and then further extended in the left-right direction (X-axis direction), with a repeated folded structure being sequentially formed along the up-down direction, i.e., the short side direction. This point is similar to the second piece 120b of second end portion 120, and the configuration of second piece 120b of second end portion 120 may be the same as the configuration of first piece 120a, or may be configured to be linearly symmetrical along the Y axis with respect to the configuration of first piece 120a.

[0072] On the other hand, in Fig. 8(b), a disconnection point is formed in the fourth fold back portion (position L1) from the top of the right end of the first piece 120a of the second end portion 120, which is a structure of repeated fold backs in the up and down direction. The disconnection point is caused by the formation of a trimming hole 20 in the card base 2. The trimming hole 20 can be formed, for example, by a milling tool (cutting blade) used when forming the recess 9 in the card base 2. Here, in Fig. 8(b), when the trimming hole 20 is formed, the milling tool penetrates the wiring 83, disconnecting it. However, the formation of the trimming hole 20 in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and may be performed by laser processing or punch hole processing.

[0073] In this case, the second end 120 after trimming may be referred to as the second end 121. In this case, only the portion 121p above the trimming hole 20 of the second end 121 substantially contributes to the capacitance C2, and the portion 121q below the trimming hole 20 does not contribute to the capacitance C2. This is because the portion 121q is not electrically connected to any other portion, is in a floating state, and does not affect the communication circuit of the IC card 1 including the antenna 80. In addition, the capacitance C2 formed by the first end 110 and the second end 121 is smaller than the capacitance C2 without any trimming. This is because the overlapping area of ​​the portion 121p with the first piece 110a is reduced compared to before trimming.

[0074] Next, in FIG. 8(c), the trimming hole 20 is formed in the third folded portion (position L2) from the top of the right end of the first piece 120a of the second end 120, which is repeatedly folded in the up-down direction. The second end 120 after trimming in this case may be referred to as the second end 122. In this case, only the portion 122p above the trimming hole 20 of the second end 122 substantially contributes to the capacitance C2, and the portion 122q below the trimming hole 20 does not contribute to the capacitance C2. In addition, the capacitance C2 formed by the first end 110 and the second end 122 is smaller than the capacitance C2 when no trimming is performed, and is even smaller than the capacitance C2 of the second end 121 where trimming is performed at position L1.

[0075] Similarly, in FIG. 8(d), the trimming hole 20 is formed in the second folded portion (position L3) from the top on the right side of the first piece 120a of the second end 120, which is repeatedly folded in the up-down direction. The second end 120 after trimming in this case may be referred to as the second end 123. In this case, only the portion 123p of the second end 123 located above the trimming hole 20 substantially contributes to the capacitance C2. The capacitance C2 formed by the first end 110 and the second end 123 is smaller than the capacitance C2 without any trimming, and is even smaller than the capacitance C2 of the second end 121, 122 where the trimming is performed at the position L1 or L2.

[0076] In this manner, in the present disclosure, the capacitance component of the communication circuit on the card base 2 side can be easily adjusted by a method similar to the cutting process using a milling tool to form the recess 9. Furthermore, the forming process of the trimming hole 20 for adjusting the capacity can be performed overlapping within the area of ​​the first recess 91. Therefore, compared to the case where trimming for capacity adjustment is performed in a place other than the recess 9, it is possible to prevent the appearance of the IC card 1 from being impaired in design. Furthermore, since the capacity can be adjusted in the same milling process as the manufacturing process of a normal IC card, it is possible to prevent the addition of another processing machine and an increase in the process load.

[0077] The above explanation relates to a method for adjusting the capacitance C2 formed by the first piece 110a of the first end 110 of the antenna 80 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120 of the capacitance forming portion 82. However, it goes without saying that the method for adjusting the capacitance C3 formed by the second piece 110b of the first end 110 of the antenna 80 and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 of the capacitance forming portion 82 can also be performed in a similar manner to the above.

[0078] The above description relates to a configuration in which the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 have a repeated folded structure formed in the up-down direction, i.e., along the short side direction. That is, the second end 120 has a repeated folded structure formed by the multiple ends of the wiring 83 along the short side direction of the card base 2. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 may have a configuration in which the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 have a repeated folded structure along the left-right direction, i.e., along the long side direction of the card base 2. Furthermore, the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 may have a configuration in which the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 have a repeated folded structure along an oblique direction, i.e., a direction inclined at an inclination angle greater than 0° and less than 90° with respect to the long side or short side direction of the card base 2.

[0079] However, since the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b of the second end 120 have a repeated folded structure along the short side direction, as described above in FIG. 8, it is possible to position the trimming hole 20 relatively close to the center of the recess 9. This makes it possible to narrow the movement range of the milling tool during cutting, and shorten the cutting time. Also, since the trimming hole 20 is not formed near the outer periphery of the first recess 91, it is possible to reduce the risk of the IC module 70 falling off from the card base 2 due to a decrease in adhesive strength near the outer periphery of the IC module 70.

[0080] (b) IC module Next, each part of the main components of the IC module 70 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 3 and 6. Figure 6(a) is a view of the external connection terminal 71 side of the IC module 70 seen from the +Z direction side, similar to Figure 1(a). Figure 6(b) is a view of the IC module 70 seen from the -Z direction side, opposite to Figure 6(a). Most of the molded part 74b of the IC chip body 74 is omitted here so that the interior can be seen through.

[0081] The IC module 70 is embedded in a recess 9 formed in the card base 2, and a communication circuit for contactless communication can be formed by electrically connecting terminals 73a and 73b of a substrate 72 of the IC module 70 to a first piece 110a and a second piece 110b, which are the first end 110 of the antenna 80, respectively. Also, the IC card 1 can perform contact communication with a contact-type reader / writer or the like through an external connection terminal 71 provided in the IC module 70.

[0082] The substrate 72 is made by attaching copper foil to the front and back of a flexible insulating resin film such as glass epoxy resin or polyimide resin with an adhesive, and leaving the copper foil attached to the front and back of the resin film so as to form a predetermined pattern. Specifically, a photosensitive material is applied, a film plate with a predetermined pattern is placed, exposed, and the non-photosensitive portion is etched away in order to form an external connection terminal 71 on one copper foil surface of the resin film and terminals 73a and 73b on the other copper foil surface. This forms the substrate 72 with a portion of the copper foil of a predetermined pattern remaining on the front and back surfaces of the resin film. In addition, the substrate 72 is provided in advance with a plurality of bonding holes 76, which are through holes for wire bonding to the external connection terminals 71.

[0083] As shown in Fig. 6(a), the external connection terminal 71 is divided into sections of the external terminal as defined by the ISO / IEC 7816-2 standard. As shown in Fig. 6(b), each of these sections is connected to the IC chip 74a by wires 75 such as gold wires through the above-mentioned bonding holes 76 provided in the substrate 72. Similarly, the terminals 73a and 73b are connected to the IC chip 74a by wires 75. These bonding holes 76 and wires 75 are covered and protected by the molded portion 74b.

[0084] An IC chip body 74 is disposed on the surface of the substrate 72 opposite to the surface on which the external connection terminals 71 are formed. The IC chip body 74 is composed of an IC chip 74a bonded and fixed to the substrate 72 via an adhesive, a bonding wire 75 for connection, and a molded part 74b which is a sealing resin for protecting them. The IC chip 74a includes a CPU for controlling the operation of both contact communication and non-contact communication, and a storage device such as a RAM, a ROM, an EEPROM, or a flash memory. The IC chip 74a further includes various circuits such as an interface circuit for decoding input signals and generating output signals for contact communication and non-contact communication, and a power generation circuit. The various circuits may be provided as elements separate from the IC chip 74a.

[0085] The molded portion 74b is provided as a protruding portion that covers the IC chip 74a and the wires 75 to protect them from external force loads and environmental loads. An ultraviolet curable resin, a thermosetting resin, or the like is used as the molded portion 74b.

[0086] (c) Conductive adhesive layer A recess 9 for embedding the IC module 70 in the card base 2 is formed by cutting using an end mill or the like, and then the IC module 70 is embedded and fixed in the recess 9 and electrically connected to the card base 2. The conductive adhesive layer in this embodiment is a liquid conductive adhesive 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the conductive adhesive 12 is a liquid member that is sandwiched between the first piece 110a, which is the first end 110, and the terminal 73a formed on the substrate 72 of the IC module 70. Note that an adhesive layer 11 for mechanically connecting the IC module 70 to the card base 2 is provided between the substrate 72 of the IC module 70 and the inner layer 5, where the conductive adhesive 12 is not provided.

[0087] The adhesive layer 11 is a liquid or tape-like adhesive, and may be applied or affixed in advance to the surface of the substrate 72 of the IC module 70 opposite the external connection terminal 71, or may be applied or affixed to the bottom surface of the recess 9 of the card base 2 after cutting.

[0088] A typical conductive adhesive 12 is applied and filled into a third recess 93 that is deeper than the first recess 91, at a location different from the second recess 92, among the recesses 9 provided in the card base 2. A first piece 110a and a second piece 110b that are the first end 110 of the antenna 80 that is previously embedded in the card base 2 are partially exposed on the bottom surface of the third recess 93. In this case, the conductive adhesive 12 is, for example, a so-called conductive paste or solder paste in which silver particles are dispersed as a filler in an epoxy resin.

[0089] A liquid adhesive, conductive adhesive 12, is applied and filled into the third recess 93 of the card base 2, and the IC module 70 is placed on top of it and pressed by applying heat and pressure. This electrically connects the terminals 73a and 73b of the IC module 70 to the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b, which are the first end 110 of the antenna 80, respectively, via the conductive adhesive 12. As a result, the IC chip 74a and the antenna 80 built into the IC module 70 are electrically connected, forming a communication circuit capable of contactless communication.

[0090] (d) Manufacturing method of dual interface IC card Next, an example of a method for manufacturing card 1, which is a dual interface IC card, using card base 2, IC module 70, and conductive adhesive 12 described above will be described.

[0091] First, the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b, which are the plate-shaped first end 110, are bonded to one surface of the inner layer 6 facing the core layer 7. Both may be bonded and fixed to the surface of the inner layer 6 via an adhesive. Next, a coated conductor covered with an insulating member is embedded as an antenna wire 81 on the surface of the inner layer 6 on which the first end 110 is formed, with one of the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b as the starting point and the other as the end point, by a winding machine. Here, at the starting point and the end point of the antenna wire 81, the winding machine welds the tip of the antenna wire 81 to the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b.

[0092] Specifically, for example, while applying a predetermined heat and pressure to the inner layer 6, an antenna supply head is drawn in a loop shape as shown in FIG. 2(a), and the antenna wire 81 supplied from the antenna supply head is embedded sequentially in the inner layer 6.

[0093] Next, a first piece 120a and a second piece 120b, which are the second end 120 formed by a repeated folded structure of the wiring 83, are formed on the surface of the inner layer 6 opposite to the surface on which the antenna 80 is formed, i.e., the other surface facing the inner layer 5. First, a predetermined heat pressure is applied to the wiring 83 similar to the antenna wire 81, and the wiring 83, which is a coated conductor coated with an insulating material, is embedded in the surface of the inner layer 6 by a winding former. That is, while applying a predetermined heat pressure to the wiring 83, a wiring supply head is drawn so as to form the first piece 120a, which is a structure in which the wiring 83 is repeatedly folded in the up-down direction as shown in FIG. 2(b). As a result, the wiring 83 supplied from the wiring supply head is sequentially embedded in the inner layer 6.

[0094] Then, while moving the wiring supply head in a predetermined direction, drawing and embedding of the wiring 83 are continued. Thereafter, the wiring supply head is caused to draw so as to form the second piece 120b, which is a repeatedly folded structure in the up-down direction, and the wiring 83 supplied from the wiring supply head is embedded sequentially into the inner layer 6. At this time, the second end 120 is formed such that the first piece 120a and the second piece 120b constituting the second end 120 partially overlap the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b constituting the first end 110, respectively, in a plan view of the inner layer 6 from the +Z direction.

[0095] Next, as shown in Fig. 3, over-sheet layer 8, core layer 7, inner layers 6 and 5, core layer 4, and over-sheet layer 3 are stacked in this order from the bottom in the thickness direction. After that, the laminated body of large sheets in which the cards are arranged vertically and horizontally in multiple faces is sandwiched between stainless steel plates from above and below in the thickness direction, and heat and pressure are applied to the laminated body through the stainless steel plates. At this time, antenna 80 is formed so as to be sandwiched between core layer 7 and inner layer 6, and capacitance forming portion 82 is formed so as to be sandwiched between inner layer 6 and inner layer 5.

[0096] By passing through such a heat pressing process, a large-sized sheet-based card base can be obtained in which the layers of the laminate are integrated. If any of the oversheet layer, core layer, and inner layer has heat resistance such that they do not heat-seal at a predetermined temperature, an adhesive sheet that heat-seals at a predetermined temperature is sandwiched between the layers, or an adhesive is applied. These are then subjected to a heat pressing process to obtain an integrated large-sized sheet-based card base. The large-sized sheet-based card base obtained above, in which the cards are arranged in a multi-faceted manner, is then punched out by a punching machine into card base 2 that is the size of an ISO / IEC 7816 card.

[0097] Meanwhile, separately from the manufacturing of the card base 2 and the cutting process for forming the recess 9, the adhesive layer 11 is optionally attached to the IC module 70. As the IC module 70, a module tape is usually used in which the IC module 70 is continuously formed on a long tape in one or two rows. The tape-like adhesive layer 11 is attached to the surface of the module tape opposite to the surface of the substrate 72 on which the external connection terminals 71 are formed, while applying a certain amount of heat and pressure. Thereafter, the module tape with the adhesive layer 11 attached is punched out by a punching machine into a substantially rectangular IC module 70 with rounded corners, thereby obtaining the IC module 70 with the adhesive layer 11 attached.

[0098] Here, either before or after the attachment of the adhesive layer 11, two probes of a network analyzer, for example, model E5100A manufactured by Agilent Technology, are brought into contact with two terminals 73a and 73b of the substrate 72 of the IC module 70 to perform various measurements. This allows the frequency characteristics of the IC module 70, i.e., the IC chip 74a, to be measured. The network analyzer performs characteristic evaluation tests of various components, applies a calibrated input signal to the device under test, and measures vector response over frequency along with phase and amplitude information. In addition, it is possible to measure transmission (transmission coefficient, insertion loss, gain), reflection (reflection coefficient, VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) return loss), and impedance, as well as capture S parameters. When an AC signal is regarded as a wave, the S parameter represents the characteristics of the circuit in terms of the reflection or transmission degree of the wave, and the degree means the degree to which the wave reflected or passing through the target circuit is attenuated or amplified before being transmitted.

[0099] By performing measurements and analyses within the scope of technical common sense using such a network analyzer, it is possible to identify, for example, the capacitance component and resistance component of the IC chip 74a built into the IC module 70. Also, as described below, various measurements can be performed by contacting two probes of the network analyzer with two points on the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b of the first end 110 of the antenna 80 exposed in the recess 9 of the card substrate 2. This makes it possible to identify the capacitance component, resistance component, coil component (inductance), resonance frequency, and the like as the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit formed by the antenna 80 and capacitance forming part 82 of the card substrate 2.

[0100] Further, a recess 9 for embedding the IC module 70 is formed in the card base 2 by cutting using an end mill. As a result, a cut card base 2 is obtained. The recess 9 is composed of a first recess 91 of a first depth for accommodating the flat substrate 72 of the IC module 70, a second recess 92 of a second depth deeper than the first recess 91 for accommodating the convex IC chip body 74, and a third recess 93. The third recess 93 is a recess for filling with a conductive adhesive 12 such as a conductive paste and electrically connecting the terminals 73a and 73b of the substrate 72 of the IC module 70 to the first piece 110a and the second piece 110b which are the first terminal 110, and is deeper than the first recess 91.

[0101] After the recess 9 is formed, the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of the card base 2 are measured by the same method as in measuring the frequency characteristics of the IC module 70 described above, using the same network analyzer as described above. The first piece 120a and the second piece 120b, which are the second end 120 of the capacitance forming portion 82, are exposed on the bottom surface of the two third recesses 93 in the card base 2. The frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of the card base 2 can be measured by contacting each of the two probes of the network analyzer with the corresponding locations and performing various measurements.

[0102] Meanwhile, at the same time as cutting the recess 9, or in a step following cutting the recess 9, trimming of the capacitance forming portion 82 is performed as necessary using the same cutting machine and milling tool as used for cutting the recess 9. The trimming hole 20 can be formed at any position such as L1, L2, L3, etc., as shown in FIG. 8, according to the measurement result of the frequency characteristic of the communication circuit of the card base 2. Here, the trimming hole 20 may be positioned at a predetermined position according to the above-mentioned formula for calculating the resonance frequency f, where C1 is the capacitance of the IC chip 74a measured in advance. That is, an appropriate position may be calculated so that the capacitance C2 of the capacitance portion formed by the first piece 110a of the first end 110 and the first piece 120a of the second end 120 and the capacitance C3 of the capacitance portion formed by the second piece 110b and the second piece 120b are desired f for the predetermined C1.

[0103] Here, the values ​​to which C2 and C3 should be adjusted according to the value of C1, and the positions of first piece 120a and second piece 120b of second end 120 that should be trimmed to set C2 and C3 to predetermined values ​​can be determined by measuring the correlation between them in advance. Also, the correlation information and calculation formulas may be stored as a table in a control unit or memory unit of a cutting machine or the like.

[0104] Thereafter, after the recess 9 is formed and the trimming of the required capacitance forming portion 82 is completed, a conductive paste is applied and filled into the third recess 93 as the predetermined conductive adhesive 12. Then, the IC module 70 with the adhesive layer 11 attached is embedded, and a predetermined heat block is pressed against the external connection terminal 71 to apply a predetermined heat pressure toward the card base 2 for a predetermined time.

[0105] This allows the conductive adhesive 12 to undergo an appropriate curing reaction, establishing an electrical connection between the IC chip 74a and the first end portion 110, and also establishing a mechanical connection between the IC module 70 and the card base 2 by melting the adhesive layer 11. The heating conditions for the external connection terminals 71 vary depending on the type and composition of the terminals, such as the application time and heat and pressure conditions, but as an example, the heating time can be 0.5 seconds or more and 10.0 seconds or less, the temperature can be 150° C. or more and 250° C. or less, and the pressure can be 20 MPa or more and 100 MPa or less.

[0106] (e) Dual Interface IC Card of the First Embodiment In summary, the IC card 1, which is a dual interface IC card of the first embodiment capable of contact communication and contactless communication with an external device, has the following configuration. The IC card 1 has a card base 2 with a recess 9, and an IC module 70 that is embedded in the recess 9 and has an IC chip 74a and a plurality of terminals 73a, 73b electrically connected to the IC chip 74a. The IC card 1 further has an antenna 80 that is disposed inside the card base 2 and includes an antenna line 81 and a plurality of plate-like first ends 110, and to which the plurality of tips of the antenna line 81 and the plurality of first ends 110 are electrically connected, respectively. In the antenna 80, a part of the first end 110 is exposed in the recess 9 of the card base 2 when the IC module 70 is removed.

[0107] The IC card 1 also includes a capacitance forming section 82 that is disposed inside the card base 2 and has wiring 83 and a plurality of second ends 120, the plurality of second ends 120 being configured by a repeated folded-back structure of a plurality of tips of the wiring 83. The plurality of first ends 110 and the plurality of second ends 120 are disposed opposite to each other at a distance so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base 2.

[0108] Because the IC card 1 has the above-mentioned configuration, the capacitance value of the communication circuit can be easily adjusted by trimming a predetermined position of the capacitance forming portion 82. Therefore, if the capacitance of the IC module 70, i.e., the IC chip 74a itself, is measured in advance, the resonance frequency can be optimized by adjusting the capacitance of the communication circuit composed of the IC chip 74a, the antenna 80, and the capacitance forming portion 82, taking into account the variation in capacitance of each IC chip 74a. Therefore, the variation in the communication performance (communication sensitivity and communication efficiency) of the IC card 1 due to the individual difference of the IC chip 74a can be suppressed, and stable non-contact communication with an external device can be achieved.

[0109] Moreover, the position of the trimming process of the capacitance forming portion 82 can be appropriately selected within the region of the first recess 91 where the second end 120 is arranged, among the recess 9 where the IC module 70 is scheduled to be placed. This allows the processing device such as a cutting device used in the process of forming the recess 9, which is an essential process in the manufacture of the IC card 1, to be used as is, and the trimming hole 20 can be formed simultaneously with the cutting process of the recess 9 or at any timing. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce a new processing device, and when the trimming process is performed simultaneously with the cutting process of the recess 9, the processing time can be reduced. Furthermore, since the trimming hole 20 is hidden by the back surface of the IC module 70, the deterioration of the design of the IC card 1 can be suppressed. In other words, it is possible to provide a dual interface IC card in which the resonance frequency can be easily optimized according to the individual differences of the IC chip without reducing the reliability of the non-contact communication.

[0110] 2. Modification of the First Embodiment of the Present Disclosure Next, various modifications of the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0111] (a) Variation 1 Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing an IC card 1a of modified example 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The card base 2a of the IC card 1a of modified example 1 is formed by laminating and integrating, in order as viewed from the -Z direction side, an over-sheet layer 8, a core layer 7, inner layers 6 and 5, a core layer 4, and an over-sheet layer 3, like the card base 2 of the IC card 1 of the first embodiment. However, it differs from the card base 2 of the IC card 1 in that a capacitance forming portion 82, not an antenna 80, is disposed between the core layer 7 and the inner layer 6, and conversely, an antenna 80, not a capacitance forming portion 82, is disposed between the inner layers 6 and 5.

[0112] In other words, the card base 2a has the same stacking order of the oversheet layers 3, 8, core layers 4, 7, and inner layers 5, 6 as the card base 2. However, the arrangement of the antenna 80 and the capacitance generating portion 82 is reversed, with the capacitance generating portion 82 being arranged on the lower side in the thickness direction of the card base 2a and the antenna 80 being arranged on the upper side. In other words, the multiple second end portions 120 are provided at a deeper position from the surface on the opening side of the recess 9 in the thickness direction of the card base 2a than the multiple first end portions 110.

[0113] Furthermore, IC card 1a of modification 1 differs from IC card 1 in that the conductive adhesive layer that electrically connects terminal 73a of substrate 72 of IC module 70 and first piece 110a of first end 110 of antenna 80 is not conductive adhesive 12 such as conductive paste. That is, IC card 1a uses ACF 13, which has both electrical connection and mechanical connection functions, instead of conductive adhesive 12 and adhesive layer 11.

[0114] ACF is an abbreviation of Anisotropic Conductive Film, and is also called anisotropic conductive film. ACF 13 has a structure in which conductive particles 13a, which are spherical resin or spherical metal with a metal film formed around them, are dispersed in binder resin 13b containing an adhesive component. The conductive particles may be resin coated with nickel or gold, or solder particles. Various solder particles such as SnPb, SnAgCu, SnCu, SnZnBi, SnAgInBi, and SnZnAl, as well as alloys of these with other metals, can be used.

[0115] Here, thermal pressure is applied from the +Z direction to the -Z direction to the substrate 72 so that the ACF 13, which is arranged to be sandwiched between the first piece 110a of the first end portion 110 electrically connected to the tip of the antenna wire 81, the substrate 72 of the IC module 70, and the terminal 73a formed on the substrate 72, is compressed in the vertical direction.

[0116] As a result, strong heat pressure is applied to a portion of the ACF 13 that is sandwiched between the first piece 110a and the terminal 73a, where the gap is particularly narrow, and the conductive particles 13a of the ACF 13 in this portion are pressed by the first piece 110a and the terminal 73a along the thickness direction of the ACF 13. Furthermore, if the conductive particles 13a are small, the conductive particles 13a overlap in a daisy chain from the first piece 110a to the terminal 73a along the thickness direction of the ACF 13. In other words, the first piece 110a and the terminal 73a are electrically connected via the conductive particles 13a.

[0117] On the other hand, in the region of the substrate 72 where the terminals 73a are not present, the conductive particles 13a are not compressed to the extent that they are pressed by the first piece 110a and the terminals 73a along the thickness direction of the ACF 13, or are not compressed to the extent that they overlap in a daisy chain shape. However, the adhesive force of the binder resin 13b generated by the thermal pressure mechanically connects the inner layer 6 and the first piece 110a to the substrate 72.

[0118] When ACF 13 is used as the conductive adhesive layer as in this modification, ACF 13 also functions as a mechanical connection between the IC module 70 and the card base 2a, so that the arrangement of ACF 13 is limited to the surface of the first recess 91 of the recess 9. In addition, in order to ensure good conductivity between the terminal 73a of the IC module 70 and the first piece 110a of the first end 110, the distance between the terminal 73a and the first piece 110a needs to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the conductive particles 13a. Here, the diameter of the conductive particles 13a is typically 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. For this reason, the first end 110 constituting the first piece 110a needs to be arranged in close proximity to the back surface of the substrate 72, i.e., the lower surface, when viewed in the thickness direction of the card base 2a.

[0119] For the above reasons, in this modification, the position of the antenna 80 and the arrangement of the capacitance forming portion 82 as viewed in the thickness direction are reversed from those of the card base 2 of the IC card 1 of the first embodiment. Incidentally, in this modification, when forming the trimming hole 20 at a predetermined position of the capacitance forming portion 82 as described in Fig. 8, it is necessary to penetrate the first end portion 110 overlapping the capacitance forming portion 82 above in the thickness direction with a cutting tool or the like.

[0120] Therefore, in the left-right repeated folded-back structure of second end 120, it is preferable that the bent portion at the left end or right end of the folded-back portion is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the first end in a plan view in the thickness direction. In this case, when forming trimming hole 20 at a predetermined position of capacitance forming portion 82, there is no need to pierce first end 110, and it is possible to extend the life of cutting tools and the like.

[0121] The above description mainly focuses on the electrical connection between the first piece 110a of the first end 110 and the terminal 73a formed on the substrate 72 by the ACF 13, but the same applies to the electrical connection between the second piece 110b of the first end 110 and the terminal 73b by the ACF 13. The ACF 13 is tape-shaped, but ACP (Anisotropic Conductive Paste) can be used instead. The IC card 1a of this modification can be manufactured by the same manufacturing method as the IC card 1 of the first embodiment, except that the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion are formed on the front and back surfaces of the inner layer 6 on the opposite sides.

[0122] (b) Modification 2 Fig. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing an IC card 1b of Modification 2 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The card base 2b of the IC card 1b of Modification 2 is formed by laminating and integrating, in order as viewed from the -Z direction side, an over-sheet layer 8, a core layer 7, inner layers 6b, 6a, 5, a core layer 4, and an over-sheet layer 3. That is, it differs from the card base 2 of the IC card 1 of the first embodiment in that the inner layer 6 is separated into inner layers 6a and 6b. In addition, a capacitance forming portion 82 is disposed on the surface of the inner layer 6b facing the core layer 7 side, and an antenna 80 is disposed on the surface of the inner layer 6a facing the inner layer 5 side.

[0123] In other words, the card base 2b has at least the inner layer 6b, which is a first substrate, and the inner layer 6a, which is a second substrate, laminated adjacent to each other. Also, one of the multiple first ends 110 and the multiple second ends 120 is formed on the surface of the first substrate facing away from the second substrate, and the other is formed on the surface of the second substrate facing away from the first substrate.

[0124] In this modification, the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 are formed on one surface of the separate inner layers 6a and 6b. This allows the formation and processing of the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 to be performed separately and independently, improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the inner layers 6a and 6b can be formed with the antenna 80 or the capacitance forming portion 82 in a flat state without any foreign objects such as an antenna or wiring on the opposite surface, making processing easier, shortening the processing time, and improving processing accuracy.

[0125] (c) Modification 3 Fig. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing an IC card 1c of Modification 3 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The card base 2c of the IC card 1c of Modification 3 is formed by laminating and integrating, in order as viewed from the -Z direction side, an over-sheet layer 8, a core layer 7, inner layers 6b, 6a, and 5, a core layer 4, and an over-sheet layer 3, as in the card base 2b of Modification 2. However, it is the same as the card base 2b of Modification 2 in that the capacitance forming portion 82 is formed on the surface of the inner layer 6a facing the inner layer 5 side, but is different from Modification 2 in that the antenna 80 is formed on the surface of the inner layer 6b facing the inner layer 6a side, not on the surface facing the core layer 7 side.

[0126] In this modification, the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 are formed on one surface of the separate inner layers 6b and 6a, respectively. Thus, the same effect as in modification 2 can be obtained. In addition, in the IC card 1 of this modification, the antenna 80 is formed on the inner layer 6b on the surface facing the inner layer 6a, that is, on the side approaching the capacitance forming portion 82 in the thickness direction. This reduces the distance between the first end 110 of the antenna 80 and the second end 120 of the capacitance forming portion 82, and the capacitance value of the portion can be increased. Therefore, compared to when the distance between the first end 110 and the capacitance forming portion 82 is far, the overlapping area of ​​the first end 110 and the second end 120 can be reduced, and as a result, the size of the first end 110 and the second end 120 itself can also be reduced.

[0127] (d) Variation 4 Fig. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing an IC card 1d of Modification 4 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The IC card 1d of Modification 4 differs from the IC card 1b of Modification 2 in that the arrangements of the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 in the card base 2d are reversed when viewed in the thickness direction. Another difference is that an ACF 13 having both the functions of electrical connection and mechanical connection is used instead of the conductive adhesive 12 and the adhesive layer 11. The reason why the arrangements of the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 are reversed is the same as the reason why the arrangements of the antenna 80 and the capacitance forming portion 82 of the IC card 1a of Modification 1 are reversed with respect to the IC card 1 of the first embodiment.

[0128] (e) Variation 5 Fig. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing an IC card 1e of Modification 5 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The IC card 1e of Modification 5 differs from the IC card 1c of Modification 3 in that the arrangements of the antenna 80 and the capacitance generating portion 82 in the card base 2e are reversed when viewed in the thickness direction, for the same reason as described in Modification 4. Another difference is that the conductive adhesive 12 and the adhesive layer 11 are replaced with an ACF 13 having both electrical and mechanical connection functions.

[0129] 3. Second embodiment of the present disclosure Next, a dual interface IC card manufacturing system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 12 is a block diagram explaining the function of an IC card manufacturing system 10 that manufactures an IC card that is a dual interface IC card according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 13 is a flow diagram explaining the flow of a process for calculating a trimming position for an IC card 1 and performing trimming thereon.

[0130] The IC card manufacturing system 10 includes at least a control unit 210, an IC module processing unit 230, a card milling unit 250, and an IC module mounting unit 270. The control unit 210 includes an IC module frequency characteristic measurement instructing unit 211 that transmits an instruction signal to an IC module frequency characteristic measuring unit 232 of the IC module processing unit 230 so as to measure the frequency characteristics of an IC module 70. The control unit 210 also includes a card base frequency characteristic measurement instructing unit 212 that transmits an instruction signal to a card base frequency characteristic measuring unit 253 of the card milling unit 250 so as to measure the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of the card base 2.

[0131] Furthermore, control unit 210 includes a trimming position calculation unit 213 that calculates the trimming position of capacitance forming unit 82 of card base 2 based on data received from IC module frequency characteristic measurement unit 232 of IC module processing unit 230 and data received from card base frequency characteristic measurement unit 253. Trimming position calculation unit 213 also has a function of transmitting data of the calculated trimming position to trimming instruction unit 254 of card milling unit 250.

[0132] On the other hand, the IC module processing unit 230 includes an adhesive tape application unit 231 that applies an adhesive tape, which is the adhesive layer 11, to the back surface side of the substrate 72 of the IC module 70. The IC module processing unit 230 also includes an IC module frequency characteristic measurement unit 232 that measures the frequency characteristics of the IC module 70 when an instruction signal is received from the IC module frequency characteristic measurement unit 232 and transmits the resulting data to the trimming position calculation unit 213 of the control unit 210.

[0133] The frequency characteristics of IC module 70 may be considered to be substantially equivalent to the frequency characteristics of built-in IC chip 74a. Furthermore, control unit 210 includes IC module frequency characteristics measurement unit 232 that transmits the resulting data to trimming position calculation unit 213 of control unit 210. The frequency characteristics of IC module 70 may be considered to be substantially equivalent to the frequency characteristics of built-in IC chip 74a.

[0134] Card milling unit 250 includes an item input unit 251 for determining the shape, etc. of recess 9 determined for each product type, and a milling instruction unit 252 for instructing cutting, etc. of recess 9. Card milling unit 250 also includes a card base frequency characteristic measurement unit 253 that measures the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of card base 2 when it receives an instruction signal from card base frequency characteristic measurement unit 253 and transmits the resulting data to card base frequency characteristic measurement instruction unit 212 of control unit 210. Card milling unit 250 also includes a trimming instruction unit 254 that instructs trimming of a predetermined position for capacitance forming unit 82 of actual card base 2 based on data related to the trimming position received from trimming position calculation unit 213 of control unit 210.

[0135] The IC module mounting section 270 also includes an item input section 271 for inputting the type of IC module 70 to be used, and an IC module individual processing section 272 for punching out individual IC modules 70 from a module tape to which an adhesive layer 11 has been previously attached, according to the type of IC module 70.

[0136] Furthermore, the IC module mounting section 270 includes an IC module transfer section 273 which transports and fits the individual IC module 70 to a predetermined position on the card base 2 where the recess 9 is formed, and an IC module heating and pressing section 274 which applies a predetermined heat and pressure to the surface of the external connection terminal 71 of the IC module 70 for a predetermined period of time. When the IC card 1 uses a conductive adhesive 12 such as a conductive paste, before placing the IC module 70 in the recess 9, the conductive adhesive 12, which is a conductive paste, is filled in a third recess of the recess 9, and then the IC module 70 is fitted into the recess 9.

[0137] Furthermore, by applying a predetermined heat and pressure to the IC module 70 for a predetermined time, the conductive adhesive 12 is heated and hardened, thereby electrically connecting the IC module 70 to the first end 110 of the antenna 80 of the card base 2. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 11 is heated, thereby mechanically connecting the IC module 70 to the card base 2. Furthermore, the IC module mounting unit 270 includes an IC card operation check unit 275 that checks the operation of the IC card 1 after completing the electrical connection between the IC module 70 and the antenna 80 and the mechanical connection to the card base 2. The IC card operation check unit 275 checks, for example, whether the IC card 1 can receive and output a normal response signal in response to a non-contact communication signal of a predetermined resonant frequency.

[0138] The process of manufacturing the IC card 1 by the IC card manufacturing system 10 having the above configuration will be described. First, an IC module 70 is prepared, which has an IC chip 74a and a plurality of terminals 73a, 73b electrically connected to the IC chip 74a. Next, a card base 2 is prepared, in which an antenna 80 and a capacitance forming portion 82 are disposed.

[0139] The antenna 80 includes an antenna wire 81 and a plurality of plate-like first ends 110, and the plurality of tips of the antenna wire 81 and the plurality of first ends 110 are electrically connected to each other. The capacitance forming portion 82 includes a wiring 83 and a plurality of second ends 120, and the plurality of second ends 120 are configured by a repeated folded-back structure of the plurality of tips of the wiring 83. The plurality of first ends 110 and the plurality of second ends 120 are disposed opposite to each other at a distance so as to partially overlap each other in a plan view of the card base 2.

[0140] Next, the frequency characteristics of the IC module 70 are measured (step S401 in FIG. 13). That is, the IC module frequency characteristics measurement instruction unit 211 of the control unit 210 transmits an instruction signal to the IC module frequency characteristics measurement unit 232 of the IC module processing unit 230 to measure the frequency characteristics of the IC module 70. The frequency characteristics of the IC module 70 are measured, for example, by bringing two probes of the network analyzer as described above into contact with the terminals 73a and 73b, respectively.

[0141] Next, a recess 9 is formed in the card base 2, and the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of the card base 2 are measured (step S402). That is, the type of product to be milled is specified from the information input to the item input unit 251 of the card milling unit 250. Then, by the operator pressing a switch or the like, the milling instruction unit 252 outputs an instruction signal to the milling device to form a recess 9 of a predetermined shape at a predetermined position on the card base 2. As a result, the predetermined recess 9 is formed in the card base 2.

[0142] Next, card base frequency characteristic measurement instruction unit 212 of control unit 210 transmits an instruction signal to card base frequency characteristic measurement unit 253 of card milling unit 250 to measure the frequency characteristics of the circuit of card base 2. For example, the frequency characteristics of the communication circuit of card base 2 are measured by inserting each of the two probes of the network analyzer described above into third recess 93 of recess 9 where first piece 110a and second piece 110b of first end 110 are exposed. Then, the probes are brought into contact with first piece 110a and second piece 110b, respectively, for measurement.

[0143] Next, trimming positions for the multiple second ends 120 are calculated (step S403). That is, based on the frequency characteristic data of IC module 70 and the frequency characteristic data of the communication circuit, trimming position calculation unit 213 calculates the trimming position of capacitance forming portion 82 of card base 2. The frequency characteristic data of IC module 70 is data received from IC module frequency characteristic measurement unit 232 of IC module processing unit 230, and the frequency characteristic data of the communication circuit is data received from card base frequency characteristic measurement unit 253 of card milling unit 250.

[0144] Then, trimming is performed on the second ends 120 according to the calculated trimming positions (step S104). That is, based on the data on the trimming positions received from the trimming position calculation unit 213, the trimming instruction unit 254 instructs trimming of a predetermined position on the capacitance forming unit 82 of the actual card base 2. This trimming can be achieved by forming trimming holes 20 as cut holes with a milling tool or the like at positions L1, L2, L3, etc., exemplified in the description of Figures 8(a) to 8(d) above, and disconnecting the wiring 83 of the capacitance forming unit 82. When a disconnection occurs in the wiring 83, the capacitance of the communication circuit of the card base 2 is reduced according to the disconnection position.

[0145] Thereafter, the conductive adhesive 12 is applied and filled into the third recess 93 as necessary. Then, the IC module 70 is embedded in the recess 9 of the card base 2, and the terminals 73a, 73b of the IC module 70 and the first ends 110 of the antenna 80 are electrically connected to each other. Specifically, the IC module transfer section 273 of the IC module mounting section 270 transports the individual IC module 70 to a predetermined position of the card base 2 where the recess 9 is formed, and fits it in. Furthermore, the IC module heating and pressing section 274 applies a predetermined heat pressure to the surface of the external connection terminal 71 of the IC module 70 for a predetermined time. As a result, the conductive adhesive 12 filled in the third recess of the recess 9 is heated and cured, and the IC module 70, the antenna 80, and the capacitance forming section 82 are electrically connected to each other.

[0146] Finally, IC card operation check section 275 of IC module mounting section 270 checks whether IC card 1 can normally receive and output a reply signal for a non-contact communication signal of a predetermined resonant frequency. Only IC cards 1 that pass this check are stored as non-defective products. IC card operation check section 275 may further check the contact communication function of IC card 1 by contacting a probe pin with external connection terminal 71 of IC module 70. [Explanation of symbols]

[0147] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e IC card 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e card base 3, 8 oversheet layers 4, 7 Core layer 5, 6, 6a, 6b Inner layer 9 Recess 10. IC card manufacturing system 11 Adhesive layer 12 Conductive adhesive 13 ACF 13a Conductive particles 13b Binder resin 14 Antenna sheet 20 Trimming hole 70 IC Module 71 External connection terminal 72 Substrate 73a, 73b terminal 74 IC chip body 74a IC chip 74b Molded part 75 Wire 76 Bonding Hall 80 Antenna 81 Antenna Wire 82 Capacity forming part 83 Wiring 91 First recess 92 Second recess 93 3rd recess 94 Circumference Around 94a and 94b 110 First end 110a 1st piece 110b 2nd piece 120 Second end 120a 1st piece 120b 2nd piece 121, 122, 123 2nd end 121p, 121q, 122p, 122q, 123p, 123q part 210 Control section 211 IC module frequency characteristic measurement indicator 212 Card base frequency characteristic measurement indicator 213 Trimming position calculation unit 230 IC Module Processing Department 231 Adhesive tape attachment part 232 IC module frequency characteristic measurement section 250 Card Milling Section 251 Item Input Section 252 Milling indicator 253 Card Base Frequency Characteristic Measurement Section 254 Trimming Instructions 270 IC module mounting section 271 Item Input Section 272 IC Module Individual Processing Department 273 IC module transfer section 274 IC module heating and pressing section 275 IC module operation check section

Claims

1. A dual interface IC card capable of contact communication and non-contact communication with an external device, A card base having a recess; an IC module embedded in the recess and having an IC chip and a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the IC chip; an antenna disposed inside the card body, the antenna having an antenna line and a plurality of plate-shaped first ends, the plurality of tips of the antenna line and the plurality of first ends being electrically connected to each other, and a portion of the first ends being exposed in the recess of the card body when the IC module is removed; a capacitance forming section disposed inside the card body, the capacitance forming section having wiring and a plurality of second ends, the plurality of second ends being configured by a repeated folding structure formed by a plurality of ends of the wiring; A dual interface IC card, wherein the plurality of first ends and the plurality of second ends are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart so as to partially overlap each other when viewed in a plan view of the card base.

2. 2. The dual interface IC card according to claim 1, wherein a break in the wiring is formed at a plurality of the second ends.

3. 2. The dual interface IC card according to claim 1, wherein the second end portions have a repeating direction of a folded structure formed by the ends of the wiring along a short side direction of the card body.

4. 2. The dual interface IC card according to claim 1, wherein the second ends are located deeper from the surface of the opening side of the recess in the thickness direction of the card body than the first ends.

5. 2. The dual interface IC card according to claim 1, wherein the second ends are located shallower from the surface of the opening side of the recess in the thickness direction of the card body than the first ends.

6. The card base is formed by laminating at least a first base material on the front and back surfaces of another base material, 2. The dual interface IC card according to claim 1, wherein the first ends and the second ends are formed on one surface and the other surface of the first base material, respectively.

7. A method for manufacturing a dual interface IC card capable of contact communication and non-contact communication with an external device, comprising the steps of: preparing an IC module having an IC chip and a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the IC chip; an antenna including an antenna wire and a plurality of plate-shaped first ends, the plurality of tips of the antenna wire being electrically connected to the plurality of first ends; a step of preparing a card base having therein a capacitance forming portion having wiring and a plurality of second ends, the plurality of second ends being configured by a repeated folding structure of a plurality of ends of the wiring; measuring the frequency characteristics of the IC module; measuring the frequency characteristics of a communication circuit of the card base; calculating trimming locations for the plurality of second ends; forming a recess in the card base, exposing a portion of the first end portion in the recess, and performing trimming on the second end portions according to the calculated trimming positions; embedding the IC module in the recess of the card body and electrically connecting the plurality of terminals of the IC module and the plurality of first ends of the antenna, A method for manufacturing a dual interface IC card, wherein the multiple first ends and the multiple second ends are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart so as to partially overlap each other when viewed in a plan view of the card base.

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