Printed circuit with surface-mount capacitors used in smart cards

Abstract

We provide printed circuitry for dual-interface smart cards that use non-plastic substrates. [Solution] In module 200, the printed circuit comprises a printed circuit board 4 made of dielectric material, an antenna 10 formed on a first surface 4a of the board and having a resonant frequency, one or more contact pads arranged on a second surface of the board and forming an external contact pattern, and at least one surface-mount (SMD) capacitor 20a, 20b connected to the antenna to adjust the resonant frequency to match the resonant frequency within a predetermined range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printed circuit having a surface mount (SMD) capacitor mounted on a smart card, a smart card having such a printed circuit, and a reel-to-reel tape used in a manufacturing process of a smart card, the reel-to-reel tape having a plurality of such printed circuits. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a dual interface printed circuit for a dual interface (DIF) smart card.

Background Art

[0002] Smart cards are increasingly used in daily life as payment cards, SIM cards for mobile phones, transportation cards, ID cards, and the like. In order to make smart cards more versatile in daily life applications, efforts have been made to incorporate more functions into smart cards.

[0003] Typically, a smart card includes transmission means for transmitting data from the smart card chip to a card reader device or vice versa. The transmission means can be a contact interface in which direct electrical contact with the external contact elements of the smart card is established and the card reader can communicate with the smart card chip via the direct electrical contact. Another method of communicating with the smart card chip is a non-contact method using an antenna mounted on the smart card and a non-contact interface that enables non-contact communication with the smart card chip.

[0004] In current multiple card designs, a double interface is provided that not only enables non-contact communication with the smart card chip but also provides electrical contacts for directly contacting the smart card chip in a contact manner with a card reader device. Such double interface transmission means are generally referred to as "dual" when the contact mode and the non-contact mode are managed by a single chip of the smart card.

[0005] Typically, a dual-interface (DIF) smart card consists of a rigid plastic support such as PVC, PVC / ABS, PET, or polycarbonate, which constitutes the card body of the smart card into which one or more printed circuits are incorporated. For example, in a common approach, the antenna is mounted on a laminate (a laminate prepared in the early stages of smart card manufacturing, i.e., before the electronic chip is mounted on the smart card; hereinafter referred to as the "prelam"), which is then mounted on the card body. One (or more) cavities are machined into the card body to embed one (or more) smart card modules containing the printed circuits and chips, and to connect them to the antenna.

[0006] The manufacturing of such conventional DIF smart cards is highly complex because the antenna is typically formed and mounted in a first factory by a so-called antenna inlay, while the smart card printed circuit and mounted modules are manufactured in second and third factories, and further customization of the prelaminated card body and mounting of the smart card modules onto the card are carried out in another (fourth) factory. In this specification, an inlay is a product on which electronic elements are mounted on a sheet carrier, where single layers with embedded electronic devices are fused together under pressure and temperature during a lamination process to form a single homogeneous and durable sheet carrier. In this regard, an antenna inlay is understood as a pattern of conductive tracks wired as a pattern that forms circuit wiring within the sheet carrier for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, such as a wire antenna formed of one or more loops of conductive material (e.g., copper or aluminum).

[0007] Embedding wire antennas as inlays in smart cards presents challenges when considering smart card materials other than those for the plastic prelamps. For example, it is extremely difficult to create wire embedding sections for antenna inlays in prelamps made of wood, ceramic, metal, or other non-plastic materials.

[0008] Furthermore, card antennas for bank card applications are required to comply with the EMVCo standard. In particular, card antennas must pass the EMVCo PICC analog test.

[0009] Finally, the card antenna needs to be compatible with different integrated circuit (IC) chips used in the module, such as IC chips with different capacitances, and also ensure communication with the external card reader. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve one or more of the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] This disclosure proposes integrating contact and contactless smart cards into a single element, thereby eliminating the need for a separate wire antenna inlay from the module having the contact pattern, and enabling connection to a contact reader. In this way, a wide variety of materials can be used in the manufacture of the smart card body.

[0012] Furthermore, the proposed solution can be used for a wide variety of IC chips with different capacitances because the proposed printed circuit further includes one or more SMD capacitors, each having a predetermined capacitance, thereby allowing the resonant frequency of the printed circuit to be adjusted to match a predetermined resonant frequency. According to one or more embodiments, the predetermined capacitances of one or more SMD capacitors can compensate for the low inductance of the circuit's antenna. By manufacturing a single printed circuit that is compatible with a variety of IC chips, simplification is achieved in the processes of tape manufacturers (e.g., only one set of tools is required) and in the logistics of package module manufacturers (e.g., only one reference printed circuit needs to be handled regardless of the chip used).

[0013] Furthermore, the proposed solutions according to one or more embodiments detailed below have been shown to be fully compliant with the EMV standard and to have passed all EMVCo L1 PICC analog tests.

[0014] In a first embodiment of this disclosure, a printed circuit board is provided that is mounted on a smart card, and this printed circuit board is: - A printed circuit board of electrical material having a first surface and a second surface; - An antenna having a resonant frequency, having a wiring pattern extending between a first terminal and a second terminal, and positioned on the first surface of a printed circuit board; - One or more contact pads located on the second surface of the printed circuit board and forming an external contact pattern. The printed circuit further includes at least first surface-mount (SMD) capacitors connected to the first and second terminals of the antenna to adjust the resonant frequency of the antenna to match a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, a resonant frequency within the range specified by the ISO 14443 standard.

[0015] The advantage of this solution is that it provides a printed circuit board for a smart card that allows for adjustment of the resonant frequency using one or more SMD capacitors, in order to maintain the resonant frequency of the printed circuit board at an optimal value to achieve the best EMVCo L1 PICC analog performance. For example, the resonant frequency may fall within the range specified by the ISO 14443 standard. Moreover, this solution makes it possible to integrate contact and non-contact mechanisms on the smart card with a single printed circuit board, thereby eliminating the need to form an antenna inlet on the card body.

[0016] For example, depending on the capacitance of the IC chip connected to the printed circuit antenna, one or two SMD capacitors may be advantageously connected to the antenna, thereby adjusting the capacitance and, therefore, the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit to match a predetermined resonant frequency within the standard RFID communication range. For example, the first SMD capacitor may have a capacitance of 470pF. For example, the second capacitor may have a capacitance of 20pF.

[0017] According to a preferred configuration, the printed circuit can be used to mount on a dual smart card, which is a smart card capable of providing both contact and contactless functionality.

[0018] Preferably, the antenna is an etched antenna having a wiring pattern that extends continuously between the first terminal and the second terminal.

[0019] In a preferred configuration, an electronic circuit having an antenna connected to an IC chip can be formed, where the electronic circuit has a resonant frequency depending on the inductance of the antenna and the internal capacitance of the chip. Therefore, it may be advantageous to add one or more SMD capacitors to the circuit in order to adjust (increase) the capacitance of the resulting electronic circuit, to compensate for variations in the internal capacitance of different chips, and / or to compensate for low values ​​of antenna inductance. The resulting resonant frequency of the electronic circuit is preferably adjusted to communicate with an RFID system operating at, for example, 13.56 MHz, or even 14 MHz.

[0020] Preferably, one or more contact pads forming an external contact pattern are located on a second surface of the printed circuit board opposite to the first surface having the antenna and one or more SMD capacitors. The one or more contact pads are configured to provide power to the IC chip and to be electrically connected to an external device, such as an external reader, to enable communication and exchange of information between the chip and the reader when the smart card is operating in contact mode.

[0021] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided which further comprises a second SMD capacitor connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of an antenna for fine-tuning the resonant frequency of the antenna.

[0022] The advantage of this configuration is that two SMD capacitors can be connected in parallel to the antenna to adjust the capacitance of the circuit and to fine-tune the resonant frequency of the circuit to match a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, within the range of resonant frequencies specified in the ISO 14443 standard.

[0023] For example, according to the user's request, the second SMD connector may or may not be connected to the antenna in order to finely adjust the resonant frequency of the circuit. Preferably, the SMD connector may or may not be fixed to the corresponding etching path connected to the etching antenna.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, a printed circuit having a low inductance, such as an inductance of approximately 0.25 μH, for example, can be provided for the antenna. For example, the low inductance may be due to the small total number of turns in the wiring pattern (for example, the total number of turns is 2, 3, or 4), and / or the wide width of each wire in the wiring pattern, for example, 500 μm to 1000 μm. The first SMD capacitor can be advantageously connected to the antenna to compensate for the low inductance and to obtain a resonant electrical circuit having a resonant frequency that satisfies a predetermined resonant frequency. For example, the first SMD capacitor can have a first capacitance of 470 pF. Thus, a coarse adjustment of the resonant frequency can be achieved. To further adjust the resulting resonant frequency, a second SMD capacitor can be further added to the circuit. For example, the second SMD capacitor can have a second capacitance of 20 pF. The purpose of the second SMD capacitor is a fine adjustment of the resonant frequency when the electronic circuit obtained even after adding the first SMD capacitor still does not have the desired frequency.

[0025] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit having a low inductance, for example, less than 0.5 μH, preferably included in the range of 0.2 μH to 0.5 μH, is provided for the antenna.

[0026] The advantage of this configuration is that ohmic losses are reduced.

[0027] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided, wherein the antenna has a path length and the printed circuit further comprises at least one antenna path portion having an additional path length, wherein the at least one antenna path portion is configured to be selectively connected to the antenna, thereby increasing the path length by a length corresponding to the additional path length, and thereby adjusting the resonance frequency of the antenna so as to match a predetermined resonance frequency, for example a resonance frequency within the range defined by the ISO14443 standard.

[0028] The advantage of this configuration is that the at least one antenna path portion can be connected to the antenna so as to increase the inductance of the resulting antenna. For example, the antenna and the at least one antenna portion may further be connected to one or more SMD capacitors of the printed circuit in order to also adjust the capacitance of the resulting electronic circuit. These adjustments make it possible to change the resonance frequency of the electronic circuit having the antenna, the at least one antenna path portion and the SMD capacitor in order to match a predetermined resonance frequency, for example a resonance frequency within the range defined by the ISO14443 standard.

[0029] Preferably, the at least one antenna path portion is arranged on the first surface of the printed circuit board together with the antenna wiring pattern. The antenna path portion extends continuously between a third terminal and a fourth terminal. According to a preferred embodiment, the first terminal of the antenna wiring pattern is connected to the third terminal of the antenna path portion, for example by wire bonding. Thus, the resulting antenna extending between the fourth terminal of the antenna path portion and the second terminal of the antenna wiring pattern is realized. The resulting antenna has a resulting inductance that is different (larger) from the inductance of the original antenna wiring pattern. Thus, the resulting inductance can compensate for variations in the internal capacitance of the IC chip, for example upon changes or supply from different suppliers, and can adjust the resonance frequency.

[0030] For example, in order to adjust the inductance of the resulting electronic circuit and to adjust the resonant frequency to match a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, within the range of resonant frequencies specified in the ISO 14443 standard, it may or may not be necessary to connect an additional antenna portion to the antenna wiring pattern, depending on the capacitance of the IC chip connected to the printed circuit. Therefore, it should be understood that at least one antenna path portion can be electrically connected to the antenna of the printed circuit, as required by the user, and is therefore configured to be selectively connectable to the antenna of the printed circuit.

[0031] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided in which the antenna wiring pattern is formed with a total number of turns of 4 or less, for example, equal to 2, 3, or 4, and preferably 3.

[0032] The advantage of this solution is that the reduced number of turns in the wiring pattern (e.g., 2, 3, or 4 turns) reduces ohmic loss along the signal path in the antenna. Due to the reduced ohmic loss in the antenna wiring pattern, the printed circuit exhibits superior performance compared to standard printed circuits and passed more test cases in the EMVCo L1 PICC analog test, such as 100%.

[0033] Preferably, the antenna wiring pattern has 3 turns. Preferably, the antenna wiring pattern is made of copper, and the copper foil has a thickness of 10 μm to 70 μm.

[0034] According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the antenna may have two or three turns and a thickness of approximately 35 μm.

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided in which the antenna is an etched antenna.

[0036] The advantages of this solution are that the antenna is formed on the printed circuit in a simple and economical way, and that the antenna and contacts can be etched in a single step.

[0037] In a preferred configuration, the etched antenna may be formed on a first surface of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be a dielectric substrate made of a composite material (e.g., glass-epoxy) or a plastic material (PET, PEN, polyimide). The printed circuit board may have one or more adhesive material layers and may have a thickness on the order of 20 to 200 μm to maintain flexibility compatible with continuous printed circuit manufacturing processes, such as a reel-to-reel process. Preferably, two sheets of conductive material, such as copper sheets, may be bonded and / or laminated to both sides of the printed circuit board. Each sheet of conductive material may be etched to form contact areas defining wiring patterns for, for example, antennas and contact pads, and possible other circuit wiring elements.

[0038] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided in which the antenna wiring pattern has a single wire portion having a width in the range of 500 μm to 1000 μm.

[0039] The advantage of this solution is that the wider trace width reduces ohmic loss along the antenna's signal path. Consequently, the antenna exhibits better performance in terms of communication range with the RFID reader and in terms of successful and favorable results in EMVCo L1 analog PICC testing.

[0040] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit is provided in which the antenna has dimensions of 26.8 mm × 12.95 mm.

[0041] The advantage of this solution is that an enlarged antenna is provided, thereby reducing ohmic loss, while at the same time, the provided antenna conforms to the manufacturing limit of 35 mm width for tapes used in the reel-to-reel process.

[0042] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a module is provided which is mounted on a smart card, and this module is: - The above printed circuit; and - IC chip located on the first surface of the printed circuit board This includes, where at least one surface-mount (SMD) capacitor is connected in parallel with the IC chip to tune the antenna's resonant frequency to a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, the resonant frequency of an RFID reader.

[0043] The advantage of this solution is that a single module is provided having an antenna, one or more SMD capacitors, and an IC chip, where the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit is adjustable by the operation of the capacitance level of the SMD capacitors and / or the inductance level of the antenna. The resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit can be advantageously adjusted without replacing the electrical circuits of the antenna and / or capacitors. In other words, the resonant electrical circuit is formed by the antenna, one or more capacitors, and an IC chip, and during operation, radio waves with the corresponding resonant frequency are transmitted. Thus, contactless communication with an external RFID reader is possible. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit composed of the antenna, one or more SMD capacitors, and an IC chip is given by the following formula: (Math 1) f = 1 / (2π√LC) This can be determined by (wherein C is the total capacitance of the equivalent system and L is the total inductance of the equivalent system). Depending on the requirements of a particular user, different IC chips with different internal capacitances may be adopted and added to the module. Conventionally, when the IC chip is changed (i.e., when the capacitance of the IC chip is changed), the antenna needs to be redesigned accordingly. In contrast, in this solution, the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit can be adjusted by adding one or more capacitors and / or one or more additional antenna path sections to the circuit, thus providing a single layout that is compatible with multiple chips. In particular, one or more capacitors may be connected to the antenna to change the capacitance of the electronic circuit. Alternatively, one or more antenna path sections may be connected to the antenna to adjust the inductance of the electronic circuit.

[0044] Furthermore, this solution also has the advantage of incorporating contact and non-contact mechanisms into a single module that can be inserted directly into the card body without the need to insert an antenna inlay into the card body.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the antenna may be provided with a printed circuit having a low inductance, such as approximately 0.25 μH. An SMD capacitor may be advantageously connected to the antenna to compensate for the low inductance and to obtain a resonant electrical circuit having a resonant frequency that satisfies a predetermined resonant frequency. In this way, coarse tuning of the resonant frequency can be achieved. A second SMD capacitor may be further added to the circuit during the step of wire bonding the IC chip to the antenna and to the contact pads, and this may be sealed together with the IC chip. The purpose of the second SMD capacitor is to fine-tune the resonant frequency if the antenna is still not at the desired frequency even after the first SMD capacitor has been added.

[0046] For example, the IC chip could be a chip designed by NXP, ST Microelectronics, or Infineon, and the IC chip could have capacitances of 56pF, 68pF, and / or 78pF, respectively.

[0047] For example, depending on the capacitance of the IC chip connected to the module, it may or may not be necessary to connect one or two SMD capacitors to the antenna to adjust the capacitance, and therefore the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit, to match a predetermined resonant frequency. Similarly, depending on the capacitance of the IC chip connected to the module, it may or may not be necessary to connect an additional antenna component to the antenna wiring pattern to adjust the inductance of the resulting electronic circuit and to adjust the resonant frequency to match a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, within the range of resonant frequencies specified in the ISO 14443 standard. Accordingly, it should be understood that the SMD capacitors may be electrically connected to other electronic components as required by the user, and therefore are configured to be selectively connectable in parallel with the IC chip.

[0048] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a module is provided in which a first SMD capacitor and an IC chip are sealed with a sealing material.

[0049] The advantage of this configuration is that the capacitors and IC chips can be protected by the sealing material.

[0050] For example, the sealing material may form an excess thickness relative to the first surface of the printed circuit board on which the capacitors and IC chips are located (globetop technique).

[0051] Preferably, the sealing material may further cover the coupling wires used to connect the IC chip to the contact pads and / or to connect the IC chip to the antenna.

[0052] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a module may be provided in which the printed circuit board has one or more unplated holes for achieving wire bonding connections between one or more contact pads and an IC chip.

[0053] The advantages of this solution are that it reduces manufacturing costs, simplifies module production, and provides greater flexibility in terms of design aesthetics. Preferably, the module does not have any plated holes for connecting one or more contact pads to the IC chip for operation in the contact mode of the smart card.

[0054] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a module is provided in which an IC chip is connected to an antenna and / or an antenna path portion by wire bonding.

[0055] The advantage of this configuration is that the circuit formed by the IC chip and antenna is formed by wire bonding. Therefore, manufacturing costs are reduced and module manufacturing is simplified.

[0056] Preferably, coupling wires are used to connect the first and second terminals of the antenna wiring pattern to the IC chip in order to complete the inductance path. According to an alternative preferred embodiment, when one or more antenna path portions are added to the electronic circuit, the second terminal of the antenna and the fourth terminal of the antenna path portion are connected to the IC chip by wire bonding.

[0057] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a module is provided in which the IC chip has a low activation field strength, such as 2 A / m or less, preferably 0.5 A / m or less.

[0058] The advantage of this configuration is that the module is fully compliant with EMV requirements and has been shown to pass many (including 100%) EMV standard tests.

[0059] A further embodiment of the present invention provides a smart card comprising a card body and one of the above-mentioned printed circuits and / or one of the above-mentioned modules.

[0060] The advantage of this configuration is that the contact and contactless mechanisms of the smart card are integrated into a single component, thus simplifying the manufacturing of the smart card. For example, the smart card may be a dual smart card for operation in contact and contactless modes. Moreover, a smart card comprising one of the printed circuits and / or modules disclosed above exhibits better performance in terms of reduced ohmic loss and increased communication range with RFID.

[0061] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a smart card is provided in which the card body is made of a non-plastic material such as wood, metal, or ceramic.

[0062] The advantage of this solution is that the materials used to form the card body are environmentally sustainable. Since it is difficult to embed electrical wires, such as copper wires in antennas, in non-plastic materials such as wood, metal, or ceramic, it is particularly advantageous to use printed circuits or modules as described above, and to have contact and non-contact mechanisms integrated into a single component.

[0063] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a reel-to-reel tape used in a smart card manufacturing process is provided, the reel-to-reel tape having a plurality of printed circuits as described above.

[0064] The advantage of this solution is that the reel-to-reel process is a continuous process that enables the manufacture of large quantities of printed circuits in a fast and efficient manner.

[0065] A further embodiment of the present invention provides a reel-to-reel tape used in a smart card manufacturing process, wherein the reel-to-reel tape has a plurality of modules as described above.

[0066] The advantage of this configuration is that the reel-to-reel process is a continuous process that enables the manufacture of large quantities of modules in a fast and efficient manner.

[0067] According to a further embodiment, the reel-to-reel tape has a width of 35 mm.

[0068] The advantage of this solution is that the 35mm wide reel-to-reel tape is compatible with standard tools used in smart card manufacturing, while at the same time being able to accommodate an enlarged antenna, for example, measuring 26.8 x 12.95mm.

[0069] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0070] [Figure 1] Figure 1 schematically shows the three dimensions of a dual-interface smart card according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 schematically shows a top view of the layout of the first face of a module according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 schematically shows perspective views of a dual interface module according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4a] Figure 4a schematically shows a top view of a first face of a module according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4b] Figure 4b schematically shows a top view of a first face of a module according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4c]Figure 4c schematically shows a top view of a first face of a module according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 5 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a dual interface module in a wire bonding configuration having unplated holes according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Figure 6 schematically shows a top view of the layout of the first face of a module according to some alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0071] Figure 1 schematically shows an exploded perspective view of a smart card 1 having a card body 3 and a module 5. Module 5 only needs to include a contact communication function ( schematically shown in module 5 of Figure 1) configured to communicate with external contacts and at least one chip (not shown) of the smart card 1, and a contactless communication function such as an antenna (not shown) configured to communicate with the same chip when it receives an external electromagnetic field.

[0072] According to some exemplary embodiments, the card body 3 of the smart card 1 may be made of any material, such as a plastic or non-plastic material, including rigid plastic materials, flexible plastic materials, and non-plastic materials such as metal, ceramic, or wood. For example, the plastic material may include at least one of PVC, PVC / ABS, PET, PETG, and polycarbonate. In other words, since the functions of the smart card 1 may be provided by a module 5 mounted on the card body, the card body 3 is not limited to a specific material and may be made of any material.

[0073] Referring to Figure 1, the mounting of module 5 onto the card body 3 of smart card 1 can be achieved by forming an opening 7 in the card body 3 (for example, by machining) so that module 5 can be accommodated in the opening 7 when the module 5 is mounted onto the card body 3. The opening 7 may be a recess that extends partway into the card body in the thickness direction of the card body 3, or the opening 7 may be a through hole that extends through the entire thickness of the card body 3.

[0074] Preferably, a recess 7 that fits the module size is machined into the card body 3, and the module 5 is embedded according to a standard smart card process. Preferably, the tool may need to be adapted to the actual size of the module to be embedded. For example, the DIF module 5 according to the present invention may be larger than a standard one, and therefore the tool must be adapted to the actual size of the module to be embedded.

[0075] Module 5 may include one or more chips (not shown) so that all the functions of smart card 1 can be incorporated into module 5. In some exemplary embodiments, module 5 may include one chip for implementing a dual-type card, in which case the chip is configured to communicate with an external contact or contactless reader (not shown).

[0076] According to some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the module is not limited to a specific size, as long as the size of module 5 is smaller than the geometric dimensions of the card body. For example, the size of module 5 may be limited only by the dimensions of the card body 3, along with any considerations regarding the aesthetic appearance of the smart card 1.

[0077] In some exemplary embodiments, module 5 in Figure 1 may correspond to module 200 in Figures 2, 3, 4a and 6 described below. In some other exemplary embodiments, module 5 in Figure 1 may correspond to module 200' in Figure 4b described below. In some other exemplary embodiments, module 5 in Figure 1 may correspond to module 200'' in Figure 4c described below.

[0078] Figure 2 schematically shows a top view of a module 200 mounted on a smart card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] Module 200 comprises a printed circuit 100 and an IC chip 30 to be mounted on a smart card. The printed circuit 100 in Figure 2 comprises: a printed circuit board 4 made of a dielectric material (not shown) having a first surface 4a and a second surface 4b; an antenna 10 located on the first surface 4a of the printed circuit board 4; a first SMD capacitor 20a connected to the antenna 10; a second SMD capacitor 20b configured to be selectively connectable to the antenna 10; and a plurality of contact pads 50 (not shown) for external connections which may be located on the second surface 4b of the printed circuit board 4.

[0080] In Figure 2, only the first surface 4a of the printed circuit board is shown, and therefore only the antenna 10, SMD capacitors 20a, 20b, and IC chip 30 are visible. According to the exemplary and non-limiting configuration of module 200 in Figure 2, the contact pads 50 are located on the second surface 4b of the printed circuit board 4, and therefore they are not visible in this figure.

[0081] Antenna 10 has a wiring pattern that extends continuously between the first terminal 11 and the second terminal 12a. As described below, antenna 10 further includes an additional terminal 12b so that the printed circuit 100 is compatible with chips 30, 30', 30'' having different capacitances and different bonding layouts. The second terminal 12a and the additional terminal 12b of antenna 10 are connected by an etching trace 42.

[0082] The wiring pattern of antenna 10 has 3 turns and a wide width, for example, 500 μm to 1000 μm. By configuring the antenna wiring pattern with a small number of turns, such as 2 to 4 turns, and a wide width, ohmic loss along the antenna path is reliably minimized. Thus, antenna 10 having the configuration shown in Figure 2 has lower ohmic loss than a standard antenna and conforms to the EMVCo standard. Antenna 10 may preferably have a length L of 26.8 mm and a width W of 12.95 mm.

[0083] According to an exemplary manufacturing process, the antenna wiring pattern 10 may be formed by a chemical etching process.

[0084] A sheet of conductive material is positioned on the first surface 4a of the substrate layer 4. The conductive material may be, for example, copper, aluminum, or an alloy of copper or aluminum. Next, a pattern is formed on the sheet of conductive material by photolithography through deposition, exposure, and development of a photosensitive resin. An antenna wiring pattern 10, including a first antenna terminal 11, a second antenna terminal 12a, and an additional antenna terminal 12b, is formed using a chemical etching step. Furthermore, it is possible to form etching paths 22 connected to the antenna wiring pattern 10 using a chemical etching step. The etching paths 22 may include etching pads 21 and may be configured for the subsequent positioning and fixing of SMD capacitors 20a, 20b, as described later. Next, the resin protecting the pattern during etching is chemically removed, and an additional metal layer (e.g., nickel, gold, palladium) is optionally deposited onto the etching pattern electrochemically or chemically.

[0085] In a preferred configuration, the design of the module 200 may be modified so that the first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is located near the IC chip 30, in the sealing area. This type of design is disclosed, for example, in European Patent No. 2877965 B1 by the same applicant, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0086] One or more SMD capacitors 20a, 20b may be mechanically and electrically connected in parallel to the antenna 10 of the printed circuit 100. For example, in Figure 2, two SMD capacitors 20a, 20b are shown. However, it should be made clear that any number of capacitors, such as one, three, four, five, or more, may be provided without departing from the teachings of this disclosure.

[0087] According to an exemplary manufacturing process, the first SMD capacitor 20a may be located in the etching path 22 and may be fixed therein by a surface mount technology process. The etching path 22 includes two balanced etching traces, which are connected to each other only when the first SMD capacitor 20a is mounted. For example, the first SMD capacitor 20a may be fixed to the etching path 22 by a conductive material such as solder, ACP, ACF, etc. Thus, the electronic connection between the first SMD capacitor 20a and the antenna 10 may be obtained via the etching path 22 and the etching pad 21.

[0088] Similarly, the second SMD capacitor 20b may be located in the etching path 22, or it may be fixed therein by a surface mount technology process. The second SMD capacitor 20b can be selectively connected in parallel to the antenna 10 by fixing it to the etching path 22 according to the user's requirements, as described below.

[0089] An IC chip 30 is located on a portion of the printed circuit board 4 that is not covered by the antenna wiring pattern 10. The electronic chip 30 may be mechanically bonded to the substrate by known techniques, such as die bonding. The electronic chip 30 may be electrically connected to other electrical components of the module 200 by known techniques such as flip-chip technology, wire bonding technology, etc. Preferably, the IC chip 30 is connected to the antenna 10 by wire bonding.

[0090] In the configuration shown in Figure 2, the connection between the first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 and the IC chip 30 is achieved by a coupling wire 43; the electrical connection between the second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 and the IC chip 30 is achieved by a coupling wire 45; and the first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is connected to the first etching pads 21 of capacitors 20a and 20b by a coupling wire 40.

[0091] According to some exemplary embodiments, the chips 30 in Figures 2 and 3 may be supplied by NXP, ST Microelectronics, and / or Infineon and may be chip-type chips having capacitances of 56pF, 68pF, or 78pF, respectively.

[0092] According to an exemplary manufacturing process, after connecting the IC chip 30 to the antenna 10 by wire bonding, the IC chip 30 and the first SMD capacitor 20a are sealed with a sealing material 35. Preferably, the sealing material 35 also covers the bonding wires 32, 40, 42, 43, and 45, the functions of which are described below.

[0093] Advantageously, the first SMD capacitor 20a is connected to the antenna 10 in the early stages of the manufacturing process of the module 200. For example, the first capacitor 20a is connected to the electronic circuit before the first capacitor 20a and the IC chip 30 are sealed in the sealing material 35.

[0094] On the other hand, the second SMD capacitor 20b may be connected to the electronic circuit at a later stage in the manufacturing of the module 200, for example, after the connection of the first SMD capacitor 20a and after the application of the sealing material 35. In practice, the second SMD capacitor 20b is preferably not covered with the sealing material, thereby providing flexibility in its placement and fine-tuning of the resonant frequency of the electrical circuit, as detailed below.

[0095] The present invention is based on the idea of ​​supplying one or two SMD capacitors 20a, 20b to a printed circuit, which can be connected in parallel with an electronic circuit having an antenna 10 and an IC chip 30, in order to adjust the resonant frequency of the electronic circuit and to realize communication within the standard RFID frequency detection range. In practice, the antenna 10 and the IC chip 30 are (Math 2) f = 1 / (2π√LC) A resonant circuit can be formed having an initial resonant frequency equal to (wherein C is the total capacitance of the equivalent system and L is the total inductance of the equivalent system). The capacitance of the IC chip 30 may vary, for example, according to the requirements of different suppliers and / or different users. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit must conform to a specific standard related to RF communication, such as the ISO 4443 standard. By additionally connecting one or two SMD capacitors 20a, 20b to the resonant circuit having the IC chip 30 and antenna 10, it is possible to adjust the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit to a predetermined resonant frequency within the standard RFID frequency detection range. By adding only one capacitor 20a to the circuit, coarse adjustment of the resulting resonant frequency is possible. By adding two capacitors 20a, 20b to the circuit, fine adjustment of the resulting resonant frequency is achieved. According to an alternative configuration (not shown), it is possible to further add additional SMD capacitors (three, four, five or more) to the electronic circuit to fine-tune the resonant frequency.

[0096] For example, if a printed circuit 100 is provided in which the antenna 10 has an inductance of 0.25 μm and the IC chip 30' (see Figure 4b below) has an internal capacitance of 68 pF, a resonant frequency of 39 MHz may be produced, which falls outside the required range for RFID communication. A first resonant frequency of 13.8 MHz can be achieved by adding a first SMD capacitor 20a with a capacitance of 470 pF to the circuit. An optimized resonant frequency of 13.7 MHz can be achieved by adding a second SMD capacitor 20b with a capacitance of 20 pF to the circuit.

[0097] Therefore, it is important to understand that a module 200 can be configured by connecting one SMD capacitor 20a to the IC chip 30 and the antenna 10 so as to form a first electronic circuit having a first resonant frequency that matches a predetermined resonant frequency related to RF communication. Alternatively, two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b may be connected in parallel with the IC chip 30 and the antenna 10 to form a second electronic circuit, thereby fine-tuning the first resonant frequency and obtaining an optimized resonant frequency that falls within the standard RFID detection range.

[0098] Figure 3 schematically shows a perspective view of module 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Figure 3 schematically shows module 200 of Figure 2, but also shows contact pads 50 arranged on the second surface 4b of the printed circuit board 4. In Figure 3, five contact pads 50 are schematically shown, however, it should be understood that any number of contact pads conforming to different standards may be provided. The contact pads 50 can be electrically coupled to an external device that supplies power to the IC chip 30 of module 200 and enables contact-mode communication between the chip and a reader.

[0099] The module 200 in Figures 2 and 3 further has a plurality of blind holes 31 formed on the first surface 4a of the printed circuit board 4. Although five blind holes 31 are shown in Figure 2, it should be understood that any number of blind holes 31 may be provided, such as one, two, three, four, six, seven, or more. The blind holes 31 may have unplated holes 31 that enable wire bonding between the contact pads 50 and the IC chip 30 for operation of the module in contact mode. Preferably, the number of blind holes 31 corresponds to the number of contact pads 50.

[0100] The module according to the present invention has the advantage that a single layout of the printed circuit 100 is compatible with different IC chips having different capacitances and different wire bonding designs. This concept is illustrated with reference to Figures 4a, 4b, and 4c.

[0101] Figure 4a schematically shows the details of a module 200 having an IC chip 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0102] In the electrical circuit schematically shown in Figure 4a, the IC chip 30 and the antenna 10 are connected by wire bonding. The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is connected to the IC chip 30 by a coupling wire 43, while the second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 is connected to the IC chip 30 by a coupling wire 45. In this way, an inductance path is formed. The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is further connected by a coupling wire 40 to the etching pad 21 of two parallel SMD capacitors 20a and 20b. The second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 is connected by an etching trace 42 to the etching path 22 on which the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are mounted. In this way, the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are connected in parallel with the IC chip 30.

[0103] In the configuration shown in Figure 4a, the IC chip 30, the first SMD capacitor 20a, and the coupling wires 32, 40, 42, 43, and 45 are sealed by the sealing material 35, while the second SMD capacitor 20b is not covered by the sealing material 35.

[0104] The IC chip 30 is further connected to a contact pad 50 (not shown) by unplated holes 31 and coupling wires 32. Five coupling wires 32 are used to connect the IC chip 30 to the contact pad 50.

[0105] According to some exemplary embodiments, the chip 30 in Figure 4a may be a chip type supplied by Infineon and having a capacitance of 78 pF, and the first SMD capacitor 20a may have a capacitance of 460 pF.

[0106] Figure 4b shows a detailed schematic of a module 200' having an IC chip 30' according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] In the electrical circuit schematically shown in Figure 4b, the IC chip 30' and the antenna 10 are connected by wire bonding. The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is connected to the IC chip 30' by a coupling wire 43, while the second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 is connected to the IC chip 30' by a coupling wire 45. In this way, an inductance path is formed. The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is further connected to the etching pad 21 of two parallel SMD capacitors 20a and 20b by a coupling wire 40. The second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 is further connected to the etching path 22 on which the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are mounted by an etching trace 42. In this way, the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are connected in parallel to the IC chip 30'.

[0108] In the configuration shown in Figure 4b, the IC chip 30', the first SMD capacitor 20a, and the coupling wires 32, 40, 42, 43, and 45 are sealed by the sealing material 35, while the second SMD capacitor 20b is not covered by the sealing material 35.

[0109] The IC chip 30' is further connected to the contact pad 50 (not shown) by unplated holes 31 and coupling wires 32. Five coupling wires 32 are used to connect the IC chip 30 to the contact pad 50.

[0110] According to some exemplary embodiments, the chip 30' in Figure 4b may be a chip type supplied by ST Microelectronics and having a capacitance of 68pF, and the first SMD capacitor 20a may have a capacitance of 470pF.

[0111] Figure 4c schematically shows details of a module 200" having an IC chip 30" according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] In the electrical circuit schematically shown in Figure 4c, the IC chip 30'' and the antenna 10 are connected by wire bonding. The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is connected to the IC chip 30'' by a coupling wire 43. Contrary to the configurations shown in Figures 4a and 4b, the second terminal 12a of the antenna 10 is not in direct contact with the IC chip 30''; the second terminal 12a is connected to an additional terminal 12b via an etching trace 42, and the additional terminal 12b is connected to the IC chip 30'' by a coupling wire 44. In this way, the inductance path is closed. The configuration of the antenna wiring pattern 10, including the two “end” terminals 12a and 12b formed along the etching trace 42, makes it possible to connect IC chips 30, 30', and 30'' with different bonding layouts using the same configuration of the printed circuit 100.

[0113] The first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is further connected by a coupling wire 40 to the etching pad 21 of two parallel SMD capacitors 20a and 20b. An additional terminal 12b of the antenna 10 is connected to the etching path 22 on which the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are mounted. In this way, the two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are connected in parallel to the IC chip 30''.

[0114] In the configuration shown in Figure 4c, the IC chip 30'', the first SMD capacitor 20a, and the coupling wires 32, 40, 42, 43, 44, and 45 are sealed by the sealing material 35, while the second SMD capacitor 20b is not covered by the sealing material 35.

[0115] The IC chip 30" is further connected to a contact pad 50 (not shown) by unplated holes 31 and coupling wires 32. Five coupling wires 32 are used to connect the IC chip 30 to the contact pad 50.

[0116] According to some exemplary embodiments, the chip 30'' in Figure 4c may be a chip type supplied by NXP and having a capacitance of 56pF, and the first SMD capacitor 20a may have a capacitance of 480pF.

[0117] Preferably, IC chips 30, 30', 30'' require an activation field strength of less than 2 A / m, preferably less than 0.5 A / m. This ensures better performance for modules 200, 200', 200'', as they have been proven to pass more (including 100%) of the EMVCo L1 PICC analog test cases under these conditions.

[0118] Figure 5 schematically shows cross-sectional views of dual interface modules 200, 200', 200'' according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0119] The dual interface modules 200, 200', 200'' in Figure 5 include a printed circuit board 100 and IC chips 30, 30', 30''. The printed circuit board 100 has a dielectric printed circuit board 4 having a first surface 4a and a second surface 4b. IC chips 30, 30', 30'', an antenna pattern 10, and capacitors 20a, 20b are formed on the first surface 100a, while external contact pads 50 are located on the second surface 100b of the printed circuit board 4. The IC chips 30, 30', 30'' are connected to the contact pads 50 by coupling wires 32. The IC chips 30, 30', 30'', capacitors 20a, 20b, and coupling wires 32 are protected by a sealing material 35.

[0120] The hole 31 formed in the connector substrate 4 enables wire bonding between the contact pad 50 of the external contact pattern and the chips 30, 30', 30''. The hole 31 shown in Figure 5 is an unplated blind hole that provides a direct connection between the wire 32 and the bottom surface of the contact pad 50.

[0121] According to a manufacturing process for producing unplated blind holes, a substrate layer 4 is provided, on which at least one sheet of conductive material is placed on its first surface. The conductive material may be, for example, copper, aluminum, or an alloy of copper or aluminum. The second surface of the substrate layer 4 is coated with an adhesive material (not shown). The substrate layer 4 coated with the adhesive and conductive material is then perforated, for example, by mechanical punching or laser, to form holes 31 used to guide the web in a reel-to-reel process, and optionally side openings (sprocket holes). A second sheet of conductive material is then laminated on the second surface of the substrate layer 4. In this case, the holes 31 are so-called "blind" holes because one side is closed with metal foil. Alternatively, a dielectric substrate 4 having conductive material on both sides may be provided, and the holes 31 may be formed using a laser on the dielectric layer and the first layer of conductive material.

[0122] Next, a pattern is formed on two sheets of conductive material by photolithography through deposition, exposure, and development of a photosensitive resin. A chemical etching step is used to pattern the electrical circuits on both sides of the substrate (i.e., the contact pads 50, antennas 10 and antenna terminals 11, 12a, 12b, etching paths 22, 42, etc. in Figures 3 and 5). Then, the resin protecting the pattern during etching is chemically removed, and an additional metal layer (e.g., nickel, gold, palladium) is optionally deposited electrochemically or chemically at the bottom of the etched pattern and holes 31.

[0123] Figure 6 schematically shows a top view of module 200 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0124] The module 200 shown in Figure 6 comprises a substrate 4, on which an antenna wiring pattern 10, two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b, and an IC chip 30 are arranged. The module 200 in Figure 6 further has an antenna path portion 15 that extends continuously between a third terminal 13 and a fourth terminal 14.

[0125] In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the first terminal 11 of the antenna 10 is connected to the third terminal 13 of the antenna path portion 15 by a coupling wire 41. Thus, the module 200 has an antenna wiring pattern 10 and an antenna path portion 15, as well as an extended antenna that extends continuously between the second terminal 12a and the fourth terminal 14. Therefore, the inductance obtained by the extended antenna is greater than the inductance of the antenna wiring pattern 10.

[0126] The second terminal 12a is connected to an additional terminal 12b via an etching trace 42.

[0127] The second terminal 12a of the extension antenna is connected to the IC chip 30 by a coupling wire 45, and the fourth terminal 14 of the extension antenna is further connected to the IC chip 30 by a coupling wire 43' to close the inductance path.

[0128] In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the second terminal 12a and the fourth terminal 14, which include the extended antenna, are further connected to etching paths 22 on which SMD capacitors 20a and 20b are mounted via corresponding etching traces. Thus, the two capacitors 20a and 20b are further connected in parallel to the IC chip 30 so as described above to form a resonant frequency with high capacitance and to match a predetermined resonant frequency.

[0129] The module 200 in Figure 6 therefore allows for selective connection of one or two SMD capacitors 20a and 20b to an electrical circuit having an antenna 10 and an IC chip 30 to adjust the resonant frequency, as well as selective connection of the antenna path portion 15 to the antenna wiring pattern 10. Thus, it should be understood that different options are possible, such as an electrical circuit having an antenna 10, an IC chip 30 and one capacitor 20a; an electrical circuit having both an antenna 10, an IC chip 30 and capacitors 20a and 20b; or an electrical circuit having both an antenna 10, an IC chip 30, capacitors 20a and 20b and the antenna path portion 15. Alternatively, the electrical circuit may be configured to include an antenna 10, an antenna path portion 15, one capacitor 20a and an IC chip 30. In this way, it is possible to fine-tune the resonant frequency of the resulting electronic circuit to match a predetermined resonant frequency for RFID communication.

[0130] Therefore, it should be understood that the layout of module 200 in Figure 6 may be favorably adopted with different IC chips 30, 30', 30'' supplied by different suppliers and / or having different capacitances, such as 56pF, 68pF, and / or 78pF. Depending on the internal capacitances of the IC chips 30, 30', and 30'', one or more of the configurations disclosed above may be preferred.

[0131] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a reel-to-reel tape process is used to manufacture a smart card 1. For example, a reel-to-reel tape may have a plurality of printed circuits 100. For example, a reel-to-reel tape may have a plurality of modules 200, 200', 200'' each having a printed circuit 100 and an IC chip 30, 30', 30''.

[0132] In some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, the tape may have a width of approximately 35 mm and may have multiple magnifying antennas having a length of 26.8 mm and a width of 12.95 mm. In practice, the 26.8 mm × 12.95 mm size represents a manufacturing limitation for producing magnifying antennas using standard 35 mm tape. Thus, a printed circuit according to the present invention can be provided that can be designed to be compatible with multiple types of chips, such as chips manufactured by NXP, Infineon, and STM (ST Microelectronics) suppliers.

[0133] The terms used herein are for the sole purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural form unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising” specify the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but are understood not to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. “Any” or “optionally” means that the events or circumstances described thereafter may or may not occur, and that the description includes both the circumstances under which the events occur and the circumstances under which they do not occur.

[0134] Throughout this specification and the claims, the approximate language used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative expression that may vary acceptablely without resulting in a change of the fundamental function of the subject matter. Accordingly, terms such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” or values ​​modified by such terms, should not be limited to specified exact values. In at least some of the above examples, the approximate language may correspond to the precision of an instrument used to measure the value. Herein, and throughout this specification and the claims, scope limitations may be combined and / or alternately replaced, and such scopes include all sub-scopes specified and encompassed unless otherwise stated in context or language. “Approximately,” applied to a particular value relating to a range, may apply to both values ​​and, not dependent on the precision of an instrument used to measure the value, may indicate + / - 10% of the stated value.

[0135] All means or step-plus-function elements in the following claims are intended to encompass any structures, materials, actions, and equivalents that, in combination with other specifically claimed elements, perform any function. The descriptions in this disclosure are presented for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the disclosure in its form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The embodiments have been selected and described to best illustrate the principles and practical applications of this disclosure, and to make the disclosure of various embodiments with various modifications suitable for specific intended uses understandable to those skilled in the art. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0136] 1 Smart Card 3. Card body 4 circuit boards 4a First surface of the substrate 4b Second surface of the substrate 5 modules 7. Opening of the card body 10 Antennas 11. First antenna terminal (start) 12a Second antenna terminal (termination) 12b Additional antenna terminal 13 Third terminal of the antenna path section 14. The fourth terminal of the antenna path section 15 Antenna path section 20A, 20B Capacitors 21 Capacitor Etching Pad 22 Etching paths 30,30',30" IC chip 31 Unplated Holes 32 Joint lines 40, 41, 43, 43', 44, 45 Joining lines 42 Etching trace 50 contact pads 100 Printed Circuits 200,200',200” module L Length W width

Claims

1. A printed circuit (100) mounted on a smart card (1), wherein the printed circuit (100) is: - A printed circuit board (4) made of dielectric material having a first surface and a second surface; - An antenna (10) having a resonant frequency, having a wiring pattern extending between the first terminal (11) and the second terminals (12a, 12b), and positioned on the first surface of the printed circuit board (4); - One or more contact pads (50) arranged on the second surface of the printed circuit board (4) and forming an external contact pattern. Equipped with: - To match the resonant frequency of the antenna (10) to a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, a resonant frequency within the range specified by ISO 14443, at least a first surface-mount (SMD) capacitor (20a) is connected to the first terminal (11) and the second terminals (12a, 12b) of the antenna (10). A printed circuit (100) further characterized by having the following features.

2. The printed circuit (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a second SMD capacitor (20b) connected to the first terminal (11) and the second terminals (12a, 12b) of the antenna (10) for fine-tuning the resonant frequency of the antenna (10).

3. The printed circuit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antenna (10) has a low inductance, for example, less than 0.5 μH, preferably in the range of 0.2 μH to 0.5 μH.

4. The antenna (10) has a path length, and the printed circuit (100) further comprises at least one antenna path portion (15) having an additional path length, wherein the at least one antenna path portion (15) is configured to be selectively connected to the antenna (10). This increases the path length by a length equivalent to the additional path length, and The printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, thereby adjusting the resonant frequency of the antenna (10) to match a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, a resonant frequency within the range specified by the ISO 14443 standard.

5. The printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the antenna wiring pattern (10) is formed with a total number of turns of 4 or less, for example, 2, 3 or 4 turns, preferably 3 turns.

6. The printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the antenna (10) is an etched antenna.

7. The printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the antenna wiring pattern (10) has a single wire portion having a width in the range of 500 μm to 1000 μm.

8. The antenna (10) is a printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, having a size of 26.8 mm × 12.95 mm.

9. A module (200, 200', 200") mounted on a smart card (1): - The printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and - IC chip (30, 30', 30") located on the first surface of the printed circuit board (4) Equipped with, A module (200, 200', 200") in which at least the first surface-mount (SMD) capacitor (20a) is connected in parallel with the IC chip (30, 30', 30") so that the resonant frequency of the antenna (10) is matched to a predetermined resonant frequency, for example, a resonant frequency within the range defined by the ISO 14443 standard.

10. The module (200, 200', 200") according to claim 9, wherein the first SMD capacitor (20a) and the IC chip (30, 30', 30") are sealed with a sealing material (35).

11. The module (200, 200', 200") according to claim 10, as dependent on claim 2, wherein the second SMD capacitor (20b) is not sealed by the sealing material (35).

12. The module (200, 200', 200") according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the printed circuit board (4) has one or more unplated holes (31) for achieving wire bonding connections between one or more contact pads (50) and the IC chip (30, 30', 30'').

13. The module (200, 200', 200") according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the IC chip (30, 30', 30") is connected to the antenna (10) and / or the antenna path portion (15) by wire bonding.

14. The module (200, 200', 200") according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the IC chip (30, 30', 30") has a low activation field strength, such as 2 A / m or less, preferably 0.5 A / m or less.

15. A smart card (1) comprising a card body (3) and a printed circuit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or a module (200, 200', 200") according to any one of claims 9 to 14.

16. The smart card (1) according to claim 15, wherein the card body (3) is made of a non-plastic material such as wood, metal, or ceramic.

17. A reel-to-reel tape used in the manufacturing process of a smart card (1), comprising a plurality of printed circuits (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

18. A reel-to-reel tape used in the manufacturing process of a smart card (1), comprising a plurality of modules (200, 200', 200") as described in any one of claims 9 to 14.

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