Antenna Coupling Winding Printing for Microcircuit Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing electronic entities with dual interfaces, such as microcircuit cards, face challenges in achieving a precise and reproducible configuration between coupling windings due to complex implementations and material constraints, leading to imprecise coupling and manufacturing tolerances in the order of millimeters.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves forming the antenna and second coupling winding using conductive ink on a single layer of the core, with a non-conductive masking ink layer, and printing them on the upper surface of the core layer, reducing the number of layers and manufacturing tolerances, and ensuring a very small thickness, typically less than 5 microns, to achieve a close and reproducible spacing between the windings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If multiple layers and complex manufacturing processes are used to form the antenna and coupling windings, then the structural integrity and protection of components are improved, but the manufacturing precision and reproducibility of the coupling winding configuration deteriorate due to accumulated tolerances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcoupling winding configuration precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the antenna and second coupling winding formation into a single planar layer using conductive ink printing, eliminating the need for separate compensation layers and multiple lamination steps. This merging of functions into one manufacturing stage directly reduces accumulated tolerances while maintaining structural integrity through the single-layer design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical winding and multi-layer lamination processes with conductive ink printing technology. This substitution enables precise positioning of the coupling windings in the plane of the antenna support sheet, achieving millimeter-scale precision without the tolerance accumulation inherent in mechanical assembly of multiple layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If the coupling windings are positioned at a distance to accommodate module insertion and cavity depth, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the coupling efficiency between windings deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidcoupling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent repositions the second coupling winding from a vertical arrangement (separated by cavity depth) to a horizontal arrangement in the plane of the antenna support sheet. This dimensional change allows the windings to be positioned close together laterally, improving electromagnetic coupling efficiency while maintaining ease of assembly through the planar configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If conventional multi-layer lamination is used to form the card body, then the protection and structural stability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the compensation layers from the traditional multi-layer lamination structure by forming the antenna and coupling windings directly on the antenna support sheet in a single layer. This extraction eliminates unnecessary intermediate layers, reducing manufacturing process complexity while maintaining structural stability through the simplified single-layer design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces manufacturing tolerances, and ensures a very low spacing between coupling windings, enhancing the reproducibility and accuracy of the electronic entity's configuration, thereby improving the coupling efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

containing an antenna and a coupling winding connected to this antenna and intended for coupling the antenna to the microcircuit by electromagnetic coupling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic coupling: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3028222B1Electronic entity with coupling integrated between a microcircuit and an antenna and method of fabrication
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 IDEMIA FRANCE SAS
  • EP3028222B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3028222B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

An electronic entity comprises a module 30A formed of a support film carrying, on a face termed the internal face, a microcircuit 31 and a first coupling coil 32, and a body 30B comprising a cavity in which this module is fixed, the support film having a surface termed the external surface running at least approximately alongside a surface termed the upper surface of this body, and containing an antenna 33 and a second coupling coil 35 connected to this antenna and intended for the coupling of the antenna with the microcircuit by electromagnetic coupling with the first coupling coil; this second coupling coil (likewise may be the case for the antenna and the first coupling coil) is formed on a thickness of at most a few microns in a plane situated, with respect to the upper surface of the body, at a distance of less than half the distance with respect to the surface opposite from this upper surface of this body.