Integrated Transponder Layer for Chip Card Laminate

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The production of contactless chip cards requires a minimum of four laminate layers due to the need for separate layers to accommodate the chip module, contact carrier, housing, and antenna, making the process costly and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A transponder layer with an integrated antenna substrate and connecting conductors allows the chip and antenna to be arranged on the same substrate, eliminating the need for a housing and reducing the number of laminate layers required, while providing mechanical protection and reliable contacting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate laminate layers are used to accommodate the chip module, contact carrier, housing, and antenna, then reliable mechanical protection and contacting are achieved, but the number of laminate layers increases to a minimum of four, making production costly and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protection and contacting reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of laminate layers
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the antenna and chip into a single integrated transponder layer, eliminating the need for separate housing and contact carrier layers. The antenna is formed directly on the laminate substrate, and the chip is mounted in a recess of the same layer, reducing the structure from four separate laminate layers to a single integrated layer while maintaining all necessary functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single transponder layer performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the antenna substrate, provides mechanical protection through its recess structure, enables electrical contacting through integrated contact elements, and houses the chip. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for specialized separate layers for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If a housing is used to accommodate the chip in a chip module, then mechanical protection is provided, but additional laminate layers are required to accommodate the housing and contact carrier

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protection of chipVSAvoidnumber of laminate layers
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the housing function into a recess structure formed directly in the laminate substrate, rather than using a separate three-dimensional housing component. This recess provides mechanical protection and positioning for the chip while remaining integrated with the substrate, eliminating the need for additional housing layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing function is merged with the laminate substrate itself. The recess formed in the substrate serves both as structural support and as the protective enclosure for the chip, combining what were previously separate housing and substrate functions into a single integrated component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If the chip is arranged in a recess in the transponder layer with integrated contact elements, then the number of laminate layers is reduced to the minimum, but complex integration of contact pads and wire conductors is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of laminate layersVSAvoidintegration complexity of contact elements
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The contact pads and wire conductors are pre-formed and pre-positioned on the laminate substrate before the chip is mounted. The recess structure is also pre-formed in the substrate, so that when the chip is placed in the recess, the contact elements are already in their correct positions and orientations, simplifying the final assembly step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The recess structure acts as an intermediary element that facilitates the integration of the chip with the contact elements. By providing a pre-formed cavity with integrated contact pads and wire conductors, the recess mediates between the chip mounting process and the electrical connection requirements, making the overall integration more manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3447688B1Transponder layer and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 LINXENS HOLDING SAS
  • EP3447688B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3447688B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7
  • EP3447688B1 patent drawingFigure 8~12

AI summary

The invention relates to a transponder layer (30), in particular for the production of a laminate structure designed, for example, as a chip card, with an antenna substrate (31) which is provided on an antenna side (38) with an antenna (33) formed from a wire conductor (32) and a chip (41), and which has connecting conductors on the antenna side for connecting the chip to the wire conductor of the antenna, such that the chip is arranged next to connecting ends (34, 35) of the wire conductor, and both the connecting ends of the wire conductor and chip terminals (39, 40) arranged on a contact side of a semiconductor body of the chip facing the antenna substrate are contacted with the connecting conductors.Furthermore, the invention relates to a laminate inlay for a laminate structure formed from several laminate layers with such a transponder layer, as well as a chip card with such a laminate inlay and a method for producing such a transponder layer.