Packaged Electronic Module for Smart Card Embedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing smart cards with embedded electronics are costly, require specialized equipment, and risk damaging components due to lamination processes, limiting the ability of all card manufacturers to produce such cards efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A packaged electronic module that integrates all necessary electronics components, including an integrated circuit chip and contact plate, into a self-contained unit, which can be embedded into a plastic card using regular milling techniques, eliminating the need for flexible printed circuits and lamination steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If lamination process is used to embed electronics into smart cards, then embedding capability is achieved, but component damage risk increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the electronic components (IC chip, contact plate, and other electronics) into a complete module on a substrate before embedding. This pre-assembly allows the entire electronic assembly to be prepared in advance with proper connections and positioning, then embedded as a single unit into the smart card using milling techniques, eliminating the need for hot/cold lamination processes that could damage components during embedding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical lamination system (heating and pressing) with a purely mechanical milling system. Instead of using heat and pressure to embed electronics, the method uses mechanical milling to create a cavity in the smart card and then physically inserts the pre-assembled electronic module, eliminating thermal stress and pressure-related component damage while achieving secure embedding.
2Ease of manufacture
If specialized lamination equipment is used for embedding electronics, then embedding capability is achieved, but capital expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by making the embedding method compatible with existing smart card manufacturing equipment. The milling-based embedding technique can be performed using standard smart card manufacturing machines that are already widely available, eliminating the need for specialized lamination equipment. This allows any existing card manufacturer to produce smart cards with embedded electronics using their current equipment infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by enabling existing smart card manufacturing equipment to perform the embedding function without requiring additional specialized devices. The milling and embedding process uses the same types of equipment already present in standard smart card production lines, allowing the system to serve itself with existing resources rather than requiring new capital investments in specialized embedding equipment.
3Ease of manufacture
If flexible printed circuit board is used to mount electronics, then component mounting capability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by removing the flexible printed circuit board (FPC) from the assembly. Instead of mounting electronics onto an FPC and then embedding the FPC into the smart card, the method extracts the FPC function entirely and directly mounts all electronic components onto a rigid substrate that is then embedded as a complete module, eliminating the need for flexible substrates and their associated manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the substrate and electronic components into a single integrated module. Rather than having separate FPC and component layers, all electronics are assembled together on a common substrate forming one unified electronic module that is embedded as a complete assembly into the smart card, simplifying the structure and eliminating the need for flexible circuit board manufacturing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a packaged electronic module with embedded electronics for use in smart cards. This invention assembles a plurality of electronics components on a flexible printed circuit, together with an integrated circuit chip and a contact plate, into a module. This module can then be embedded into a plastic card, using regular milling techniques, by a card manufacturer. This method packages the plurality of electronics components into a module. The present invention provides a business with the capability to avoid additional capital expenditure required for special equipment and enables all existing card manufacturers to manufacture smart cards with embedded electronics.