Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Housing or package – Smart card package
Patent
1995-05-25
1998-04-07
Thomas, Tom
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Housing or package
Smart card package
257693, 257668, 257680, 257698, 257727, 257726, 257700, H01L 2348, B42D 1502, G04K 1900
Patent
active
057367817
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an IC module having a microcomputer therein which is used by various data carriers such as an integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as an IC) card with contacts, a contactless IC card, an IC coin and an IC memory card, and a data carrier on which the IC module is fitted.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
A prior art IC module and a prior art data carrier are disclosed in the following literature.
Literature: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 58-138057
The IC module which is disclosed on this literature has a printed circuit board. A wiring pattern is formed in a rear surface of the printed circuit board and a contact terminal pattern is formed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board. The wiring pattern and contact terminal pattern are electrically connected to each other by way of a through hole portion. Further, an IC chip is disposed on the rear surface of the printed circuit board. This IC chip incorporates therein a microcomputer provided with a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to CPU) and a memory wherein a terminal pad formed on the IC chip is connected to the wiring pattern by a wire. These IC chip, wire, etc. are molded out of a resin member so as to form a chip on board (hereinafter referred to as COB) structure.
An IC card as a data carrier employing this IC module consists of a card substrate which is made of vinyl chloride, etc. and formed in a card shape and a spot facing on which the IC module is fitted is provided on the card substrate. The IC card can be manufactured by inserting the IC module into the spot facing and fixing the IC module on the spot facing by an adhesive agent.
If such IC card is inserted into a card reader/writer, signals are sent or received between the card reader/writer and the IC chip through the contact terminal pattern. As a result, a data processing is performed by the IC chip.
There are prepared recently various data carriers for the IC module such as an IC card with contacts, a contactless IC card, an IC coin and an IC memory card. It has been desired for these various data carriers to use the same data of the IC module mutually. It has been also desired to improve strength of the IC module as the data carriers are thinned.
It is an object of the invention to provide an IC module which can be used mutually by various data carriers.
It is another object of the invention to provide an IC module which is improved in its strength.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a data carrier adapted for using the IC module of this invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, the IC module which is fitted on a data carrier and made of an insulating member for sending and receiving data comprises an IC chip including a data processor such as a central processing unit and a terminal through which data is sent to or received from the data processor, an insulator for sealing the IC chip and having a given block-shape, contact terminals which extend from an upper surface of the insulator to confronted side surfaces of the same and which are electrically connected to the terminal of the IC chip, and retaining means which are formed on another confronted side surfaces of the insulator and are detachably engaged with the data carrier.
The data carrier on which the IC module is fitted comprises a substrate which consists of an insulating member and has thickness which corresponds to that of the IC module and dimensions which are greater than those of the IC module, a hole portion which is provided on the substrate and has such dimensions that the IC module can be engaged therein, and holding means which are disposed on inner side surfaces of the hole portion so as to hold the retaining means of the IC module.
With such an arrangement, it is possible to realize the provision of the IC module which can be used mutually by various data carriers and which is improved in its strength and the data carrier adapted for using the IC module of the present invention.
BRIEF DES
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5532658 (1996-07-01), Tunegawa et al.
patent: 5579218 (1996-11-01), Ehlig et al.
patent: 5581127 (1996-12-01), Shinohara
patent: 5598032 (1997-01-01), Fidalgo
OKI Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
Thomas Tom
Williams Alexander Oscar
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