This patent application is a U.S. National Stage application of International Patent Application Number PCT/FR2020/000128 filed Apr. 16, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and claims priority to FR 1904206 filed Apr. 19, 2019.
The invention relates to the field of chip cards.
In the field of chip cards, and notably in that of chip cards used as payment means, manufacturers are always wishing to offer users greater security. It has thus been proposed to integrate biometric sensors for reading fingerprints into chip cards. Reference may be made for example to patent applications WO2018066857A1 and WO2019058259A1 for examples of such cards.
For example, for cards benefiting from contact-based and contactless read modes, a module integrated into the card and comprising a biometric sensor may allow a transaction to be authorized only if the fingerprint of the card holder is detected. This type of card is described for example in the patent document published under the number EP 3 336 759 A1. To produce such a card, a cavity is milled into the card so as to expose an electrical circuit integrated beforehand into the body of the card and house the module there. The module then housed in this cavity is also electrically connected to the circuit.
It has been observed that the detection region on which a finger has to be placed in order for the fingerprint to be recognized is subject to a certain number of factors (humidity, sweat, mechanical abrasion, UV ageing, temperature, etc.) that are liable to degrade and/or prematurely wear this detection region. It may be contemplated to cover this detection surface with a protective layer. However, it is then necessary to find a material that makes it possible, all at once, to increase resistance to the aggressive factors to which the detection region is subject, also makes it possible not to interfere with the detection of the fingerprint, but is also compatible with all of the other steps of manufacturing, processing and embedding the biometric module.
The invention aims to find a solution for at least partially improving the protection of the detection region.
What is thus proposed according to the invention is a biometric sensor module for a chip card, comprising
Additionally, this module comprises, on the front face, over a detection region extending opposite the detection area and over an area corresponding at least to that of the detection area, at least one protective layer comprising a photoimageable coverlay material, i.e. a photosensitive material.
Thus, by virtue of this layer of photoimageable coverlay material, it is possible to protect the carrier with a relatively mechanically and chemically resistant material, the use of which may be easily integrated into an industrial process, in particular into a reel-to-reel process, compatible with heating steps required for potential solder connection of the module to the circuit that is already integrated within the body of a card. Its photoimageable character is additionally compatible with the implementation of photolithography steps which are industrially controllable and compatible with high yields.
Preferably, the protective layer comprising the photoimageable coverlay material is based on epoxy-acrylate resins, the physicochemical properties of which, in particular in terms of hardness and abrasion resistance, are, after UV or thermal crosslinking, better than those which could be obtained with pure acrylates, for example. Likewise, epoxy-acrylate resins are easier to implement than epoxy resins.
This chip card module optionally comprises one and/or another of the following features, each considered independently of one another, or each in combination with one or more others:
According to another aspect, the invention relates to a chip card comprising a biometric sensor module according to the invention. This chip card comprises a card body with an electrical circuit integrated into the card body. The module and the circuit are electrically connected to one another using a solder material.
According to yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for producing a biometric sensor module for a chip card, comprising steps of
According to this method, a protective layer of a photoimageable coverlay material is additionally produced on the detection region.
This method optionally comprises one and/or another of the following features, considered independently of one another or each in combination with one or more others:
Further aspects, aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description, and with reference to the appended drawings, which are given by way of non-limiting examples and in which:
One example of a chip card 1 according to the invention is shown in
In the case of dual-interface cards, that is to say allowing contact-based or contactless reading, this card 1 also has an antenna integrated into the body of the card 1. This antenna is connected for example to the chip situated in the first module 2. This antenna allows the contactless exchange of data between the chip and a contactless card reader. This antenna, or another part of an electrical circuit situated in the body of the card 1, is also electrically connected to a second module 4 integrated into the card 1. The second module 4 is a biometric module. This biometric module 4 comprises a sensor for fingerprint recognition. The second module 4 makes it possible to determine whether the fingerprint read by the sensor corresponds to that of a user authorized to use this card 1. In this case, contactless communication between the chip and a reader may be authorized.
The exemplary embodiment of the card 1 shown in
The method for producing a module of the type illustrated in
This process comprises:
According to one particular mode of implementation of the method according to the invention, a solder material 6 is deposited on connection pads 7 produced in the layer of the first conductive material 102 in the preceding steps. For example, the solder material 6 is a tin-bismuth or tin-bismuth-silver alloy; for example, the solder material 6 is deposited using screenprinting or jetting. Additionally, instead of making the holes 104 conductive using electrolytic depositions of layers of metals 107, it is also possible to take advantage of this step of depositing a solder material 6 to deposit this material in the holes 104 and thereby make them conductive between the layers of the first 102 and of the second 105 conductive materials.
The solder material 6 may be deposited on connection pads 7 of various shapes (see
As an alternative, instead of depositing a solder material 6 on the connection pads 7, these are left untouched until the operation of embedding the module 4 in the card 1. Then, during the embedding operation, prior to installing the module 4 in the cavity 208 formed (for example by milling) in the card body, a solder material 6, a paste or an anisotropic conductive film 6′ is deposited on the connection pads 7 in order to establish a connection with the circuit 200 housed in the card body (see
However, more advantageously, the connection pads 7 have a shape that is compatible both with the use of a solder material 6 and with a paste or an anisotropic conductive film 6′. To that end, the connection pads 7 may take shapes comprising a rectangle, a rhombus, a square, an oval, or a disc, and lateral extensions 10 (see
At the end of the above steps, a reel bearing biometric sensor carriers 200 for a chip card is obtained. Each of these carriers 200 has a structure corresponding, for example, to that shown in
For the purpose of being used and integrated into a chip card, each carrier 200 is equipped with a biometric fingerprint sensor 300. This biometric sensor 300 is fastened to the back face for example using a known die attach technology. For example, the biometric sensor 300 is fastened to the back face of the carrier 101 using a thermosetting adhesive that sets at temperatures between 100° C. and 150° C. and that has the property of migrating, through capillary action, under the entire surface of the sensor without generating any gaps or bubbles (“underfill”).
A solder material 6 is deposited on connection pads 7 before or after the biometric sensor 300 is assembled, but preferably after in order to avoid the biometric sensor 300 experiencing a thermal shock during the operation of reflow of the solder paste forming the solder material 6.
Likewise, the solder material 6 is deposited using screenprinting or jetting.
The solder material 6 is preferably deposited on connection pads 7 by jetting if the biometric sensor 300 is already assembled on the dielectric carrier 101.
The biometric sensor 300, on the back face, occupies an area corresponding essentially to a detection area located opposite the detection region on which the protective layer 108 is deposited. This biometric sensor 300 is connected to the connection pads 7 and to the bezel 5 using a known technique, such as the flip-chip technique or the wire-bonding technique using wires 11. Advantageously, the biometric sensor 300 and its possible conductive wires 11 are protected in an encapsulating resin 12. A hotmelt adhesive 10 is possibly also arranged on the back face on or next to the connection pads 7. This hotmelt adhesive 10 is intended to fasten the biometric sensor module 4 in the cavity 208 formed in the body of a chip card.
When the module 4 is embedded in a card body, there are several possible options for establishing a connection between the connection pads 7 of the module and the circuit 200 that is integrated into the card body. It is possible, for example, to solder the connection pads 7 directly to the circuit 200 using the solder material 6 deposited on the connection pads 7 (see
For example, to make the connection between the connection pads 7 and the circuit 200, a thermode 400 is placed on the bezel 5. Since the bezel 5 is advantageously opposite the connection pads 7 on either side of the carrier 101, there is thus a particularly good thermal conduction between the two faces of the carrier 101.
Using a first solder material 6 with a low melting temperature (lower than or equal to 140° C.) on the connection pads 7 and a second solder material 206 with a higher melting temperature on the circuit 200, the thermode 400, heated for example to a temperature of 230° C., is applied for 2.5 seconds. The heat provided by the thermode 400 also dissipates into the hotmelt adhesive 10 so as to adhesively bond the module 4 in the card 1.
Using a first solder material 6 with a low melting temperature (lower than or equal to 140° C.) on the connection pads 7 and a second solder material 206 on the circuit 200 having a melting temperature equal to, close to or lower than that of the first solder material 6, the thermode 400, heated for example to a temperature of 230° C., is applied for 1.5 seconds. The method according to the invention is therefore faster in this case. Furthermore, using solder materials 6, 206 with a low melting temperature makes it possible to use a thermode 400 with a smaller carrier surface, thereby possibly helping to better control creep and to limit risks of deformation of the card 1 and/or of the module 4.
Generally speaking, it is possible to use an electrically conductive adhesive or paste 6′, an anisotropic conductive film or a solder material 6 to connect the module 4 to the circuit 200. However, in any case, the method described above or variants thereof are advantageously used by producing connection pads 7 having a shape that is compatible both with the use of a solder material 6 and with a paste or an anisotropic conductive film 6′, this shape possibly being rectangular, rhomboid, square, an oval or a disc shape, and also with radial or lateral extensions 10 (see
The production and embedding of a module 4 comprising a bezel 5 on the front face has been described with reference to
The protective layer 108 potentially consists of an ink or comprises an ink. For example, it is an epoxy-acrylate-based ink. For example, it is the product sold under the reference SD 2444 NB-M by Peters (www.peters.de).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1904206 | Apr 2019 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/FR2020/000128 | 4/16/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2020/212660 | 10/22/2020 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5665526 | Markovich et al. | Sep 1997 | A |
7090139 | Kasuga | Aug 2006 | B2 |
9201318 | Yu | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9342774 | Lin | May 2016 | B1 |
20170293793 | Lavin | Oct 2017 | A1 |
20180330138 | Suwald | Nov 2018 | A1 |
20190392436 | Lee | Dec 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2013100054 | Feb 2013 | AU |
3 336 759 | Jun 2018 | EP |
401 835 | Nov 2018 | EP |
WO 2017164791 | Sep 2017 | WO |
WO 2018066857 | Apr 2018 | WO |
WO 2018231130 | Dec 2018 | WO |
WO 2019058259 | Mar 2019 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20220215220 A1 | Jul 2022 | US |