Patent Publication Number: US-2023136355-A1

Title: A pre-package for a smartcard, a smartcard and a method of forming the same

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to smartcards of any type, such as credit cards, payment cards, key cards, electronic labels, datapages of security documents, and the like, in which a card-type substrate includes electronic components for providing information and/or responding to external stimuli, and the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Usage of smartcards of such types as specified above has developed into a widespread concept for handling sensitive information. In recent developments, not only tamper resistance and superior security of information represent important aspects, but also the incorporation of increases functionality into card-type substrates is considered vital in order to meet the demands of the many aspects encountered in our complex society. For example, card-type substrates are increasingly used in managing financial transactions in the form of credit cards, payment cards, and the like. To this end, many types of smart cards have implemented therein more or less complex electronic components so as to impart specific capabilities to the smartcard, such as responding to external stimuli, providing and/or processing sensitive information, providing wireless connectivity, presentation of information, providing a pleasant outer appearance, and the like, depending on the overall requirements associated with the specific context, in which the smartcard is to be used. 
     Basically, a smartcard is typically composed of a plurality of material layers that are processed so as to form a substantially monolithic block of material that has incorporated therein any respective electronic components, such as one or more antennas, for instance, for imparting RFID (radio frequency identity) capabilities to the smartcard, electronic modules for storing and processing information, a corresponding network of electrical connections, additional components for inductively and/or capacitively interconnecting card-internal components, and the like. Consequently, a plurality of techniques have been developed aiming at connecting the various material layers so as to form the substantially monolithic material block while at the same time appropriately enclosing the relevant functional components. Due to the ongoing tendency of incorporating additional functionality into smartcards specific components in the form of discrete electronic components, optical components, power supply devices, and the like may have to be integrated into a smartcard, thereby contributing to significant additional complexity of the overall manufacturing process. For example, respective pre-forms of smartcards may have to be provided for a card manufacturer, which enable the incorporation of additional features, such as specific components in order to provide for customized smartcards having specific functionality. Many of these additional components have a substantially non-planar configuration, i.e., a configuration with increased height dimensions compared to the respective lateral dimensions of any such component, thereby necessitating significant efforts in incorporating these components into the card-type substrate, in particular, if certain specifications have to be met. Due to a highly competitive market in this technical field respective components may have to be incorporated on the basis of efficient volume production techniques, while at the same time guaranteeing a high degree of integrity with respect to tamper resistance and robustness of smartcards in view of any environmental influences and mechanical stress in order to achieve a required long lifetime of any such smartcards. 
     In conventional approaches additional electronic components, such as display devices, are typically incorporated into a smartcard by appropriately preparing the individual card layers, for instance by forming respective openings in some of the layers and inserting the respective components, i.e. the integrated circuit chips and the display, and laminating the respective layers on the basis of appropriate process conditions. Thereafter, final process steps may be applied, for instance, by incorporating customized print areas, endowing the smartcard with a desired outer appearance, and the like. These final process steps are typically carried out from the end manufacturer based on a pre-form of the smartcard that has already incorporated therein the electronic chips and the display device. Consequently, in particular upon manufacturing the pre-form of smartcards so as to include complex additional components, such as display devices, a highly complex process sequence has to be implemented, wherein in particular respective manufacturing tolerances associated with the incorporation of the display device into the individual card layers may result in reduced overall production yield and/or reduced reliability of the final smartcard. 
     In view of the situation described above it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide increased flexibility in incorporating additional components into a pre-form of a smartcard, while eliminating or at least reducing one or more of the problems identified above. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the technical problem identified above the present invention is generally based on the concept that increased precision in fabricating complex pre-forms of smartcards and thus perspective final smartcards may be accomplished by decoupling the basic process of forming a pre-form of a smartcard and the process of incorporating complex additional components, such as a display and/or a battery and/or a keyboard and/or a sensor and/or an optical component. To this end, a pre-package is formed as a separate component, which is formed on the basis of lateral dimensions and a height dimension that are selected in correspondence with the component to be incorporated without having to take into consideration the final dimensions and height dimensions of the pre-form of the smartcard and the final smartcard. Furthermore, process steps for incorporating the respective components into the pre-package, such as parameters for a lamination process, may specifically be adapted to the additional components substantially without affecting other areas of the pre-form of the smartcard. Consequently, respective processes and materials may specifically adapted to and thus optimized for the requirements of the component to be incorporated, while still providing for a high degree of consistency between materials of the pre-package and the actual pre-form of the smartcard. 
     It is to be noted that the term “smartcard”, as used in this specification, is to be understood so as to cover any type of card-type substrate that includes electronic components for providing information and/or responding to external stimuli. Specific examples of smartcard according to the foregoing definition in particular comprise credit cards, payment cards, key cards, electronic labels, datapages of security documents, such as ePassports, and the like. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the above-specified technical object is solved by a pre-package for a smartcard. The pre-package includes a flexible printed circuit board that includes at least one non-planar circuit portion. The pre-package further includes a stack of material layers that accommodates the flexible printed circuit board to provide a top surface and a bottom surface of the stack of material layers that are planar. 
     According to this configuration of the pre-package, which is to be considered as a separate component at an early manufacturing stage of a corresponding smartcard, the flexible printed circuit board is appropriately shaped in a three-dimensional configuration in order to provide the at least one non-planar circuit portion. Consequently, respective complex components, such as a display, a battery, an optical component, a switch or keyboard, and the like may be positioned within the at least one non-planar circuit portion, while nevertheless the stack of material layers accommodating the flexible printed circuit board provides for planar top and bottom surfaces, thereby facilitating the further processing of the pre-package, for instance upon incorporating the pre-package into the respective pre-form of a smartcard. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the pre-package has predetermined lateral dimensions that are defined by the top surface and the bottom surface. That is, the lateral dimensions of the pre-package may be precisely determined on the basis of the material layer stack, i.e. on the basis of its bottom and top surface, thereby achieving a high degree of precision upon determining the lateral outer dimensions of the pre-package, which in turn enables a precise incorporation into a pre-form of a smartcard, thereby significantly reducing any manufacturing tolerances that may conventionally be associated with the incorporation of complex electronic components into a smartcard. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the pre-package has a height dimension, i.e., a dimension that is orthogonal to the lateral dimensions, which have a value of less than 0.8 millimeters (mm). Consequently, the pre-package may be fabricated to fit into dimensions of many conventional smartcards without adding additional height or thickness to such cards. In particular, embodiments, the thickness or height of the pre-package may be approximately 0.6 millimetres and even less, thereby allowing the incorporation of the pre-package into standard smartcards used as credit cards, payment cards, key cards, and the like. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, at least a material that forms a portion of the top surface and/or the bottom surface is a material as is also used for smartcards. Consequently, in addition to the substantially planar surface configuration provided by the bottom and top surfaces also the material composition of at least one of these surfaces or portions thereof ensures material and/or process consistency with smartcards and respective pre-forms thereof. Consequently, as discussed above, upon incorporating the pre-package into a smartcard or a pre-form thereof, desired continuous material characteristics between the pre-package and the remaining part of the smartcard or the pre-form may be achieved. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the material that forms portions of the top surface and/or the bottom surface includes at least one of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polycarbonate and other materials, typical to be used with smartcards. That is, at least portions of the top surface and/or the bottom surface are formed of materials that are typically used in fabricating smartcards, as discussed above. Therefore, when providing the pre-package as a separate component of a smartcard the respective processing of the surface materials, for instance in the form of PVC or polycarbonate, may specifically be adapted to the requirements of the additional components, for instance when selecting appropriate process parameters in terms of pressure, temperature and process duration during a lamination process, while the remaining part of a respective smartcard or a pre-form thereof may be processed on the basis of different process conditions, if required. 
     In some illustrative embodiments the flexible printed circuit board includes a display and/or a keyboard and/or a sensor and/or at battery and/or an optical and/or electronic component. Consequently, a required degree of complexity of a respective smartcard due to superior functionality may be provided without being associated with respective process restrictions that may be imposed upon processing a smartcard or a pre-form thereof in its entirety, since the pre-package may be formed on the basis of a significantly smaller form factor and on the basis of appropriately selected process parameters. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the stack of layers includes a frame layer that surrounds at least a portion of the at least one non-planar circuit portion. By incorporating the frame layer, respective components positioned in the non-planar circuit portion may appropriately be mechanically stabilised while additionally a certain degree of levelling with respect to the layers outside the non-planar circuit portion may be achieved. In this manner, appropriate process parameters, for instance in terms of mechanical pressure to be applied during a lamination process, may be selected without unduly affecting the one or more components positioned within the non-planar circuit portion. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the stack of material layers includes a top layer that forms at least a portion of the planar top surface and includes a bottom layer forming at least a portion of the planar bottom surface. In this case, the bottom layer and the top layer of the layer stack are selected to provide the planar surface areas without requiring any further process steps, since the desired planar surface configuration may be obtained by the layer stack itself, i.e. by the respective top and bottom layers. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the top layer and/or the bottom layer include a window portion that is aligned to at least a portion of an opening of the frame layer. That is, the frame layer, which laterally encloses at least a portion of the non-planar circuit portion and thus of a corresponding component positioned therein, enables “access” to the corresponding component by means of the window. 
     In this context the term “access” is to be understood as describing any type of interaction offer the component with the environment, for instance by providing visibility, enabling direct or indirect mechanical or electrical contact, and the like. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the pre-package includes a frame sidewall structure that laterally encloses a central portion of the stack of material layers, wherein the frame sidewall structure is laterally aligned to the top surface and the bottom surface to define the predetermined lateral dimensions throughout a height direction of the pre-package. Consequently, the frame sidewall structure results in an efficient lateral confinement of the non-planar circuit portion and thus of any components positioned therein, while also ensuring precise lateral dimensions throughout the overall height or thickness of the pre-package. Consequently, upon further processing the pre-package, i.e. upon incorporating the pre-package into a smartcard or a pre-form thereof, the precisely defined lateral dimensions throughout the entire thickness of the pre-package reduce overall process tolerances and enable a precise positioning of the pre-package within the smartcard or its pre-form. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, the above-identified technical object is solved by a precursor sheet material for forming smartcards. The precursor sheet material includes an array of pre-packages, which have the characteristics as specified above. Additionally, the precursor sheet material includes a substrate material that mechanically interconnects the pre-packages of the array. As already discussed above, providing a plurality of pre-packages in the form of an array that is interconnected by a substrate material enables a very efficient overall processing of the pre-packages, for instance by cutting the pre-packages and inserting the respective individual pre-packages into perspective smartcards or pre-forms thereof. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the precursor sheet material is provided in the form of a roll material. Consequently, the supply of pre-packages is accomplished in a highly space-efficient manner, thereby enabling the usage of volume production techniques, while still maintaining a high degree of process precision. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, the above-identified object is solved by a smartcard that includes a stack of cards layers and a pre-package that is embedded in the stack of cards layers and that has the features as previously discussed. In this manner, is also explained before, the pre-package having the precisely defined lateral dimensions and the height dimension may be positioned within the stack of cards layers with high precision, while additionally enabling the fabrication of the smartcard pre-form on the basis of pre-form specific process conditions without affecting the fabrication and thus the characteristics of the pre-package. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment of the smartcard the stack of card layers includes a printed portion formed of a first material, wherein a portion of the pre-package positioned adjacent to the printed portion is formed of a second material that has substantially same thermal characteristics as the first material. That is, when forming the smartcard on the basis of the pre-package, as specified above, adjacent portions of the pre-package and the smartcard may exhibit similar thermal characteristics, thereby ensuring at least consistency in terms of optical appearance between the neighbouring portions when forming a printed area, and the like, since in particular thermal characteristics of the card material may have an influence on the finally obtained characteristics of the adjacent material areas. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second materials are substantially identical in their basic chemical composition. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, the pre-package has a window and the smartcard includes a card window that is at least partially aligned with the window of the pre-package. In this manner, the non-planar circuit portion and thus any component positioned therein may be “accessed” by means of the card window and the window of the pre-package. It should be appreciated that “access” of the non-planar circuit portion may include the presence of an optically transparent material in the card window, when visibility of at least a portion of the component is sufficient for “accessing” the component. In other cases, the window may include the absence of any material, if direct contact to an inner layer of the smartcard associated with the non-planar circuit portion is required. 
     According to further aspect of the present invention, the above-identified technical object is solved by a method of forming pre-packages for smartcards. The method includes the step of providing an array of flexible printed circuit boards that are mechanically interconnected by a carrier material, wherein each of the flexible printed circuit boards includes at least one non-planar circuit portion. The method further includes the step of attaching the array of flexible printed circuit boards to a first layer of a smartcard compatible material. Furthermore, the method includes laterally enclosing at least the non-planar circuit portion of each of the flexible printed circuit boards in the array by attaching, for each of the non-planar circuit portions, a respective frame layer to the first layer, wherein each of the frame layers has an opening so as to accommodate at least the respective non-planar circuit portion and so as to level, at least partially, a non-planarity of the respective non-planar circuit portion. Furthermore, the method includes the step of attaching a second layer formed of the smartcard compatible material to the first layer to form a planar bottom surface. Finally, the method includes the step of attaching a third layer formed of the smartcard compatible material to the frame layer to form a planar top surface. Consequently, the inventive method describes a technique for incorporating the flexible printed circuit board into a material layer stack, at least the top layer and the bottom layer of which are provided in the form of a smartcard compatible material. In this manner, the pre-package may be formed as a separate component as already discussed above, while still exhibiting material consistency with the smartcard of interest. 
     In a further illustrative embodiment, the method includes the step of preparing, in advance, the frame layers in accordance with lateral dimensions and a height dimension of the flexible printed circuit boards. Consequently, depending on design requirements, the frame layers are prepared so as to achieve lateral enclosure and/or to act as height levelling component, and are fabricated in a separate process step without affecting other components of the pre-package. 
     In an additional illustrative embodiment, the array of flexible printed circuit boards is provided in the form of a roll material and the first, second and third layers formed of the smartcard compatible material are each provided in the form of a roll material. In this manner, volume production techniques may be efficiently implemented while still achieving a high degree of precision upon forming the pre-packages, which in turn directly translates into increased reliability and superior process yield upon forming smartcards based on the pre-packages, as also discussed above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further illustrative embodiments and other aspects of the present invention will be described in more detail in the following specification, while also referring to the accompanying drawings, in which 
         FIG.  1    schematically illustrates an exploded cross-sectional view of a pre-package according to illustrative embodiments, 
         FIG.  2    schematically illustrates an exploded cross-sectional view of a pre-package with a corresponding flexible printed circuit board being omitted according to illustrative embodiments, 
         FIG.  3    schematically illustrates a top view of the plurality of pre-packages formed on a carrier material that is provided as a roll material according to illustrative embodiments, 
         FIG.  4    schematically illustrates a top view of a precursor sheet material including a plurality of smartcard pre-forms for receiving respective pre-packages and 
         FIGS.  5 A and  5 B  schematically illustrate a top view and a cross-sectional view of a smartcard including a pre-package according to illustrative embodiments. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in more detail while referring to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG.  1    schematically illustrates an exploded cross-sectional view of a pre-package  100  according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. As illustrated, the pre-package  100  includes a flexible printed circuit board  110  that has a substantially non-planar circuit portion  111 , which is to be understood as a circuit portion, substrate material of which is elevated or recessed, depending on one&#39;s point of view, so as to form a step-like configuration with a height  111 H. The non-planar circuit portion  111  may include one or more components, which cannot readily integrated into a corresponding integrated circuit chip (not shown). Such one or more integrated circuit chips may be included in or on the flexible printed circuit board  110  or may be positioned at any other appropriate location within the pre-package  100 . For example, respective one or more circuit chips may be positioned on or within material layers  122 ,  123 , which may be appropriately sized and shaped to accommodate at least the non-planar circuit portion  111 . Furthermore, the flexible printed circuit board  110  may include appropriate contact elements  113 , which may connect to respective counterparts (not shown) in one of the layers  123 ,  122  so as to establish mechanical and electrical connections between the flexible printed circuit board  110  and the one or more circuit chips or any other substantially two-dimensional electronic components provided in the layers  123  and/or  122 . 
     The non-planar circuit portion  111  may include any appropriate components, such as a display and/or a keyboard or individual press buttons and/or energy storage, such as a battery, and/or an optical component, and the like. The height  111 H of the non-planar circuit portion  111  is advantageously selected such that the height dimension of the component  112  is at least partially compensated for. Furthermore, at the side of the component  112  a frame layer  124  is positioned and has a lateral dimension that corresponds to the non-planar circuit portion  111  in order to laterally enclose the component  112 . Furthermore, the frame layer  124  may include an opening  124 W that exposes at least a portion of the component  112 . Consequently, the frame layer  124  acts to laterally enclose and thus stabilise the component  112 . The frame layer  124  may also serve to level, at least to a certain degree, a difference of height levels between the component  112  and planar portions of the flexible printed circuit board  110 . 
     Furthermore, the pre-package  100  includes a top layer  121  having a top surface  121 S, which is a substantially planar surface made of any appropriate material. For example, the top layer  121  may represent a smartcard compatible material, for instance in the form of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polycarbonate, and the like, possibly in combination with an appropriate coating (not shown), thereby contributing to consistent material characteristics between the pre-package  100  and respective smartcard or pre-form thereof, into which the pre-package  100  is to be inserted in a later manufacturing stage. Similarly, the pre-package  100  includes a bottom layer  125 , which may also represent a smartcard compatible material, possibly in combination with a respective coating, in order to provide for consistency of material characteristics in connection with a smartcard or pre-form thereof. Furthermore, a bottom surface  125 S of the layer  125  may represent a substantially planar surface, in order to ensure superior processing upon inserting the pre-package into a smartcard or pre-form thereof, as discussed above. In the embodiment shown, the bottom layer  125  includes a window  125 W that is aligned to the opening  124 W of the frame layer  124 , thereby providing access to at least a portion of the component  112 , wherein the term “access” is to be understood in the above-defined sense. 
     Consequently, the pre-package  100  includes a stack of material layers  120 , including the layers  121  that provides for the planar top surface  121 S, the layers  122 ,  123  to be attached to the flexible printed circuit board  110 , the frame layer  124  and the bottom layer  125  providing the planar bottom surface  125  is, as discussed above. Moreover, the lateral dimensions, in  FIG.  1    indicated as dimension  126  along one lateral direction, are precisely defined by the bottom and top surfaces  125 S,  121 S so that the lateral size and shape of the pre-package  100  is defined in a precise manner, thereby reducing undue manufacturing tolerances when implementing the component  112  in a respective smartcard or a pre-form thereof. 
       FIG.  2    schematically illustrates an exploded cross-sectional view of the pre-package  100  with the flexible printed circuit board  110  (cf.  FIG.  1   ) being omitted. As illustrated, the top surface  121 S may be provided in the form of a coating applied to the top layer  121 , which in some illustrative embodiments is provided in the form of a PVC layer of a thickness of approximately 100 μm. Similarly, the bottom layer  125  is provided as a PVC material with a thickness of approximately 100 μm followed by respective coating in order to form the bottom surface  125 S. 
     It should be appreciated that the composition of the layers  121 ,  125  as well as the thickness thereof are merely examples, and these aspects may be adapted to the specific use case. 
     The layers  122 ,  123  may be formed of any appropriate material, such as a smartcard compatible material in the form of PVC, polycarbonate, and the like, with a thickness of approximately 100 μm for each of the layers  122 ,  123 . Furthermore, a coating  122 A may be formed on the free surface of the layer  122 , while a free film any appropriate composition, for instance in the form of adhesive material, and the like, may be provided on the free surface of the layer  123 . Similarly, the frame layer  124  may have formed thereon a free film in the form of adhesive material so as to connect to the component  112  (cf.  FIG.  1   ), while the opposing surface of the frame layer  124  may be covered by an appropriate coating  1248  to be connected to the bottom layer  125 . 
     In addition, in this case it should be appreciated that the composition of the layers  122 ,  123 ,  124  as well as the thickness thereof are merely examples, and these aspects may be adapted to the specific use case. 
     Moreover, a frame structure  127  may be provided so as to laterally connect to the layers  122 ,  123 , wherein a height  128  of the frame structure  127  may be selected so as to correspond to the height and thickness of the layers  122 ,  123  and the corresponding coatings formed thereon as well as to the thickness and height of the flexible printed circuit board  110  including the component  112  (cf.  FIG.  1   ) with the frame layer  124  attached thereto. For example, the height dimension  128  may range from approximately 300 μm to 350 μm, when the pre-package  100  is to be incorporated into a standard smartcard to be used as any type of payment card, which may have to comply with respective international standards. In other cases, the height  128  may be adapted to the specific use case in consideration. 
     In illustrative embodiments the frame structure, for instance formed of any appropriate smartcard compatible material, such as PVC, polycarbonate, and the like, may have a configuration such that the lateral dimensions defined by the top and bottom surfaces  121 S,  125 S are continued along the entire height of the pre-package  100 . Consequently, the lateral dimensions along the entire height or thickness of the pre-package  100  are precisely defined by the lateral dimensions of the surfaces  121 S,  125 S and the frame structure  127 . 
     The pre-package  100  as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2    may be formed based on the following processes. 
     The flexible printed circuit board  110  may typically be provided as a roll material and may appropriately be stamped so as to obtain the non-planar circuit portion  111  having the predetermined height  111 H and predetermined lateral size and shape. The one or more components  112  may be attached to the flexible printed circuit board  110  at any appropriate manufacturing stage, for example after having stamped the respective carrier material of the printed circuit board  110  by any appropriate technique, such as gluing, soldering, and the like. The layers  122 ,  123  may be prepared to correspond in shape and thickness to the specific requirements of the pre-package  100 , and these layers, which may also be provided in the form of a roll material, may be attached to each other and to the circuit board  110 . This may be accomplished in a state, in which any of these material layers is still provided in the form of a roll material. 
     It should be appreciated that any coatings or free films, such as the coatings  122 A and  123 A may be applied at any appropriate manufacturing stage prior to attaching the material layers  122 ,  123  to the circuit board  110 . The frame layer  124 , including the respective films and coatings  124 A,  124 B may be prepared separately and may also be attached to the circuit board  110 , followed by the attachment of the frame structure  127  and the top and bottom layers, possibly in combination with the respectively applied coatings  121 S,  125 S. Thereafter, appropriate process conditions may be established, for instance by applying heat and pressure for a specific time period in order to laminate the various material layers and obtain the layer stack  120  (cf.  FIG.  1   ) having the substantially planar surfaces  121 S,  125 S. It should be appreciated that during the corresponding manufacturing process the process conditions may selected so as to not unduly affect in particular the component  112 , which may require the application of a reduced lamination temperature of for example 120° C. or less, when the layer stack  120  is provided in the form of PVC materials. Similarly, the corresponding mechanical external pressure may be selected to avoid any mechanical damage of the component  112 , wherein, as discussed above, in particular the frame layer  124  and the frame structure  127  may act to restrict the resulting pressure acting on the component  112  to a desired non-critical amount. 
       FIG.  3    schematically illustrates a top view of a precursor sheet material  150  that may be used for forming smartcards or respective pre-forms thereof. The precursor sheet material  150  is, in some illustrative embodiments, as shown in  FIG.  3   , provided in the form of a roll material  152 , wherein a plurality of respective pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N are provided in accordance with features and characteristics, as discussed above in the context of  FIGS.  1  and  2   . Consequently, the plurality of pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N that are mechanically connected by an appropriate carrier material  151  are formed with well-defined lateral dimensions  126 ,  127 , which may be significantly less compared to the lateral dimensions of a respective smartcard or a pre-form thereof. Consequently, due to the reduced lateral dimensions  126 ,  127 , i.e., the reduced form factor of the pre-package compared to the form factor of the final smartcard, increased precision of the pre-package in general may be achieved, thereby also enabling a highly precise positioning of the corresponding component  112  (cf.  FIG.  1   ), while also specifically selected overall process conditions for forming the pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N contribute to superior process yield and product reliability. 
     Based on the precursor sheet material  150  the pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N may be further processed for being used in smartcards or pre-forms thereof by being cut out from the carrier material  151  on the basis of any appropriate technique. Consequently, individual pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N may be obtained from the precursor sheet material  150  for further processing. 
       FIG.  4    schematically illustrates a top view of a plurality of pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K for smartcards. As illustrated, the array of pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K is provided as a sheet of material  160 , wherein the individual pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K are mechanically interconnected by a respective carrier material  161 . The pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K may be processed in parallel based on appropriate process conditions to mutually connect the plurality of material layers, which have possibly incorporated additional components, such as antennas for RFID devices, electronic modules, and the like. Typically, the process conditions for forming the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K may be selected differently compared to the process conditions applied during the manufacturing process for forming the pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N in  FIG.  3   , since typically at least one of the components  112  (cf.  FIG.  1   ) may be more sensitive with respect to process temperature, pressure, and the like, as discussed above. 
     Furthermore, the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K may receive respective portions or openings  171 , which correspond in lateral size and shape to pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N in order to enable appropriate insertion of the pre-packages and attachment to the surrounding material of the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K. It should be appreciated that respective adhesive or fill materials may be attached to the pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N and/or to the confining areas of the openings  171  in order to enable appropriate attachment of the pre-packages. To this end, any appropriate process conditions may be applied upon inserting the individual pre-packages into the respective openings  171  of the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K. After having finished the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K, which are still interconnected by the carrier material  161 , the sheet material  160  may be supplied to a card manufacturer, who may form the final cards from the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K that include the respective pre-packages  100 A, . . . ,  100 N, as discussed above. 
       FIG.  5 A  schematically illustrates a top view of a smartcard  190  according to illustrative embodiments. As already discussed above, the term smartcard should be understood as comprising any card-type device, in which lateral dimensions are significantly greater than respective height dimensions or thickness of the smartcard. For example, payment cards and the like, which are typically defined by international standards, any type of RFID labels including electronic components, and the like, may represent respective smartcards in the sense of the present invention. 
     The smartcard  190  has incorporated therein the pre-package  100  including a respective component, such as the component  112  as shown in  FIG.  1   . For example, the component  112  of  FIG.  1    may represent a display that may optically be accessible by a card window  190 W. Consequently, respective symbols generated on the display  112  may be visible through the card window  190 W, thereby imparting superior functionality and/or security to the smartcard  190 . For example, in the field of credit cards or other payment cards a so-called card verification alue (CVV) may typically be provided in order to achieve superior security upon performing online transactions. In order to increase overall security of online transactions it has been proposed to periodically change the CVV and to display the value, possibly upon user request, by means of a display. 
     It should be appreciated, however, that additionally or alternatively a display may be provided to display any other symbols, characters, text and/or graphics in order to achieve superior optical appearance and/or additional functionality. 
     Moreover, in the embodiment shown in  FIG.  5 A  a card portion  191  is formed adjacent to portion corresponding to the pre-package  100 , wherein both portions have very similar characteristics, for instance in terms of thermal conductivity, and the like, thereby ensuring consistent behaviour during the further processing of the smartcard, for instance when printing symbols onto or into the portion  191  and possibly on the portion associated with the pre-package  100 . Similarly, as previously discussed, the pre-package  100  may be formed, at least at portions that may be contact with the remaining card materials of the smartcard  190 , of any smartcard compatible material in order to achieve a consistent behaviour between the pre-package  100  and the neighbouring portion  191  during the further processing and finalizing of the smartcard  190 . 
       FIG.  5 B  schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the smartcard  190  according to illustrative embodiments. As shown, a stack of card layers  195 , a portion of which may correspond to the material layers of the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K of  FIG.  4    and discussed in the context of  FIGS.  1  and  2   , may have embedded therein the pre-package  100  having the characteristics and features as previously discussed. In particular, the window  125 W (cf.  FIG.  1   ) may be provided to be aligned to the card window  190 W in order to allow access to a specific component of the pre-package  100 , as discussed above. 
     The smartcard  190  may be formed from the pre-forms  170 A, . . . ,  170 K by attaching two or more additional card layers of the stack  195 , while also providing additional features, such as printed portions, embossed portions, paint, and the like, in order to comply with customer specific requirements. Consequently, the smartcard  190  may be provided with desired additional components, such as a display, and the like, wherein the pre-package  100  ensures high reliability of the final product, since generally overall process robustness may be enhanced by forming the pre-package  100  separately from the remaining portion of the smartcard or its pre-form. Furthermore, specific process conditions may be selected for the pre-package  100 , while the remaining smartcard  190  or its pre-form may be formed based on different process conditions, if considered necessary. Generally, the decoupling of the manufacturing of the pre-package  100  from the remaining pre-form allows the application of volume production techniques, for instance, by providing the pre-packages as a roll material during the processing of the pre-packages and the subsequent incorporation of the separated pre-packages into the pre-forms on the basis of well-defined overall dimensions, thereby also contributing to enhanced reliability of the overall manufacturing process.