Patent Abstract:
A reader/writer module for IC cards, employing a magnetic sheet that suppresses the interference with a metallic member yet reduced in thickness. A reader/writer for non-contact IC cards or the reader/writer module for IC cards equipped with the reader/writer for non-contact IC cards, is incorporated in a housing of an electronic equipment. A magnetic sheet is secured to a predetermined region on one surface of the module substrate, a loop antenna is arranged on the magnetic sheet, and a circuit component connected to the loop antenna is mounted on a region outside the magnetic sheet of the module substrate.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority from, and incorporates by reference to, the entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-296321 filed on Nov. 8, 2004. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an access device for a data-holding body, such as a reader/writer module for IC cards, and to electronic equipment incorporating the access device. More specifically, the invention relates to a reader/writer module for IC cards having a reduced thickness and to electronic equipment incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards. The equipment is not increased in the size as a result of using the IC card reader/writer. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   In recent years, there have been widely employed user authentication and electronic money using cards such as credit cards and services such as point cards. As such cards, there have heretofore been used magnetic cards having a magnetic stripe. However, the data recorded in the magnetic stripe can be erased by the application of an intense magnetic field and are, further, liable to be used without authorization by being read by a third person by using a magnetic reader. 
   There have further been widely used IC cards incorporating an IC therein and exposing terminals for connection to the input/output terminals of the IC on the surface of the cards to substitute for the magnetic cards. By using the card incorporating the IC, however, the data recorded in the IC must be read out by using a reader/writer of the contact type making it necessary to insert the IC card in the reader/writer and, hence, requiring a reading operation. 
   Therefore, it has been urged to provide a non-contact type IC card that need not be brought into contact with the reader/writer to substitute for the conventional magnetic cards and the IC cards of the contact type. The IC cards of the non-contact type are now available as commuter&#39;s tickets and prepaid tickets for railways and buses, and as prepaid electronic money which can be used at specified shops. 
   The non-contact type IC card contains an IC chip, a peripheral circuitry and a loop antenna, and works upon trapping very weak electromagnetic waves, from the reader/writer which is also equipped with an antenna, and sends the data recorded in the IC chip back to the reader/writer through the antenna. To further spread the use of the non-contact type IC cards, attempts have been made to incorporate the reader/writer for the non-contact type IC card in various electronic equipment such as a personal computer. 
   The non-contact type IC card has no connection terminal, and it is possible that a good communication cannot be accomplished depending upon the positional relationship between IC card and the reader/writer. Some conventional reader/writer modules use large antenna enabling the users to accomplish favorable communication without the need of giving much attention to the positioning between the IC card and the reader/writer module. In other cases, further, the electromagnetic output power is increased to accomplish good communication. In a reader/writer using a small antenna and suppressing the output power, further, attempts have been made to provide a rack for placing the IC card enabling the user to correctly position the IC card as employed in some convenience stores. 
   To accomplish favorable communication by using a loop antenna employed by the non-contact type IC cards, however, attention must be given not to arrange a metallic member that blocks the transmission/reception of electromagnetic waves on the upper and lower sides, on the right and left sides, or on the back of the antenna of the reader/writer. When it is necessary to arrange a metallic member just under the antenna of the reader/writer, a magnetic sheet must be inserted between the antenna and the metallic member. 
   Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-298095 discloses an example of sticking a flexible sheet-like magnetic body under the antenna coil or onto the back of the casing of the reader/writer for communicating the data with the IC card. 
   In the conventional reader/writer module for IC cards, the loop antenna is mounted on the substrate by means such as printing or adhesion, and a circuit component including the IC chip having memory for recording data is mounted by the side of the loop antenna. When it is necessary to arrange the reader/writer on a portion where a metallic member is arranged just under the loop antenna of the reader/writer, a magnetic sheet is stuck to the back surface of the substrate corresponding to the loop antenna to prevent the effect of the metallic member. 
   When it is attempted to employ a large antenna or to increase the output power, however, it becomes difficult to keep the size of the device small. According to the method of providing the housing with a rack for positioning the card, the rack could become an obstacle when the reader/writer is incorporated in a place on where the user usually puts his hand, such as a palm rest portion or the like of a notebook personal computer. When the reader/writer is incorporated in a small electronic equipment, further, it may become necessary to provide the magnetic sheet on the back surface of the antenna to suppress the interference with the metallic member causing an increase in the thickness of the reader/writer module and making it difficult to incorporate it in small electronic equipment. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an access device for data-holding body, such as a reader/writer module or IC cards, that can be easily mounted in small electronic equipment which cannot use a large antenna or to increase the output power, the access device not increasing in thickness despite of employing a magnetic sheet for suppressing interference with a metallic member. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide electronic equipment incorporating the access device, which, when the user holds the data-holding body thereon, enables the user to visually recognize the position on the electronic equipment where the data-holding body is to be held, so that the data-holding body can be reliably guided onto the position. 
   In order to achieve the above objects, the access device for data-holding body of the invention has a function for reading a data-holding body that is accessible in a non-contacting manner and/or a function for writing thereon, comprising a magnetic layer provided on a predetermined region on one surface of the substrate of the device, an antenna supported on the magnetic layer, and a circuit component connected to the antenna on a region away from the magnetic layer on the substrate. 
   In the access device for the data-holding body, the antenna can be formed on the flexible circuit board so as to be arranged on the magnetic layer. Further, the magnetic layer mounting the antenna and the circuit component, can be mounted on the substrate being arranged side by side. 
   In electronic equipment incorporating the access device for data-holding body of the invention for achieving the above object, the access device in the data processor is incorporated in a housing constituting the equipment at a position where the data-holding body can be held. 
   In the electronic equipment, the housing of the electronic equipment of a portion where the access device is incorporated is evenly swollen in the shape of the data-holding body, such that the data-holding body can be placed thereon, and the access device is incorporated on the side of the back surface of the swollen portion. Further, the housing of the electronic equipment of the portion where the access device is incorporated may be marked to indicate the position where the data-holding body is to be held. 
   Further, the magnetic layer mounting the antenna of the access device can be positioned on a portion close to the edge of the housing, enabling the data-holding body to be accessible in a state where part of the data-holding body is positioned on the outer side of the housing. The electronic equipment may be a notebook computer. 
   Further, when the electronic equipment is a notebook computer, the swollen portion is provided on the palm rest portion neighboring the keyboard, and the height of the swollen portion is selected to be not larger than a step between the display of the computer and a frame portion surrounding the display. 
   According to the access device for the data-holding body of the present invention, the magnetic layer mounted on the substrate also works to support the antenna, making it possible to decrease the thickness of the access device and to simplify the mounting method and to improve the quality of communication. According to the electronic equipment incorporating the access device for data-holding body of the invention, the data-holding body possessed by a user can be visually and correctly guided to a position where the data-holding body is to be held. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be more clearly understood from the description set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a conventional reader/writer module for IC cards viewed from the upper side; 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 1A  viewed from the side of the back surface; 
       FIG. 1C  is a side view of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 1A  viewed from the direction of an arrow C; 
       FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a reader/writer module for IC cards according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the upper side; 
       FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 2A  viewed from the side of the back surface; 
       FIG. 2C  is a side view of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 2A  viewed from the direction of an arrow A; 
       FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an assembly illustrating the constitution of a modified embodiment of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 3B  is a side view of the reader/writer module for IC cards shown in  FIG. 3A  viewed from the direction of an arrow B; 
       FIG. 4A  is a perspective view illustrating a state where an IC card is held against electronic equipment of an embodiment of the invention incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the invention; 
       FIG. 4B  is a partial sectional view of the electronic equipment shown in  FIG. 4A ; 
       FIG. 4C  is a perspective view illustrating a state where an IC card is held against the electronic equipment of another embodiment of the invention incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the invention; 
       FIG. 4D  is a partial sectional view of the electronic equipment shown in  FIG. 4C ; 
       FIG. 4E  is a perspective view illustrating a state where an IC card is held against the electronic equipment of a further embodiment of the invention incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the invention; 
       FIG. 4F  is a partial sectional view of the electronic equipment shown in  FIG. 4E ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a notebook computer incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the position of the reader/writer module for IC cards incorporated in the notebook computer shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the notebook computer incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8A  is a perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of the notebook computer incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8B  is a view illustrating a state where an IC card is held against the notebook computer shown in  FIG. 8A ; 
       FIG. 8C  is a plan view of a portion illustrating a position of the IC card in the housing of the reader/writer module of the invention incorporated in the notebook computer shown in  FIG. 8A ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the notebook computer incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the invention shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the notebook computer incorporating the reader/writer module for IC cards of the invention shown in  FIG. 8A . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Before describing the preferred embodiments, an explanation will be given of the conventional IC card reader/writer shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C . 
     FIGS. 1A to 1C  illustrate the constitution of a conventional reader/writer module  9  for IC cards incorporated in the reader/writer. Referring to  FIG. 1A , the conventional reader/writer module  9  for IC cards has a loop antenna  2  mounted on a substrate  1  by printing or adhesion, and a circuit component  3  including an IC chip provided with a memory for recording data is mounted by the side of the loop antenna  2 . When the reader/writer  9  must be arranged on a portion where a metallic member is arranged just under the loop antenna  2  of the reader/writer  9 , a magnetic sheet  4  is stuck to the back surface of the substrate  1  corresponding to the loop antenna  2  as shown in  FIGS. 1B and 1C  in order to prevent an effect of the metallic member. 
   When it is attempted to employ a large antenna or to increase the output power, however, it becomes difficult to keep the size of the device small. According to the method of providing the housing with a rack for positioning the card, the rack could become an obstacle when the reader/writer is incorporated in a place on where the user usually puts his hand, such as a palm rest portion or the like of a notebook personal computer. When the reader/writer is incorporated in a small electronic equipment, further, it may become necessary to provide the magnetic sheet on the back surface of the antenna to suppress the interference with the metallic member causing an increase in the thickness of the reader/writer module and making it difficult to incorporate it into small electronic equipment. 
     FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a reader/writer module  10  for IC cards, which is an access device for the data-holding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper side. In the reader/writer module  10  for the IC cards of this embodiment, a magnetic sheet  14  is secured onto the module substrate  1  by such means as adhesion, so that the transmission/reception performance of the antenna will not be affected when there is a metallic member on the back surface side of the module substrate  1 . A loop antenna  12  supported by the magnetic sheet  14  is arranged on the upper surface of the magnetic sheet  14 , and a circuit component  13  connected to the loop antenna  12  is mounted on the module substrate  11  on a portion neighboring the magnetic sheet  14 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2B , therefore, nothing is provided on the back surface of the module substrate  11 . In the reader/writer module  10  for IC cards of this embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2C , a height h of the magnetic sheet  14  and of the loop antenna  12  from the module substrate  11  is smaller than a height H of the circuit component  3  from the module substrate  11 . Therefore, the reader/writer module  10  for IC cards of this embodiment has a thickness smaller by the height t of the magnetic sheet  14  than that of the conventional reader/writer module  9  for IC cards shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C . 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a reader/writer module  10 A for IC cards, which is modified from the reader/writer module  10  for IC cards shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C . In the above-mentioned embodiment, the loop antenna  12  constituted by a winding is mounted, on the upper surface of the magnetic sheet  14 , by adhesion. In this embodiment, on the other hand, the loop antenna  12  is formed in a flexible circuit board  15  which is mounted on the upper surface of the magnetic sheet  14 . 
   The flexible circuit board  15  is provided with a terminal portion  15 A forming a feeder terminal of the loop antenna  12 , the terminal portion  15 A being connected to the circuit component  13  as shown in  FIG. 3B . 
     FIG. 4A  illustrates a state where an IC card  5  is held against electronic equipment  20  of the embodiment of the invention incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the invention. The electronic equipment  20  of this embodiment is provided with a swollen portion  22  having the same shape as that of the IC card  5  on the upper surface  21 A of a housing  21  thereof. The electronic equipment  20  serves as an input/output device for other data processors, and is connected to the data processors through a wire, or in a wireless manner, to exchange data with the data processors. Therefore, the electronic equipment  20  may further incorporate circuit components (which may be known ones and are not described here) necessary for exchanging data with the data processors, in addition to incorporating the circuit component  3  or  13  mounted on the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A. The IC card  5  usually incorporates a loop antenna  6 , an IC chip  7  and a peripheral circuit  8  including a memory. Instead of forming a swollen portion  22  on the upper surface  21 A of the housing  21 , further, a recessed portion may be formed to receive the IC card  5  as shown in  FIG. 4C , or a mark  25  representing the outer shape of the IC card  5  may be formed as shown in  FIG. 4E . The depth of the recessed portion  22 B may be smaller than the thickness of the IC card  5 , and a groove  24  may be additionally formed along the edge thereof for taking out the IC card  5 . 
   Then, as shown in  FIG. 4B ,  4 D or  4 F, the reader/writer module  10 A shown in, for example,  FIGS. 3A and 3B  is incorporated just under the swollen portion  22 , recessed portion  22 B or mark  25  provided in the housing  21 . As described above, the module  10 A includes the module substrate  11 , flexible circuit board  15  provided with the loop antenna  12 , circuit part  13  and magnetic sheet  14 . 
   Therefore, the user of the IC card  5  simply places the IC card  5  on the swollen portion  22  formed on the upper surface  21 A of the housing  21  of the electronic equipment  20  or holds the IC card  5  against the swollen portion  22  to exchange the data stored in the peripheral circuit  8  of the IC card  5  with the electronic equipment  20 . Due to the action of the magnetic sheet  14  provided for the reader/writer module  10 A of the IC card, further, the performance of the loop antenna  12  is not adversely affected even if the metallic member  23  happens to exist in the electronic equipment  20 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of when the electronic equipment incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the invention is a notebook computer  30 . In this case, the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards is incorporated in a portion on the left side of a palm rest portion  31 A neighboring the keyboard  34  in the housing  31  of the notebook computer  30 . In this embodiment, a swollen portion  32  is provided on a portion on the left side of the palm rest  31 A of the housing  31  for accommodating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards. The swollen portion  32  has an outer shape nearly in agreement with the outer shape of the IC card. 
   A height X of the swollen portion  32  from the palm rest portion  31 A is smaller a height Y of the frame  39 A of the display of the computer  30  from the screen  39 B. 
   According to this constitution, the user who uses an IC card holds the IC card at the swollen portion  32  or places the IC card on the swollen portion  32  to enhance the recognition factor of the IC card. 
     FIG. 6  illustrates a state where the housing  31  of the notebook computer  30  shown in  FIG. 5  is divided into upper and lower portions. The upper housing  31 U includes the keyboard  34  and the swollen portion  32  formed on the palm rest portion  31 A. The lower housing  31 L includes a power source circuit, a floppy disk drive, a hard disk and an optical disk drive such as CD-ROM, which are usually covered by a metal housing. 
   In the thus constituted notebook computer  30 , the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the present invention is attached by screws onto a metal frame  35  at four portions just under the swollen portion  32  of the housing  31 . The position of the metal frame  35  in the lower housing  31 L is indicated by a two-dot chain line. 
   In this embodiment, as will be understood from the drawing, when the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards is incorporated in the notebook computer  30 , the optical disk drive  36  is positioned just under the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards, and the housing thereof is made of a metal. Even in this case, in the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the invention, the loop antenna  12  is supported by the magnetic sheet  14  and is arranged on the module substrate  11 , and is not adversely affected by the metallic housing of the optical disk drive  36 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the notebook computer  30  incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the present invention. In this embodiment, a mark  37  indicating a position for holding up the IC card is formed on the housing  31  at a position where the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A is incorporated, i.e., formed on a portion on the left side of the palm rest portion  31 A. A picture or an instruction may be printed as the mark  37 . The palm rest portion  31 A having the mark  37  is flat like other palm rest portions  31 A. 
   In this constitution, too, the user of the IC card  5  shown in  FIG. 4A  may hold the IC card  5  at the mark  37  or may place the IC card  5  on the mark  37  to enhance the recognition factor of the IC card  5 . 
     FIGS. 8A to 8C  illustrate a further embodiment of the notebook computer  30  incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the present invention. In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 8C , the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A is so positioned that the loop antenna  12  in the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A is located close to the edge of the housing  31 . 
   A position for holding up the IC card  5  is marked as designated at  38  on the palm rest portion  31 A of the housing  31  of the notebook computer  30 . The mark  38  does not represent the whole shape of the IC card  5  but represents the shape of a portion thereof. 
   As a result, as shown in  FIG. 8B , the data can be read/written from, and onto, the IC card  5  from the computer  30  in a state where the IC card  5  is partly located outside the housing  31 , i.e., in a state where the user is holding the IC card  5  in his hand. 
   In this constitution, the user who uses the IC card  5  may hold up part of the IC card  5  aiming at the mark  38  without the need of placing the IC card  5  on the computer  30 , to easily read and write the data from, and onto, the IC card  5  or to easily transmit the data from the IC card  5  to the computer  30 . 
   Here, it can be contrived to form the module substrate  11  in a small size by omitting the module substrate  11  from the portion under the magnetic sheet  14 . In this case, however, a new part is necessary for supporting the loop antenna  12 , and screws must be used for securing a part for supporting the loop antenna  12 . Further, screws are made of metal and can affect the communication. Therefore, the screw positions cannot be used for the antenna deteriorating the quality of communication. Therefore, this constitution is not desirable. 
   In the foregoing was described the embodiment of the present invention. The invention, however, may further be constituted in a manner as described below. 
   The above-mentioned module, which is the access device of the invention, has both a function for reading the IC card and a function for writing thereon. However, the module may have either the reading function or the writing function provided it is accessible to the data held by the IC card. 
   In the foregoing was described a card as the data-holding body accessible by the access device of the present invention. However, the access device of the invention may be the one accessible to a data-holding body other than the card. For example, the data-holding body that is accessible may not be in the form of a card but may be an electronic equipment (cell phone or small data terminal) incorporating the substrate mounting the above-mentioned loop antenna, IC chip and memory. The memory, too, may be the one that also works as an auxiliary storage unit that is usually used for the processing in the electronic equipment. Further, the IC chip, too, may be the one that also works as a CPU that is usually used for the processing in electronic equipment. The antenna is not limited to the loop antenna but may be the one of any other form provided it is accessible from the access device. 
   In the foregoing was exemplified the magnetic sheet as a magnetic layer provided on the substrate of the access device of the invention, which, however, may be in any form or in any kind, such as a plate or a jelly provided it is capable of supporting the antenna. Further, though a picture or an instruction was printed as the mark  37 , a groove corresponding to the circumference of the data-holding body may be formed in the palm rest portion  31 A so as to be corresponded to the portion where the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A is incorporated. 
     FIG. 9  illustrates a modified example of the notebook computer  30  incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC cards of the invention shown in  FIG. 7 . In this modified example, a shallow recessed portion  37 B for accommodating the IC card  5  is provided in a portion on the left side of the palm rest portion  31 A. The depth of the recessed portion  37 B is smaller than the thickness of the IC card  5 . A groove  37 A may be provided along the edge of the recessed portion  37 B for easily taking out the IC card  5  accommodated in the recessed portion  37 B. 
   In this constitution, too, the user of the IC card  5  may hold the IC card  5  at the recessed portion  37 B or may place the IC card  5  in the recessed portion  37 B to enhance the recognition factor of the IC card  5 . 
     FIG. 10  illustrates a modified example of the notebook computer  30  incorporating the reader/writer module  10  or  10 A for IC card of the invention shown in  FIG. 8A . In this modified example, the recessed portion  37 B is formed in the portion of the mark  38  drawn on the palm rest portion  31 A of the housing  31  of the notebook computer  30  shown in  FIG. 8A . In this modified example, too, the data can be read/written from, and onto, the card  5  from the computer  30  while the user is holding the IC card  5 , by hand, in the manner described with reference to  FIG. 8B .

Technology Classification (CPC): 6