Patent ID: 12229614

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure may be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings as described below. It is noted that, for purposes of illustrative clarity and being easily understood by the readers, various drawings of this disclosure show a portion of the device, and certain components in various drawings may not be drawn to scale. In addition, the number and dimension of each component shown in drawings are only illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will understand, one skilled in the art may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include”, “comprise” and “have” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “include, but not limited to . . . ”. When the terms “include”, “comprise” and/or “have” are used in the description of the present disclosure, the corresponding features, areas, steps, operations and/or components would be pointed to existence, but not limited to the existence or addition of one or a plurality of the corresponding or other features, areas, steps, operations, components and/or combinations thereof.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on” or “connected to” another element or layer, it may be directly on or directly connected to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be presented (indirect condition). In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly connected to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers presented.

The directional terms mentioned in this document, such as “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, etc., are only directions referring to the drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustration, not for limitation of the present disclosure.

The terms “about”, “equal”, “identical” or “the same”, and “substantially” or “approximately” mentioned in this document generally mean being within 20% of a given value or range, or being within 10%, 5%, 3%, 2%, 1% or 0.5% of a given value or range.

The ordinal numbers used in the description and claims, such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., are used to describe elements, but they do not mean and represent that the element(s) have any previous ordinal numbers, nor do they represent the order of one element and another element, or the order of manufacturing methods. The ordinal numbers are used only to clearly discriminate an element with a certain name from another element with the same name. The claims and the description may not use the same terms. Accordingly, in the following description, a first constituent element may be a second constituent element in a claim.

It should be noted that the technical features in different embodiments described in the following can be replaced, recombined, or mixed with one another to constitute another embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Please refer toFIG.1andFIG.2.FIG.1is an exploded schematic diagram of a structure of a card device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2is a cross-sectional exploded schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the card device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, a card device100according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first substrate110, a circuit board120, a sensing module130and a second substrate140. The card device100may be, for example, a smart card (or referred to as an integrated circuit card), and the card device100may be applied to an identity authentication card, a financial card, a credit card, a transportation card or other suitable cards, but not limited herein. The materials of the first substrate110and the second substrate140may respectively include plastic materials or other suitable materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polycarbonate (PC), but not limited herein. In some embodiments, a magnetic stripe112may be disposed on the first substrate110, but not limited herein.

The circuit board120is disposed on the first substrate110, and the circuit board120includes an accommodating recess122. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.2, the accommodating recess122is a recess formed on a surface120S of the circuit board120, wherein the surface120S of the circuit board120is located on a side opposite to the first substrate110and faces the second substrate140. The accommodating recess122may have a depth D in a direction Y, and the accommodating recess122may have a bottom surface122B and a side wall122S connected to the bottom surface122B. In the present disclosure, the direction Y may be a top-view direction of the card device100, and a direction X may be a horizontal direction, that is, the direction X may be parallel to the surface120S of the circuit board120, and the direction Y may be perpendicular to the direction X or parallel to a normal direction of the surface120S of the circuit board120.

The sensing module130is disposed in the accommodating recess122. The sensing module130includes a sensing unit132and a protective layer134formed on the sensing unit132, and the sensing unit132is electrically connected to the circuit board120. The sensing unit132may be a sensor for performing biometric identification, such as a fingerprint sensor, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.2, the sensing unit132of the sensing module130may be disposed on the bottom surface122B of the accommodating recess122, and the sensing unit132may be electrically connected to the circuit board120, for example, through a pad (not shown), but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the protective layer134is formed on a surface132S of the sensing unit132through a deposition process, a coating process, an attaching process or other suitable processes, as shown inFIG.2, wherein the surface132S of the sensing unit132is located on a side opposite to the bottom surface122B of the accommodating recess122. In some embodiments, the protective layer134may be attached to the sensing unit132, for example, through an adhesive layer (not shown), but not limited herein. The description “the protective layer is formed on the sensing unit” referred in the present disclosure means that the protective layer134cannot be moved or removed from the card device100after the protective layer134is formed on the sensing unit132. By forming the protective layer134on the sensing unit132, the sensing unit132may be protected and the damage to the sensing unit132may be reduced.

Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second substrate140is disposed on the circuit board120, that is, the circuit board120may be disposed between the first substrate110and the second substrate140. In addition, the second substrate140includes an opening142. The opening142may correspond to the accommodating recess122of the circuit board120, and the opening142exposes the protective layer134and the sensing unit132thereunder. Specifically, as shown inFIG.2, the opening142of the second substrate140may expose the surface134S of the protective layer134, that is, the surface134S of the protective layer134is not covered by the second substrate140, wherein the surface134S of the protective layer134is located on a side opposite to the sensing unit132. Therefore, when the sensing unit132performs sensing procedure, such as fingerprint identification, the finger may contact the protective layer134of the sensing module130, without directly contacting the sensing unit132, thereby mitigating the damage to the sensing unit132caused by contact. In some embodiments, when the manufacturing for the card device100is finished, the second substrate140is formed on the circuit board120, and the surface134S of the protective layer134may be aligned with a surface140S of the second substrate140. For example, a distance L may exist between the upper surface134S of the protective layer134and the bottom surface122B of the accommodating recess122in the direction Y, the second substrate140may have a thickness T in the direction Y, and the distance L is substantially equal to the sum of the thickness T and the depth D of the accommodating recess122, that is, distance L=thickness T+depth D, but not limited herein.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2, the card device100may further include a bezel150, and the bezel150may be disposed between the accommodating recess122of the circuit board120and the sensing module130, so that the sensing module130is disposed in the accommodating recess122. Specifically, the bezel150may be located between the side wall122S of the accommodating recess122and the sensing module130, and the bezel150may circularly surround the sensing module130to enclose the sensing unit132and the protective layer134. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.2, the bezel150may extend from the bottom surface122B of the accommodating recess122to the surface120S of the circuit board120along the side wall122S, and the opening142of the second substrate140may expose the bezel150. The upper surface of the bezel150may be aligned with the surface140S of the second substrate140when the second substrate140is formed on the surface120S of the circuit board120, but not limited herein.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.1, the card device100may further optionally include a chip160. The second substrate140may include another opening144, and the chip160may be disposed in the opening144and electrically connected to the circuit board120, that is, the opening144may expose the chip160. The chip160may be electrically connected to the circuit board120, for example, through a pad124disposed on the circuit board120, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the chip160may be electrically connected to the sensing unit132of the sensing module130, for example, through traces126disposed on the circuit board120. In some embodiments, an antenna128may be further disposed on the circuit board120, and the antenna128may be electrically connected to the chip160, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit, a driving unit, a control unit, a memory, an antenna decoder, and/or wires may be further disposed on the circuit board120, so as to provide functions such as the data calculation, accessing control and/or storage, but not limited herein.

In some embodiments, the sensing unit132of the sensing module130may be a capacitive sensing unit, and a thickness and/or a dielectric constant of the protective layer134of the sensing module130meet specific conditions. Specifically, the thickness of the protective layer134ranges from 10 micrometers to 100 micrometers (i.e., 10 micrometers≤thickness≤100 micrometers), and/or the dielectric constant of the protective layer134ranges from 3 to 4 (i.e., 3≤dielectric constant≤4). Therefore, when the finger touches the protective layer134, the sensing unit132may detect the difference in capacitance value change caused by the ridges and valleys, so as to sense the fingerprint image. In addition, the protective layer134may also have the property of scratch resistance to better protect the sensing unit132, thereby reducing the damage to the sensing unit132. For example, the material of the above protective layer134may include plastic materials or other suitable materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), but not limited herein.

In some embodiments, the sensing unit132of the sensing module130may be an optical sensing unit (such as, but not limited to, an infrared sensor), and the protective layer134of the sensing module130may allow light to pass through or allow light with a specific wavelength to pass through. Specifically, a transmittance of the protective layer134for the light in a wavelength range from 760 nanometers to 1 millimeter may be 80% to 100% (i.e., 80%≤transmittance≤100%). Therefore, when the finger touches the protective layer134, the difference in light transmittance caused by the ridges and valleys may be transmitted to the sensing unit132, and therefore the sensing unit132can sense the fingerprint image.

In some embodiments, the sensing unit132of the sensing module130may be an ultrasonic sensing unit, and an acoustic impedance of the protective layer134of the sensing module130may be close to the acoustic impedance of the skin, so as to reduce the signal loss caused by not matching of the impedance, wherein the acoustic impedance of the skin ranges from 1.6*106kg/m2·s to 1.7*106kg/m2·s (i.e., 1.6*106kg/m2·s≤acoustic impedance of the skin≤1.7*106kg/m2·s). Specifically, the acoustic impedance of the protective layer134ranges from 1.0*106kg/m2·s to 2.5*106kg/m2·s (i.e., 1.0*106kg/m2·s≤acoustic impedance≤2.5*106kg/m2·s). Therefore, when the finger touches the protective layer134, the difference in acoustic waves caused by the ridges and valleys may be transmitted to the sensing unit132, so that the sensing unit132can sense the fingerprint image.

In some embodiments, the sensing unit132of the sensing module130may be a thermal sensing unit, and the protective layer134of the sensing module130may conduct heat or vertically transfer heat energy. Specifically, a thermal conductivity coefficient of the protective layer134ranges from 150 Watts per meter-Kelvin (W/m·K) to 500 W/m·K (i.e., 150 W/m·K≤thermal conductivity coefficient≤500 W/m·K). Therefore, when the finger touches the protective layer134, the difference in surface temperature of the ridges and valleys may be transmitted to the sensing unit132, so that the sensing unit132may convert the change of temperature into the change of current, so as to sense the fingerprint image. For example, the material of the above protective layer134may include diamond-like carbon (DLC) with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 475 W/m·K, aluminum oxide with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 28 W/m·K, aluminum nitride with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 160 W/m·K, combinations of the above materials or other suitable materials, but not limited herein.

It should be noted that the type of the sensing unit132of the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and the material characteristics of the protective layer134are not limited to the above. Any suitable sensing unit132may be used in the sensing module130of the present disclosure, accompanied with a suitable protective layer134.

Please refer toFIG.3andFIG.4.FIG.3is an exploded schematic diagram of a structure of a card device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.4is a cross-sectional exploded schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the card device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.3andFIG.4, a card device100′ according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first substrate110, a circuit board120, a sensing unit132and a protective layer134. The circuit board120is disposed on the first substrate110, and the circuit board120includes an accommodating recess122. The sensing unit132is disposed in the accommodating recess122and electrically connected to the circuit board120. The sensing unit132may be a sensor for performing biometric identification, such as a fingerprint sensor, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the surface132S of the sensing unit132may be aligned with the surface120S of the circuit board120, wherein the surface132S of the sensing unit132and the surface120S of the circuit board120are located on a side opposite to the first substrate110, but not limited herein.

The protective layer134is disposed on the circuit board120, that is, the circuit board120may be disposed between the first substrate110and the protective layer134, and the protective layer134covers the circuit board120and the sensing unit132. In some embodiments, the protective layer134may be attached to the circuit layer120and the sensing unit132, for example, through an adhesive layer (not shown), but not limited herein. By forming the protective layer134on the sensing unit132, the damage to the sensing unit132may be reduced. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.3, the card device100′ may further include a fingerprint pattern170, and the fingerprint pattern170is disposed on the protective layer134and corresponds to the sensing unit132, so that the user is able to correspondingly press the region where the sensing unit132is disposed with the finger according to the position of the fingerprint pattern170, which is beneficial to fingerprint sensing.

In addition, the applied protective layer134of the card device100′ may further have the characteristic matching the type of the sensing unit132, thereby improving the sensitivity of sensing. Specifically, the sensing unit132may be a capacitive sensing unit, an optical sensing unit, an ultrasonic sensing unit, a thermal sensing unit or other suitable sensing units, and the characteristics and/or materials of the protective layer134respectively corresponding to the different types of sensing units132may be referred to the illustration of the previous embodiments, which will not be redundantly described herein.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.3, the card device100′ may further include a chip160. The protective layer134may include an opening136, and the chip160may be disposed in the opening136and electrically connected to the circuit board120, that is, the opening136may expose the chip160. The chip160may be electrically connected to the circuit board120, for example, through a pad124disposed on the circuit board120, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the chip160may be electrically connected to the sensing unit132, for example, through traces126disposed on the circuit board120.

The method for manufacturing the card device100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps, referring toFIG.1andFIG.2.Step S100: providing a first substrate;Step S102: providing a second substrate, wherein the second substrate includes an opening;Step S104: disposing a circuit board between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the circuit board includes an accommodating recess corresponding to the opening;Step S106: providing a sensing unit;Step S108: forming a protective layer on a surface of the sensing unit; andStep S110: disposing the sensing unit with the protective layer formed on the surface in the accommodating recess, wherein the sensing unit is electrically connected to the circuit board, and the opening of the second substrate exposes the protective layer.

Specifically, the first substrate110is provided in Step S100, the second substrate140is provided in Step S102, and the second substrate140includes the opening142. The materials of the first substrate110and the second substrate140may respectively include plastic materials or other suitable materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polycarbonate (PC), but not limited herein.

Then, perform Step S104to dispose the circuit board120between the first substrate110and the second substrate140. That is to say, the circuit board120is disposed on the first substrate110, and the second substrate140is disposed on the circuit board120. The circuit board120includes the accommodating recess122corresponding to the opening142. For example, the opening142may at least partially overlap the accommodating recess122in the direction Y, as shown inFIG.2. In some embodiments, the accommodating recess122may be formed on the surface120S of the circuit board120, the accommodating recess122may have the depth D in the direction Y, and the accommodating recess122may have the bottom surface122B and the side wall122S, but not limited herein.

In addition, before performing Step S104, that is, before the step of disposing the circuit board120between the first substrate110and the second substrate140, Step S106, Step S108and Step S110may be performed. The sensing unit132is provided in Step S106. The sensing unit132may be a sensor for performing biometric identification, such as a fingerprint sensor, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the sensing unit132may be a capacitive sensing unit, an optical sensing unit, an ultrasonic sensing unit, a thermal sensing unit or other suitable sensing units, but not limited herein.

After Step S106, perform Step S108to form the protective layer134on the sensing unit132. For example, the protective layer134may be formed on the surface132S of the sensing unit132through a deposition process, a coating process, an attaching process or other suitable processes. In some embodiments, as shown inFIG.5, which is a process schematic diagram of a method for manufacturing a card device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the protective layer134may be formed on the sensing unit132through a deposition process DE, so that the sensing unit132and the protective layer134as a whole form a sensing module130. The deposition process DE may be, for example, physical deposition, chemical deposition or other suitable deposition processes, but not limited herein. In some embodiments, the protective layer134may be formed on the sensing unit132through a coating process. The coating process may be, for example, a spray coating process, a roller coating process, a blade coating process or other suitable coating processes, but not limited herein. As shown inFIG.6, which is a process schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a fabrication process of a protective layer according to a method for manufacturing a card device of the present disclosure, a protective layer material134amay be coated on the surface132S of the sensing unit132through a spray nozzle SP, so as to form the protective layer134on the sensing unit132through the spray coating process. As shown inFIG.7, which is a process schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a fabrication process of a protective layer according to a method for manufacturing a card device of the present disclosure, the protective layer material134amay be coated on the surface132S of the sensing unit132through a roller RO, so as to form the protective layer134on the sensing unit132through the roller coating process. As shown inFIG.8, which is a process schematic diagram illustrating still another embodiment of a fabrication process of a protective layer according to a method for manufacturing a card device of the present disclosure, the protective layer material134amay be coated on the surface132S of the sensing unit132through a blade BL, so as to form the protective layer134on the sensing unit132through the blade coating process. In some embodiments, the protective layer134may be formed on the sensing unit132through an attaching process. For example, the protective layer134is attached to the surface132S of the sensing unit132through an adhesive layer (not shown), but not limited herein.

After Step S108, perform Step S110to dispose the sensing unit132with the protective layer134formed on the surface of the sensing unit132in the accommodating recess122of the circuit board120, wherein the sensing unit132is electrically connected to the circuit board120. Specifically, the sensing unit132may be disposed on the bottom surface122B of the accommodating recess122, that is, the sensing unit132is disposed between the circuit board120and the protective layer134, and the sensing unit132may be electrically connected to the circuit board120, for example, through a pad (not shown), but not limited herein. By forming the protective layer134on the sensing unit132, the sensing unit132may be protected and the damage to the sensing unit132may be reduced.

In some embodiments, after performing Step S108, that is, after the step of forming the protective layer134on the sensing unit132, the sensing unit132and the protective layer134as a whole form the sensing module130. Further, the bezel150may surround the sensing module130, as shown inFIG.1. Then, the sensing module130surrounded by the bezel150is disposed in the accommodating recess122of the circuit board120, so that the sensing module130is disposed within the accommodating recess122, but not limited herein.

After the step of disposing the sensing module130(and the bezel150) in the accommodating recess122of the circuit board120, perform Step S104described above to dispose the circuit board120between the first substrate110and the second substrate140. After the second substrate140is disposed on the circuit board120, the opening142of the second substrate140may expose the protective layer134, that is, the upper surface134S of the protective layer134is not covered by the second substrate140.

In some embodiments, the protective layer134may be designed according to the type of the sensing unit132to improve the sensitivity of sensing. The characteristics and/or materials of the protective layer134respectively corresponding to different types of sensing units132may be referred to the illustration of the previous embodiments, which will not be redundantly described herein.

The method for manufacturing the card device100′ according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps, referring toFIG.3andFIG.4.Step S200: providing a first substrate;Step S202: disposing a circuit board on the first substrate, wherein the circuit board includes an accommodating recess;Step S204: disposing the sensing unit in the accommodating recess, wherein the sensing unit is electrically connected to the circuit board; andStep S206: covering the circuit board with a protective layer.

Specifically, the first substrate110is provided in Step S200. The material of the first substrate110may include plastic materials or other suitable materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polycarbonate (PC), but not limited herein.

Then, perform Step S202to dispose the circuit board120on the first substrate110, wherein the circuit board120includes the accommodating recess122. Then, perform Step S204to dispose the sensing unit132in the accommodating recess122, wherein the sensing unit132is electrically connected to the circuit board120. The sensing unit132may be a sensor for performing biometric identification, and the type of the sensing unit132may be referred to the illustration of the previous embodiments, which will not be redundantly described herein.

Then, perform Step S206to cover the circuit board120with the protective layer134, which means the circuit board120is disposed between the protective layer134and the first substrate110, so that the protective layer134may serve as the second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate110. The characteristics and/or materials of the protective layer134respectively corresponding to different types of sensing units132may be referred to the illustration of the previous embodiments, which will not be redundantly described herein.

From the above description, according to the card devices and the related manufacturing methods of the embodiments of the present disclosure, by forming the protective layer on the sensing unit, the sensing unit may be protected and the damage to the sensing unit may be reduced, or the damage to the sensing unit caused by contact may be mitigated. In addition, the provided protective layer may have the characteristic matching the type of the sensing unit, thereby improving the sensitivity of sensing.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.