JPH0241073B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an IC card.

(Prior art) In recent years, ICs for microcomputers, memories, etc.
A chip card with a chip installed or built-in;
Research is being carried out on cards called memory cards, microcomputer cards, electronic cards, etc. (hereinafter referred to as IC cards).

Since this IC card has a larger storage capacity than conventional magnetic stripe cards, it is being considered to be used in banks to record and store the history of deposits and savings in place of a passbook, and in credit cards to record and store transaction history such as shopping. Furthermore, it is being considered for use not only in connection with financial transactions, but also as a memory medium for special ID cards and audio equipment.

Some of the above-mentioned IC cards have a plurality of IC chips electrically connected to each other within the same IC module.

However, an IC with a configuration in which multiple electrically independent IC modules are installed on a single card base material
I can't see any cards.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional IC cards described above, the circuit pattern becomes complicated because each IC chip is connected, or one of the IC chips is destroyed for some reason and the stored data is lost. Since each IC chip is electrically connected to each other, there is a high risk that the data stored in other IC modules will also be lost if the IC chip is lost.

Furthermore, the connection may break due to bending of the card due to external force, and in this case, there is a problem that the IC module itself will not function as an IC card even if it is normal.

Furthermore, the conventional IC cards described above have the problem that it is completely impossible to use one card for multiple purposes.

Therefore, the present invention improves the reliability of an IC card or provides an IC that can easily store separate information on an IC chip in each IC module.
For the purpose of providing cards.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) To achieve this, the present invention provides that, in an IC card made up of a plurality of IC modules, an IC card is placed at a symmetrical position with respect to the center point of the card base material when viewed from one side. The above object has been achieved by discovering a structure of ``an IC card characterized by having an electrically independent IC module.''

(Function) According to the above-mentioned IC card of the present invention, the individual IC modules constituting the IC card are electrically independent from each other, and these IC modules are visible from one side of the card base material. Since the card is placed at a symmetrical position with respect to the center point of the card base material,
By reversing the insertion direction of the IC card into the terminal device, necessary information can be input and output between the IC module provided at the other position and the terminal device.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating the IC card of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, IC modules 3, 3 are provided in a part of the center core 15, oversheets 14, 14 are provided on the front and back surfaces of the center core 15, and the center core 15 is provided with oversheets 14, 14. 15
A printed pattern 4 is formed between the oversheet 14 and the oversheet 14, 14. In addition, if necessary, the first
As shown in the figure, embossed characters 5 can also be applied to the IC card.

Here, the positional relationship of the IC module 3 will be explained. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two electrically independent IC modules 3,
3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center point of the card base material when viewed from the front of the IC card 1.

If the IC modules 3 and 3 are arranged in such a positional relationship, if the IC card is inserted in the opposite direction to the terminal device, the IC module installed in the other position can be
Necessary information can be input and output between the IC module and the terminal device.

At this time, if the IC modules 3 and 3 are configured to store information for different purposes, two IC cards can be inserted into the terminal by simply reversing the insertion direction of the IC card. It can be used for two purposes.

Further, in the terminal device, two input/output units for inputting and outputting data to and from the IC module are provided so as to correspond to the IC modules 3, 3,
Part or all of the information to be stored in one IC module 3 is stored in each IC module 3, 3.
If one IC module 3 is stored in memory, even if one IC module 3 is damaged, transactions with the terminal device can be continued using the other IC module 3. Such means can also improve the reliability of the IC card.

Note that the shape and structure of the IC module 3 are not limited to the above example, and it goes without saying that the number of IC modules may be any number as long as they are arranged in the above positional relationship. stomach.

FIG. 3 explains the structure of the IC module 3 of this embodiment in more detail.

In other words, microcomputers, memory, etc.
The IC chip 9 is surrounded by an epoxy resin 11 except for the top surface, and the top surface of the IC chip 9 includes
A circuit 7 is provided, and the IC chip 9 and the circuit 7 are connected by a lead wire 10. On the other hand, an electrode 6 that is in contact with an external connection terminal is provided on the surface of the IC module 3, and the electrode 6 and the circuit 7 are connected. is held by a substrate 8 such as a glass epoxy film,
In addition, the electrode 6 and circuit 7 are through holes (not shown)
It is electrically conductive. Further, a frame 12 of glass epoxy film is provided on the side of the IC module 3 to prevent the epoxy resin 11 from flowing during the manufacture of the IC module 3. The IC module 3 configured as described above is attached to the recessed portion of the card base material 16 with an adhesive 13.

The IC card shown here is a plastic card made of hard vinyl chloride, and the card base material 16 is composed of a center core 15 and an oversheet 14, but the invention is not limited to this specification.

Each IC chip 9 of the plurality of IC modules 3 as described above may store part or all of the information to be stored in the IC card in duplicate, or may store separate pieces of information.

Note that information may be stored in the IC chip in the IC module by a commonly used method.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the IC module may be of a non-contact type.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the IC card of the present invention has a plurality of IC modules independently provided on a single card base material at symmetrical positions with respect to the center of the card, thereby preventing external forces from being applied to the IC card. Even if moisture intrudes, it is very unlikely that all IC modules will be destroyed, and even if some IC modules are destroyed, the data stored in other IC modules will be lost. Or, even if the stored data is normal, it will not be possible to retrieve it externally.
By inserting the IC card into the terminal in the opposite direction, data stored in the other IC module can be recalled.

Therefore, if part or all of the information that should be stored in the IC chips in each IC module is stored redundantly, some of the IC modules may be destroyed by external force or other causes, making it impossible to recall the stored data. Even if the IC card of the present invention becomes normal, the necessary information can be retrieved as long as at least one IC module is normal, so the IC card of the present invention has the effect of greatly improving reliability compared to conventional IC cards. .

In addition, since the IC card of the present invention has a plurality of IC modules, each IC module can store completely different information, for example, one IC module can store history information of bank-related deposits and savings, and the other IC module can store information such as credit-related shopping history. Since transaction history information can also be stored, a single IC card can be used for multiple purposes.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the IC card of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of FIG. 2 to show the configuration of the IC module. be. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...IC card, 3...IC module, 5...embossed character, 6...electrode, 9...IC chip, 11...epoxy resin, 14...oversheet, 15...center core, 16...card base material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An IC card consisting of a plurality of IC modules, characterized in that an electrically independent IC module is provided at a symmetrical position with respect to the center point of a card base material when viewed from one side.