Abstract: A multi-application contactless smart card system and method. The user may select application using selection mechanism located on the smart card or at the contactless reader. The selection means may be connected to the contact I/O pin of the processor of the smart card. In some embodiments, the processor of the smart card may read the user selection through the contact I/O pin during a simulated contact transaction, evoke the desired application and perform the contactless transaction. During the simulated contact transaction power up sequence is preserved by extracting power signals to the contact VDD pin from the RF signal. Alternatively, the state of the selection mechanism may be sampled continuously or at convenient time intervals, enabling further switching between applications during a single contactless session.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of a contactless smart card device including mounting at least one antenna and at least one smart card module onto a substrate layer, placing paramagnetic material over at least part of the at least one antenna, and laminating the substrate layer and the paramagnetic material to provide a laminate.

Abstract: A mobile communicator including a housing including a main portion and a removable portion, cellular telephone circuitry located within the main portion of the housing, a SIM card mounted in the main portion of the housing, a battery mounted between the removable portion of the housing and the SIM card and a contactless functionality antenna mounted intermediate the removable portion and the battery and communicating with the SIM card.

Abstract: A mobile communicator including a main housing portion, defining a SIM card socket, a battery located at a battery location defined by the main housing portion, a cover over the battery and a retrofit contactless smart SIM functionality assembly, having a SIM card shaped portion which is mounted in the SIM card socket, a contactless smart card antenna portion located between the battery and the cover and an antenna tail portion which interconnects the contactless smart card antenna portion with the SIM card shaped portion, the antenna tail portion being attached and electrically connected to the SIM card shaped portion by means of an electrically conductive adhesive.

Abstract: An electronic inlay structure including first and second sheets of an inlay substrate arranged in generally side to side, spaced parallel arrangement, having a gap therebetween, a flexible web material arranged to overlie the gap and edges of the first and second sheets of the inlay structure adjacent the gap, third and fourth sheets arranged in registration with the first and second sheets respectively, over the first and second sheets of the inlay substrate and partially over the flexible web material and bonded thereto, electronic circuitry associated with at least one of the first, second, third and fourth sheets and lamination enclosing the first, second, third and fourth sheets, the electronic circuitry and the web material together to create the inlay structure.

Abstract: A multiple antenna reading system suitable for use with contactless transaction devices, the system including at least one reader, at least first and second antennas having at least some inductive coupling therebetween and being coupled to the at least one reader and antenna function disabling circuitry automatically operative upon activation of at least a first one of the at least first and second antennas to disable antenna function of at least a second one of the at least first and second antennas.

Abstract: A fob (10) such as a key fob has a casing (11) and a resilient clip (12) abutting the casing at a first end of the clip and overhanging the casing to form a substantially J-shaped clip. The casing may be substantially rectangular in shape and may includes a recess for accommodating therein an insert such as a electronic circuit (13) and a cover mounted (16) within the recess so as to overlay the electronic circuit and form a peripheral recess (18) between a rim (19) of the casing and a peripheral edge of the cover that may be hermetically sealed to form a sealed unit. During manufacture, the fob is injection molded wherein the resilient clip abuts the casing at a first end of the clip while lying outside a boundary of the casing. Local heat is then applied to the clip and the clip is bent so that it overhangs the casing.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of a contactless smart card device including mounting at least one antenna and at least one smart card module onto a substrate layer, placing paramagnetic material over at least part of the at least one antenna, and laminating the substrate layer and the paramagnetic material to provide a laminate.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a smart card inlay. In a first embodiment, the method includes initially connecting a first end (106) of a wire antenna (108) to a chip module (104) mounted in an aperture (102) on a substrate (100), thereafter fixing the wire antenna (108) onto the substrate (100) and thereafter connecting a second end (112) of the wire antenna (108) to the chip module (104). In a second embodiment, the method includes providing a wire antenna having a first end (200) and a second end (202), wherein the first end (200) and the second end (202) are connected to a chip module (206) and do not extend past the chip module (206) and fixing the wire antenna (204) to a substrate (208).

Abstract: A multi-application contactless smart card system and method. The user may select application using selection mechanism located on the smart card or at the contactless reader. The selection means may be connected to the contact I/O pin of the processor of the smart card. In some embodiments, the processor of the smart card may read the user selection through the contact I/O pin during a simulated contact transaction, evoke the desired application and perform the contactless transaction. During the simulated contact transaction power up sequence is preserved by extracting power signals to the contact VDD pin from the RF signal. Alternatively, the state of the selection mechanism may be sampled continuously or at convenient time intervals, enabling further switching between applications during a single contactless session.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of an electronic interface card including defining a pair of apertures in a substrate layer, associating an antenna with the substrate layer such that opposite ends of the antenna terminate at the apertures, placing a conductor in each of the apertures, connecting the antenna to the conductor, forming a recess in the substrate layer, attaching continuous connection wires to a plurality of chip modules, attaching the continuous connection wires to a plurality of conductors on a corresponding plurality of the substrate layers, cutting the continuous connection wires so as to retain portions thereof which connect each chip module to a corresponding pair of conductors and sealing the chip module in the recess.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of an electronic interface card (100) including defining a pair of apertures in a substrate layer (116), associating an antenna (112) with the substrate layer (116) such that opposite ends of the antenna (112) terminate at the apertures, placing a metal element in each of the apertures, connecting the ends of the antenna to the metal elements, laminating the substrate layer together with a top layer (114) and a bottom layer (118), forming a recess (122) in the top layer and the substrate layer, attaching end of connection wires (130) to the metal elements, attaching opposite ends of the connection wires (130) to a chip module (120) and sealing the chip module in the recess (122).

Abstract: A fob (10) such as a key fob has a casing (11) and a resilient clip (12) abutting the casing at a first end of the clip and overhanging the casing to form a substantially J-shaped clip. The casing may be substantially rectangular in shape and may includes a recess for accommodating therein an insert such as a electronic circuit (13) and a cover mounted (16) within the recess so as to overlay the electronic circuit and form a peripheral recess (18) between a rim (19) of the casing and a peripheral edge of the cover that may be hermetically sealed to form a sealed unit. During manufacture, the fob is injection molded wherein the resilient clip abuts the casing at a first end of the clip while lying outside a boundary of the casing. Local heat is then applied to the clip and the clip is bent so that it overhangs the casing.

Abstract: An authentication seal suitable for affixing to physical objects sought to be notarized, legalized or otherwise authenticated, the authentication seal including an object interface layer including an adhesive surface for fixed engagement with a surface of an object sought to be authenticated, an inlay layer, fixed to the object interface layer, the inlay layer including a substrate having embedded thereon a wireless communication antenna coupled to an electronic chip device containing authentication information which is wirelessly readable via the wireless communication antenna and an outer layer, fixed to the inlay layer and having visually sensible authentication indicia thereon.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for simultaneously communicating with multiple smart card devices (17) supported on a common platform (16) so that each device has a respective chip (18) coupled to a respective communication interface (19). The common platform is positioned on a support surface (25) of a multi-head reader (21) so that the respective communication interface of each device is aligned with a respective head (23) of the reader; and multiple heads of the reader are simultaneously energized so as to effect communication with respective devices. The respective chip (18) and device coil antenna (19) of each of the smart card devices (17) may form a respective inlay, multiple inlays being integrally formed on a common inlay sheet constituting the common platform.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of wire-embedded inlays, the method including providing a substrate, applying a coating to the substrate, which coating melts at an elevated temperature characteristic of wire-embedding, thereby producing an inlay substrate and when the coating is solid, employing wire embedding techniques for embedding a wire into the inlay substrate.

Abstract: An electronic inlay structure including first and second sheets of an inlay substrate arranged in generally side to side, spaced parallel arrangement, having a gap therebetween, a flexible web material arranged to overlie the gap and edges of the first and second sheets of the inlay structure adjacent the gap, third and fourth sheets arranged in registration with the first and second sheets respectively, over the first and second sheets of the inlay substrate and partially over the flexible web material and bonded thereto, electronic circuitry associated with at least one of the first, second, third and fourth sheets and lamination enclosing the first, second, third and fourth sheets, the electronic circuitry and the web material together to create the inlay structure.

Abstract: A mobile communicator including a housing including a main portion and a removable portion, cellular telephone circuitry located within the main portion of the housing, a SIM card mounted in the main portion of the housing, a battery mounted between the removable portion of the housing and the SIM card and a contactless functionality antenna mounted intermediate the removable portion and the battery and communicating with the SIM card.