Abstract: A ticket providing access to a zone with controlled access when it is presented without contact in front of a scanner authorizing access to the zone, the ticket having an Edmonson format and including a paper ticket body covered on both surfaces with a protective coating. The paper ticket body is provided with a through recess where is located an electronic module including an integrated circuit and an antenna. The latter is formed by at least one turn obtained by screen printing with silvery powder in a polymerisable composition before being heat-cured. The ticket provides the advantages of being inexpensive to produce compared to a contactless access card and is highly biodegradable, which is essential for a disposable ticket.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining an encryption key associated with an integrated circuit having a memory plane that includes a matrix of electric contacts on it's surface and a layer of inhomogeneous electric resistivity material disposed on the matrix. An encryption key is determined by the integrated circuit on the basis of the random distribution of the electrical resistances connecting the various electric contacts of the matrix.

Abstract: A method of printing a graphic on an electronic memory card comprised of a card body, made of a thermoplastic material and having two main faces that are substantially mutually parallel, and an electronic module carrying electrical contacts on a contact face thereof, which contacts are connected to a semiconductor chip. The electronic memory card is molded by injecting the thermoplastic material in a molten state into a mold having a cavity defining the shape of the card body, and solidifying the molten material in the presence of the electronic module in the mold. The memory card is unmolded, and the graphic is then printed on the card body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a set of electronic modules for memory cards, using flip chips. A plurality of through holes are formed through an insulating sheet substrate to be filled with a conductive material for the purpose of establishing electrical continuity between first and second faces of the substrate. The first face is designed to receive contacts for making an electrical connection with an external connector, and the second face is designed to receive interconnection patterns for connection with a flip chip. The electrical contacts are silkscreened on the first face of the substrate, with the holes then being partially filled with a conductive ink. The interconnection patterns are silkscreened on the second face of the substrate, with the holes then being filled up with the ink. Flip chips are then mounted on the interconnection patterns.

Abstract: A smart card is made of a thermoplastic material card body having two substantially parallel major sides. A support member with a graphic on it is on at least one side of the card. An electronic module has a contact array to one side of which is fixed a chip including an integrated circuit. The support member is placed in a mold comprising an hollow space defining the shape of the card and delimited by two main walls corresponding to the major sides of the card, and it is held against one of these main walls. A thermoplastic material is injected into the volume defined by the hollow space to fill the volume not occupied by the support member. The electronic module is placed at an appropriate position in the hollow space before the injected material has solidified completely.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making electronic modules for electronic memory cards and to electronic modules thus obtained. Starting with a metal strip, in which patterns have been cut out and to which semiconductor chips have been attached, this assembly is placed in the cavity of a transfer mold. The cavity has two portions located on the two sides of the strip in order to ensure a good mechanical bond between the conductive parts of the pattern before it is cut from the remainder of the strip.

Abstract: A memory card capable of receiving a photographic image on its back. A photographic substrate, comprising a photographic film, a photographic developing paper and a protection sheath are placed on an internal wall of a mold. A plastic material is injected into a cavity of the mold and thus constitutes the body of the card, to which the posterior face of the photographic substrate adheres.

Abstract: A process for making a card body provided with a graphic symbol. A label is placed in a mould and said label is maintained against the wall of the mould. A plastics material (ABS) is injected through the nozzle of the mould. Preferably, the label presents a graphic symbol on its two faces and the plastics material is transparent.

Abstract: A memory card which does not utilize a semiconductor chip to store information. A plurality of discrete electrical components, such as fuses, is provided in the card which has the same shape and the same external contact tabs as a standard electronic memory card with a semiconductor chip. Information is written in the memory card by selectively transforming an initial electrical conduction state of the fuses into another, irreversible electrical conduction state which can be read by suitable apparatus.

Abstract: A strip of metal is formed onto a lead-frame defining external contact tabs (24) and electrical connection zones (26), the lead-frame is molded into an injection moded part (39 and 40) which defines a recess (41) for receiving the semiconductor chip of the electronic module, a semiconductor chip (35) is fixed in the recess, the terminals (37) of the chip (35) are electrically connected to the electrical connection zones, and the chip is potted by filling the recess (41) with an insulating material (42).

Abstract: A method of making a card which has a body having two main faces and at least one graphics element. A mold is provided having a mold cavity which defines the outside shape of the card body. A support element bearing a graphics element is placed in the mold cavity, and it is retained in place so that it remains substantially parallel to the walls of the mold cavity which define the main faces of the card body. A plastic material is then injected into the mold in such a manner that the plastic material occupies all of the space delimited in the mold cavity and not occupied by the support element. The part obtained in this way is then unmolded.

Abstract: A method of making an electronic memory card and, more particularly an electronic module. A metal strip (10) has a plurality of lead-frames (A) formed therein. An insulating strip (50) is fixed to the outside face (10a) of the strip (10) leaving the external tabs (20a to 34a) of the electronic module uncovered. In the following steps, a semiconductor chip is fixed on the inside face of the lead-frame and then the lead-frame (A) is separated from the remainder of the strip (10) by being cut off therefrom.

Abstract: A support element supports the integrated circuit chip of an electronic memory card. The support element is used for positioning the chip inside a mold cavity and the card body is formed by injecting plastic material (e.g., ABS) into the cavity so that the chip is embedded in the plastic. The support element may be constituted of a film which is peeled off the finished card or it may be constituted of a sheet which remains as an integral part of the card. The support element may include graphics elements for decorating the card face. If the support element is a peel-off film, then the graphics elements are transferred and remain visible on the card. If the support element remains as an integral part of the card, then the graphics elements are formed on a face thereof which is visible in the finished card.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a memory card comprises taking an electronic module, which includes an insulating substrate and an integrated circuit, and locally raising the temperature of the plastic material of the card to its softening point. The module is then applied, with pressure, on one side of the card at its softened location to embed the module in the plastic material.

Abstract: In an electrical connection system between a payment card (10) including an integrated memory circuit (11), and an information transfer apparatus (15) for reading and writing data in the memory circuit, terminals (14) of the card (10) are covered with a protective layer of a plastic material (13) which is perforable and recoverable (self-healing), and the transfer apparatus is provided, for each terminal, with a projection (16) of hard metal ending at a point (17) to be urged with a defined force on to the corresponding terminal in the card through the protective layer.