Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SECURITY DOCUMENT COMPRISING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND
AN INTEGRATED DISPLAY ELEMENT
The invention relates to a security document comprising
an integrated circuit and comprising a display element
integrated in the document.
Security documents, such as identification cards,
passports, identity cards, driver's licenses, credit
cards, customer or travel tickets and the like, which
contain personal and/or product-related data and must
therefore meet corresponding security requirements, are
increasingly being equipped with integrated circuit
components (IC) in which the personal and/or product-
related information is stored. In the course of
security checks, this information is read out and used
for authentication, that is to say for checking the
authenticity of the document, and for verification,
that is to say for monitoring correspondence with the
person presenting the document. Chip modules with
contacts as well as contactless and also dual interface
chip modules are conventionally used for this purpose.
They contain large scale integrated circuits with a
correspondingly programmable silicon-based memory
element. The programmable memory elements are typically
embodied in the form of an EEPROM (electrically
erasable programmable read only memory). Standards and
quality requirements for relevant security documents
are set out in ISO 10373.
Apart from the aforementioned electronic equipment,
security documents are configured graphically, in
principle. In this case, the graphical information must
correspond to the electronic information. For this '
reason, the electronic writing and the graphical
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writing of personal and/or product-related data are
preferably implemented in a single station. Such
personalization requires largely neutral documents
which are subjected in said station inter alia to
graphical configuration methods such as laser
engraving, inkjet and digital printing methods,
thermotransfer or thermoprinting methods and embossing
operations.
In other cases, documents that have already been
graphically prepersonalized are
subsequently
electronically personalized. In this case, it must
absolutely be ensured in a complicated method that the
correct document is provided with the correct
associated electronic information.
Figure 1 shows the typical architecture of a
conventional memory card 1 (Klaus Finkenzeller: RFID
Handbuch [RFID handbook], Carl Hanser Verlag Munich,
Vienna 2000). The chip module contact area 5 is
represented with six contact areas, wherein V00 denotes
the supply voltage, GND denotes ground, RST denotes
reset, Vpp denotes the programming voltage, CLK denotes
clock and I/O denotes input/output. Smart cards having
eight contact areas are also customary. The I/O contact
is symbolically depicted with a bidirectional
connection 15 to the address and security logic 6.
There is likewise a bidirectional connection between
the address and security logic 6 and the EEPROM 7,
while the ROM 8 is unidirectionally connected via
connection 14 to the address and security logic 6.
Figure 2 shows the computer architecture of a
conventional microprocessor card 1 (Klaus Finkenzeller:
RFID Handbuch, Carl Hanser Verlag Munich, Vienna 2000).
The connections between the I/O contact and the CPU 9,
between CPU 9 and RAM 10, and also between CPU 9 and
the combined unit composed of EEPROM 7 and ROM 8 are in
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each case bidirectional, where of course the ROM 8 is
itself internally driven unidirectionally again.
Some embodiments of the present invention is based on the object
of further improving the technology of security documents.
The goal set is achieved according to some embodiments of the invention by
means of a security document comprising an integrated
circuit for communication with an external reading
and/or writing device, and comprising at least one
display element which is integrated into the security
document and serves for visually representing personal
and/or product-related data, wherein the display
element is connected to the integrated circuit in a
bidirectional manner and is simultaneously used in this
way by the integrated circuit as a memory array.
In this case, the invention is based on the insight
that an electronic display field with bidirectional
driver electronics can be used not only for visual
representation but at the same time as a programmable
memory for the IC element. The memory in the IC of the
smart card, usually an EEPROM, can in this way be
completely omitted or at least partly replaced by the
electronic display field, depending on the application.
In the same way, the display field can, if appropriate,
also be used as an at least partial replacement for a
ROM or EPROM.
It is advantageous that the display element is
programmable and personalizable in this way exclusively
by means of the integrated circuit, where
personalization is understood to mean the document-
related individualization. This involves writing in
preferably biometric information of the owner of the
document, such as picture of face, fingerprints,
specimen signature, but also name, date of birth, etc.
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The display element according to some embodiments of the invention is
embodied in bistable fashion, such that it retains its
information in the de-energized state. Such displays
are preferably formed as electrophoretic, ferroelectric
or cholesteric liquid crystal displays. The display
element can also be formed by a passive or active,
self-luminous display system based on OLED elements. In
the case of active OLED elements, the display is
activated with the aid of a reading device or by means
of a built-in power source, whereby the representation
then becomes visually discernible.
The integrated circuit is preferably contained in a
chip module that is fitted in the document in such a
way that it cannot be removed therefrom without
destruction. The display element is then via external
contacts of the is inserted into a milled-out cavity of
the document, wherein the milling work operation is
conducted in such a way that the internal terminals are
also uncovered in the process.
In the embodiment as a contactless smart card, the
programming can be effected with increased RFID field
strengths, if appropriate, if the operation is effected
in closed surroundings with corresponding shielding.
For this purpose, inductively or capacitively acting
coupling fields can be provided in the document, the
increased power being introduced in each case by means
of said fields. After programming has been effected, it
is possible to initiate an irreversible operation which
- e.g. causes an internal .wiring element to acquire high
impedance or interrupts it or causes a short circuit,
such that a renewed programming and a changing of the
data written in are no longer possible.
The display and memory system is organized according to
rows and columns that are driven electrically. Driver
circuits are required for this purpose. Since the
display field can be regarded as a type of EEPROM,
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wherein the memory points are the visually discernible
pixels, the driver is embodied in a bidirectional
manner according to the invention. With the use of
bistable display elements, the driver can be altered
irreversibly after programming has been effected, such
that the information written in can only be read. The
display element then functions as it were only as a
ROM.
The personalization operation can also be established
in an irreversible manner by application of a laser
pulse or locally acting electric and magnetic fields or
e.g. by polymerization to completion of predetermined
elements.
The drivers mentioned are usually arranged in direct
proximity to the row and column lines of the display
field in order not to have to bridge long distances.
However, the display driver IC can also be accommodated
as an additional integrated circuit in the chip module.
It is preferably formed in the IC of the chip module
itself. In principle, it is also possible to operate
the display by means of a display driver IC situated in
the reading/writing device.
Bidirectional matrix driver ICs using flip-chip
technology can be used for the display field. In this
case, relatively fine wiring lines are required for
making contact with the IC pads. For this purpose it is
possible to use etching-technological extremely fine
conductor techniques with conductor track spacings in
the range of 10 m to 30 m, but also special printing
techniques, e.g. according to the inkjet method.
The serial bidirectional driving of the display element
is preferably effected serially by means of two or
three electrical connections. In this case, the row and
column lines are equipped with capacitances and, if
appropriate, with further electronic functions, such as
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diode functions. In this case, the serial bidirectional
connection has one signal line and two voltage supply
line, which can be connected directly to a contact chip
module or a dual interface chip module internally
analogously with regard to making contact with
antennas.
Consequently, there are in principle a plurality of
possibilities to choose from:
In a simple embodiment, the display element is written
to by means of a reading module with contacts. For this
purpose, it is merely necessary for the internal serial
control lines to be routed toward the outside via
corresponding chip module contact areas. In this simple
embodiment, it is possible to use a slightly adapted
chip module and to form the entire driving electronics
in the reading/writing device.
In the embodiment of a dual interface document, the two
antenna contacts are additionally connected.
In the embodiment of a document which functions
contactlessly, in which no external ohmic connections
are available, the entire operation of self-
personalization, that is to say of writing the personal
and/or product-related data to the graphical display,
must be effected exclusively via the wireless
interface. For this purpose, it may be necessary to
apply increased power to the document, wherein suitable
shieldings are used as protection. For power and
information coupling, a holelike cutout can also be
provided in the document, a coil being arranged around
said cutout. The coupling is then effected via an
induction core reaching into the holelike cutout.
Biometric data of the owner of the document, such as
the picture of the face, fingerprints and the like, are
preferably written to the display field. In this case,
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the visual representation in the display field
preferably contains steganographically concealed
information, which represents an additional security
feature that makes misuse and manipulation attempts
even more difficult.
Depending on the area of application of the security
document, the writing to and/or altering of the display
of the display system must be effected under
complicated security-technological conditions. Such in
particular cryptographic methods, monitored access
authorizations, PIN numbers and the like are customary
in the field of memory and smart cards. The chip
module's security structure provided in this regard for
RFID systems is in this case concomitantly used for
deliberate legal changing of the display contents. In
this way, it is possible for the security standard such
as is conventionally provided for smart cards also at
least to be maintained for the security documents
according to the invention.
A particular advantage resides in the fact that the
display element is integrated in an inseparable
laminate composite of the document by printing
technology. In this case, two wiring planes may be
provided in the form of row and column lines, wherein
said planes are connected internally to corresponding
contacts of the chip module. In an advantageous
development, the display system also additionally has a
third wiring plane in the form of a transparent top
electrode, which is likewise connected internally to
corresponding contacts of the chip module. The
invention can be embodied using conventional wiring
techniques from flexible printed circuit board
production as well as polymer electronics and methods
for the printing-technological production of electronic
circuits.
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The security document according to the invention is
produced using lamination technology as a composite
composed of a plurality of films and/or flexible
printed circuit boards. Flexible printed circuit boards
are understood to mean the soldering-temperature-
resistant plastic films known from the prior art such
as e.g. polyimide (PI), polyether sulfone (PES) or
polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and also woven
(e.g. FR-4) or nonwoven substrates (e.g. aramid
aromatic polyamides). These are provided with a thin
copper film and patterned by means of etching using
subtractive technology. Two-sided or multilayer
flexible printed circuit boards with corresponding
plated-through holes can also be produced using this
technology. If only a limited soldering resistance is
required, it is also possible to use polyester films
(PET) using subtractive technology, that is to say with
an etched copper or aluminum film. Furthermore, all the
substrates mentioned can also be provided with
electrical wiring structures by means of so-called
additive technology, that is to say e.g. by means of
silver, copper or carbon paste printing. Said
structures are electrically contact-connected by means
of isotropic or anisotropic conductive adhesives. The
electrical connection can also be produced by a
crimping operation, by means of ultrasound or a similar
pressure-temperature effect, in particular for
producing an intermetallic conductive connection.
In addition to these largely conventional solutions, an
integration of electrical components of printing-
technological type can be realized by means of so-
called polymer electronics. Even though a parallel
driver logic is also possible for this, a serial
driving of the display fields or the memory elements is
preferred in embodiments of the present invention.
For protection against direct attempts at manipulating
the display field, the latter is incorporated into a
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Fa r a da y cage. By way of example, a thin electrically
conductive structure constructed in areal or grid-type
fashion in the form of a carbon- or nanotube-containing
paste, a silver paste, an ITO (indium tin oxide) paste
or an intrinsically conductive polymer layer can be
provided in the document on the rear side, while a
transparent metal-oxidic paste or a conductive polymer
film is used on the front side.
The graphical information provided in a customary
manner alongside the electronic display field can be
applied by known printing methods and using relief
embossing technology.
A power supply source in the form of a solar module, a
rechargeable battery or a piezoelectric power source is
also provided, if appropriate, in the document
according to the invention. In this case, the power
source can be activated by means of a pushbutton
switch. In this way it is also possible to realize
self-luminous displays in security documents which are
switched on only as required.
With the incorporation of further security criteria,
the personalization operation can be made dependent on
the fact that it can proceed only under specific
ambient parameters, e.g. with application of
electromagnetic irradiation in a specific wavelength
range or with application of magnetic fields or laser
exposure. Furthermore, through effects of this type, in
particular through the use of a specific laser beam
pulse, individual elements of a display field can be
programmed or irreversibly influenced.
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Some embodiments of the invention thus make it possible to produce display
systems on electronically supported documents of printing-technological, and
hence
thin flexible embodiment with high contrast, low production costs and high
security
against forgery.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
security
document comprising an integrated circuit for communication with an external
reading
and/or writing device, and comprising at least one display element which is
integrated
into the security document and serves for visually representing at least one
of
personal data and product-related data, wherein the display element is
bistably
settable and is connected bidirectionally with the integrated circuit and is
thereby
usable by the integrated circuit as a programmable as well as a readable
memory
array.
,
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Further features and advantages of the invention emerge
from the following description of exemplary
embodiments.
In the figures:
Figure 3 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a
security document according to the invention;
Figure 4 shows an exemplary embodiment with a DUAL
interface chip module;
Figure 5 shows an exemplary embodiment in the form of
a passport with a dipole antenna contained in
the document.
Figure 3 schematically illustrates a security document
1 according to the invention in the form of an identity
card with a chip module 3, which has contacts or which
can be driven contactlessly, on the contact area 5. The
security document 1 contains at least one electronic
display field 4 in the form of a cholesteric liquid
crystal display which can be set in a bistable manner
and which reproduces the picture of the face of the
owner of the document as display information 11. The
electronic display field 4 is connected to the
integrated circuit 2 of the chip module 3 via a
bidirectional connection 15. Only a unidirectional
driving is inherently necessary simply for the display.
However, since the display field here is simultaneously
used as a memory array, its contents must at the same
time also be able to be read out.
Figure 4 schematically shows an identity card 1
according to the invention with a dual interface chip
module 3 on the chip module contact area 5. The
document 1 contains an RFID antenna in the form of a
coil 13, by means of which the integrated circuit 2 can
communicate with an external reading/writing device.
The document 1 once again contains at least one
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electronic display field 4 with a picture 11 of a face
or other biometric data of the owner of the document.
As described previously, the display field is
additionally designed as a memory that can be read via
the IC 2, and is therefore connected to the IC via the
bidirectional line 15.
Figure 5 shows, using the example of a passport 1, the
personalization side thereof with the display field 4,
the ICAO line 16 and the personalization data 17. The
IC 2 can communicate with an external reading/writing
device by means of the antenna formed as dipole 12 and
uses the display field 4 as an EEPROM replacement via
the bidirectional connection 15. Biometric data of the
owner of the document, in particular, are displayed as
display contents 11 of the display field 4.
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Reference symbols
1 Document
2 Integrated circuit (IC)
3 Chip module
4 Display element-memory element
5 Chip module contact area, contact area
assignment
6 Address and security logic
7 EEPROM
8 ROM
9 CPU
10 RAM
11 Display information
12 Dipole antenna
13 Antenna coil
14 Unidirectional connection
15 Bidirectional connection
16 ICAO line
17 Personalization data
