Antenna formed using laser plating or print-and-plating for field-powered short range communications
A method of fabricating a transaction card for communicating data relating to a transaction may include forming a pattern in a plastic film using a laser plating process or a print-and-plate process; providing a conductive material in the pattern formed in the plastic film, using a plating process, to form a RF antenna layer in the plastic film, wherein the RF antenna layer includes a RF antenna; and affixing the plastic film to a surface of the transaction card to permit the RF antenna to inductively connect to a printed circuit board (PCB) of the transaction card.
1. A method, comprising:
affixing at least a portion of a substrate to a transaction card, wherein the transaction card is configured to store or communicate data for a transaction; and
forming, after affixing the at least the portion of the substrate to the transaction card, an antenna layer on or in the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is affixed to a surface of the transaction card.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is an internal layer of the transaction card.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna layer is on or in another portion of the substrate different than the portion of the substrate affixed to the transaction card.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction card comprises an antenna trace, and wherein the antenna layer comprises an antenna.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the antenna of the antenna layer and the antenna trace of the transaction card are configured to inductively connect with each other.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the antenna trace or the antenna layer comprises a radio frequency (RF) antenna.
8. A device, comprising:
a body comprising one or more components configured to store or communication data for a transaction;
a substrate having at least a portion affixed to the body; and
an antenna layer on or in the substrate.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is affixed to a surface of the device.
10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is an internal layer of the device.
11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the antenna layer is on or in another portion of the substrate different than the portion of the substrate affixed to the body.
12. The device of claim 8 , further comprising:
an antenna trace on the body,
wherein the antenna layer comprises an antenna.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the antenna and the antenna trace are configured to inductively connect with each other.
14. The device of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the antenna trace or the antenna layer comprises a radio frequency (RF) antenna.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:
affix at least a portion of a substrate to a transaction card, wherein the transaction card is configured to store or communicate data for a transaction; and
form, after affixing the at least the portion of the substrate to the transaction card, an antenna layer on or in the substrate.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is affixed to a surface of the transaction card.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least the portion of the substrate is an internal layer of the transaction card.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the antenna layer is on or in another portion of the substrate different than the portion of the substrate affixed to the transaction card.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the transaction card comprises an antenna trace, and wherein the antenna layer comprises an antenna.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the antenna of the antenna layer and the antenna trace of the transaction card are configured to inductively connect with each other.