RFID devices comprising (i) a transponder chip module (TCM) having an RFIC chip (IC) and a module antenna (MA), and (ii) a coupling frame (CF) having an electrical discontinuity comprising a slit (S) or non-conductive stripe (NCS). The coupling frame may be disposed closely adjacent the transponder chip module so that the slit overlaps the module antenna. The RFID device may be a payment object such as a jewelry item having a metal component modified with a slit (S) to function as a coupling frame. The coupling frame may be moved (such as rotated) to position the slit to selectively overlap the module antennas (MA) of one or more transponder chip modules (TCM-1, TCM-2) disposed in the payment object, thereby selectively enhancing (including enabling) contactless communication between a given transponder chip module in the payment object and another RFID device such as an external contactless reader. The coupling frame may be tubular. A card body construction for a metal smart card is disclosed.

Smartcards with metal layers manufactured according to various techniques disclosed herein. One or more metal layers of a smartcard stackup may be provided with slits overlapping at least a portion of a module antenna in an associated transponder chip module disposed in the smartcard so that the metal layer functions as a coupling frame. One or more metal layers may be pre-laminated with plastic layers to form a metal core or clad subassembly for a smartcard, and outer printed and/or overlay plastic layers may be laminated to the front and/or back of the metal core. Front and back overlays may be provided. Various constructions of and manufacturing techniques (including temperature, time, and pressure regimes for laminating) for smartcards are disclosed herein.

Approaches for use in making a lid for a blister package include forming a continuous pattern of electrically conductive wire on an adhesive surface of a substrate. The continuous pattern has a plurality of detector segments, and each detector segment has an outer connector portion and an inner connector portion. The outer connector portion and the inner connector portion of each detector segment are adjacent to one another, and pairs of successive first and second detector segments of the plurality of detector segments are connected by the inner connector portion of the first detector segment and the outer connector portion of the second detector segment. The forming includes forming an arced segment between the inner connector portion of the first detector segment and the outer connector portion of the second detector segment.

A capacitive coupling enhanced (CCE) transponder chip module (TCM) comprises an RFID chip (CM, IC), optionally contact pads (CP), a module antenna (MA), and a coupling frame (CF), all on a common substrate or module tape (MT). The coupling frame (CF, 320A) may be in the form of a ring, having an inner edge (IE), an outer edge IE, 324) and a central opening (OP), disposed closely adjacent to and surrounding the module antenna (MA). A slit (S) may extend from the inner edge (IE) to the outer edge (OE) of the coupling frame (CF) so that the coupling frame (CF) is “open loop”. An RFID device may comprise a transponder chip module (TCM) having a module antenna (MA), a device substrate (DS), and an antenna structure (AS) disposed on the device substrate (DS) and connected with the module antenna (MA). A portion of a conductive layer (CL, 904) remaining after etching a module antenna (MA) may be segmented to have several smaller isolated conductive structures.

Smartcards with metal layers manufactured according to various techniques disclosed herein. One or more metal layers of a smartcard stackup may be provided with slits overlapping at least a portion of a module antenna in an associated transponder chip module disposed in the smartcard so that the metal layer functions as a coupling frame. One or more metal layers may be pre-laminated with plastic layers to form a metal core or clad subassembly for a smartcard, and outer printed and/or overlay plastic layers may be laminated to the front and/or back of the metal core. Front and back overlays may be provided. Various constructions of and manufacturing techniques (including temperature, time, and pressure regimes for laminating) for smartcards are disclosed herein.

A blister package lid includes a substrate, a layer of adhesive, and a continuous pattern of electrically conductive wire disposed directly on the adhesive layer. The continuous pattern of wire has a plurality of detector segments, and the plurality of detector segments have respective destructible portions of wire at locations on the substrate corresponding to cavities of a blister sheet. Each detector segment has an outer connector portion and an inner connector portion. The outer connector portion and the inner connector portion of each detector segment are adjacent to one another, and pairs of successive first and second detector segments of the plurality of detector segments are connected by an arced segment between the inner connector portion of the first detector segment and the outer connector portion of the second detector segment.

RFID devices comprising (i) a transponder chip module (TCM, 1410) having an RFIC chip (IC) and a module antenna (MA), and (ii) a coupling frame (CF) having an electrical discontinuity comprising a slit (S) or non-conductive stripe (NCS). The coupling frame may be disposed closely adjacent the transponder chip module so that the slit overlaps the module antenna. The RFID device may be a payment object such as a jewelry item having a metal component modified with a slit (S) to function as a coupling frame. The coupling frame may be moved (such as rotated) to position the slit to selectively overlap the module antennas (MA) of one or more transponder chip modules (TCM-1, TCM-2) disposed in the payment object, thereby selectively enhancing (including enabling) contactless communication between a given transponder chip module in the payment object and another RFID device such as an external contactless reader. The coupling frame may be tubular. A card body construction for a metal smart card is disclosed.

An electrochromic mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes front and rear glass substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and with a fourth surface reflector coated at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. Light incident at the first surface of the front substrate passes (i) through the front substrate, (ii) through a transparent electrically conductive coating at the second surface of the front substrate and (iii) through the electrochromic medium, whereby light passing through the electrochromic medium is partially reflected at a third surface reflector and is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector, and wherein light passing through the electrochromic medium that is partially transmitted through the third surface reflector passes through the rear substrate and is at least partially reflected off the fourth surface reflector at the fourth surface of the rear substrate to provide enhanced reflectivity of said electrochromic mirror reflective element.

A method for electrical wiring of electronic components in switchgear construction, the method comprising the steps: a. providing a plurality of electronic components which are mounted on a shared workpiece, in particular on a mounting plate; b. wiring the electronic components according to a predetermined circuit diagram and in a predetermined order by at least one robot, wherein a cable sequence of pre-assembled cables is fed to the at least one robot and the cables are arranged in the predetermined order in the cable sequence; wherein the wiring comprises gripping a free cable end of the cable sequence by a multifunctional end effector of the robot, feeding the free cable end to an electrical connection of one of the electronic components by the multifunctional end effector, and detaching the cable from the cable sequence by a separation unit of the multifunctional end effector.

RFID devices comprising (i) a transponder chip module (TCM) having an RFIC chip (IC) and a module antenna (MA), and (ii) a coupling frame (CF) having an electrical discontinuity comprising a slit (S) or non-conductive stripe (NCS). The coupling frame may be disposed closely adjacent the transponder chip module so that the slit overlaps the module antenna. The RFID device may be a payment object such as a jewelry item having a metal component modified with a slit (S) to function as a coupling frame. The coupling frame may be moved (such as rotated) to position the slit to selectively overlap the module antennas (MA) of one or more transponder chip modules (TCM-1, TCM-2) disposed in the payment object, thereby selectively enhancing (including enabling) contactless communication between a given transponder chip module in the payment object and another RFID device such as an external contactless reader. The coupling frame may be tubular. A card body construction for a metal smart card is disclosed.