From the Wires
New interface chip from ams drives down the cost of adding high data-rate NFC capability to microcontroller designs
Nov. 5, 2012 02:00 AM
Implementing instant, high-speed Near Field Communication (NFC) between
two independent devices has been made easier and cheaper with the
introduction of the AS3953 interface chip from ams AG (SIX: AMS), a
leading worldwide designer and manufacturer of high-performance analog
ICs for consumer & communications, industry & medical, and automotive
applications.
The AS3953 offers a high data-rate interface between a NFC device such
as a smartphone and any host microcontroller with a standard Serial
Peripheral Interface (SPI).
Operating on energy harvested from an NFC reader’s RF emissions, the
AS3953 NFiC® (Near Field Communications interface Chip)
requires no external power source and at most one external component (a
capacitor). The device enables system designers to add full
bi-directional NFC capability at a total cost less than half that of a
typical NFC reader implementation, which can require as many as 20
external components.
The AS3953 is fully compliant with NFC Forum specifications (NFCIP-1
target at 106kbps) and the ISO14443A industry standard (up to 848kbps,
to Level 4). This means that it can be used in contactless smart cards
and as an NFC Forum-compatible interface tag, and can establish instant
communication with any NFC-enabled phone in close proximity (<10cm).
The AS3953 is expected to find uses in a wide variety of applications,
including contactless passive programming of MCU-based systems, smart
cards with displays, smart retail shelf labels, sensors and ultra
low-power data loggers, medical devices, and secured NFC Bluetooth
pairing.
It can also enable innovative new approaches to system designs by using
an NFC-enabled smartphone as a display host and system controller for
normally stand-alone devices, eliminating the requirement for the slave
device to have its own display and processor.
The AS3953 features a configurable wake-up interrupt, enabling a
zero-power system design while in shut down. It also contains a complete
analog front end, 1kB of internal EEPROM, and a 4-wire SPI with a
32-byte FIFO. The device can draw up to 5mA of harvested energy from the
external magnetic field, and includes an internal power management
circuit that can supply harvested energy to the application. This makes
the AS3953 ideal for use with battery-powered and portable
microcontroller-based devices.
Rene Wutte, Marketing Manager at ams, maintains “The AS3953 creates a
whole new category of NFC applications. It allows NFC functionality to
be added to any application for a fraction of the cost of a full NFC
reader, without complicating the design. This is now, for instance, the
easiest and most affordable way to enable an application to communicate
with a mobile phone.”
ams has also announced a new reference design developed in close
cooperation with Epson. The design is for a complete passive solution
for price labels and smart cards. It combines an Epson S1C17F57
microcontroller, which features a built-in driver for e-paper displays
(64 channels), and the AS3953 NFiC® from ams. According to
Manfred Wittmeir, IC Department Manager at Epson Europe Electronics
GmbH, “Epson has a long track record of providing energy efficient
semiconductors for various battery-driven products. The AS3953 enables
us for the first time to build a complete passive solution without the
need for an auxiliary power supply such as a battery, while implementing
a standard NFC interface for exchanging data with our microcontroller. A
simple design, it can be implemented quickly by engineers with no deep
knowledge of the operation of NFC technology.”
Both the AS3953 and the passive e-paper demonstration design will be
shown at the ams booth at Cartes 2012 in Paris (3D.105, November 6-8,
Paris). They will also be on show at Electronica (Hall A4, stand 211,
November 13-16, Munich).
Price & Availability
The AS3953 NFiC is available as a bare die or in a 10-pin, 3mm x 3mm
MLPD package. The device is available for sampling now. It is priced at
$1.59 for 1,000 pieces as a package, and $1.15 as a bare die.
Technical Support
A demonstration board for the AS3953 NFiC is available. For further
information on the AS3953 or to request samples, please visit www.ams.com/RFID/AS3953.
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