Microcontroller takes charge of NFC

Fully integrated SoC offers a complete hardware capability for contactless communication at 13.56MHz.

STMicroelectronics has produced secure SoC implemented in advanced silicon technology for the fast emerging NFC (near field communication) market.

NFC technology provides advanced wireless or contactless services for users, such as electronic payment via mobile phone.

Implemented in the company's leading-edge 0.13um embedded nonvolatile memory EEPROM technology, the ST21NFCA integrates all the necessary hardware and software for a complete NFC system, including support for all the NFC proximity and vicinity standards.

NFC is a fast emerging short-range wireless connectivity standard that significantly simplifies the interaction of consumer devices in a range of applications.

The technology can be implemented in various devices, such as in a mobile phone, to enable secure electronic payments.

Although use in mobile phones is expected to be the primary driver for the deployment of the technology, other uses can include contactless banking, transport ticketing and smart poster applications.

Developed to be used in mobile devices, or within the PC environment, the ST21NFCA is a flexible fully integrated SoC that offers a complete hardware capability for contactless communication at 13.56MHz, and is suitable to be designed into RF reader systems, as well as RF tag or contactless smartcards.

The device also integrates the necessary host controller interface functions, in addition to interfaces for both the I2Cbus and SPIbus, and is compliant with the ETSI specification for Single Wire Protocol (SWP), which describes the connection between a mobile phone's UICC and the NFC controller.

Based on the technology and the architectures already implemented in ST's advanced SIM card range, the ST21NFCA includes the company's advanced ST21 smartcard microcontroller along with 36Kbyte of EEPROM, 112Kbyte of user ROM and 4Kbyte of RAM.

In addition, the chip includes an integrated RF analogue front end (AFE) and embedded firmware that supports the existing contactless standards for proximity and vicinity.

Additionally, the chip's fully integrated firmware provides fast and easy design and implementation for leading mobile phone and portable consumer equipment manufacturers.

"NFC technology has already proven that it has huge potential for a range of applications, such as secure payment via a mobile phone or electronic ticketing for travel", says Marie-France Florentin, ST's Smartcard ICs Business Director.

"And, now, with more than 20 years experience in smart cards and secure MCUs, together with its leading-edge silicon technology and key knowhow in wireless markets, ST is delivering a fully integrated and flexible system-on-chip that will enable the world's leading mobile phone makers to integrate NFC technology into their products with an extremely fast time to market".

Available in QFN32 packages, engineering samples will be available in Q2 2008 to lead customers and volume ramp-up is planned for Q4 2008.

Pricing for the ST21NFCA is US $3 per package in quantities of 1000.

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