New Dynamic NFC Tags with Increased I2C Interface Performance and Fast Transfer Mode Capability

STMicroelectronics has introduced new ST25DV-I2C dynamic NFC-tag ICs with increased I2C-interface performance that let the host system access the tag’s on-chip EEPROM more quickly and easily. The new ST25DV-I2C tags support contactless interaction with 13.56MHz RFID readers and NFC phones, permitting common use cases such as tap-to-connect pairing with NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) messages. These new tags also extend wireless capabilities, including support for arbitration that allows more convenient access to data written into the EEPROM through the RF interface. Moreover, the new ST25DV-I2C tag boosts productivity and efficiency in industrial applications such as smart metering, asset tracking, and logistics, and brings superior user experiences to medical equipment, smart-home devices and lighting, smart retail labels, and consumer products. 

These new tags retain their robustness and convenient features including support for Fast Transfer Mode and energy harvesting. ST’s innovative Fast Transfer Mode leverages a 256-Byte buffer to accelerate handling large files such as a host-system firmware update. Moreover, Integrated circuitry to control energy harvesting provides an unregulated output voltage for powering external components in battery-less applications.

ST25DV dynamic tags are compliant with the NFC Forum Type-5 specification and contain up to 64Kbits of EEPROM, with features including configurable password protection for user memory and an interrupt pin that can be programmed to respond to various events detected at the RF interface.

Features

• Two-wire I2C serial interface supports 1MHz protocol

• Single supply voltage: 1.8V to 5.5V

• Multiple byte write programming (up to 256 bytes)

• Single and multiple blocks write (up to 4) (same for Extended commands)

• Internal tuning capacitance: 28.5 pF

• Fast data transfer between I2C and RF interfaces

• Half-duplex 256-byte dedicated buffer

• User memory: 1 to 4 configurable areas, protectable in read and/or write by three 64-bit passwords in RF and one 64-bit password in I2C

• System configuration: protected in write by a 64-bit password in RF and a 64-bit password in I2C

Applications

• Smart metering

• Asset tracking

• Logistics

• Medical equipment

• Smart-home devices and lighting

• Smart retail labels

• Consumer products

Availability

The evolved ST25DV-I2C tags are now available in SO-8, TSSOP-8, and chip-scale packages including 8-lead UFDFPN, 12-lead UFDFPN, and WLCSP-10 and the prices start from $0.33 for orders of 1,000 pieces in the SO8 package with 4Kbit EEPROM.