Next-generation NFC chip from STMicroelectronics eases certification of digital car-key systems

ST25R3920B is first-to-market NFC Forum certified IC for CCC applications

STMicroelectronics has introduced the latest generation of its automotive-qualified NFC reader ICs for Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) digital-key applications, with enhanced features that increase performance and ease product certification.

The ST25R3920B is used in car-door and center-console locations for keyless entry and starting, as well as Qi wireless-charging control and smartphone pairing. The chip comes with ST’s unique Heartbeat algorithm for NFC card protection on Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) applications, which can differentiate between an NFC card and a smartphone in card-emulation mode. This ensures phones can charge while cards stay protected.

Additional new features include enhanced Active Wave Shaping (AWS) to ease certification according to the latest NFC Forum Certification Release 13 (CR13), which also promotes interoperability between CCC digital-key solutions and smartphones. AWS helps remove undershoot and overshoot from the received signal by adjusting parameters and hence avoids repeatedly rematching the antenna during development. The ST25R3920B also supports automatic antenna tuning and automatic low-power wake-up.

The ST25R3920B has output power up to 1.6W combined with best-in-class sensitivity to maximize interaction distance when installed in a location such as a car door handle, where space constraints call for a small-size antenna. The output power is dynamically adjustable to comply with upper and lower limits expressed in NFC Forum and EMVCo specifications.

In addition, by combining a highly noise-resistant input structure and ST’s unique noise-suppression receivers (NSR), the ST25R3920B has the market’s best immunity against external interference. It can also pass car manufacturers’ most stringent proprietary injected-noise tests to ensure safe operation in worst-case conditions.

Samples of the ST25R3920B are available now. Please contact your local ST representative for pricing details.