Date: 12/05/2009
Industry standard NFC controller chip from NXP Semiconductor
NXP Semiconductor has released industry standard Near Field Communication (NFC) controller chip, which can be integrated into mobile phones. NXP claims, this IC is the world's first truly industry standard Near Field Communication (NFC) controller.
The new PN544 chip complies with latest NFC specifications by European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI). Mobile phones with this device can support contactless e-transaction applications such as mobile payments, transport and event ticketing and data sharing directly from the mobile phone SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) for improved on-the-go experience.
"In 2008, the GSMA Pay-Buy-Mobile initiative called for full NFC functionality including the standardized SWP protocol to be available from mid-2009, therefore we very much welcome the introduction of this fully standard compliant NFC product by NXP," said Nav Bains, Senior Director Mobile Money, GSM Association.
"Standardized SIM-based NFC chipsets provide a solid foundation for NFC adoption. They provide handset manufacturers, mobile operators, banks, transport operations and a host of other players, with a platform for their NFC developments" said Jonathan Collins, principal analyst, Short Range Wireless, ABI Research. "Standardisation will also help other organisations align their businesses to support mobile contactless services - stimulating the market further."
PN544 is fully compliant with all released NFC specifications on the Single Wire Protocol (SWP) connection with the SIM and the Host Controller Interface (HCI). NXP worked with SIM card manufacturers Gemalto, Oberthur Technologies and Giesecke & Devrient to ensure SWP interface interoperability including support of the MIFARE technology. The new NFC controller is fully backwards compatible and interoperable with existing contactless infrastructure for payments and ticketing, already in place across the world.
"NXP co-invented NFC with the aim of putting the mobile phone at the centre of the consumer's world and the launch of this latest NFC chip brings that aim even closer", said Chris Feige, general manager, Near Field Communication, NXP Semiconductors. "Through extensive dialogue with all players in the NFC mobile ecosystem, we've created a solution which will help mobile operators, banks, retailers and services providers to offer new services enabling them to diversify their business and adding real value to the end user."
PN544 supports Secure Element within the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), within the SD card and within the mobile handset (embedded Secure Element: PN544 plus Smart MX security chip in a pin to pin compliant solution).
Other notable features of PN544 are:
1. Works in battery-off and battery-low modes
2. MIFARE 1K/4K Reader/writer functionality enabled in host baseband
3. Optionally available with an modular, generic and platform independent software stack
Availability: sampling now, mass volumes in Q3 of 2009.