Latest Technical Details About Embedded

RF Identification

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) involves contactless reading and writing of data into an RFID tag's nonvolatile memory through an RF signal. Adding an external antenna to a chip is all that is needed for a complete an RFID tag. The reader emits an RF signal and data is exchanged when the tag comes in proximity to the reader signal. The RFID tag derives its power from the RF reader signal and does not require a battery or external power source.

Atmel offers a complete line of contactless RFID products (ICs, micromodules and complete transponders) operating at 125 kHz, 134.2 kHz and 13.56 MHz. Adding an external antenna is all that is needed for a complete RFID tag. Atmel also offers reader chips for a complete RFID system. Applications include security and access control, manufacturing and logistics, brand protection, and animal indentification.

Click here for the latest RF Identification brochure.

Click here for the HF 13.56 MHz Secure RFID: CryptoRF.

Secure RFID: CryptoRF

CryptoRF® is the world's first 13.56 MHz RFID devices with a 64-bit embedded cryptographic engine, dual authentication capability, and up to 64 Kbits of memory, each with up to 16 individually configurable sectors.

CryptoRF product labels, tags, and cards are virtually impossible to copy. These low-cost security devices are ideal for applications that are 1) prone to counterfeiting such as high-value consumer items and software, 2) require a permanent record of the chain of ownership such as pharmaceutical tracking, or 3) use contactless smart cards for cash transactions like bus passes, loyalty, or campus cards.

Why use CryptoRF:

• Offers hardware security, which is superior to any software solution
• Combines hardware security with key diversification, therefore delivering a superior security solution
• A hardware security solution makes attacks significantly more difficult
• Key diversification scheme limits any attack to only one unit
• Shorter application development cycle time
• Atmel is #1 in hardware security

Secure Dynamic Mutual Authentication Capability
CryptoRF devices have a 64-bit embedded hardware encryption engine, four sets of non-readable, 64-bit authentication keys, and four sets of non-readable, 64-bit session encryption keys. Rather than using passwords that are easily captured during contactless transactions, CryptoRF devices use the authentication keys, session encryption keys and a random number to generate a unique identity, or "cryptogram", for each transaction. The host reader and the CryptoRF device must both be able to duplicate each other's cryptograms before any data can be accessed or written.

Dual Authentication Supports Cash-Equivalent Cards
Uniquely, CryptoRF devices allow two completely independent users, each of which has its own separate authentication key to access the same section of the memory. This feature is useful for applications such as cards used in cash-transactions..

Royalty Free ISO1443-B RF Interface. Atmel's CryptoRF devices integrate a 13.56 MHz radio based on the ISO 14443-B standard with a range up to 10 cm. CryptoRF is deliverable as modules for creation of RFID cards, complete RFID tags, and thinned wafers.

Development Tools
Atmel offers a comprehensive range of CryptoRF reference designs, demonstration kits and application software that facilitate the implementation of CryptoRF into existing products in applications such as contactless payment, product authentication, patient safety, and patron management.

Possible Applications:

• Production Authentication
• Public Transportation
• Anti-Cloning
• Driving License
• Track and Trace
• E-Purse
• Energy Meters
• Health Cards
• Campus Cards
• Logistics Management
• Secure Access Control
• Anti-counterfeiting
• Identification
• Insurance Cards

Download a brief animated movie that shows how CryptoRF security meets your RF application needs:

• Windows Media 14.8 Mbytes

Click here for 125 kHz RF Identification products.

CryptoCompanion™
CryptoCompanion provides plug-and-play host-side cryptographic security for embedded systems. This plug-and-play convenience means that designers do not have to design or test the cryptographic algorithms. The companion chip implements the necessary algorithms and the entire protocol completely in hardware. It's fully tested and guaranteed to work properly with all CryptoMemory/CryptoRF chips.

To validate the authenticity of a consumable or replaceable item (a.k.a. client) connected to a system (a.k.a. host), there must be some secret information stored in both the client and the host. The CryptoMemory and CryptoRF devices provide a secure location to store this secret data in the client and the CryptoCompanion chip provides a way to securely store this secret in the host.

CryptoRF Reader Chip
CryptoRF Reader Chip AT88RF1354, performs all RF communication, packet formatting, decoding, and communication error checking and is based on the ISO/IEC 14443-2 Type B signal modulation scheme and ISO/IEC 14443-3 Type B frame format, used by more than 60% of the vendors of RFID host readers. Data is exchanged half duplex at a 106k bit per second rate. A two-byte CRC_B provides communication error detection capability. The AT88RF1354 can be used with both RFID transponders and contactless smart cards and is compatible with 3.3V and 5V host microcontrollers with two-wire or SPI serial interfaces. The highly integrated reader IC requires fewer external components than competing RFID reader chips, resulting in a lower BOM and is available in the smallest package option obtainable today - a 6mm x 6mm, 36-pin QFN.