ams and STMicroelectronics Join to Launch Breakthrough Solution for Secure NFC Mobile Payments and Transactions - Seite 2

ams' new AS39230 boosts the signal on the antenna, increasing the signal strength up to 10 times when compared  with  conventional passive load modulation (PLM) methods of transmitting a signal from an NFC tag, card, or card emulator to an NFC reader. In space-constrained designs, the size of the antenna can thus be reduced by as much as 20 times, down to 100mm² or less, while maintaining the same signal strength. The AS39230 even allows for the device's metal casing to be used as an antenna, reducing the board space required for the NFC antenna and its related costs to nothing.

Paired with ams' boostedNFC chip, ST's ST54E System-in-Package (SIP) contains the ST21NFCC controller and the ST33G1M2 32-bit secure microcontroller for Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), embedded Secure Element, and microSD-card applications.

The ST33G1M2 Secure Element, which supports the latest Global Platform GP2.2 OS and the complete MIFARE^® portfolio including MIFAREClassic and MIFARE DESFire^®, offers market-proven best-in-class performance for banking and digital-access applications along with full compatibility with major worldwide transportation schemes. Based on the ARM^® SecurCore^® SC300(TM) 32-bit RISC core, the ST33G1M2 delivers Common Criteria-certified security features, together with a large and flexible embedded eFLASH, which allows OEMs and service providers to plan for future implementations with proven TSM (Trusted Service Management) infrastructure compatibility.

The AS39230 and ST54E support all important NFC standards governing card emulation, including ISO14443 type A/B, FeliCa at data rates up to 424kb/s, active peer-to-peer bit rates of 212kb/s and ISO18092 communication at up to 424kb/s.

"Consumers will continue to use their phones or smart watches for mobile payments and contactless ticketing only if the technology works faultlessly every time, no matter how they present their device to the reader. By combining the world's best-performing active boost technology in the AS39230 with ST's advanced NFC System-in-Package, OEMs ensure that they are not leaving their device's card emulation capability to chance," said Mark Dickson, Director of Marketing in the Wireless Connectivity and Power Division of ams.