Yuma+, a Secure RFID Development Kit powered by AVR Microcontroller, CryptoRF and MLX90121 RFID Transceiver - Atmel, Melexis

Atmel and Melexis introduced the Yuma+ RFID Development Kit, based on AVR microcontroller, secure CryptoRF chip and Melexis MLX90121 13.56MHz RFID Transceiver. The new secure RFID Development Kit helps developers focus on fast deployment of their secure RFID applications, no longer need depth understanding of the complex details of RFID standards and cryptography.

Yuma+ RFID Development Kit includes:

• Module board, which contains ATMega168 microcontroller and MLX90121 RFID transceiver IC
• Interface board, which connects to a PC through USB to provide an evaluation platform for the module.
• CryptoRF tags
• CD containing software, schematics, board layout and firmware image

Atmel’s CryptoRF is the 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. Benefits of this secure RFID device:

• Offers hardware security, which is superior to any software solution
• A hardware security solution makes attacks significantly more difficult
• Combines hardware security with key diversification, therefore delivering a superior security solution
• Key diversification scheme limits any attack to only one unit

About Melexis MLX90121 RFID Transceiver IC

MLX90121 is an ISO compliant 13.56MHz RFID transceiver IC. The main features include user selectable modulation depth in write mode, whereas single sub-carrier ASK, FSK and PSK modulations are recognized in the read mode.

Melexis MLX90121 RFID Transceiver Chip

 

Benefits of Melexis MLX90121 RFID Transceiver Chip:

• Conforms with ISO/IEC 14443A(1)(3)
• Conforms with ISO/IEC 14443B (2)
• Conforms with ISO/IEC 15693 (3)
• Programmable encoder and decoder for custom protocols
• Low external component count

The transmitter of MLX90121 uses a built in open drain output transistor, which can provide up to 250 miliwatts of RF power to a 50 ohms load with a 5 volts power supply using the recommended matching network. This is suitable for most short to mid range applications. A simplified antenna and matching network can be used, at the expense of a reduced reading range, for example in hand-held reader applications.

The receiver of MLX90121 is based on a diode envelope detector, followed by an IF filter and amplifier. A logarithmic amplifier is used for single subcarrier ASK detection, ensuring fast and clean data recovery. The limiting output of the log amp is used for FSK and PSK recovery.

Digital part of MLX90121 RFID Transceiver IC contains ASK, FSK (423 / 484kHz)and PSK (847kHz) decoders and a programmable encoder to facilitate data handling with a low cost microcontroller. The encoder can be programmed with 6 different patterns.

The MLX90121 can also be used as an analog frontend, in direct mode.

More Info:

• http://www.melexis.com/Wireless_ICs/RFID_Transceivers_1356MHz/MLX90121_78.aspx
• http://www.atmel.com/products/SecureRF/

Press Release:

Atmel and Melexis Introduce a Highly Secure Cryptographic RFID Development Kit

Atmel Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), and Melexis Microelectronic Integrated Systems N.V. (Euronext Brussels: MELE) announced their innovative development kit, Yuma+, for contactless, highly secure RFID transactions. The Yuma+ solution is based on Atmel’s secure CryptoRF chips, with 64-bit embedded cryptographic engines, Atmel’s AVR microcontroller and the Melexis MLX90121 reader IC.

With the Yuma+ kit, developers of secure RFID systems no longer need an in-depth understanding of the complex details of cryptography in order to deploy secure host-client RFID systems that depend on mutual authentication and data encryption. Yuma+ also eliminates the need to dive deeply into the details of the ISO14443B RFID standard, providing a fully turnkey reader and tag solution. Developers of secure RFID systems can now spend less time worrying about the intricacies of security and RFID and focus instead on fast deployment of their secure contactless applications.

Yuma+ includes a module board and an interface board. The module board which contains an AVR ATMega168 microcontroller, an MLX90121 RFID transceiver chip, and simple SPI connectivity is internally matched to connect to any 50 Ohm antenna for seamless incorporation into any system. The interface board connects to a PC through USB to provide an evaluation platform for the module. Yuma+ also comes with an assortment of CryptoRF tags, software CD with schematics, board layout files and a binary image of the firmware for quick and easy integration.

"Atmel and Melexis are collaborating on today’s applications and actual market needs," said Gilles Cerede, product marketing manager for Melexis. "CryptoRF, now available in a variety of shapes and sizes of robust tags, is the best solution for high security at a low cost compared to contactless microcontrollers. For Melexis, CryptoRF is a great complement and at the right price."

"Yuma+ offers customers an attractive alternative to current market solutions," stated Jean-Pierre Benhammou, business development manager for Atmel. "Thanks to their extensive RF experience and their proven design capability in the contactless reader area, Melexis has been able to design the best reader solution for our CryptoRF chip."

Availability and Pricing
CryptoRF devices, ATMega168 microcontroller and Yuma+ (AT88SCRF-ADK1) development kits are now available through Atmel’s normal sales channel. MLX90121 is available through the Melexis sales channel. The Yuma+ kit sells for $99.95.

About Melexis
Melexis Microelectronic Integrated Systems N.V. (Euronext Brussels: MELE) is a mixed signal semiconductor manufacturer. Our core experience supplying ICs for automotive electronics sustains the expansion into Application Specific Standard Products for industrial and consumer product applications. Melexis’ enthusiastically pursues its role as a component supplier whose innovations, while physically small, are the essential element in nearly every one of our customers’ extraordinary systems. At Melexis we believe that "Small things make a big difference". Melexis’ products include sensor, communication, actuator ICs and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs).

About Atmel
Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry’s broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets.

Atmel, logo and combinations thereof, AVR , CryptoRF and others, are registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries.