Atmel - Starter Kit Expands Secure HF RFID capabilities to any Embedded Microcontroller System

The AT88CK201STK is the industry's smallest HF RFID reader appropriate for embedded microcontroller systems that is optimized for use with CryptoRF. CryptoRF is the industry's most secure passive HF RFID transponder for anti-counterfeiting of a wide variety of consumable products including consumer, medical, and industrial products, as well as for authentication in applications requiring secure identification and secure access. In addition, CryptoRF is great for applications like patron management and payment aspects of metering (energy, vending, laundry, parking etc.).

When compared to competing solutions, the AT88CK201STK achieves cost reductions and reliability improvements by limiting the number of external components without compromising performance. The design can easily exceed a 1cm read range with Atmel's 13mm square MX tag. It is based around Atmel's AT88RF1354 HF RFID reader IC that fully supports ISO 14443 Type B open standards for 13.56MHz RFID communications.

Complexity in designing and tuning the reader RF circuitry has been a barrier in embedding HF RFID capability, especially in area constrained designs, but the AT88CK201STK solves this problem. The reference design captures the RF complexities and exposes only well understood digital communication interfaces to the developer. The kit supports a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) or Two-Wire Interface (TWI) for easy connectivity to any embedded system.

Miniaturization and Robustness Creates New Possibilities. The tiny size of the reference design makes it possible to include HF RFID capability into physically small and confined spaces where it was never possible before. Measuring only 2cm x 1cm for the reader circuitry only or 7.2cm x 2.5cm for the entire board including connectors and a reference antenna, the AT88CK201STK especially targets space constrained applications like portable and handheld devices. Used with CryptoRF, gadgets like game consoles, appliances like medical equipment and similar applications can now securely pair with respective cartridges and surgical heads while confidentially sharing history or configuration information without the hassles of wired connectivity. Designed to operate in harsh environments (wet, dry, frost, mechanical vibrations, etc.) without the problems of dirty or worn contacts, it opens possibilities for wide variety of applications.

The CryptoRF reader reference design supports two operating voltages (3.3 or 5V) for increased flexibility or to accommodate power sensitive applications.

AT88CK201STK Starter Kit. This starter kit provides the capability to demonstrate HF RFID capability, support prototyping using a development system and/or facilitate connection to the end application system. Included is a reader board, separate AVR powered USB controller board USB extension cable for convenience and an assortment of CryptoRF tags. Complete reference design information including schematics, Gerber files, BOM, and development as well as demonstration software is available on Atmel's web site at www.atmel.com/Cryptokits.

The key to the Starter Kit is versatility through modularity. The separate CryptoRF reader board is specifically designed to 'plug-and-play' with existing Atmel microcontroller development systems such as the STK500/600 for fast application prototyping. For application systems or development tools without a compatible connector, the developer can connect individual pins of the low pin count SPI or TWI interface to their system using fly wires, or acquire the readymade adaptor board (AT88CK301ADP) from Atmel.

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 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 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.

AT88Microbase is a USB flash drive-like unit included in the kit that connects to the reader IC and contains an AT90USB AVR microcontroller preloaded with software for demonstration and evaluation. The AT88Microbase exposes JTAG signals to enable development and debug of general HF RFID applications or secure HF RFID applications when used in conjunction with CryptoRF. Evaluators simply plug the reader board into the AT88Microbase and start immediate evaluation. Firmware can also be developed directly on the AT88Microbase, if desired by the developer.