Earlier this week, Bits & Pieces dove into Atmel’s industry-leading performance portfolio for RF devices operating in license-free ISM frequency bands, including 5.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 868 to 928 MHz, 433 MHz and 315 MHz.
Today, we’re going to discuss Atmel’s CryptoRF lineup, a 13.56MHz RFID (radio-frequency identification) device family equipped with a 64-bit embedded hardware encryption engine, mutual authentication capability and up to 64Kbits of user memory.
“These low-cost chips are virtually impossible to copy and offer hardware security that is superior to software security solutions,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “As such, CryptoRF ICs are ideal for applications that are prone to counterfeiting, require a permanent chain of ownership, or use contactless smart cards for cash transactions. They are also appropriate for use in adverse environmental conditions where dust, dampness, or temperature extremes can cause problems for digital devices.”
As noted above, CryptoRF devices are safer than standard passwords, simply because mutual authentication between host and client is accomplished with a unique cryptogram randomly generated for each transaction. Meanwhile, a key diversification scheme limits any attack to only one unit, with user memory divided into as many as 16 separate sections – allowing several different levels of read and write access.
Additional key specs include:
- Diverse packages – The chips are available in many multiple shapes and sizes; tags in a variety of shapes can be developed for high-volume application.
- Host-side simplicity – The Atmel CryptoCompanion chip provides simple, plug-and-play authentication on a host (interrogator) device.
- Development tools – Comprehensive reference designs, demonstration kits and application software facilitate implementation into existing products.
Interested in learning more about Atmel’s CryptoRF portfolio? A full breakdown is available here.
