Advanced Smart Chip Technology

Providing significant improvement in write speeds and operational performance, the RF360 is developed to specifically meet the demands of the government ID market. To do so, the RF360 integrates TI’s ultra-low power MSP430 microcontroller, advanced embedded memory FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) and high-performance RF Analog Front-End (AFE) technologies. TI plans to manufacture the RF360 IC platform at the advanced analog-front-end 130-nanometer semiconductor process node giving customers significant advantages in terms of die size and power efficiency over existing solutions.

RF360 smart integrated circuit platform for the government identification market   The Texas Instruments RF360 is the first contactless smart integrated circuit (IC) platform developed specifically to meet the rigorous demands of the government electronic identification market. It integrates TI's ultra-low power MSP430 microcontroller, advanced embedded Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FRAM) and high-performance RF Analog Front-End (AFE) technologies. Leveraging a low power architecture and enhanced write capability, the RF360 smart IC platform provides fast chip transaction speeds enabling governments to quickly and efficiently produce a multitude of passive electronic identification (ID) such as electronic passports (e-passports) and national ID cards. (See www.ti.com/govid.)

The RF360 smart IC platform will be developed at the advanced 130 nm semiconductor process node providing significant advantages in terms of die size and power efficiency.

FRAM – The Next Level of Performance Beyond EEPROM

FRAM enables faster personalization, higher document manufacturing yields, the ability to incorporate future additional biometric data and “write-on-the-fly” capability. It is a key technology for next-generation government ID solutions.

• Fast write speeds – Eliminates the difference between write and read times
• Superior performance – Due to low voltage and ultra low-power operation
• Enhanced data reliability – Superior radiation hardness and inherent tearing protection
• Inexhaustible write endurance – More than 10 million times higher write capability (FRAM has100 trillion write/read cycles)
• Scalable for future needs – Significant reduction in IC manufacturing process steps, smaller cell size and more memory capability

RF360 Microcontroller – Ultra Low Power Consumption for Contactless Applications

Ultra-low power architecture is critical to passive (batteryless) contactless applications such as national IDs and e-passports. The RF360 leverages TI’s MSP430, the world’s most power-efficient microcontroller, as an integral component to achieving faster data-write speeds and transactional reads.

• Reduced, yet robust, instruction set and high code efficiency drives faster processing
• Architected to consume less power
• Designed to minimize engineering and porting costs, the RF360 is accompanied with a mature and easy-to-use development kit

Answering the Security Call

The RF360 platform provides both the memory and processing power to accommodate current and future security and encryption requirements, such as Basic Access Control (BAC) and Extended Access Control (EAC) requirements developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It integrates advanced security countermeasures and is designed to meet the stringent requirements of the Common Criteria EAL5+ security certification per the BSI (Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik) Smartcard protection profile (BSI-PPP-0002). The RF360 platform features innovative, fast hardware co-processors on chip which support both public key cryptography (RSA, Elliptic Curve) and symmetric key cryptography (DES/Triple DES, AES). The RF360 architecture supports both contactless (ISO/IEC 14443 air interface protocol) and contact (ISO/IEC 7816 smart card interface protocol) communication.