CEA-Leti and Nokia Research
Center (NRC) have developed an RF front-end circuit that allows very high data
rate content exchange between a reader - typically a mobile phone - and a memory
tag. This circuit is currently used in the Nokia Explore and Share research
prototype.
The circuit exhibits 112 Mb/s data-rate, a dramatic improvement over traditional
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems.
The communication system merges two radio techniques: impulse Ultra-Wide Band
(UWB), used for data transfer, and narrow-band Ultra high frequency (UHF) signal,
used for synchronization and remote powering.
The same circuit is able to manage physical layer communication at both ends
of the communication link, i.e. the same front-end can be used either in the
memory tag or in the reader. Moreover, the circuit may power itself from the
narrow-band signal and provide power for an external non-volatile memory device.
The circuit also includes a battery-powered mode to increase the reading distance.
CEA-Leti and NRC will deliver a presentation on the circuit at the 2010 Symposium
on Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) Technology and Circuits. The 2010 VLSI
Symposium will be held on June 15-18, 2010 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
CEA is a French research and technology public organisation, with activities
in four main areas: energy, information technologies, healthcare technologies
and defence and security. Within CEA, the Laboratory for Electronics & Information
Technology (CEA-Leti) works with companies in order to increase their competitiveness
through technological innovation and transfers. CEA-Leti is focused on micro
and nanotechnologies and their applications, from wireless devices and systems,
to biology and healthcare or photonics. Nanoelectronics and microsystems (MEMS)
are at the core of its activities. As a major player in MINATEC excellence centre,
CEA-Leti operates 8,000-m² state-of-the-art clean rooms, on 24/7 mode,
on 200mm and 300mm wafer standards. With 1,200 employees, CEA-Leti trains more
than 150 Ph.D. students and hosts 200 assignees from partner companies. Strongly
committed to the creation of value for the industry, CEA-Leti puts a strong
emphasis on intellectual property and owns more than 1,400 patent families.
In 2008, contractual income covered more than 75% of its budget worth 205 M€.
Posted May 27th, 2010