Change/fine tune RF settings PN7160 reader

[matthijs869]

I'm trying to change/fine tune RF settings on my devkit (OM27160A), especially about the reading range/distance. I am reading AN13218 - PN7160 RF settings guide and am trying out different RF settings. I am also using the PN7160 RF Setting builder (ver 1.0) tool. It's helpful, but at some point I also "broke" the devkit, cause it could not read my tags anymore.

The tool gave me these values for 3C, for example:

0xA0 0x0D 0x06 0x3C 0x2D 0x05 0xXX 0x1E 0x01

nxp_rf_settings_builder.png

I checked the default settings for RF_CLIF_CFG_BR_106_I_RXA_P, which looks like this?

nxp_default_setting.png

So I reversed it by doing this:

nxp_default_setting_in_code.png 

Now it works again, but am I doing this right? Why does the tool give me a nonworking configuration? Also, 0xDC 0x40 0x04 0x00 looks nothing like 0x05 0xXX 0x1E 0x01. So I don't really understand what I'm doing here.

By the way, I figured RF_CLIF_CFG_BR_106_I_RXA_P (Transition ID 3C) would be interesting, since RXA stands for A type cards (since I'm using DESFire) right?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Tomas_Parizek]

Hello matthijs869, 

Thanks for choosing the PN7160 and using our RF Settings command builder ! 

The principle of the tool is that user should match the target value in the tool with the default value listed in in PN7160 RF Settings guide. 

Once this is done, user can adjust the RF settings. 

An example: 

User wants to change RX Gain in Reader mode for transition ID 0x20. 

1. Open the tool, choose the right register for RX Gain and right transition ID.  

Tomas_Parizek_0-1727680095071.png

2. Press "Get Command". Open the PN7160 RF Settings guide and check the default value for RX Gain, transsion ID 0x20. 

Tomas_Parizek_1-1727680203538.png

3. Match the value in the tool with the value listed in the app. note 

Tomas_Parizek_2-1727680292281.png

4. Now, user can adjust the RX gain as needed. E.g. RX_GAIN_I to 39dB.

Tomas_Parizek_3-1727680395709.png

Now to your specific issue. For some reason, It can happen that the user cannot match the value in the tool with the value in RF Settings guide.  E.g. the default RF Settings have been updated but the RF Settings builder not.

It looks like it is the case of CLIF_SIGPRO_RM_CONFIG1_REG. In that case I would suggest the following approach: 

1. Select the right register and transition ID

2. Mark the "Enter Register Value" and write the default value "DC400400" and press "Get command" 

Tomas_Parizek_4-1727680940226.png

3. Change the value of MIN_LEVEL and MIN_LEVEL_P to get DC 40 04 00

Tomas_Parizek_5-1727681050148.png

4. Adjust the the MIN_LEVEL and MIN_LEVEl_P as you need. 

Tomas_Parizek_6-1727681088582.png

Sorry for that inconvenience, I will check why the default value in the tool does not fit.

BR

Tomas 

[EduardoZamora]

Hello @matthijs869

Default values and the way to optimize them are strongly dependent on the type of antenna used (size, topology, characteristics) and the design of the matching/ tuning network.

Some default configuration should be optimized for the dev kit antenna; something important to remark is that our NFC Readers are designed to provide a max of 10cm reading distance.

By any chance, have you referred to the PN7160 RF Settings Command Builder Video? This session demonstrates the tool usage. Also, software supporting MIFARE devices is under NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), and you will need to request it from the Secure Files. For more information on this, please refer to NDA online form and Secure Access Rights.

Regards,
Eduardo.