How do RFLevel values change the sensitivity of the RF Level Detector on the PN512?

[user_leo]

Increasing the RFLevel increases the V~Rx [Vpp] based on the table 155 in the pn512 datasheet. What does that mean in terms of sensitivity for the RF Level Detector? Does raising the V~Rx[Vpp] mean I am increasing sensitivity? 

Does increasing RFLevel increase the gain for some kind of amplifier thereby increasing the sensitivity or is it raising some type of threshold thereby decreasing the sensitivity? 

Thank you

[EduardoZamora]

Hello @user_leo

Hope you are doing well.

The RF level detector detects the presence of an external RF-field delivered by the antenna to the RX pin. The values listed in Table 155 should correspond to a typical voltage that would be seen at the RX pin. However, the sensitivity itself depends on the antenna configuration and tuning.

Lower sensitivities are prone to intrinsic noise in the environment, causing misleading results. To increase the sensitivity of the RF level detector an amplifier can be activated by setting the bit RFLevelAmp, but it would be recommended to use it with upper values.

Regards,
Eduardo.

[user_leo]

Thank you for your reply.

So as RFLevel increases from 0x00 to 0x0F I am increasing the sensitivity of the RFLevel Detector? Or is it the other way around where the sensitivity of the RFLevel Detector is increasing as RFLevel goes from 0x0F to 0x00.

Thank you

[EduardoZamora · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Sensitivity should increase as RF level value goes from 0xF to 0x0.

Regards,
Eduardo.