PN5180 Library Porting IRQ Issue

[alig_ones]

Hello, I am using PN5180 with MCU of another brand and trying to port NxpNfcRdLib_PN5180_v07.14.00_Pub to my project. I added NfcrdlibEx1_DiscoveryLoop example with PH_OSAL_NULLOS to the project. 

It does all the configuration, to test communication I printed firmware version of PN5180.

Then it calls DiscoveryLoop_Demo function to read NFC cards but it gets stuck when the 

phacDiscLoop_Run function is called. And I tracked to find exact location and see it waits for interrupt below:

I configured IRQ pin as rising edge but it never rise up. What can be the problem and how can I solve it?

[EduardoZamora]

Hello @alig_ones

Hope you are doing well.

Please consider that porting the NFC Reader Library to third-party platforms is out of our support scope, this porting is up to the customer. We have some porting guides for some MCUs from our portfolio: NFC Reader Library Porting FRDM_K64F, Using NFC Reader Library with LPC55S69 and NFC Reader Library Porting to i.MX RT1050 - NXP Community. Although you are using a third-party Host MCU, these guides may help you identifying the modifications that should be done for a different MCU.

By any chance, are you using the OM25180 Dev Kit, or is it a custom board based on PN5180?

Regards,
Eduardo.

[alig_ones]

Hello Eduardo,

I am using custom board based on PN5180. I changed LPCD mode to PHHAL_HW_PN5180_LPCD_MODE_DEFAULT, now I am getting interrupts, execution is not stuck anymore. But it can rarely read cards, which keyword I should look in NFC library to increase range?

As I read OM25180 can be used with GUI, can I use that with a MCU? Thank you.

This is the result when it can read:

[EduardoZamora · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Perhaps the behavior you observe might be related to the antenna. Since you are using a custom board, please confirm that you have followed the PN5180 Antenna Design and that your antenna is properly tuned. We also recommend following the NFC Antenna Design training series as it describes key aspects for the antenna, optimizing and debugging, and testing; this in addition to the NFC Antenna Tool and the NFC Reader antenna design tools.

For proper antenna design, antenna impedance must be measured by using an impedance analyzer or VNA. Such VNA can be used to measure the antenna coil as well as the antenna impedance including the matching circuit. You can take a look at the Measurement and tuning of a NFC and Reader IC antenna with a MiniVNA; this Application Note gives a guideline on how to measure and tune/match a NFC and Reader IC antenna with a MiniVNA network analyzer. Also, you can refer to How to use the NanoVNA for the NFC reader antenna design.

Regarding the GUI, I believe you are referring to the NFC Cockpit. PNEV5180B Evaluation Board is prepared to work with this tool; in this board, PN5180 is connected to an NXP LPC1769 µC via SPI. Something important to remark is that a specific firmware on the LPC1769 is required to use the PNEV5180B in together with the NFC Cockpit. For more information, please refer to NXP NFC Cockpit User Guide.

Regards,
Eduardo.

[alig_ones]

Hardware team changed the antenna design, now it reads well, thank you.