Tag Distance Testing With NFC Cockpit and OM25180FDK

[markshughart]

I'm looking into an RFID application, and trying to characterize tag read distance in different orientations. I can get NFC Cockpit and OM 25180FDK to read different tags (the ISO15693 "Inventory" option or Type A "REQA" depending on the tag). When I try to switch from the default antenna built on the board to the second included PCB antenna, I'm having a lot of trouble reading anything at all. I think this is because I don't understand all the settings exposed in NFC Cockpit, and haven't been able to find a video or Application note that walks me through what I'm trying to do. I am hoping someone here can help. It should be simple as I only care about how far away I can read a tag until I get firmware support from another team member.

Could someone help me set the board to max RF power, and I can cycle Type A REQA or 15693 Inventory? I don't need Dynamic Power at the moment, so I hope that simplifies the request.

[estephania_mart]

Hello, 

Have you checked the following resources? 

Quick start with NFC Cockpit|NXP 

NFC applications 3|NXP 

I believe that those can be helpful for you.

Regards, 

Estephania 

[markshughart]

Thank you Estephania. I had looked at those, and they were helpful on how to use the board and software for the first step. They didn't give me enough information to populate one of the matching boards for use with another antenna however.

What I used instead was AN11755 PN7150 Antenna Design and Matching Guide for guidance on what to do with the various signals coming from the development board. I used AN11246 to calculate the matching circuit given the EMC filter on the development board. Those tools allowed me to: match the antenna, give guidance on populating the RX pins, and informing me not to worry about the ANT pins as I do not need Card Emulation Mode.