Why PN532 does not see ISO 14443-4 compatible card?

[tsamppa]

I am using ESP32 and SeeedStudio PN532 Grove-NFC module and VSCode with Arduino extension and SeeedStudio PN532 library in HSU mode with HW serial.

Here is the Grove NFC v1.1 module I am using:
https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Grove_NFC/#grove-nfc-v11 

The setup works fine and I can read the UID of ISO 14443-3A Mifare Classic 1k cards and tags correctly. But it does not react at all when approached with a Fudan FM1280 card that is ISO 14443-4 compatible (ISO 14443-4 NXP - Mifare DESFire EV1 4k).

Command GETFIRMWAREVERSION (0x02) to PN532 returns:

Found chip PN532
Firmware ver. 1.6

Command INLISTPASSIVETARGET (0x4A)

returns with timeout for the Fudan FM1280 card, but works well for others.

So the module does not react at all when presented with the Fudan card.

For the Fudan FM1280 card, the Android NFC Tools application reports:

Tag type:  ISO 14443-4 NXP - Mifare DESFire EV1 4k
Technologies available: IsoDep, NfcA, NdefFormatable
ATQA 0x0344
SAK 0x20
ATS 0x7661756C74697434

Here is my communication trace that tries for both Type A and Type B in a loop for the communication with the Fudan Desfire card:

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** GetFirmwareVersion()
Sending: 00 00 FF 02 FE <D4 02> 2A 00
Response: 00 00 FF 06 FA <D5 03 32 01 06 07> E8 00
Chip: PN532, Firmware version: 1.6
Supports ISO 14443A:Yes, ISO 14443B:Yes, ISO 18092:Yes

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** SamConfig()
Sending: 00 00 FF 05 FB <D4 14 01 14 01> 02 00
Response: 00 00 FF 02 FE <D5 15> 16 00

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** SetPassiveActivationRetries()
Sending: 00 00 FF 06 FA <D4 32 05 FF 01 05> F0 00
Response: 00 00 FF 02 FE <D5 33> F8 00
Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** GetGeneralStatus()
Sending: 00 00 FF 02 FE <D4 04> 28 00
Response: 00 00 FF 06 FA <D5 05 00 00 00 80> A6 00 00 
GetGeneralStatus: D5 05 00 00 00 80 len: 6
Previous error: No error
Field detected: 00
SAM status: 80
State of the CLAD line High

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** ReadPassiveTargetID A()
Sending: 00 00 FF 04 FC <D4 4A 01 00> E1 00
Response: A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 00 00 FF 03 FD <D5 4B 00> E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
ReadPassiveTargetID A returned: D5 4B 00
Cards found: 0

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** ReadPassiveTargetID B()
Sending: 00 00 FF 05 FB <D4 4A 01 03 00> DE 00
Response: A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 00 00 FF 03 FD <D5 4B 00> E0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
ReadPassiveTargetID B returned: D5 4B 00
Cards found: 0

For Mifare Classic 1K I get:

Send WakeUp packet: 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

*** ReadPassiveTargetID A()
Sending: 00 00 FF 04 FC <D4 4A 01 00> E1 00
Response: A8 A8 A8 A8 00 00 FF 0C F4 <D5 4B 01 01 00 04 08 04 53 4C 48 FA> ED 00 00 00 00 00 00
ReadPassiveTargetID A returned: D5 4B 01 01 00 04 08 04 53 4C 48 FA
Cards found: 1
Card UID: 53 4C 48 FA
Card Type: ATQA= 0x0004, SAK= 0x08
UID: 53 4C 48 FA

What might be the reason?

Are there some parameters in the intialisation of the PN532 that could help?

Or is it power consumption issue?

Is the antenna too small?

I am desperate to get the UID of this Fudan Desfire IsoDep card to work with my setup.
Can someone please help what I could try to do?

Or where I could get more help?

Or would the MFRC522 module support this card as an option?

Or what reader module I have to get for ESP32 preferably with Grove connector and HSU? 

Thanks in advance!

[EduardoZamora]

Hello @tsamppa

Hope you are doing well.

Please consider that PN532 is not recommended for new designs. For new designs, we recommend PN7160. Also, you can take a look at our NFC Readers portfolio.

I will recommend checking your inquiry with the manufacturer of the card you are trying to work with in order to check if there are any additional considerations that need to be taken into account.

Regards,
Eduardo.

[tsamppa]

I've tried with several modules and hardware, so the hardware should be ok. ESP32 can produce 600mA of 3.3V current, so that should not be a problem either and the antenna is separate from the PCB and comes with the SeeedStudio Grove-NFC module.

Any help or ideas to try, please?

[tsamppa]

I tested with some other ISO 14443-4 type Desfire tag and it works.

But I need to get the Fudan FM-1280 to work.

I am suspecting that the antenna is not delivering enough power to the Fudan card.

Are there any settings in e.g. CfgItem = 0x0A: "Analog settings for the baudrate 106 kbps type A" (PN532 User Manual page 104) that could help?