NXP Semiconductors PN5180 User manual

AN11744
PN5180 Evaluation board quick start guide
Rev. 1.3 — 2 February 2018 Application note
371213 COMPANY PUBLIC
Document information
Information Content
Keywords PN5180, PNEV5180B, PN5180 evaluation board, PN5180 customer board,
PN5180 GUI, GUI, PN5180 Support Tool, NFC Cockpit
Abstract This document describes the PNEV5180B 2.0 (PN5180 evaluation board),
and how to use it. It describes the NFC Cockpit (PN5180 GUI Version 4.7),
which allows an easy basic access to the PN5180 registers and EEPROM in
combination with basic reader functionality.

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PN5180 Evaluation board quick start guide
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Revision history
Rev Date Description
1.3 20180202 Update for NFC Cockpit 4.7 (VCOM version), RxMatrix test added, Scripting added
1.2 20160407 Update for NFC Cockpit 2.3, EMVCO App added
1.1 20151125 Section 8 References updated
1.0 20151124 First release

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1 Introduction
This document describes the PNEV5180B 2.2 (PN5180 evaluation board), which
provides an easy evaluation of the features and functions of the PN5180.
It provides the first steps to operate the board, using the NFC Cockpit (PN5180 GUI
Version 4.7).
The default antenna is a 65mm x 65mm antenna with some metal layer inside the
antenna area. This antenna is not an optimum antenna as such, but intends to
demonstrate the performance and register settings of the PN5180 under typical design
constraints like LCD or some metal (e.g. PCB) inside the antenna area.
1.1 PN5180 registers & EEPROM concept
The PN5180 uses internal registers to adapt and optimize the functionality and
performance for each of the supported protocols and data rates dependent on the
connected antenna, matching network and receiver path. It offers an EEPROM, which
contains the default settings for all the supported protocols. These settings are loaded
into the registers with the LOAD RF_CONFIG command for each supported protocol and
data rate
The default EEPROM configuration settings are optimized for the 65mmx65mm antenna
of the board PNEV5180B, and can be updated by the user in case a customized
antenna and matching network is used. The command LOAD_RF_CONFIG allows to
initialize multiple registers with an efficient single command, and allows to distinguish
between transmit and receive configuration. Update of the registers relevant for a
selected protocol is done by copying the content of EEPROM addresses to registers.
Not all protocols require the initialization of all or the same registers, the command
LOAD_RF_CONFIG considers this by initializing the registers relevant for the currently
selected protocol only.
The EEPROM content can be updated using the command UPDATE_RF_CONFIG. The
command does not require any physical EEPROM address, but works directly with the
register address information and the protocol for which this data is intended to be used.
This allows a convenient initialization of all relevant values for operation.
Some of these settings can or even must be adapted towards a new antenna design
(e.g. the DPC calibration). All those settings should be stored in the PN5180 EEPROM to
allow a proper functionality.
Some EEPROM configuration data is independent from the used protocols and defines
e.g. the startup behavior of the PN5180 or the functionality of Low Power Card detection
and requires attention as well for optimum performance of the chip.
1.2 PNEV5180B concept
The basic concept of the PNEV5180B is to enable the user to perform a quick
evaluation of the PN5180, and also connect his own antenna to the PNEV5180 board.
In addition, dedicated boards which allow to solder custom matching components are
available. The NFC Cockpit can be used to optimize the PN5180 antenna tuning, to
perform the DPC calibration and the related TX and Rx optimization without touching any
source code.

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All the relevant PN5180 registers can be modified and fine-tuned using the NFC Cockpit.
After successful register optimization, the found settings can be stored in the PN5180
EEPROM.
The NFC Cockpit also allows a dump of the complete user EEPROM content into an
XML file. This file then can be loaded again into the EEPROM. That allows to manage
and exchange different user or antenna configurations. In addition, the register settings
found to work well using the NFC Cockpit, can be used during user code development as
well.
As soon as the register settings for the targeted protocols and data rates are defined, the
NFC Reader Library including the HAL can be used to start the development of the user
application. Examples illustrate the usage of the library for typical use cases.
The source code examples of the NFC Reader Library can be used to develop an own
application directly on the LPC1769 (see [5]), or can serve as a starting point for porting
the NFC Library to any other microcontroller platform.
2 Hardware
The PNEV5180B V2.2, as shown in Fig 1, provides a lot of test functions which might
not be used for the typical hardware and software evaluation. It can be used as a simple
standard reader without modification, it can be used to define and optimize the analog
settings for any connected antenna or it can be used to develop and modify any RFID
and NFC application based on the NFC Reader Library.
2.1 Hardware introduction
The PN5180 is supplied with a supply voltage, which can be chosen between: internal
and external supply. For the internal supply either 5V or 3.3V can be used. The external
power supply can be an AC or DC supply (polarity does not matter) with at least 7.5V,
since the board provide a rectifier and LDO to supply the circuit with 5V and 3.3V.
The PN5180 is connected to an NXP LPC1769 µC via SPI. A specific firmware on the
LPC1769 allows to use the PNEV5180B in together with the NFC Cockpit.
The connection to the PC is done via USB. Both USB Mini and USB Micro connectors
are supported.
Another connection option allows to connect a LPC-LINK2 board the PN5180B by means
of a debug cable. This allows the development of custom software or the execution of the
NFC Reader Library code including samples.
In case a different host microcontroller shall be used, the SPI interface is available for
connection to an external host (the on board LPC1769 is not used in this case).

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1. Version 2.0
Figure 1. PNEV5180B Customer Evaluation Board
Figure 2. PNEV5180B 2.0 top view
2.2 Schematics
The complete schematics of the PN5180 evaluation board are shown in the Fig 3, Fig 4,
Fig 5, Fig 6, and Fig 7.
2.2.1 LPC1769
The PNEV5180B contains an NXP LPC1769 (see Fig 3).
An LPC Linker can be connected to the LPC1769 via the JTAG interface (see Fig 4).

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Figure 3. LPC1769

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JTAG Interface
Serial EEPROM not assembled
Figure 4. JTAG interface and Serial EEPROM
2.2.2 Power supply
The default settings use the power supply from the USB connector. For the maximum
performance and a better test capability the external power supply should be connected.
The AC or DC power input can cover any power supply providing an AC or DC voltage
between 7.5 and 12V.

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1. USB supply, external supply & and LPC1769 supply
Figure 5. Power supply
As soon as the board is supplied with power, the red LED LD100 must be on.
The PN5180 evaluation board provides two LDOs, one for 5V and one for 3.3V. 5V LDO
is only be used, if the external power supply is connected and used (J101 default).
Three jumpers can be used to evaluate the different power supply options:
J101: either external or USB power supply (default)
J303: either VBAT = 5V or 3.3V (default)
J300: closed (default) or to measure the ITVDD
2.2.3 PN5180
The PN5180 is shown in Fig 6.
The default clock is based on a 27.12 MHz crystal, but the board supports external clock
input, if needed.
During the antenna tuning and overall hardware design typically the ITVDD must be
checked. This can be done with the JP300 (“TVDD”), either using an external power
supply or just using an ampere meter instead of the jumper.
The relevant test signals can be derived from the test pins at the bottom of the board.

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Figure 6. PNEV5180B 2.0 PN5180
The antenna connection uses the standard tuning circuit. The EMC filter is designed with
a cut off frequency of fEMC = 15 MHz, and the antenna impedance is tuned to Z ≈ 20Ω.
1. The matching components might be adapted due to antenna layout changes.
Figure 7. Antenna
Note: The antenna impedance tuning and measurement must be done with R = 10Ω
between ANT1 and ANT2.

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The symmetrical tuning (see Fig 8) improves the transfer function compared to the
standard “asymmetrical” tuning and thus allows to use a higher system Q factor, which
results in a higher field strength. The disadvantage of the loading effect, which causes
an increased current ITVDD, is compensated with the PN5180 Dynamic Power Control
(DPC, for details refer to [4]).
1. Including 10Ω between ANT1 and ANT2
Figure 8. PN5180 evaluation board antenna tuning
2.3 Jumper settings
Three jumpers can be used to evaluate the different power supply options:
J101: either external or USB power supply (default)
J303: either VBAT = 5V or 3.3V (default)
J300: closed (default) or to measure the ITVDD
Fig 9 shows the default jumper settings for operation powered via USB.
Fig 10 shows the jumper setting for the operation externally powered.

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1. Default settings, power supply via USB
Figure 9. PNEV5180B 2.0 Default jumper settings

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1. External power supply: V ≥ 7.5V
Figure 10. PNEV5180B 2.0 jumper settings for external power supply
3 Driver installation
The PNEV5180B 2.0 evaluation board is delivered with a graphical user interface
application (GUI), the NFC Cockpit (refer to [6]). The NFC Cockpit can be used to
explore the functionality of the PN5180 and perform RF and antenna design related
tests. It allows a direct register access as well as EEPROM read and write access, and it
allows to test and calibrate the DPC. It offers the major relevant functions to support the
antenna tuning in customer designs and optimize the PN5180 settings. The NFC Cockpit
therefore can be used to fully configure & test the PN5180.
3.1 PNEV5180B PC driver
The PNEV5180B requires a PC driver to be installed. The NFC Cockpit package contains
two different PC drivers: The older version of the NFC Cockpit (2.3 or lower) required
an ABEND driver (using the ABEND interface). This interface has been replaced with a
VCOM interface, so the ABEND driver is not required anymore.
The VCOM driver is automatically installed with the installation of the NFC
Cockpit itself. However, it can also be installed by simply starting the c:\nxp
\NxpNfcCockpit_v<VERSION>\VCOM\install_vcom.bat
After installation of the VCOM driver, the connected PNEV5180B must show up like
shown in Fig 11, if the latest LPC FW is installed on the PNEV5180B.

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Note: The (default) PNEV5180B still uses the ABEND interface – and therefore does not
show up like shown in Fig 11 in the first-time use! First time users please continue with
3.2.3.
1. VCOM driver installed & PNEV5180B connected: here showing up as COM3
Figure 11. PNEV5180B with new LPC FW connected to the PC
3.2 PNEV5180B LPC Firmware
The LPC firmware as installed by default on the PNEV5180B 2.0 is outdated. So, an LPC
firmware update might be required.
Note: Do not mix up the LPC 1769 firmware (LPC FW or “Secondary FW”) with the
PN5180 FW. The LPC FW is required to “connect” the PN5180 to the NFC cockpit, while
the PN5180 FW is part of the PN5180 functionality and can only be updated via the
secure firmware update procedure.
It is strongly recommended to use the latest NFC Cockpit version (check [6]) in
combination with the latest LPC FW. The LPC FW is part of the NFC cockpit installation
package.
3.2.1 Legacy 1: Update from previous version, VCOM already installed & used
The PN5180B can be connected to the PC, and the NFC Cockpit can be started, if the
VCOM drivers had been installed and used before. The NFC Cockpit shows a warning, if
LPC FW or PN5180 FW or not up to date, as shown in Fig 12.
1. Example: LPC FW as well as PN5180 FW is not up to date
Figure 12. NFC Cockpit warnings in the Log Monitor

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The LPC FW update can be easily done with the <Secondary FW> tab of the NFC
cockpit, as shown in Fig 13. The recommended LPC FW is located in: C:\nxp
\NxpNfcCockpit_v<VERSION>\firmware\Secondary_PN5180\
1. The secondary FW can be found in C:\nxp\NxpNfcCockpit_v<VERSION>\firmware
\Secondary_PN5180\
Figure 13. NFC Cockpit Secondary FW (LPC FW) update
After the LPC FW has been flashed, the connection must be reconnected (Close Port ->
Open Port): Follow the NFC Cockpit guidance.
3.2.2 Legacy 2: Update from previous version, ABEND driver installed
The LPC FW update is triggered automatically, when the NFC Cockpit is started the first
time, if the correct (old) ABEND drivers are installed. In such a case, the user simply
needs to accept the update and follow the NFC Cockpit guidance.
Note: These ABEND drivers are not used anymore for the operation of the NFC Cockpit,
except to update the LPC FW to a VCOM version.
3.2.3 First time use: Update from ABEND to VCOM
The LPC firmware as installed by default on the PNEV5180B 2.0 uses the ABEND
interface and is outdated. So, an LPC firmware update is required.
There are two options to update the LPC FW:
Option 1: Using the automatic update function of the NFC cockpit. This requires the
ABEND drivers to be installed!
Step 1: Install the ABEND driver (see 7.1).
Step 2: Update the LPC FW with NFC Cockpit (see 3.2.2).
Option 2: Using the mass storage mode of the LPC FW. No ABEND driver needs to be
installed. This is the recommended option.
Step 1:

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The original (default) LPC firmware provides a mass storage mode, which can be used to
install or update the firmware. To activate the boot loader, close the SW200 (button not
assembled), while powering up the PNEV5180B, as shown in Fig 14.
1. SW200 to enter “USB mass storage” mode
Figure 14. LPC Bootlader mode
This registers the device as USB mass storage device on the PC as shown in Fig 15.
This mass storage device contains one file: the “lpc_main.bin”.
This file needs to be removed (delete), and the new firmware binary file must be copied
from
C:\nxp\NxpNfcCockpit_v<version>\ABENDToVCOM\fw\lpc_main.bin
into the storage device.
As soon as the upload is done, the folder closes and the USB storage device is
automatically disconnected from the PC.

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1. After reboot with SW200 shorted.
Figure 15. LPC 1769 as USB device (from default LPC FW)
The LPC on the PNEV5180 will automatically reboot and then the PNEV5180B is ready
to be used with the NFC Cockpit.
3.2.4 Re-installing LPC FW after IDE use
The LPC1769 might be used for software development together with one of the samples
(including the NFC Reader Library, see [7]). In such case the LPC FW must be re-
installed afterwards, if the PNEV5180B is supposed to be used together with the NFC
Cockpit again. Reason for this is that any software development using the LPCXpresso
will erase the default firmware.
Therefore, the LPC FW needs to be re-flashed:
c:\nxp\NxpNfcCockpit_v<VERSION>\firmware
\Secondary_PN5180\BootLoader_And_Nfcrdlib_SimplifiedAPI_EMVCo_Secondary.bin
Binary file that has already stacked Boot loader from address 0x0000 onwards and
Upper Secondary Application at address 0x4000. So, this file can be used to flash on
LPC1769 as a single binary from address 0x0000 onwards using relevant Debuggers/
Flash Programmers.
In any case the correct PC driver must be installed, before the NFC Cockpit can be used
with the PNEV5180B 2.0 evaluation board.

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4 PN5180 NFC Cockpit
The PN5180 NFC Cockpit can be installed and started (see Fig 16).
1. Status when starting the NFC Cockpit with connected PNEV5180B board, but older PN5180 FW is used.
Figure 16. NFC Cockpit Initial view
After starting the NFC Cockpit, the communication link between the PC and the
PNEV5180B (via the LPC interface) is enabled automatically.
Note: The PN5180 NFC Cockpit is a development tool, and therefore allows many
different kind of operations, even “useless” ones at a first glance. The correct use of the
NFC Cockpit is required to operate the PN5180 properly.
Example: without enabling the Field no card can be operated, even though the PN5180
can be operated.
4.1 NFC Cockpit Reader tab
The Fig 17 shows the activation of a MIFARE DESFire card, using the <Load Protocol>
+ <Field On> + <Activate Layer3>, followed by <Activate Layer4>. The PN5180 NFC
Cockpit shows the card responses like ATQA, SAK, and ATS.
Afterwards the ISO/IEC 14443-4 protocol can be used to exchange data. The Fig 17
shows the MIFARE DESFire command “Get Application ID” (0x6A), which returns the
AIDs.
Note: Make sure that either the CRC is enabled or added manually in the data field.

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1. 0x6a = Get Application ID command of MIFARE DESFire EV1
Figure 17. PN5180 NFC Cockpit: Activation of a MIFARE DESFire EV1 card + Get Application ID
Similar functionality does exist for ISO/IEC 14443 A and B, for NFC type F, for ISO/IEC
15693 and I-Code ILT communication.
Be aware that a LOAD_RF_CONFIG command must be executed manually before the
corresponding protocol settings are loaded from the EEPROM into the registers. This can
be used to perform
1. <Load Protocol> (e.g. type A 106)
2. <Field On>
3. <Single REQA> (using the EEPROM settings)
4. Select a TX register, e.g. RF_CONTROL_TX, enable
TX_SET_BYPASS_SC_SHAPING
5. Change some register bits, and write back into RAM
6. <Single REQA> shows the register changes (probing the field and checking the
envelop)
This allows an easy and quick optimization of Tx and Rx parameters before changing the
EERPOM.
1. <Load Protocol> (e.g. type A 106)
2. <Single REQA> (using again the EEPROM settings)
4.2 PN5180 Register access
The PN5180 NFC Cockpit allows the reading and writing of all the PN5180 registers (see
Fig 18).

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Selecting a register reads and shows the hexadecimal content as well as the
corresponding bit values. The input allows to change each bit separately as well as
writing hexadecimal values. Writing back the value changes the PN5180 register.
A help function automatically shows a brief description of the (part of the) registers itself,
if the mouse is moved over the names.
Note: Some register content cannot be changed manually (“read only”) and some
content might be overwritten by the PN5180 firmware.
1. Register area is a RAM area, i.e. might be overwritten or changed automatically.
Figure 18. PN5180 register access
4.3 PN5180 EEPROM access
The NFC Cockpit allows different options of EEPROM access (see Fig 19):
EEPROM area for RF_CONFIG
All registers, which are used in the LOAD_RF_CONFIG command, can be read directly
from the EEPROM: The user must select the “register” and the protocol.
All registers, which are used in the LOAD_RF_CONFIG command, can be directly written
into the EEPROM. The user must select the “register” and the protocol.
This allows an easy EEPROM update of the relevant TX and Rx registers after
optimization in RAM.
EEPROM area 0x00 … 0xFC
•Read EEPROM
Reads a single byte from EEPROM using byte address from 0x00 to 0xFC
•Write EEPROM

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Writes a single byte into EEPROM using byte address from 0x00 to 0xFC
Store and restore the complete EEPROM
•Dump EEPROM
Stores the complete “user area” of the PN5180 EEPROM into a XML file. This can be
used to generate a backup of all settings or to transfer optimized settings onto another
board or into own software. This includes the RF_CONFIG area.
•Load EEPROM
Load a XML file and stores the content into the user area of the PN5180 EEPROM. The
format is fixed and must fit.
1. EEPROM means User area of the EEPROM, details refer to [1]
Figure 19. PN5180 direct EEPROM access
4.4 PN5180 Dynamic Power Control
The DPC tab provides the functionality to easily perform a correlation test, a DPC
calibration and the DPC trimming (see Fig 20). The detailed functionality is described in
[4], but also the video tutorials might be a good help (refer to [8]).