NXP Chip Powers Toppan Forms' NFC Module In Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops
NXP Semiconductors, a leader in contactless security ICs, and Toppan Forms, a leading Information Management solution provider, recently announced that their jointly developed Near Field Communication (NFC) reader / writer module "TN33MUE002L" has been adopted by Lenovo in three ThinkPad laptop models for the global market: the T410, T510 and W510. When built into a PC or a peripheral device, the module solution supports a variety of security and convenience features enabling transactions such as online banking, E-commerce, E-government online access and secure log-in for PCs.
This NFC reader / writer module is the first of its kind to be released to global markets. It is based on NXP Semiconductors' PN533 NFC IC, a highly integrated transmission module for contactless communication at 13.56 MHz including a microcontroller, and Toppan Forms expertise in hardware module and software driver packaging. This newly developed module solution is compatible with the leading contactless smart cards in the market today; including MIFARE, the world's most widely used contactless smart card technology, and FeliCa, the contactless card system widely used in Japan for transportation and electronic payment applications. The module solution is also compatible with open standard (ISO 14443 types A and B) cards, which are used worldwide in many banking, government and public deployments, such as e-Passports and Japanese drivers licenses.
Katsuhiko Moriyama, General Manager, Toppan Forms, said, "With the launch of this ground-breaking module, Toppan Forms plans to expand its NFC reader/writer business to become the de-facto standard in the computer industry. We anticipate that the introduction of NFC readers to PCs will help NFC technology to mature and rapidly capture a much wider consumer base. In addition to the PC market, we are now turning our attention to other applications such as cell phones and consumer electronics devices, which can also benefit greatly from many of NFC's features."
Henri Ardevol, General Manager Secure Transactions, NXP Semiconductors, added, "This is a significant project in which we are deploying NFC reader infrastructure into the PC environment. The expansion of NFC into these kinds of platforms will provide exciting new possibilities for consumers to experience secure transactions on their PC, such as authentication of payments, secure online banking and a range of government services."
The module utilizes a PC/SC conformant driver and is compatible with existing PC/SC applications, allowing it to integrate seamlessly into most existing security and payment applications. The reader is Windows Certified and is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The module driver is available through Toppan Forms' NFC Software Development Kit for PC/SC. This software allows developers to produce contactless card-enabled applications much faster and with greater flexibility.
About NFC (Near Field Communication: ISO/IEC 21481)
NFC operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range, over a distance of typically a few centimeters and combines the functions of a contactless card (FeliCa, MIFARE or ISO 14443A/B cards), a contactless reader and peer-to-peer functionality on a single chip. Developed jointly by NXP Semiconductors and Sony Corporation in 2003, NFC technology enables consumers to securely exchange and store all kinds of information, simply by bringing two devices close together. In addition, NFC automatically configures and initiates wireless connections, such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, enabling devices to communicate at longer ranges or transfer data at higher rates.
About Toppan Forms
Toppan Forms is a leading company of Information Media Technologies such as Contact-less Smart Card and RFID in Japan where the technology and services are already widely adopted as a social infrastructure. With the advent of the ubiquitous society under way, Toppan Forms has strategically positioned NFC technology as the next generation core technology encompassing hardware, software, and services that will be developed and provided for laptop and other electronic devices not only for Japan but also for the global market.
About NXP Semiconductors
NXP Semiconductors provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions that leverage its leading RF, Analog, Power Management, Interface, Security and Digital Processing expertise. These innovations are used in a wide range of automotive, identification, wireless infrastructure, lighting, industrial, mobile, consumer and computing applications. Headquartered in Europe, the company has approximately 28,000 employees working in more than 25 countries and posted sales of USD 3.8 billion in 2009.
SOURCE: NXP Semiconductors