ASIC Tracks Cars Through Processing

An industrial RF tag low-voltage ASIC dedicated for remote automotive fabrication process control is at the heart of a system that's used to identify an item throughout the manufacturing process. The tag board measures approximately 8 x 4 cm and contains all of the circuit elements required to complete the RF link, including the two RF antenna for transmission and reception at 1.83 GHz and 915 MHz. The ASIC includes an analog part with functions that include: filtering and amplification of the signals; conversion to and from digital format; protection against overvoltage; generation of a fully integrated, high-precision system clock oscillator; and elements for intelligent power management. The digital subsystem enables the communication protocols between the tag board and the different readers. The ASIC also provides a communication link with the reader at speeds up to 20 kbps and has its own system clock at 400 kHz.