A true single SoC for UHF mobile RFID reader

Abstract

A true single SoC for UHF Mobile RFID Reader has been implemented in a 0.18μm embedded flash CMOS technology. The SoC includes 900MHz RF transceiver, PA, MODEM, MCU, memory and peripherals with fully compliant ISO/IEC 18000–6C and EPC Global Class1 Gen2 reader protocol. The receiver 1% PER sensitivity is −88dBm at RF input port. The class-A PA is integrated in the transmitter, with 20dBm CW carrier output power. The fully integrated fractional-N frequency synthesizer with a 3.6GHz LC VCO is implemented for low wide band phase noise. The LO phase noise is −104.7dBc/Hz at 100KHz offset frequency and −130.6dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset frequency. The SoC satisfies a multiple-interrogator environment's ACPR requirement of the ISO/IEC 18000–6C standard. In operating Tag read mode, the SoC dissipates 980mW when transmitting a 20dBm CW carrier signal. The die area of the SoC is 17.1mm2, of which 7.6mm2 is used by the 900MHz RF transceiver and PA.