RFID Tag over Bluetooth?

[Oleh]

Dear

Is there a possibility within Nordic SoC to make a passive RFID Tag which will connect to SmartPhone via Bluetooth?

Just like µBlue Series, but smaller and using energy harvesting? Is it feasible at all?

Thank you&Regards

[Ole Morten]

It isn't clear to me exactly what you need, but any kind of BLE Peripheral device can be made with the nRF51822. However, the radio is a pure 2.4 GHz device, so it can not be used directly with any kind of passive RFID solutions, which usually employs completely different frequency bands.

[Oleh]

Hello Ole

thank you for your reply!

I was just wondering if I can have a solution like a RFID-passive-tag and as a reader just smartphone having bluetooth v4 (ble)?

So to say, not involving any additional reader.

[Ole Morten]

You can make a device that can be read with a BLE capable smartphone, and if you have some kind of energy harvesting, it would probably be possible to make it battery-less. However, it will not be possible to make it pick up the energy from the device reading, like proper passive RFID.

[Oleh]

I see, thank you!

What is the smaller chip/config for BLE?

Some 5 x 5mm QFN are there. The nRF51822 in WLCSP is only 3.5x3.8mm -- which is great. But it is overkill for my needs: too powerful.

I would really need not more then 64KB and 8bits MCU would be enough.

[Ole Morten]

For general-purpose application, you'd have to either use the nRF51822 or the nRF8001. The nRF51822 is available as QFN48, 6x6 mm, and WLCSP. The nRF8001 is available as QFN32, 5x5 mm, but requires an additional application processor.

My guess on what would be the smallest-to-largest solutions would be:

• WLCSP of nRF51822, the ST BAL-NRF02D3 balun and a chip-antenna.
• QFN of nRF51822, the ST BAL-NRF01D3 and a chip-antenna.
• QFN of nRF51822, ST BAL-NRF01D3 and a PCB-antenna.
• QFN of nRF51822, discrete match and PCB antenna.
• Any solution including an nRF8001. My recommendation for the nRF51822 therefore still stands. Remember that it's also available in a 128 kB variant, of which the BLE softdevice takes 80 kB.