RF430FRL152H: RF430FRL152 programming "over the air"

Hello Gunter,

You can program the device with factory defaults in this manner. See an explanation to this here: e2e.ti.com/.../1471942

Have you tested the program beforehand? Are you certain the ISR Vector table is being programmed correctly? A common issue would be for the ISR table become corrupt which would disrupt the ISO15693 stack and render the device unable to be programmed over-the-air.

What hardware are you using for programming your own device?

Hello Ralph,

the software is running without problems on the evm- board. But I am even not coming to the point that I could programm over the air, there is more or less only for a second a response from my device. The RF430s are new and never programmed before. I think is maybe a problem with the layout. Is a bit "dirty" because I made very fast for a test. The antenna matchs very good, I measured with a L-C-bridge exactly 3uH and 34pF. (13.7Mhz).

I tried first time to programm the device, but I tried only over the air (TRF 7970 A) . I have a MSP-FET too, but first I have to have a level- shifter. I am a bit lazy for assembling that.

Best Regards
Gunter Biesenbruch

Hello Gunter,

Layout could be a problem yes. It sounds more like an RF communication issue based on your description.

Are you using a TRF7970AEVM for the programming? If so you could try communicating with the tag just in basic manners... Inventory, Read Single Block, etc. using the TRF7970AEVM GUI to see if the RF communication is working, what kind of range you are getting, etc.

Hello Ralph,

I already made a test with the TRF7970AEVM. Is a kind of lottery. If the TRF7970 is showing with the red LED ISO 16...and I press in the same moment the execute button to read the inventory, it works. I think the problem is the RFID connection, but I don't have any idea where is the bug. I measured the inductance, is 3uH, the input capacity of the RF430FRL152 is 34pF (measured with HAMEG 8118 at 200kHz) , that should be ok. The rectified voltage on Pin 23 is approx 2.1V and more or less constant within 5cm.
The RF430 TMP-SNS and the RF430FRL HEVM shows a diffrent behavior. The red LED for the IOSO 16... connection is continiously on, if one of these EVMs are near to the TRF7970AEVM.

Best Regards
Gunter Biesenbruch

Hello Gunter,

Definitely sounds like an RF communication issue. I'm not sure about the reliability of your L and C measurements, we don't use such tools. We use a spectrum analyzer to observe the resonant frequency of the coil and can then adjust external caps if needed/as needed.

See Section 7.2: www.ti.com/.../sloa217

Hello Ralph,
I will try with the analyzer. I avoid up to now because of the input capacity of the probe, is not well defined. Something around 10pF, older Agilent 2 Ghz.

Thanks and Best Regards
Gunter Biesenbruch

Hello Ralph,

I guess I found the problem. The antenna is working good. I connected to the EVM and works. But I connected on my design the SVSS pin with GND, I saw now that SVSS is not VSS.....I made the same connection at the RF430 TMP-SNS and got the same result, works only for a second.

Best Regards
Gunter Biesenbruch

Hi Gunter,

Ahhh, yes this is a big problem. The virtual ground (SVSS) should never be tied to the chip's ground net. The virtual ground is used to raise the ground level for the SD14 ADC when measuring very low voltages.