
MCRF202
DS21308E-page 4
2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
2.0
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
The device contains three major building blocks. They
are RF front-end and sensor input, configuration and
control logic, and memory sections. The Block Diagram
is shown on page 1.
2.1
RF Front-End and Sensor Input
The RF front-end of the device includes circuits for
rectification of the carrier, V
DD
(operating voltage), and
high-voltage clamping to prevent excessive voltage
from being applied to the device. This section also
generates a system clock from the incoming carrier
signal and modulates the carrier signal to transmit data
to the reader.
2.1.1
RECTIFIER – AC CLAMP
The AC voltage generated by the external tuned LC
circuit is full wave rectified. This unregulated voltage is
used as the maximum DC supply voltage for the rest of
the device and for the V
CC
supply to the external
sensor or switch. Any excessive voltage on the tuned
circuit is clamped by the internal circuitry to a safe level
to prevent damage to the IC.
2.1.2
MODULATION CIRCUIT
The MCRF202 sends the encoded data to the reader
by AM-modulating the coil voltage across the tuned LC
circuit. A modulation transistor is placed between the
antenna coil pads (V
A
and V
B
). The transistor turns on
and off based on the modulation signal. As a result, the
amplitude of the antenna coil voltage varies with the
modulation signal. See Figure 2-1 for details.
2.1.3
V
CC
REGULATOR
The device generates a DC supply voltage from the
unregulated coil voltage. The Vcc pin can be used to
power a separate low-current device (read range will
be affected).
2.1.4
CLOCK GENERATOR
This circuit generates a clock based on the carrier
frequency from the reader. This clock is used to derive
all timing in the MCRF202, including the baud rate and
modulation rate.
2.1.5
POWER-ON RESET
This circuit generates a Power-on Reset when the tag
first enters the interrogator field. The Reset releases
when sufficient power has developed on the V
DD
regulator to allow correct operation.
2.1.6
SENSOR INPUT AND DATA
INVERTER
The SENSOR input responds to logic high or logic low
voltages to drive the internal inverter on or off. A logic
high results in normal tag operation; a logic low at
SENSOR input activates an inverter, which inverts the
entire data stream prior to modulation.
The SENSOR input has an internal pull-down resistor
of 800 k
(
typical
)
. See Figure 2-4 for application
details.
FIGURE 2-1:
MODULATION SIGNAL AND MODULATED SIGNAL
MCRF202
Mod.
Signal
V
A
V
B
Mod. TR
Modulation Signal
Modulated Signal
(across V
A
and V
B
)
L
C
Amplitude
t