Atmel Introduces New CryptoRF Wireless ICs
A New Family of Secure RF Devices with Data Encryption is Now
Available for the Contactless Smart Card and Industrial Radio
Frequency Identification (RF ID) Markets
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 2003--
Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:ATML) announced today a new
CryptoRF(TM) family of devices for contactless smart cards and
industrial RFID. CryptoRF is available with 1K to 64K bits of memory,
advanced security and cryptography. These encrypted devices provide
much higher security than traditional proximity ID badges. Customers
will enjoy many of the same security features found in
microcontroller-based RF smart card systems. Because this solution
does not require the added expense of an operating system or ROM
development resources, these products are lower cost and faster to
market. The higher capacity memories are capable of storing photos and
biometric information for even greater security. Based on an open
system architecture, these devices offer customers the freedom to use
a wide variety of RF readers. CryptoRF chips are ideal for securely
storing sensitive data in applications such as e-purse, passports,
visas and healthcare cards.
"These new CryptoRF products provide numerous options for
customers in the contactless market to customize security with an
off-the-shelf product," said Kerry Maletsky, ASIC/ASSP Business Unit
Director at Atmel Corporation. "Atmel is the only semiconductor
manufacturer to provide a full family of RF products that allow
multiple applications with different levels of security on the same
card."
Customers can mix and match CryptoRF memory sizes as data
requirements change without expensive ROM or RF reader changes. An
identical mutual authentication and cryptography algorithm is used by
all CryptoRF devices, allowing single- and multi-application cards to
be used in the same application without increasing system development
costs. The security features of CryptoRF are identical to those in
Atmel's CryptoMemory(R) contact smart card IC family, providing
current CryptoMemory customers a simple migration path from contact to
contactless applications.
CryptoRF utilizes a 13.56 MHz RF communication interface with a
robust anticollision protocol, and is optimized for a multi-card RF
communications environment. Its multiple zones, passwords and 64 bit
keys are programmed by the customer to fill individual application
requirements. These encrypted RF devices can be used with any reader
compatible with ISO/IEC 14443 Type B cards.
High-volume pricing in module form will range from $0.35 to $0.80
depending on the memory capacity. These devices are in production and
development kits are available now. Samples of this product family are
available in wafer, smart card and RF module form.
About Atmel
Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose,
Calif., with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe.
Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic,
mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also
a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions
using CMOS, BiCMOS, SiGe, and high-voltage BCDMOS process
technologies.
Atmel, the Atmel logo and CryptoMemory are registered trademarks
and CryptoRF is the trademark of Atmel Corporation or its
subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be the trademarks of
others.
Information
Atmel's product information may be retrieved at:
http://www.atmel.com/products/SecureRF/.
CONTACT: Atmel Corporation
Vicki McCann, 719/540-1724
Marketing Communications Manager, USA
vmccann@cso.atmel.com
Veronique Sablereau, +33 1 30 60 70 68
Corporate Communications Manager, Europe
veronique.sablerear@atmel.com
