ST25R3916 - Is it implementable in an Android device?

[Don1]

We have a current device that utilizes the st25r3911b and the stollmann stack.

Now that the Stollmann NFC protocol stack is no longer, is there a stack that can replace it in Android in the the ST world and the ST25R3916 or is NXP the only NFC solution for Android?

I'm a hardware engineer on theproject.

Thanks for reading,

Don

[Ulysses HERNIOSUS · Accepted solution]

Hi Don,

Android phones typically use the Broadcom NFC stack (libnfc-nci). Also phones like Pixel 4 which features ST54J interfaces to my knowledge to the libnfc-nci.

So if you have an MCU with a firmware talking NCI to interface with ST25R3911/16 you should be able to easily integrate into Android environment.

Regards, Ulysses

[Don1]

Ulysses,

I have looked all over the ST site and can find no reference designs that implement NCI 2.0 on a microcontroller to support the ST25R3911/16.

The only thing that seems to be available are proprietary NDEF and RFAL implementations: https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/products/embedded-software/mcu-mpu-embedded-software/stm32-embedded-software/stm32cube-expansion-packages/x-cube-nfc6.html

The ST54 has the ST21NFC series part in it and it is not available to us because we are not a big phone mfg. They have the NCI interface and firmware so it does appear that ST has the means to implement NCI 2.0 and have achieved NFC Forum certification it's just that it ST doesn't seem to extend that effort to the rest of the product line.

We would really like to continue with the AMS/ST instead of the TI devices because they perform so well electrically but the lack of middleware makes it so we are in a bind.

Can you point us to a NCI middleware solution?

Thanks,

Don

[Ulysses HERNIOSUS]

Hi Don,

as already written in private message: please address your local ST representatives and we will try to support you on this topic.

Regards, Ulysses

[Don1]

Ulysses,

We have worked with the ST representatives and it is as I feared.

ST Android solutions are limited to large volume ( >> 10k) vendors.

There is some NDA protected development going on but it is not a schedule driven project.

Long story short. ST currently has no Android based solution for low volume customers.

We are implementing the PN7150.

Thanks for your help.

Don