ams Launches NFC Smart Sensor IC for Traceable, Accurate and Disposable Wireless Temperature Loggers

AS39513 acquires and stores time-stamped temperature measurements
while ope-rating from a thin printed battery, making it ideal for smart
labels used in cold-chain monitoring

PREMSTAETTEN, Austria–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor
solutions, today introduced the AS39513, an NFC sensor tag and data
logger IC for smart labels which enables more efficient and accurate
monitoring of the condition of assets such as food, pharmaceuticals and
healthcare products in storage and in transit.

The new device is a complete digital sensor with an NFC front end that
can easily be integrated into smart labels. A unique ID as well as
logged temperature and other data stored in its internal memory can be
read by any authorized NFC reader such as a smartphone or tablet.

Smart labels based on the AS39513 enable manufacturers, shippers and
retailers to examine detailed logs of the conditions in which individual
packages in a shipment have been kept, and to establish for instance
whether perishable goods such as fresh food are in perfect condition on
arrival.

The AS39513 provides a complete solution for temperature monitoring and
NFC connectivity. It includes an NFC front end, a temperature sensor and
an analog interface to an external sensor. Other functions integrated in
the IC are a real-time clock, a 10-bit ADC, a configurable data-logging
engine, a 9kbit password-protected EEPROM and a serial peripheral
interface (SPI) to connect to an external microcontroller. The AS39513
is available as a bumped die or in a chipscale package which is only
0.3mm high.

Powered by a single-cell (typically 1.5V) or dual-cell (3V) battery, the
AS39513 can store up to 1,020 time-stamped sensor measurements. Fully
compliant with ISO15693 and NFC-V (T5T) stan-dards, it can be read over
a range of a few centimeters with an NFC mobile phone. An extended read
range of 1-2m can be achieved when using dedicated ISO15693 readers,
offering the ability to read multiple AS39513 tags simultaneously in
cabinets or refrigerators.

The new AS39513, which supersedes the ams SL13A sensor tag, has a
higher-performance temperature sensor which offers guaranteed accuracy
of ±0.5°C in the critical range from -20°C to 10°C, and ±1°C over an
extended range from -20°C to 55°C.

The AS39513’s integrated temperature sensor makes it ideal for use in
cold-chain monitoring pro-ducts such as smart labels used in the food,
pharmaceuticals and healthcare sectors. It is powered by the ams
Cool-Log™ engine, which allows for full control and configuration of
logging modes and timings. Temperature measurements can be taken at
fixed intervals, or triggered when the temperature crosses a set
threshold, or by a signal from an external device.

The Cool-Log engine is one of the core innovations in the AS39513 as it
offers operational flexibility and ultra-low power consumption without
the need for a microcontroller. Drawing just 2µA of stand-by current,
the AS39513 can autonomously log temperature data for more than a year
on a 30mAh single-cell battery1. This superior power
performance enables the use of smaller and cheaper batteries, paving the
way to farm-to-fork item-level tagging. The chip operates in passive
mode and harvests energy from a reader’s incoming RF field, supplying
external circuitry with a current of up to 3mA at 1.8V.

“The AS39513 is a fully integrated smart wireless sensor which lets
manufacturers, shippers and retailers verify that pharmaceuticals, food
and other goods have been properly stored and transported. It enables
them to acquire detailed records of the temperature and other conditions
in which a single package has been kept, and if necessary reject the
shipment”, said Giancarlo Cutrignelli, Head of Marketing for the
Wireless Sensor Nodes business line at ams.

“In addition, by using modern RFID assembly processes in conjunction
with printed electronic batteries, our customers can reduce
manufacturing costs and comply with the most stringent regulations for
environmental protection, such as RoHS, REACH and EU Directive
2006/66/EC, making smart sensor tags truly disposable and eco-friendly”,
he said.

The AS39513 is available in production volumes now. Unit pricing is
US$1.19 in order quantities of 5,000.

A demonstration kit, including an evaluation board and a sample app for
devices running on the

Android™ operating system, is available from the ams ICdirect online
store. For more technical information and to request samples, please go
to www.ams.com/NFC-Sensor-Tag/AS39513.

Download press picture at http://www.ams.com/eng/Press/Press-Releases/

1 Actual tag lifetime may vary based on measurement rate,
battery chemistry and temperature-related discharge profile.

Contacts

ams
Patricia Moosburger, Media Relations
phone: +43 (0) 3136
500 31235
[email protected]
www.ams.com