/NFCBusiness

Using NFC to create a PCB business card that does not need a battery

NFCBusiness

Overview

In order to stand out to potential employers I wanted to create my own variation on the PCB business card. I wanted my badge to do more than just look intresting. However, batteries are bulky and expensive. With the sheer number of phones equiped with Google pay/apple pay NFC in phones is becoming increasingly common. I think this makes NFC equiped PCB business cards a natural combination.

RF430

This project uses a clever little chip, the RF430FRL154HCRGER. This chip is a variant on TI's MSP430. This one combines a NFC RF front end with a MSP430. We will be programming with a JTAG header and I will be building an accompanying POGO pin programming jig.

D6 CharliePlexing Variant

There is a way to use CharliePlexing to drive seven LEDs with only two GPIO. This does not give you control of individual LEDs, but works in convient pairs for displaying dice values.
Charlie's_Dice

Programming Jig

Created a programming Jig that uses POGO pins, https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/mill-max-manufacturing-corp/0906-0-15-20-76-14-11-0/ED8180-ND
This consists of two different PCBs that can all be stacked to reach the desired result

Status

1Jan2019 - Completed and ordered version 1
17Jan2019 - IT WORKS! While the antenna leaves much to be desired it is good enough to register on my phone! Need to improve antenna and create programming jig.
18Jan2019 - Fixed issues, created new PCB antenna, ordered version 2
19Jan2019 - Found issue with V2, created V2a. Completed V1 Programming Jig and ordered from JLCPCB.

Inkscape image JLCPCB Render