Applications
Case Study; FeRAM for IC card chips
High-speed processing x stable communication = FeRAM：
A New Standard for IC Card Development
IC cards are widely used throughout the world. We have been developing and supplying custom chips for IC cards for more than 20 years. Here we introduce how FeRAM's features are utilized in IC cards.
Table of Contents
FeRAM Features and Benefits
The IC card is a small PC with hardware (CPU, cryptographic security, memory, storage, wireless communication, etc.) and software (OS, applications, etc.) in one set. FeRAM plays the role of memory and storage, and has the following advantages.
High-speed data updating that does not keep users waiting
FeRAM's high-speed writing enables instant updates of balance data, usage history, encryption keys, software, and other data on the IC card, keeping the user waiting. Additionally, although not visible to users, it offers the advantage of eliminating the need for software design considerations for power outages in internal operations.
Stable communication distance
FeRAM has the feature of low power consumption with the same current for reads and writes, and in wireless communication, it can operate at the same communication distance during read-heavy startup and write-heavy data updating. Therefore, it is possible to avoid errors such as “startup but no update” and to perform stable communication.
No need for rewrite count control
In IC cards, internal data is frequently updated, and while EEPROM requires protection by recording the number of rewrite cycles and changing the area used to prevent the maximum number of rewrite cycles from being reached, FeRAM with high rewrite endurance does not require such a control, thereby reducing the burden on software development. In addition, the memory capacity can be maximized because no spare area is needed.
FeRAM has been adopted in various places, such as major IC card vendors for electronic money and employee ID cards for major electronics manufacturers, etc. In some cases, the rewrite speed and number of rewrites of EEPROMs became bottlenecks in IC card performance, and the switch to FeRAM was made. In some cases, the processing speed has improved more than twice, depending on the type of process.
Summary
In IC cards used daily, FeRAM's high-speed writing and low-power communication technology contribute to a comfortable user experience. Additionally, its high write endurance helps reduce the development burden for customers designing OS and software during custom development. These features are not only beneficial for IC cards but also useful in many wireless applications.