NXP launches triple bi-directional receiver for long distance car functions

Mantra_NXP_CarKeyChip.jpgAt the IAA international motor show in Frankfurt, Germany, NXP Semiconductors announced the new Mantra RF portfolio — a family of high-performance transceivers and receivers for secure car access and vehicle management from as much as 500 yards away.

The chip family offers a long-range, two-way RF link that enables robust bi-directional communication between key fob and car over a distance of several hundred meters. Car keys with Mantra enable users to conveniently check the fuel, battery levels, and latest maintenance data from a distance. Car owners can also verify if the doors and windows are locked, remotely operate the locks, start the car and pre-set the car’s temperature.

NXP claims that the new Mantra RF solution is the new industry benchmark for secure bi-directional long-range communication.Designed for the mid-to-high-end car access market, the Mantra family offers very high sensitivity and blocking performance for improved robustness against radio jamming and undisturbed signal reception.

Key Features

  • Multi-channel transceiver and receiver solutions.
  • Single IC for bands (315, 345, 426, 434, 447, 868, 915, 950 MHz).
  • Simultaneous reception of up to three channels in parallel.
  • Two RF inputs allowing sequential antenna diversity.
  • Low receiver power consumption.
  • Flexible customization at ultra-low power with the programmable uC core.
  • High-performance, low-noise front end.

The family of chips, offers a triple-receiver for simultaneous reception of up to three channels. This multi-channel reception ensures that no signals are missed, offering very high system robustness at very low power consumption.

It enables the integration of different receiver units, such as tire-pressure monitoring, car diagnostics and car management, into the car-access module to reduce the overall system costs. The Mantra family provides strong security and authentication features to prevent unauthorized access.