What is Apple ECP and why does it matter?

PN7161 provides Apple ECP-related reader hardware. Apple Wallet or VAS authorization, certification, credentials, and application software remain the customer's responsibility.

Is the PN7161 a drop-in replacement for the PN7160?

Do not assume a drop-in replacement. Validate interface, wiring, form factor, and host software. In the ELECHOUSE Arduino library, PN7161 uses the PN7160-compatible selection; there is no separate PN7161 model enum.

Does the PN7161 support ISO 15693?

Yes. The PN7161 supports ISO 15693 (vicinity cards), ISO 14443A/B, NFC Forum Types 1–5, and FeliCa — the same protocol set as the PN7160.

What platforms is the PN7161 compatible with?

PN7161 I2C can be integrated with ESP32, Arduino-compatible hosts, Raspberry Pi, and Linux. Arduino/ESP32 uses the ELECHOUSE library; Linux uses separate NXP middleware configuration.

PN7161 NFC RFID Module (I2C) – HF Multi-Protocol

Quantity	Price
1 - 9	$31.80
10 - 99	$28.80
100 - 999	$24.80
1,000+	$24.40

PN7161 NFC RFID Module (I2C)

The PN7161 NFC RFID Module (I2C) is the standard I2C member of the PN7161 family. Compared with PN7160, it adds support for Apple’s Enhanced Contactless Polling (ECP) while keeping the same I2C integration style, dimensions, and Linux/Android driver model.

If you need Apple ECP hardware support on an I2C-based design, this is the correct PN7161 module. If your project uses SPI instead of I2C, use the PN7161 MINI V1 — SPI version.

Apple integration boundary: PN7161 provides the related reader hardware capability. Apple Wallet / Apple VAS authorization, certification, application software, and key or account access remain the customer’s responsibility.

Why Choose PN7161 I2C

Standard I2C interface for controllers built around SDA/SCL
Apple ECP support for Apple Wallet and Apple VAS related reader projects
Same general footprint and software model as PN7160
Suitable for Linux, Android, Raspberry Pi, ESP32, and embedded development

Key Specifications

Chip	NXP PN7161
Interface	I2C
Protocol Stack	NCI 2.0
Apple ECP	Supported
Logic Supply (VDD)	1.8 V or 3.3 V; must match host I/O
RF Supply (VANT)	3.3 V or 5 V; software preset must match
Dimensions	42.83mm × 40.53mm

Supported NFC Functions

Reader / Writer
Peer-to-Peer
Card Emulation
ISO 14443A / 14443B
ISO 15693
MIFARE and FeliCa

Typical Applications

Apple Wallet compatible NFC reader projects
Access control and payment terminals
Embedded Linux and Android NFC devices
I2C-based controller boards and gateways

PN7161 I2C to ESP32 Typical Wiring

PN7161 I2C	ESP32	Notes
SDA	GPIO21	I2C data
SCL	GPIO22	I2C clock
IRQ	GPIO14	Interrupt
VEN	GPIO13	Enable / reset
VDD	3.3V	Logic supply
VANT	3.3 V or 5 V	RF / antenna supply; select the matching software preset
GND	GND	Common ground
DWL	GPIO19	Optional control pin

RF Supply and Library Configuration

VANT supports either 3.3 V or 5 V. VDD is the host-I/O logic supply and must match the host logic level; do not connect 5 V to VDD. The physical VANT voltage and the software power preset must match. The module does not auto-detect VANT. Verify that the selected host or external VANT rail has enough current capacity for RF peaks.

RF supply mode	Power wiring for a 3.3 V host	ELECHOUSE library setting
3.3 V RF supply	VDD=3.3 V, VANT=3.3 V, common GND	Use library source version 3.1.2, commit `10a1cb2` or later and set `PN71XX_FIXED_VBAT_3V3 1`.
5 V RF supply	VDD=3.3 V, VANT=5 V, common GND	Use the normal external-5V preset and set `PN71XX_FIXED_VBAT_3V3 0`.

For the repository’s shared I2C examples, define the power mode before including Electroniccats_PN71xx_ExampleTransport.h:

#define PN71XX_USE_SPI 0
#define PN71XX_FIXED_VBAT_3V3 1  // 1 for 3.3 V VANT; 0 for 5 V VANT

These macros take effect through pn71xxConfigureExampleTransport(nfc). In a custom I2C sketch, explicitly select PN7160 in the constructor; the shorter three-argument I2C constructor defaults to PN7150 and will not use the PN7160/PN7161 power path:

Electroniccats_PN7150 nfc(IRQ_PIN, VEN_PIN, 0x28, PN7160);

A custom sketch that does not use the shared helper must also call the setter directly. For manual initialization, call connectNCI(), then select setPn7160FixedVbat3V3(true) for 3.3 V or false for 5 V, and then call configureSettings(). Because begin() calls configureSettings() internally, select the preset before calling begin() when using that shortcut path. Do not switch VANT while powered; power down before changing the wiring or preset.

Arduino / Linux distinction: the setter, macros, and shared helper above configure only the ELECHOUSE Arduino/ESP32 library. They do not configure NXP’s Linux NFC stack. The copy-paste ELECHOUSE 3.3 V Linux procedure is still being validated; use a known-good 5 V Linux configuration for the exact middleware/module combination or contact ELECHOUSE support until that procedure is published.

PN7161 library note: select the PN7160-compatible path in the ELECHOUSE library for both 3.3 V and 5 V modes.

Documentation and Test Guides

Product details are kept on this page. Wiring, bring-up, software setup, and test guides are maintained separately in the documentation hub. PN7161 I2C shares many bring-up resources with PN7160.

Downloads

Package and Support

1 × PN7161 NFC RFID Module (I2C)
Technical documents and reference links available in the documentation hub, including ELECHOUSE_PN7150_PN7160 (GitHub) for Arduino and ESP32 development

Wiring Reminder

For a 3.3 V host, connect VDD to 3.3 V and GND to GND. Connect VANT to either 3.3 V or 5 V, then use the matching fixed-3.3V or normal external-5V preset.

Weight	0.04 kg

PN7161 NFC RFID MODULE–I2C