Passive NFC: The Lock With No Battery

Why Passive NFC Is a Smarter Approach to Smart Locks

Most smart locks still need batteries. They use NFC only to identify the user, then drain a cell to drive the bolt, meaning dead-lock risk, service calls, and ongoing maintenance cost.

A passive NFC smart lock is different: it draws all the energy it needs straight from the user’s NFC-enabled smartphone or card. The same tap that authenticates also powers the lock. It’s a category that has been proven in the field for years.

That’s the technology inside the SIC4310, Silicon Craft’s NFC bridge chip engineered for exactly this application. One chip handles RF energy harvesting, encrypted authentication, and the GPIO output that drives the mechanism, letting you build digital cylinders, padlocks, cam locks, and key tube locks with no battery, no wiring, and no service calls.

Key Benefits of a Battery-Free Smart Lock

• Encrypted, unique digital credentials
• Smartphone is the key, no fobs to lose
• Zero battery maintenance, lower total cost of ownership
• Retrofits existing doors without rewiring

The user’s tap is both the credential and the power. For more information about the SIC4310.