Near Field Communication (NFC)
Radio Physics
In Near Field Communication the tag and interrogator antenna are coupled within one full wavelength of the carrier wave. The near field signal decays as the cube of distance from the antenna, and is typically used in low- and high-frequency systems.
Compare to Far Field Communication
Application
The abbreviation NFC is also used to refer to specific applications of Near Field Communication, such as electronic keys or payment systems, in conjunction with cell phones. This meaning suggests that application is governed by either:
- ISO/IEC 18092/ECMA-340: Near Field Communication Interface and Protocol-1(NFCIP-1)
- ISO/IEC 21481/ECMA-352: Near Field Communication Interface and Protocol-2 (NFCIP-2)
The nomenclature is somewhat confusing because it is possible to use the physics of near field communication (coupling withing one wavelength) in an application that is not considered NFC (NFCIP-1 or NFCIP-2).
What's in a name?
RFID and NFC are both short range wireless technologies on unlicensed spectrum. Each has specifications and a "fan club". Both these enabling technologies can compete for similar applications, and both can end up on the same devices.
- RFID is first about ID: IDentification of an item or person via a tag and a reader. From the beginning, key support came from players in the security/defense and logistics/distribution fields.
- NFC is first about communication: especially communications between devices in a mobile environment. From the beginning, key support has come from mobile device manufacturers (ie Nokia).
(Stéphane Mot, personal communication, June 2007)
External Links
NFC Forum
The Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum is a non-profit industry association that promotes the use of NFC short-range wireless interaction in consumer electronics, mobile devices and PCs. The NFC Forum supports implementation and standardization of NFC technology to make it easier to get information, easier to pay for goods and services, easier to use public transport, and easier to share data between devices.
Touch blog
Touch is a research project looking at the intersections between the digital and the physical. Its aim is to explore and develop new uses for RFID, NFC and mobile technology in areas such as retail, public services, social and personal communication.
News Articles
RFID Update: NFC Phones on Shelves Later This Year (August 28,2007)
ABI Research (Press Release, August 23, 2007)
Near Field Communication (NFC), and its leading application, contactless payment, offer financial institutions a way to move small transactions out of the cash economy and into profitable credit-based systems. For consumers who hate to wait, they offer faster, easier checkout, just by waving a wireless phone near a point-of-sale reader.
But the development of the market for the chipsets that underpin the technology has been slow. The main reason for this ... is security: the financial institutions and industry standards-setting bodies around the world can’t yet agree on the appropriate levels and methods of data protection.
Via RFID Update
NFC Forum Issues Specifications For Four Tag Types (Press Release, July 31, 2007)
By standardizing the tag types and formats with the specifications announced today, the NFC Forum is promoting interoperability across the NFC market, enabling low-cost volume production, and clearing a path to a global, cost-effective mass market. More than one billion NFC-ready tags are already deployed worldwide for use in areas such as accessing public transportation, hotel rooms, and offices.
Via RFID Update
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