Look Into the Future of Mobile Apps With NFC
NFC is an extension of the ISO/IEC 14443 proximity-card standard that combines the interface of a smart-card and a reader into a single device. NFC operates in the 13.56MHz frequency band over a distance of up to around 20 centimeters. A NFC tag is a printed circuit integrating an antenna and data from which data can be read or written by a NFC-enabled device. Currently this technology is used primarily with mobile phones.
There are mainly three operating modes for NFC Technology:
a. Read/Write Mode: In this mode the NFC enabled device can read or write data from external NFC tags.
b. Peer to Peer Mode: This mode allows two NFC devices to exchange data with a single tap or by keeping the devices close to each other.
c. Card Emulation Mode: In this mode the NFC device appears to an external reader to be a contactless smart card. This enables contactless payments and ticketing by NFC devices.
NFC communication always involves an initiator and a target. The Initiator device actively generates an RF field and the target device responds by modulating the existing field. There are two modes of communication:
a. Passive Communication Mode: In this mode, the target device may draw its operating power from the initiator-provided RF Field. In this case only the initiator requires batteries. The target can take the form of tags, stickers, key fobs, or cards that do not require batteries.
b. Active Communication Mode: In this Mode, both Initiator and Target device communicate by alternately generating their own RF fields. In this mode, both devices have power supplies.
Key NFC Applications:
The following are the possible applications which can be developed using NFC Technology:
Mobile payment: The device acts as a debit/credit payment card. For the credit card merchants, NFC enabled payments are easier and less costly to handle than cash and other traditional payment methods. In addition, users will have a record of even the smallest payments.