Near Field Communication Technology

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Contents

S.NO TOPIC PAGE NO

1 ABSTRACT 3

2 INTRODUCTION 3

3 HOW NFC WORKS 3

4 MODES OF OPERATION 4

5 NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

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6 CURRENT TRENDS IN NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

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7 BENEFITS OF NFC 5

8 HOW TO SET UP INDIVIDUALS 6

9 WAYS TO USE NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION 7

10 BEST ANDROID NFC APPS 7

11 SECURITY CONCERNS WITH NFC TECHNOLOGY

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12 DEVELOPMENT OF NFC COMPATIBLE SMART PHONES

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13 NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION VERSUS BLUETOOTH

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14 CONCLUSION 10

15 REFERENCES 10

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Abstract— Near field communication is a technology for transmitting over short-range distance. The fact that possible targets do not require batteries and can be relatively small makes such technology a good candidate for supporting mobile payment systems. This paper provides an overview of the technology its working, and benefits in various fields

I. INTRODUCTION

                      Near field communication, abbreviated NFC is a form of contact less communication between devices like smart phones or tablets. Contact less communication allows a user to wave the smart phone over a NFC compatible device to send information without needing to touch the devices together or go through multiple steps setting up a connection. Fast and convenient, NFC technology is popular in parts of Europe and Asia, and is quickly spreading throughout the United States.

The technology behind NFC allows a device, known as a reader, interrogator, or active device, to create a radio frequency current that communicates with another NFC compatible device or a small NFC tag holding the information the reader wants. Passive devices,

such as the NFC tag in smart posters, store information and communicate with the reader but do not actively read other devices. Peer-to-peer communication through two active devices is also a possibility with NFC. This allows both devices to send and receive information.

As the technology grows, more NFC compatible smart phones will be available and more stores will offer NFC card readers for customer convenience.

II. HOW NFC WORKS

Near field communication, or NFC for short, is an offshoot of radio-frequency identification (RFID) with the exception that NFC is designed for use by devices within close proximity to each other. Three forms of NFC technology   exist: Type A, Type B, and FeliCa. All are similar but communicate in slightly different ways. FeliCa is commonly found in Japan.

Devices using NFC may be active or passive. A passive device, such as an NFC tag, contains information that other devices can read but does not read any information itself. Active devices can read information and send it. An active NFC device, like a smart phone, would not only be able to collect information from NFC tags, but it would also be able to exchange information with other compatible phones or devices and could even alter the information on the NFC tag if authorized to make such changes.

To ensure security, NFC often establishes a secure channel and uses encryption when sending sensitive information such as credit card numbers. Users can further protect their private data by keeping anti-virus software on their smart phones and adding a password to the phone so a thief cannot use it in the event that the smart phone is lost or stolen.

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III. MODES OF OPERATION

In addition to the signaling technologies used by near field communication technology, two sets of active/passive roles exist.

NFC Basic Modes

Reader/Writer and Card – Typically a transaction occurs between an active device that sends out signals and receives information and a passive device that simply sends the information and does not receive anything other than instructions on what data to reply with. The reader/writer is the smart phone serving as the active device and the card is the NFC tag serving as the passive device. Smart phones can take on the role of card, however, when they act as a credit card for contactless payments. Then the credit card reader becomes the reader/writer and the smart phone serves as the passive card device.

Initiator and Target – NFC technology has a major advantage over other technologies such as RFID. NFC can create peer-to-peer sharing between two phones. In this case, the phone making the connection or sending an invitation is the initiator and the phone receiving the instructions and sending back information is the target. Yet both phones can serve both roles by switching back and forth depending on what transmission is being sent, though this requires a higher level of technology.

IV. NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

When developing near field communication devices and new technology, NFC standards must be met. Standards exist to ensure all forms of near field communication technology can interact with other NFC compatible devices and will work with newer devices in the future. Two major specifications exist for NFC technology: ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 18000-3. The first defines the ID cards used to store information, such as that found in NFC tags. The latter

specifies the RFID communication used by NFC devices.

ISO/IEC 18000-3 is an international standard for all devices communicating wirelessly at the 13.56MHz frequency using Type A or Type B cards, as near field communication does. The devices must be within 4cm of each other before they can transmit information. The standards explain how a device and the NFC tag it is reading should communicate with one another. The device is known as the interrogating device while the NFC tag is simply referred to as the tag.

To function, the interrogator sends out a signal to the tag. If the devices are close enough to each other, the tag becomes powered by the interrogator’s signal. This signal powers the tag, allowing the tag to be small in size and function without any battery or power source of its own.

The two devices create a high frequency magnetic field between the loosely coupled coils in both the interrogating device and the NFC tag. Once this field is established, a connection is formed and information can be passed between the interrogator and the tag. The interrogator sends the first message to the tag to find out what type of communication the tag uses, such as Type A or Type B. When the tag responds, the interrogator sends its first commands in the appropriate specification.

The tag receives the instruction and checks if it is valid. If not, nothing occurs. If it is a valid request, the tag then responds with the requested information. For sensitive transactions such as credit card payments, a secure communication channel is first established and all information sent is encrypted.

NFC tags function at half duplex while the interrogator functions at full duplex. Half duplex refers to a device that can only send or receive, but not both at once. Full duplex can do

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both simultaneously. A NFC tag can only receive or send a signal, while the interrogating device can receive a signal at the same time it sends a command. Commands are transmitted from the interrogator using PJM (phase jitter modulation) to modify the surrounding field and send out a signal. The tag answers using inductive coupling by sending a charge through the coils in it. Meeting theses specifications ensures all NFC devices and tags can communicate effectively with one another.

V. CURRENT TRENDS IN NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

MasterCard PayPass

Certain MasterCards offer PayPass, a contactless payment service that works with Google Wallet.

Google Wallet

It is currently the only way to use a PayPass credit card from a smart phone and only accepts PayPass credit cards.

PayPal

PayPal utilizes NFC technology to let users bump smartphones together to transfer money or make payments.

iPhone

Though not confirmed, Apple is expected to release NFC technology for upcoming iPhones. By jumping on the NFC bandwagon, Apple could offer more services to its customers and push for more businesses to offer NFC contact less payment systems as a form of customer payment.

VI. BENEFITS OF NFC

There are many uses of NFC technology that offer benefits in a number of everyday tasks ranging from paying for groceries to receiving adequate health care treatments.

Staff Communication

NFC tags allow employees to check in at their current locations and record time spent on the clock and time spent on break.

Real Time Updates

Real time updates are vital in the fast paced business world. Tracking employees and reading updated notes from staff or managers can occur through the use of NFC.

Improved Customer Service

Creating faster, more efficient ways to get through the checkout line is a goal of any company, and NFC card readers offer this service to customers

Contact less Payments

The most well-known use of NFC technology is for contact less payment. Customers can swipe their smartphone over a card reader to make a purchase without fumbling through credit and debit cards or counting out cash..

Information Sharing

The small size of NFC tags and their lack of a

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battery, relying instead on radio frequency signals sent from a smartphone or other NFC compatible device to operate, let them go virtually anywhere. From posters to museum displays to library books, an NFC tag can hold information that a user can then swipe their phone over to read.

Transportation

Subways and trains require a rider to purchase a ticket based on the number of trips they plan to take and are easily lost in the shuffle of the morning commute. Some cities now offer a NFC or a FeliCa -- popular in Japan -- version of a train ticket.

Health Care

As advances in medicine and technology increase, the focus is on creating better healthcare systems. With NFC technology, hospitals can better track patient information and doctors’ notes in real-time.

Social Networking

Social networking is booming, and NFC tags are looking to get in on the action. From swiping a smart phone to check in at a location to bumping phones with a new friend to exchange contact information, NFC allows users to interact with each other and update their location and other info without any unnecessary logins or tapping through menu screens.

 

VII. HOW TO SET-UP INDIVIDUALS

Individuals wishing to use near field communication must own a compatible device or purchase an individual SIM card or microSD card with an NFC chip installed on it. NFC must be embedded in the smartphone or installed via a SIM or microSD card for the phone to interact with other NFC devices and tags. As the technology spreads, more manufactures are building NFC chips into their smartphones.

Those with NFC compatible smartphones can activate a service such as Google Wallet that comes pre-installed on the smartphone. Swiping through the menus lets a user select a previously used payment method, enter a new payment method, or change contactless payment settings. 

Other services have downloadable apps, such as PayPal’s mobile app for smartphones, and offer NFC payments as an option within the program. Bumping two smartphones together can transfer money from one user account to another. 

For those who don’t have NFC compatible phones but wish to use the services, other options are available. Purchasing a SIM card or a microSD card with the NFC chip implanted on it allows the user to plug it into their phone

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and access NFC technologies. Once installed, the smart phone functions as any other NFC compatible device. If the SIM or microSD card is removed, however, the user can no longer access NFC technologies..

VIII. WAYS TO USE NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

Below is a list of ways everyday people can or will be able to interact with near field communication:

Commuting to the office: During the drive to and from work, NFC can unlock your car, adjust your seats, and even admit you to the company’s secure parking garage.

At the office: Once you’ve arrived, you can gain access to your office building and clock in by swiping your smart phone or other device.

On the bus: If you commute to the office, you can pay for your bus or subway pass and wave your phone to pass through the gates.

At the store: On the way home from work you stop to buy groceries. Coupons and customer reward points are already pre-loaded on your smart phone and are applied to your total automatically when you check out.

At a concert: Like purchasing a bus ticket, you can purchase concert tickets and use your NFC compatible smart phone to gain access to a concert.

Hanging out with friends: Finally, when you need some down time you can share games, links, and info with friends by bumping phones.

The possibilities are limited only by the imaginations of those manufacturing this technology. NFC can replace barcodes with more intelligent NFC tags and allow smart phone users to interact with objects to find out information such as a bus schedule or learn more about a product they want to purchase. NFC technology is designed to increase convenience when learning, shopping, and sharing data.

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IX. BEST ANDROID NFC APPS

Android smart phones can take advantage of several NFC application designed for everything from reading NFC tags to swapping business cards with another NFC compatible device. Download one or more of these popular Android apps to your Android smart phone and start seeing how near field communication can benefit you and make everyday tasks a little easier.

NFC TagInfo

This app will pick up the tag’s info and tell you all you need to know about what it is and what it does.

NFC TagWriter by NXP

The NFC TagWriter lets you add your own content to your NFC tags. If you need to add a new phone number to your business card or

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want to create a URL for your company’s smart poster, this app will do it for you.

WiFiTap WiFi NFC

This WiFi app combines WiFi and NFC so your friends and family can connect to your wireless network quickly and easily. No need to type in passwords on cramped phone keyboards.

NFC Task Launcher

NFC Task Launcher focuses on creating different types of NFC tags. You can create task tags that cause a certain action to happen when scanned, URL tags for launching websites, and create several other tag types including URI tags and text tags.

NFC Classic Tag Reader Writer

. You can read and save NFC tag information and set up peer-to-peer connections with friends.

X. SECURITY CONCERNS WITH NFC TECHNOLOGY

New users of near field communication, especially for payment purposes such as storing credit card information, are understandably concerned at first about the security and safety of their private information.

Eavesdropping

Eavesdropping is when a criminal “listens in” on an NFC transaction. The criminal does not need to pick up every single signal to gather private information. Two methods can prevent eavesdropping. First there is the range of NFC itself. Since the devices must be fairly close to send signals, the criminal has a limited range to work in for intercepting signals. Then there are secure channels. When a secure channel is established, the information is encrypted and

only an authorized device can decode it. NFC users should ensure the companies they do business with use secure channels.

Data Corruption and Manipulation

Data corruption and manipulation occur when a criminal manipulates the data being sent to a reader or interferes with the data being sent so it is corrupted and useless when it arrives. To prevent this, secure channels should be used for communication. Some NFC devices “listen” for data corruption attacks and prevent them before they have a chance to get up and running.

Interception Attacks

A person acts as a middleman between two NFC devices and receives and alters the information as it passes between them. This type of attack is difficult and less common. To prevent it, devices should be in an active-passive pairing. This means one device receives info and the other sends it instead of both devices receiving and passing information.

Theft

No amount of encryption can protect a consumer from a stolen phone. If a smart phone is stolen, the thief could theoretically wave the phone over a card reader at a store to make a purchase. To avoid this, smart phone owners should be diligent about keeping tight security on their phones. By installing a password or other type of lock that appears when the smart phone screen is turned on, a thief may not be able to figure out the password and thus cannot access sensitive information on the phone.

While it may seem like NFC would open up a world of new security risks, it may actually be safer than a credit card. If a user loses her credit card, a criminal can read the card and find out the owner’s information. If that same person

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loses her smart phone and has it password protected the criminal cannot access any private info. Through data encryption and secure channels, NFC technology can help consumers make purchases quickly while keeping their information safe at the safe time.

XI. DEVELOPMENT OF NFC COMPATIBLE SMARTPHONES

Near field communication technology has become a reality for many companies and users, and is poised for takeoff with other smart phone manufacturers. With Apple planning to incorporate NFC into the iPhone and a handful of NFC compatible smart phones already on the market, this branch of technology is changing rapidly.

Past and Current Smartphones

Nokia 6131 – The Nokia 6131 was the first NFC compatible phone brought to the market

Google Nexus S – The Google Nexus S became the first Android phone to support NFC technology.

BlackBerry – Both the BlackBerry 9900 and the BlackBerry 9930 support NFC.

Samsung Galaxy S II – The Samsung Galaxy S II offers NFC services to AT&T and T-Mobile but currently does not offer NFC technology on its Sprint model.

Nokia Astound – The Nokia Astound, also known as the Nokia C7, comes with NFC technology, though it is deactivated by default and users must enable it after receiving their smart phones.

Future Smart phones

Windows Phones –The Windows Phone 8 operating system will include NFC and in 2012 Windows Phone 7 operating system smart phones will also receive the added functionality.

HTC – HTC, among several other companies such as LG, RIM, Samsung Mobile, and more, has begun developing devices based on NFC technology. The HTC Stunning was the first HTC smart phone with NFC compatibility and other models are soon to follow

LG – LG presented its first NFC compatible smart phone in the budget-friendly Optimus Net, and is currently expanding to bring NFC to its higher-end smart phones.

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XII. NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION VERSUS BLUETOOTH

Bluetooth and near field communication share several features, both being forms of wireless communication between devices over short distances. NFC is limited to a distance of approximately four centimeters while Bluetooth can reach over thirty feet. While it may seem that Bluetooth is superior in this regard, both Bluetooth and NFC technology have their advantages and disadvantages compared to one another and can work together to meet users’ needs.

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NFC technology consumes little power when compared to standard Bluetooth technology. Only when NFC has to power a passive, unpowered source such as an NFC tag does it require more power than a Bluetooth transmission.

The close proximity that devices connected using NFC must be to each other actually proves useful in crowded locations to prevent interference caused when other devices are present and trying to communicate. Bluetooth may have trouble dealing with interference when trying to send signals between two devices, especially when several other devices are in close proximity.

Another benefit of NFC technology comes in its ease of use. Bluetooth requires users to manually set up connections between smart phones and takes several seconds. NFC connects automatically in a fraction of a second, so fast it seems instantaneous. Though the users must be close to one another to use NFC technology, it is faster and easier to set up than a Bluetooth connection.

Bluetooth does still offer a longer signal range for connecting during data communication and transfers. NFC technology has taken advantage of this and can connect two devices quickly, then turn the signal over to Bluetooth so the owners can move further away without severing the connection.

XIII. CONCLUSION

Near Field Communication represents an extremely interesting technology nowadays that offers the possibility to modify the whole payment system and as a consequence people’s habit in money usage – maybe in a similar way the advent of the credit cards did in the past against “real” money.

Currently, it is possible to conclude that NFC promises appear credible, as major players

in mobile services (Google and Apple included) are already working to make them real and tangible to the society. Given such effort, we’ll probably experience in the next months the first launch of smart phones/mobile wallets and soon be able to understand whether this will represent a clear breakthrough for the people around the world.

XIV. REFERENCES

[1] “Near Field Communication”, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Field_Communication

[2] Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt. "A Conversation with Eric Schmidt on Android phones". youtube.com.

[3] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-25/apple-plans-service-that-lets-iphone-users-pay-with-handsets.html

[4] http://www.gizmocrave.com/5559-google-nfc-based-mobile-payment-mode-coming-soon/

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