Near Field Communication

NFC

RFID
RFID is a wireless communication technology for exchanging data between an RFID
reader and an electronic RFID tag through radio waves. These tags are traditionally
attached to an object, mostly for the purposes of identification and tracking.
Figure 1-3 illustrates a simple RFID system and its components. The data transmission
results from electromagnetic waves, which can have different ranges depending on the
frequency and magnetic field. RFID readers can read data from, or write it to, tags.

RFID

Essentials of an RFID System

An RFID system is made up of two major components: the transponder and reader. The transponder
is a component that is located on a product or object to be identified, and the reader is a component
that reads data from the transponder or writes to the transponder (as previously shown in Figure 1-3).
The transponder consists of a coupling element and an IC that carries the data to be transferred. The
transponder is generally an RFID tag. RFID tags have a high capacity to store large amounts of data.

Essentials of an RFID System

RFID Tags are divided into two major groups:
Passive tags: which have no power supply , If the transponder is within the range of an RFID reader, it
is powered by the incoming signal.
Active tags: which have their own power supply.
The reader typically contains a transceiver (high-frequency module) with a decoder for interpreting
data, a control unit, and an antenna. Many RFID readers consist of an additional interface to sendt he
received data to another system.

SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY

A smart card includes an embedded IC that can be a memory unit with or without a secure
microcontroller. It is a promising solution for efficient data storing, processing, and transfer and for
providing a secure multi application environment.
A typical smart card system contains smart cards, card readers, and a backend system. It may
communicate with a reader using physical contact (contact smart card case) or a remote contactless
RF interface (contactless smart card case). The reader connects to the backend system, which stores,
processes, and manages the information.

SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY

In terms of processing capability, smart cards are divided into two groups: memory-based and
microprocessor-based.
: Memory-based smart cards can store data but need an external processing unit to do the
processing.
:Smart cards with an embedded microcontroller can store large amounts of data and perform
their own on-card functions, such as security-related operations and mutual authentication

Types Of Smart Cards

Smart Cards have their own smart card operating system (SCOS). In terms of operating mechanisms,
smart cards are divided into three groups: contact, contactless, and hybrid smart cards.
Contact smart cards are embedded with a micro module containing a single silicon IC card that
contains memory and a microprocessor. This IC card is a conductive contact plate placed on the
surface of the smart card, which is typically gold plated.
.

Contact smart card

Contactless smart card

A contactless smart card is a type of smart card that is processed without a need for
physical contact with an external device. It is a combination of a microchip embedded
within it and an antenna, which allows the card to be tracked (see Figure 1-6) Several
wires form this antenna. In contactless smart cards, information is stored in the microchip,
which has a secure microcontroller and internal memory. Unlike the contact smart card,
the power supply to the contactless smart card is achieved with its embedded antenna

Contactless Smart Cards

Hybrid Models
Hybrid Models You might see other hybrid models of smart cards such as dual interface
cards and hybrid cards. A dual interface card has both contact and contactless
interfaces that contain only one chip. Such a model enables both the contact and
contactless interfaces to access the same chip with a high level of security. A hybrid card
contains two chips. One of those chips is used for a contact interface, and the other one
is used for a contactless interface. These chips are independent and not connected

NFC History
Philips and Sony jointly introduced NFC technology for contactless communications in late 2002. Europes ECMA
International adopted the technology as a standard in December 2002.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electro technical Commission (IEC)
adopted NFC technology in December 2003.

In 2004, Nokia, Philips, and Sony founded the NFC Forum to promote NFC technology and its services. NFC
technology standards (see Table 1-2) are acknowledged by the International Organization for Standardization/
International Electro technical Commission (ISO/IEC), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and
European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA).

NFC Technology

NFC Technology

NFC Technology

NFC Technology
NFC (near-field communication) is a wireless communication technology in the frequency range of
13.56 MHz. NFC can be used to transmit data between two electronic devices over a distance of up to
10 cm. NFC is compatible with existing RFID standards and makes it possible both to read
transponders and to simulate transponders .
An NFC interface thus combines in one functional unit the functions of a data transceiver, an RFID
reader and an RFID transponder, and therefore has to include all necessary components, such as
transmitter, receiver and load modulator

NFC Technology

NFC Technology
NFC communication occurs between an NFC mobile device on one side and an NFC tag (a
passive RFID tag), an NFC reader, or an NFC mobile device on the other side. RFID is
capable of accepting and transmitting beyond a few meters and has a wide range of uses.
However, NFC is restricted for use within close proximity (up to a few centimeters) and also
designed for secure data transfer. Currently, integration of NFC technology into mobile
phones is considered a practical solution because almost everyone carries a mobile phone

NFC Technology

NFC Technology
User awareness is essential to perform NFC communication. The user first interacts with a smart
object such as an NFC tag, NFC reader, or another NFC-enabled mobile phone using a mobile
phone (see Figure below ). After touching occurs, the mobile device may make use of received
data and thus may additionally use mobile services as well, such as opening a web page or
making a web service connection. Depending on the mentioned interaction styles, NFC
technology operates in three operating modes: reader/writer, peer-to-peer, and card emulation.

NFC Technology
NFC technology uses the following smart devices:
NFC-enabled mobile phone: NFC-enabled mobile phones, which also are referred to as NFC mobiles, are the most
important NFC devices. Currently, integration of NFC technology with mobile phones (thereafter introducing NFCenabled mobile phones) creates a big opportunity for the ease of use, acceptance, and spread of the NFC ecosystem.
NFC reader: An NFC reader is capable of data transfer with another NFC component. The most common example is
the contactless point of sale (POS) terminal, which can perform contactless NFC-enabled payments when an NFC
device is touched against the NFC reader.
NFC tag: An NFC tag is actually an RFID tag that has no integrated power source.

NFC Technology

NFC Operating Modes

As mentioned previously, three existing NFC operating modes are the reader/writer,
peer-to-peer, and card emulation modes with different interaction styles. The
reader/writer mode enables NFC enabled mobile devices to exchange data with NFC
tags. The peer-to-peer mode enables two NFC-enabled mobiles devices to exchange
data with each other. In the card emulation mode, the user interacts with an NFC reader
to use a mobile phone as a smart card, such as a contactless credit card.

Reader/Writer Operating Mode

The reader/writer mode is about the communication of an NFC-enabled mobile phone with an NFC tag for the purpose of either
reading data from or writing it to those tags. This mode internally defines two different modes as reader mode and writer mode.
In reader mode, the initiator reads data from a 13.56 MHz tag or NFC tag, which consists of the requested data. The
specification of the NFC tags is defined by the NFC Forum; therefore, the NFC tags may also be called NFC Forummandated
NFC tags.
In writer mode, the mobile phone acts as the initiator and writes data to the tag. If the tag already contains any data prior to the
writing process, it is overwritten. The algorithm may even be designed so that the initiator will update by modifying the
previously existing data instead of overwriting it.

Reader/Writer Operating Mode

Generic Usage Model of Reader/Writer Model

1.Read request: A user fi rst requests data by touching a mobile phone to an NFC tag, which can be embedded in various components such as a
smart poster or product package.

2. Data transfer: The data that resides in the tag is transferred to the mobile phone.
3. Processing within device: When data is transferred to the mobile phone, it can be used for several purposes, such as pushing an application,
displaying data to the user, or processing data by an application for additional purposes.

4. Additional service usage: This optional step takes advantage of the mobile phones advanced capabilities and mostly involves Internet
connectivity capability. When data is processed in the mobile phone, it can be used for further operations via the Internet such as connecting to a
service provider by using an applications web service.
5. Write request: The user requests the capability to write data to an NFC tag by touching a mobile phone to it.
6. Acknowledgment: The NFC tag replies with the acknowledgment data, informing the user about the success of the operation.

Generic Usage Model of Reader/Writer Model

Peer-to-Peer Operating Mode

Peer-to-peer mode enables two NFC-enabled mobile devices to exchange information such as a contact record, a
text message, or any other kind of data. This mode has two standardized options:
NFC Interface and Protocol-1 (NFCIP-1) and Logical Link Control Protocol (LLCP, which is used on the top of NFCIP1)
Because of the embedded power to mobile phones, both devices are in active mode during the communication in
peer-to-peer mode. Data is sent over a bidirectional half-duplex channel, meaning that when one device is
transmitting, the other one has to listen and should start nto transmit data after the first one finishes. The possible
data rates in this mode are 106, 212, and 424 Kbps

Peer-to-Peer Operating Mode

Generic Usage Model of Peer-to-Peer Model

1. Data request/transfer: Two users exchange data via mobile phones.
2. Additional service usage: When data is shared between mobile phones,
this data can optionally be used for additional purposes such as saving a
received business card to a database over the Internet after a successful
share or starting a friendship on a social network.

Generic Usage Model of Peer-to-Peer Mode

Card Emulation Operating Model

(ISIS Wallet)

Card emulation mode provides the opportunity for an NFC-enabled mobile device to function as a contactless smart
card. A mobile device can even store multiple contactless smart card applications on the same the smart card. The
most implemented examples of emulated contactless smart cards are credit cards, debit cards, and loyalty cards.
In this operating mode, an NFC-enabled mobile phone does not generate its own RF fi eld; the NFC reader creates this
fi eld instead. This behavior is surprising because the mobile is an active device and therefore can use its own energy.
Card emulation mode is important because it enables payment and ticketing applications. It is also practical because it
is compatible with the existing smart card infrastructure.

Card Emulation Operating Model

(ISIS Wallet)

Card Emulation Operating Model

(ISIS Wallet)

1. Service request: The user makes a request to a service provider by touching a mobile phone to an NFC
reader. Required data is transferred from the mobile phone to the service provider through the NFC reader.
2. Background services: The service provider runs required backend services after getting the required data
from the users mobile device. Examples of these services are credit card authorization and ticket validation.
3. Service usage + data (optional): The service provider returns a service to the user, such as issuing a
ticket that has already been purchased using the payment card or authorizing the payment.

Card Emulation Operating Model

(ISIS Wallet)

NFC in Mobile Devices

NFC in Mobile Devices

A mobile device integrated with NFC technology is typically composed of various integrated circuits, SEs, and an NFC
interface (see Figure 2-1). The NFC interface is composed of a contactless analog/digital front end called an NFC
Contactless Front End (NFC CLF), an NFC antenna, and an integrated circuit called an NFC controller to enable NFC
transactions. In addition to an NFC controller, an NFC-enabled mobile phone has at least one SE, which is connected
to the NFC controller for performing secure proximity transactions with external NFC devices. The SE provides a
dynamic and secure environment for programs and data. It enables secure storage of valuable and private data such as
a users credit card information, and secure execution of NFC-enabled services such as contactless payments. Also,
more than one SE can be integrated into an NFC mobile.

NFC in Mobile Devices

The SE can be accessed and controlled internally from the host controller as well as externally from
the RF fi eld. The host controller (baseband controller) is the heart of any mobile phone. A host
controller interface (HCI) creates a bridge between the NFC controller and host controller. An ISO/IEC
7816 interface supports the linkage of SEs to the host controller. The host controller sets the operating
modes of the NFC controller through the HCI, processes data that is sent and received, and
establishes a connection between the NFC controller and the SE. Furthermore, it maintains the
communication interface, peripherals, and user interface

Secure Element
NFC-enabled services must reassure users and service providers that the transaction takes place in a protected environment. This
protection is achieved by using an SE that provides the security required to support various business models.

The SE is a combination of hardware, software, interfaces, and protocols embedded in a mobile handset that enables secure
storage and processing.

An SE needs to have an operating system as usual. An operating system, such as MULTOS or Java Card OS, on a mobile device
supports the secure execution of applications and secure storage of application data. The operating system may also support the
secure loading of applications. If NFC enabled applications are saved and executed in the memory of the NFC-enabled mobile
phones host controller, these applications are not protected against unintentional deletion or intentional manipulation of the saved
data in memory. Applications transmit data only between NFC-enabled mobile phones or collect information from smart posters.

Secure Element

Secure Element
An NFC secure element can be designed as a directly soldered smart card chip, a secure memory chip or as the SIM card of a mobile phone.
All SE design models have an interface between the SE and NFC controller and also between the host controller and NFC controller. The
data transmitted via the contactless interface is directly forwarded by the NFC controller to the SE and vice versa. The host, which is the non
secure part of the system, is not involved in the transaction.
Applications such as contactless payment transactions, e.g. the contactless credit card function, with NFC, or for contactless tickets, are a
different story. Here, the unintended change or deletion of data contents can result in the irrecoverable loss of data with monetary value. In
the worst case, it would even be possible to read out data in the phones memory using malicious programs, such as a manipulated game.
The risk should not be underestimated as the read-out data could be transmitted via a GSM interface to an attacker who may misuse them. It
is therefore strictly forbidden to realize applications for payment transactions that store credit card data in the unsecured memory range

Secure Element

NFC Interface
The NFC interface is composed of a contactless analog-to-digital front end that is called an NFC contactless front end
(NFC CLF), an NFC antenna, and an IC called an NFC controller to enable NFC transactions, as shown in Figure .

The NFC controller enables the establishment of the NFC link in a mobile phone. It works as a modulator and
demodulator between the analog RF signal and NFC antenna. The NFC controller supports both active and passive
communication with various modulation types.
NFC CLF is the analog front end of the NFC controller. The NFC CLF logical interface defines the protocol on top of the
data link layer, as well as how the messages are transmitted between the SE and the NFC CLF. It is theoretically
independent from the underlying interface (physical and data link interface), which carries the messages.

NFC Interface

Interface between SE and NFC

There is a variety of technical options for designing the interface between the
secure element and the NFC interface (GSM Association, 2007). The most
promising ones are SWP (single wire protocol) and NFC-WI (wired interface,
also known as S2C interface).

SWP

SWP

SWP
The single wire protocol consists of a single-wire transmission line for connecting an NFC interface (CLF, contactless front end) as
master and a secure element as slave.The single wire protocol is mainly intended as secure element for (U)SIM cards in mobile
phones as there is only one contact of the standard eight SIM contacts available for this function. The remaining seven contacts are
already allocated to other functions.
The data to be transmitted are represented by the binary states of voltage (S1) and current (S2) on the single wire. The data
transmission from NFC interface to secure element is carried out by modulating signal S1 through modulation of voltage UCL
between the states Logic-1 and Logic-0.
In the reversed direction, the data are transmitted by modulating signal S2 through modulating current ICL between states Logic-1
and Logic-0.

NFC-WI
For NFC wired interfaces (NFC-WI, also called S2 C Interface), the secure element is
connected via two wires to the RF interface (modem) of the NFC interface (NFC front end,
see Figure 11.29). Both wires SIGIN (signal-in) and SIGOUT (signal-out) transmit modulation
signals between the NFC interface and the secure element that are digitally received or sent
by the RF interface. The NFC interface provides the secure element only with an analogous
receiver and load modulator, and therefore only supports operations in card emulation mode.

NFC-WI

NFC-WI
The secure element is a dual-interface chip that has ports for the NFC-WI; it
encodes and decodes the signals as well as processing the transmission protocol.
Externally, the combination of secure element and NFC interface behaves like a
contactless smart card. According to current NFC-WI specifications, it supports
standard ISO/IEC 14443 Type A, for contactless smart cards, with different bitrates.

NFC-WI
At the standard bitrate of 106 kBit/s, the signal SIGOUT represents an AND-link of the
readers modified Miller-encoded data with a 13.56MHz pulse signal and contains the
data stream transmitted by the reader. The signal SIGIN directly activates the load
modulator in the RF interface of the NFC front end.
At a standard bitrate of 106 kBit/s, SIGIN represent an OR-link of the Manchesterencoded data stream of the secure element with a subcarrier signal of 848 kHz.

Future Of NFC
As a short-range wireless communication technology that potentially facilitates the mobile phone usage of
billions of people over the world, NFC offers an enormous number of use cases including credit cards,
debit cards, loyalty cards, car keys, and access keys to hotels, offices, and houses and has the potential
eventually to integrate all such materials into one single mobile phone. NFC is already having an enormous
impact on the financial ecosystem, as well as on mobile technology throughout the world. Mobile phone
manufacturers, mobile network operators (MNOs),financial institutions such as banks, and information
technology firms are performing R&D activities to increase their share of the pie as much as possible.