NFC standards (NFC Forum, ISO/IEC, ECMA

Question

I am often being asked about standards, the NFC is based on. I summarized my knowledge in the text below. I hope it can be an answer to such questions. Please feel free to correct it by posting comments and replies - I will include it into my text.

Since NFC is based on RFID, it is often seen as RFID extension, its form or subset. It is correct because many existing standards from RFID were adopted in the NFC. The NFC base standard for physical layer is NFCIP-1 (ISO 18092 or ECMA 340) - it standardizes communication between two NFC devices. The RF layer use in the NFCIP-1 is directly inherited from older ISO standards ISO 14443 (proximity contactless cards) more specifically the Type A protocol defined in that standard, and on Japanese JIS 6319-4 (on which Sony FeliCa is based, also used by the NFC Forum Type 3 Tag standard). The consequence of that is that NFC devices (reader/writer mode) is compatible with ISO 14443 smart cards.

NFCIP-1 defines newly the active mode. In this mode in which both communicating NFC devices must have own source of power for generating RF fields (i.e. two mobile devices or mobile device and NFC reader) and both can be initiators of the communication.

The 2nd major standard is NFCIP-2 (ISO 21481 or ECMA 352), which defines selection mechanism between different contactless technologies that operates on the same frequency 13.56Mhz. It is intended to be used by mobile devices that support communication according to ISO 18092, ISO 14443, but they be also compatible other contactless standards like ISO 15693.

In addition to that NFC Forum released also couple of other standards like NDEF (data format) RTD (record types for various purposes), and recommendations for NFC Handover and in particular use of the NFC for Bluetooth pairing. The Wi-Fi Alliance introduced NFC as the one of four ways to configure home networks.

NFC forum also defined LLCP protocol used on the top of NFCIP-1 in peer-to-peer communication. Another protocol used in peer-to-peer communication on the top of the LLCP is SNEP (Simple NDEF Exchange protocol), which allows the exchange of NDEF messages analogous to tag operation specifications.

NFC devices can in addition work in card emulation mode, which allows them to pretend they are passive contactless smart cards. This might be the most important mode, since it allows the mobile phones act as contactless payment cards. There are couple of standards for interconnection of NFC controller with secure element (element used for storing secure applications and sensitive data) used in card emulation mode - SWP (Not standard yet - see ETSI TS 102 613 V.9.1.0) and NFC-WI (ECMA-373).

I am not 100% sure about above text correctness, so my question is - is it correct or not? Is there anything you would add?

BR STeN

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Added comments from NFC guy

Polyamide

I revised the text and make changes to make it more readable... – Polyamide

Answer 1

I am not sure your questions belong on SO, as they are not related to programming. Stil, I have some comments and additions.

NFC-IP1 is based on ISO 14443, more specifically the Type A protocol defined in that standard, and on JIS 6319-4 (on which Sony FeliCa is based, also used by the NFC Forum Type 3 Tag standard). NFC-IP1 is not based in any way on ISO 15693.

I don't think it is necessary for a device to support NFC-IP2 to be considered an NFC-enabled device. Also, LLCP does not require active mode.

When talking about NFC standards, I would also mention SNEP (Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol), which uses LLCP to exchange NDEF messages. Next to Bluetooth handover, NFC Connection Handover has also been standardized for WiFi by the WiFi Alliance.

Connecting a secure element to an NFC controller: the protocol is called SWP (not SWI). This protocol is typically used to connect a SIM card as a secure element to the NFC controller.

Another standard you may find worth mentioning is ISO 7816-4, as that is used by the NFC Forum Type 4 Tag standard.

Curb

Thanks - great answer! I will during the day add it to my question. Regarding SO - I still have feeling that in programming arenot only source code related questions, but also 'how to do', 'where to read', 'help me understand the concept', etc. – Polyamide

But how can a device choose a protocol handler (ISO 18092, ISO 14443, ISO 15693) if it doesn't support NFC-IP2? How can it communicate if it doesn't know which protocol to use? – Kwok

Also, isn't it true that NFC-IP1 supports ISO 15693? If this is true, then it's likely based on the ISO 15693 someway right? Or is the support of ISO15693 a future of NFC-IP2? – Kwok

NFC-IP2 relates to how NFC-IP1, ISO 14443 and ISO 15693 can co-exist without RF detection, anti-collision, etc. clashing. It describes how and when a reader and/or active NFC-IP1 initiator can turn its RF field. – Curb

Ok tnx! Does that mean that NFC-IP2 enables compatibility with RFID or is that defined in NFC-IP1? – Kwok

From the preface of ECMA-352 (NFC-IP2): "Although ECMA-340 (NFCIP-1), ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 15693 standards all specify 13,56 MHz as their working frequency, they specify distinct communication modes. These are defined as NFC, PCD, and VCD communication modes respectively. This NFCIP-2 Standard specifies the mechanism to detect and select one communication mode out of those three possible communication modes. Furthermore, NFCIP-2 requires that subsequent behaviour be as specified in the standard specifying the selected communication mode." – Curb

Links to ECMA-340 (NFC-IP1) and ECMA-352 (NFC-IP2) standards: ecma-international.org/publications/files/ECMA-ST/Ecma-340.pdf and ecma-international.org/publications/files/ECMA-ST/Ecma-352.pdf – Curb

Any1 got link to llcp standard ? – Triquetrous

Answer 2

ISO15693 standards compatibility was added in fall 2015 or so by NFC Forum.

Couch