Near Field Communication functionality

NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless communication interface that allows the transfer of data between two NFC devices up to a distance of 10 cm.

NFC operates in the frequency range of 13.56 MHz and is thus also compatible with the existing RFID standards and represents a very interesting extension or supplement in connection with RFID systems. Furthermore, NFC offers the possibility to read and virtually simulate RFID transponders ,

The big advantage of NFC is the fact that an NFC enabled device supports different modes of operation:

• Peer To Peer – data exchange between two NFC devices
• Reader Emulation – NFC device as reader
• Card Emulation – NFC device supports a virtual RFID card

The physical principle of data transmission between two NFC devices takes place via the NFC interface, which has a 13.56 MHz transmitter and a 13.56 receiver. The single NFC interface can take on both functions in communication, sender and receiver. That’s why NFC is known as Active Mode and Passive Mode.

Active Mode NFC

One of the two NFC devices activates its transmitter to send data in Active Mode. Depending on this, one of the devices is always the NFC initiator (master device) and the other is the NFC target (slave device). In the Peer To Peer method, an NFC device works in Active Mode.

Passive Mode NFC

In passive mode, the NFC device is the NFC target and waits for an initiator in a passive mode. This is the case, for example, when an NFC device emulates an RFID card and it is in card emulation mode.