What is nfc version. We use NFC for automation. Programs for creating NFC tags

At the moment, there are various concepts in the mobile industry that many have never even heard of. Therefore, it is quite natural that there is a need to understand some of the nuances. So, if you came to the question of what NFC is, then you had to deal with the mention of this concept somewhere in some form. It is worth understanding it in as much detail as possible.

It is a high-quality wireless communication technology with a short range (no more than 10 centimeters), which allows contactless data exchange between a pair of devices located nearby: for example, between a plastic smart card or cell phone and reading terminal. NFC technology is based on this radio frequency identification, which is a method of identifying objects in automatic mode. This uses a radio signal to read and write data stored in transponders, often referred to as NFC tags. In the general case, we can say that we are talking about a technology for transmitting information via a radio channel that supports active and passive devices. For example, Sony NFC key fobs do not need any additional power to ensure their operation, they do it completely passively.

Technology features

So, if we talk about what NFC is, then it is worth considering the three most popular options for using this technology in mobile phones:

Reading mode, in which the phone reads a passive tag, for example, for interactive advertising;

Emulation of cards, in which the gadget is able to "pretend" to be a card, for example, a payment card or a pass;

P2P mode, which pairs two phones for data exchange.

Most often, NFC technology assumes that the carrier of the chip is a mobile phone, which is as much a mass device as it is an individual one, and at the same time it is completely inseparable from its owner. In this case, it can be used as a means of payment, which is acceptable if you have a virtual wallet, a key, a means for identifying the owner, a bonus card, and much more.

Scope of application

So, NFC in the phone - what is it? Answering this question, it is worth noting that at the moment such solutions have become more and more widely used in many areas. For example, this technology is used to book electronic tickets and sell them, pay for car parking and travel in public transport. NFC tags are very actively used in the fields of entertainment and services, in the field of security and access control.

Difference from Bluetooth

These two technologies are similar in principle of operation, but there is a very big difference between them. If we consider what NFC is, it is worth noting that the main advantage of this technology is a short connection time of one tenth of a second. The short range makes this method of data transmission much more secure. However, NFC supports a transfer rate of 424Kbps, which is much slower than Bluetooth.

Modern stage of development

Contactless payment technologies have now become very advanced, and this has led to the emergence of cards such as MasterCard PayPass and Visa PayWave, which have built-in antennas and NFC functionality. This market has become so developed that now companies such as MasterCard, Google, Sprint, Citibank and First Data have formed a service called Google Wallet installed on a number of Android smartphones. With this application, you can easily turn your gadget into a credit card that allows you to pay at any terminal that supports PayPass.

What is NFC and how are tags used?

Tags in this case are small programmable information zones built into billboards, posters or on shelves with products in stores. retail. If you touch any of them, you can get some additional information in the form of web addresses, maps, or movie commercials.

The process of working with labels involves a certain sequence of actions to obtain the information embedded in them.

What you need to do to scan labels

First you need to make sure that the NFC function in your phone is turned on and its screen is active. Place your phone above the tag so that the NFC detection area touches it. Next, your device will scan the tag, and then display the content received from it. You should touch the content, and then you will open the label.

How to transfer a music file using NFC

To begin with, you should make sure that the required function is enabled on your phone and the recipient's device, and that the screens of both gadgets are active. You can open the music player by going to the main screen, where the "Multimedia" item will be selected, and after it the "Music" icon. If the latter is not displayed, then touch the "Apps screen" symbol, and after it - "Music". To open the media library, you need to visit the "My Music" tab. After selecting a music category, you can proceed to select a track that will be sent to a friendly device. You should touch it to play, and then click on the pause. Broadcasting occurs only when the track is playing or paused.

The transmitting and receiving phones must be turned back to each other so that their NFC recognition zones touch. When the connection is established, both devices will vibrate, and then the broadcast will begin. After vibration, the devices should be moved away from each other. This prevents attempts to reconnect, which could interfere with the transfer process. When the process is completed, the receiving phone will start playing the received file automatically. At the same time, the track will be saved in the corresponding application.

Important Points

So, if we talk about what NFC is, then it should be said about the presence of certain points that can be called the "dark side" of this technology. While NFC can make many everyday tasks easier, sometimes it makes life a lot more difficult when you look at it from a security point of view. This technology works exclusively at close range. If you do not use NFC, then for complete protection and to ensure your safety, you can turn it off. In this case, all its convenience simply disappears, but this allows you to use other methods. It all depends on the individual settings of the smartphone. If you use the device as a mobile wallet, but do not protect it with anything, then problems may well arise. Even PIN-code protection does not always work, unfortunately, when there is NFC in the phone. What it is becomes clear when an attacker takes advantage of your carelessness.

It is worth imagining such a scenario as the loss of a phone or its theft. Then the person who found or stole it will be able to use all payments and functions. However, it’s worth being realistic here, because you can lose the keys to your apartment or car or wallet, which is fraught with the same danger. That is, NFC is only as secure as the user decides.

First devices

NFC support first appeared in a phone released in 2006. However, such a function turned out to be completely useless and unclaimed, since at that time there was no infrastructure. The NFC module is currently equipped with a serial smartphone Sony Xperia S. This device is equipped with a dual-core processor and a 43-inch HD screen. It operates under the operating system from Google. Android-NFC is no different from a similar function in other platforms. This device comes with two NFC tags called XPERIA SmartTags, which allow you to program the launch of certain operations in the device within their range, for example, turning on the navigator or turning off Wi-Fi.

Intel has already addressed the issues related to the integration of NFC chips into next generation ultrabooks, and only this can guarantee that this technology has a great future.

The birth of the future

So, if we consider NFC technology (how to use it is already a little clear), then it is worth saying about who or what it owes its appearance to. In 2002, companies such as Sony and Phillips teamed up to develop an entirely new radio standard, which was given the name. Prior to this, attempts were repeatedly made to form technologies of this kind: Phillips created the MIFARE technology, and Sony had a similar development called FeliCa. Despite the fact that these technologies had a lot in common, they turned out to be incompatible with each other. The created standard was intended to absorb all the advantages of past developments, as well as open up opportunities for its application in practice.

Speaking about what NFC is, it is necessary to mention that since its inception and development, this technology has been focused on the implementation of interaction between different electronic devices between which there is no wired connection. As examples, it is appropriate to indicate personal computers, PDAs, mobile phones, video cameras, and other gadgets.

We can say about such a feature of the implementation of the interaction of devices working with the support of this technology as the rapid initiation of communication between devices after they are brought close to each other at a fairly close distance. After the connection is established, an attempt is made immediately between the devices.

For example, if you bring a working camera to the TV, provided that the NFC module works in both gadgets, the image transfer process will immediately begin. If a mobile phone or PDA is in close proximity to personal computer, this will allow you to immediately start synchronizing the address book or some other documents.

Method of implementation and development prospects

NFC technology implemented as a chip operating in passive or active mode. The first option involves using the device as a pass or subway card, and the second - receiving information from passive devices, as well as sending it. At the moment, one can observe not too intensive distribution of this technology, but everything is already ready to conquer the world. Companies like Google and Apple are betting on it. You can already hear about iPhone NFC, that is, these chips are being added to Apple products. There are even SIM cards with a built-in chip that can work exclusively in passive mode.

In modern society, there are very bright prospects for using this technology to use mobile devices for contactless payments. It is quite possible that in a few years one smartphone will replace the user with a whole range of devices and devices.

Contactless: what is NFC and how can a programmer work with it

Using NFC

There are many ways to use NFC:

The card emulation mode allows you to use this technology for contactless payments, such as Google Wallet, or to pay or receive tickets on public transport.
There are a few mobile applications, which allow you to save the settings for the mobile device on the tags and later use them to quickly change any settings of the mobile device (switching to the vibrating alert mode, turning Wi-Fi on or off on the mobile device).
Devices that support NFC are gradually appearing on the market - stereo systems, TVs that allow you to pair with a phone or tablet for remote control.
NFC is used in the healthcare system to store patient ID and personal records.
In the field of inventory management, NDEF records can be used to store information about the place of departure of goods, about their passage through various intermediate points, and the like.

Conclusion

NFC technology adds promising functionality to RFID technology. The most significant innovation is the NFC Data Interchange Format (NDEF), which provides the ability to format ordinary data into one of four NFC tag technologies. NDEF can be used both for data exchange between a device and a tag, and for exchange between devices. This makes NFC suitable not only as a method of identification, but also as a means of exchanging short blocks of data.

The combination of “NFC” (Near field communication) is increasingly found in the specifications of modern smartphones and tablets. In this article, we will try to consider this interface from the point of view of practical use, so that readers can independently conclude that it is necessary to have it on their phone.

In testing, we used two models of smartphones that have already been discussed in detail on our resource: Acer CloudMobile S500 and Sony Xperia acro S. We also want to note that most of the information, including the described programs and usage scenarios, will only apply to smartphones based on Android. It is this operating system that is the most “friendly” today when it comes to working with NFC.

Introduction

At first glance, it may seem that numerous wireless interfaces today already cover all possible popular tasks and scenarios, so another option is simply not needed. However, if you look at the development of modern technologies, you can see that more and more attention is paid to energy consumption, especially when it comes to mobile devices. In particular, version 4.0 of the well-known family of Bluetooth protocols is just focused on reducing battery costs. The second point worth mentioning is that not every task requires a long range. It even happens the other way around - you want to explicitly limit the distance between interacting devices. In addition to the obvious reduction in consumption, this also affects safety. Yes, and about the volume of transmitted data, you can also make a similar remark. So the idea of a slow wireless interface that operates over short distances and is characterized by low power consumption is quite right to exist.

The starting point in the history of NFC development can be taken in 2004, when Nokia, Philips and Sony announced the creation in order to develop and standardize the interaction interface various devices, based on touch. However, the first versions of the specifications were created a little earlier. Perhaps, by modern standards, the technology can be considered very young (if you do not take into account the history of RFID), but it is already quite common in real products and services. In particular, at the Mobile World Congress 2013 held at the end of February, many stands and demonstrations were devoted to this topic.

This sign can be found on devices with NFC technology.

The formal characteristics of the interface are as follows: work at a distance of several centimeters, the maximum information exchange rate is about 400 Kbps, full-duplex data exchange is supported, the operating frequency is 13.56 MHz, the connection establishment time does not exceed 0.1 s, the operation mode is point-to-point. It can be seen that these parameters fundamentally distinguish NFC from other popular wireless interfaces.

If we talk about devices, then in addition to active controllers in NFC, there are also passive options (they are usually called tags), which receive power wirelessly from the active controller. One example is modern maps for public transport. Labels are simply data storage, typically less than 4 KB in size. Most often, only read mode is provided for them, but there are options with write support.

One of the simplest options for a passive NFC tag

The compact size of the controller and its low power consumption make it possible to implement NFC even in small designs such as SIM cards or microSD memory cards. However, for full-fledged work a special antenna is required. In phones, it is usually located on the back of the battery cover or built into the back panel if the device does not require a removable battery.

The NFC antenna is often placed on the back of a smartphone.

The short range can be detrimental when using tablets - finding the right place to "attach" may not be as easy as we would like. To solve this problem, some manufacturers mark the location of the antenna with a special sign. As for the range, in our case, the connection worked at a distance of no more than four centimeters - both between phones and with a passive tag.

From a security point of view, the developers did not implement elements of protection against interception and relay attacks. This of course makes it difficult to implement secure solutions, since it requires the applications themselves to protect themselves at a higher level. Note that in fact, such a well-known protocol as TCP / IP behaves similarly. So, from a practical point of view, it seems more dangerous to lose a phone without additional protection with customized payment systems programs than to intercept communications.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about NFC today is that the interface itself does not provide any real practical use cases or solutions. Unlike, for example, Bluetooth, whose profiles clearly describe how to transfer a file, how to connect a headset or provide network access, NFC is only a base, and direct work scenarios are provided by additional software that works through it. On the one hand, this opens up wide opportunities for developers, and on the other hand, it is a problem for them when ensuring the interaction of different applications and devices.

Interestingly, any programs installed on a smartphone or tablet can register in operating system as NFC-related event handlers, and then when you externally "call" you will see the standard menu "how do you want to perform this action?". Since some scenarios for using NFC involve convenient automation of actions, it is advisable not to overload the device with such utilities.

The NFC forum tries to help with this uncertainty by offering to standardize protocols for certain scenarios (notably NDEF for storing short messages on tags and SNEP (Simple NDEF Exchange Protocol) for exchanging information between devices), but practical determination of the compatibility of specific devices is usually difficult due to the lack of detailed information from the manufacturer and diagnostic tools. Another assistant here is Google, which offered in latest versions Android own android development Beam. It allows certain types of information to be exchanged between compatible devices.

Android Beam

First you need to make sure that both devices have NFC enabled, Android Beam active, and their screens are unlocked. On the models we tested, NFC only works if the screen is on and the device is fully unlocked. But it is possible that another algorithm will be used in other devices. In any case, the active interface requires very little battery power to operate, and so far the approach described seems to be quite reasonable. One of the options to simplify the work is to turn off the lock screen. In this case, to recognize the tag, it will be enough just to turn on the smartphone. Another inconvenience is the need to confirm the operation by touching the screen after the devices find each other. This is not always easy to do without breaking the connection, especially when both devices are in the hands of two different people.

The next step is to select one of the applications on the device from which the transfer is planned. In particular, these may be:

Google Chrome - transfer of the current open link;
YouTube client - transfer of a video clip (as a link);
Google Maps - transfer of a place or route;
Contacts - send a contact card;
Google Play - application transfer;
Gallery - transfer photos.

Next, bring the devices closer to each other. When a partner is found, you will hear a tone on the sending device and the desktop image will shrink. At this point, you need to touch the screen image and hold your finger until you hear the second signal - about a successful transfer.

We have tried the options in the list, and almost all of them really work. Even the fact that our devices were produced by different manufacturers did not prevent them from finding a common language. But a few comments are still worth making. There are no problems with routes in Google Maps, and the location option is not very interesting, because only the current map display is transmitted. The point marked on the screen of the source phone does not reach the recipient. The situation is corrected by using the "Addresses" application, which transfers the data correctly. When sending contacts, a photo is lost because, from a technical point of view, the transfer format corresponds to text files vcf. If we talk about applications, then you can send not only those installed on your phone, but also just open cards on Google Play. Similarly, books and other content from the store are supported. Naturally, we are talking about the transfer of links, and not the downloaded or purchased elements themselves. There was a problem with sending photos: the Sony device was unable to work with this type of data. The official wording is "The recipient's device does not support large data transfers via Android Beam." Here you have the first sign of the youth of the interface or the lack of detail in the technical specifications of the devices. Formally, we have both NFC and Android Beam in two devices, but in practice their real capabilities differ significantly, and you can find out about this only as a result of verification. What can we say about less famous manufacturers - their implementation of this technology can be completely unpredictable.

By the way, as for the very operation of Android Beam. The description of the technology indicates that for data transfer, the establishment of a connection via Bluetooth is used after the initial negotiation of settings via NFC. Considering that all working formats assumed a really small amount of transmitted data, NFC speed was quite enough for them, but for photos it would be clearly not enough. So we can assume that Sony just did not implement switching to a faster interface. It is not possible to understand whether this problem is software (recall that Android 4.0.4 is installed on this device) or hardware.

We also tried to send our own music and videos in the same way from the respective apps, but nothing appeared on the receiver.

Reading and writing labels

The described Android Beam uses the ability to transmit and process short information messages. However, in reality, they can not only be transmitted from the phone, but also read from passive tags. In a sense, this technology is similar to the well-known QR codes that are read by the phone's camera. Wherein useful information(for example, a link to a website page) takes just a few tens of bytes. Tags can be used by companies, for example, to promote their products or services. Considering the compact size of the passive label (more precisely, the thickness comparable to a sheet of paper - because of the antenna, the area will still be significant, no less than a five-ruble coin), it can be placed almost anywhere: on a box with a product, in a magazine, on an information rack and other places.

Passive NFC tags can be made into key fobs

If we talk about hand-made labels, then this is a completely feasible scenario. To do this, you need to purchase blank blanks and, using a special program for the phone, write down the required information on them. For example, we bought several different options: a sticker of minimum thickness, a protected circle made of plastic and key chains. All of them had a very small amount of memory - only 144 bytes (there are options on the market for 4 KB). The number of rewrite cycles was not specified, but for most application scenarios this parameter is not critical. To work with tags, NXP Semiconductors programs - TagInfo and TagWriter - can be recommended.

The first will allow you to read the data from the tag and decrypt the information according to the NDEF standard, and the second will help you create your own tags. At the same time, several sub-variants of NDEF are supported: contact, link, text, SMS, mail message, phone number, Bluetooth connection, geographic location, local file link, application launch, URI. Please note that when creating a record, you need to take into account the amount of data stored. For example, a contact photo can take several kilobytes, messages or text can also easily go beyond 144 bytes. By the way, the NFC TagInfo program from the NFC Research Lab with a special plug-in can read and show you a color photo from a biometric passport. With a data volume of one and a half dozen kilobytes, reading them via NFC takes about 20 seconds. An additional level of protection in this case is provided by the need to specify some details of the passport for reading data from the chip.

Note that the automatic processing of read tags depends on the content. In particular, sometimes additional confirmation is required to carry out the action itself. For example, in the case of SMS, a completed message form opens, but the actual sending must be confirmed by the user. But the recorded web link can immediately open in the browser. Any automation is associated with a loss of control, so the described features should be used with caution, because by simply replacing or reprogramming labels, attackers can redirect you to a fake site instead of the original one. We did not find regular OS settings to limit such autorun (unless you disable NFC itself).

Another important point when using labels in public places is overwrite protection. When writing a label, you can set a protection flag that will block all attempts to change information, but it will be impossible to remove it. So the label will continue to be used in read-only mode. For home use, this is in most cases not very critical.

Let's mention a few more programs for writing labels:

Using predefined tags to manage a device

One of the active participants in the implementation of NFC is Sony. Her devices are pre-installed Smart program Connect that supports original Sony tags. If you wish, using the SmartTag Maker utility, you can create them yourself from blank blanks. The system uses the NDEF URI format with the tag number/color encoded in the text link. In total, the system provides up to eight labels, which are designated as “home”, “office”, “car”, “bedroom”, “listen”, “play”, “activity”, “watch”.

Variant of original Sony SmartTags

The Smart Connect program itself works not only with NFC tags, but also with other devices connected to the phone, including headsets, power supply, Bluetooth devices. Conveniently enough, the standard settings already correspond well to the above scenarios. In this case, the user can reprogram all circuits; each of them specifies a set of conditions and actions.

As a condition, you can use tag recognition or device connection, in addition, you can limit the operation time of the circuit. The set of actions is quite wide, it includes launching an application, opening a link in a browser, launching music, adjusting the volume and mode, connecting a Bluetooth audio device, sending SMS, making a call, managing wireless interfaces, adjusting brightness, and other actions. Moreover, they can also be assigned to exit this mode, which is carried out by re-identifying the tag, by a new event / tag, or by the expiration of the specified time interval.

But in fact, it is not necessary to use Sony branded tags - you can also find use for ready-made tags that do not allow information to be overwritten. For example, it can be used transport cards. The fact is that each of them has its own unique identifier, which can be tied to certain actions with special programs. As a possible reaction, such operations as changing the profile, enabling / disabling interfaces, and many others can act.

The Play Store has several utilities for this scenario, to mention a couple of them:

Recall that you should not install several such programs at once. The convenience of this mode will not be added, because when a label is detected on the phone screen, a dialog box will appear with the choice of a program for processing it.

In our search for tagging software, we also came across another class of utilities that might be of interest in the case of writable tagging. These programs use their own original recording format, which only they themselves can work with. At the same time, the set possible actions almost the same as described above:

Recall that at the moment the label is read only when the device is unlocked. So the scenario “came home, put the phone on the nightstand - automatically switched the profile, turned off the call and Bluetooth, set the alarm” will require some actions from the user. This behavior still limits the possibilities of programs a little.

Exchange of information between devices

With the exception of Android Beam, the scenarios described above assume the operation of one phone with a tag or specialized terminal. If we talk about the direct connection of the devices to each other, then the main issue here is compatibility. Of course, in the case of products from one manufacturer, especially a large one, it is possible to simply install the appropriate program into the firmware. But if the devices are produced by different manufacturers, everyone will have to use the same utilities. And it’s not at all a fact that your partner will have the same program installed as you.

Considering that the native speed of NFC is very slow, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is usually used for fast file transfer, and NFC only works during the connection negotiation and pairing phase. To test this scenario, we tried several file transfer programs that claim to support NFC on our devices.

send! File Transfer(NFC) in free version allows you to share files of photos, music and videos. You can use NFC or QR codes to establish a connection. The transmission is carried out via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (in case both devices have Wi-Fi Direct support, which was not found in the Sony phone used). As a result, we managed to see a speed of 65 KB / s, which, of course, is too low even for photos.

Blue NFC, as the name suggests, also simplifies Bluetooth file sharing by replacing the power, search, and pairing steps with touch and NFC sharing. The speed of work is not very high - at the level of the program mentioned above.

File Expert HD also uses Bluetooth, but the speed is already 100-200 KB/s. True, in fairness it is worth noting that this program has many other file sharing modes.

Conclusion

As of spring 2013, we can say that NFC technology is already confidently taking its place in modern smartphones top and middle levels. Indirectly, interest in it can be estimated by the number of programs in the Play Store: there are already several hundred free projects alone. Given the dominance of the market (especially in terms of the number of models) of the Android platform, it is today the most popular for NFC devices. On iOS regular funds for NFC is not provided, but Windows phone 8 has significantly limited NFC capabilities for third-party applications.

By itself, NFC technology has several features that allow it to occupy a unique position:

contactless data transmission;
work only at short distances;
the ability to exchange information with other devices or passive tags;
low cost solution;
low power consumption;
low data rate.

At the moment, for smartphones and tablets, there are three most relevant options for using NFC: data exchange between devices (contacts, applications, links, photos and other files), reading tags with special information and changing device modes / settings / profiles, quick pairing with peripherals(for example, headsets). In the first case, you can try to work with the standard Android Beam program or install alternative options. They can be useful when you need a high exchange rate (over Wi-Fi), but require the same program on each device.

Passive tags can be used almost anywhere, from posters to magazines and product tags. They can record product information, a website link, Wi-Fi settings, contact information, geographic coordinates, or other small amount of data. The spread of this method of information exchange directly depends on the number compatible devices at users. This scenario can be compared to common QR codes, which today are perhaps easier to implement and more popular.

Even non-writable labels can be used with some programs to change system settings, so many users will be able to try this scenario in practice. True, it should be noted that in this case, the set of options will be recorded in a specific device, and it may be difficult to transfer it to another device. Most utilities of this purpose still require their own recorded tags, which allows them to store all the required information in an encoded form directly in the tag (or cloud), so that in order to use these settings on another device, it will be enough to have the same program on it.

We have not considered in this article such NFC use cases as payment systems, electronic wallets and micropayments, tickets and coupons, transport cards and passes. These topics, especially the first one, deserve separate consideration. We will try to return to them in the presence of reader interest and the dissemination of such solutions.

Many have heard about this technology, but not everyone knows what NFC is, why a corresponding module is needed in a smartphone, and what benefits it can bring to its owner.

By the way, in Samsung smartphones This opportunity appeared a long time ago - back in 2011. Already the very first Galaxy Note already included (albeit optionally) an NFC adapter, just like its "contemporary" Galaxy S2 (I9100). And the joint Samsung Nexus S had one back in 2010.

What is NFC?

The full decoding of this abbreviation is Near Field Communication, which can be translated as “near field communications”. I must say that the range of the NFC antenna is actually very limited and usually does not exceed 10-20 cm.

This technology allows for contactless data exchange by induction of a magnetic field, and both passive exchange (say, a card-terminal) and active exchange (two smartphones) are possible.

The technology is found widely outside of mobile technology, such as for transit cards or gated cards that lean against turnstiles.

Data transfer

Initially, there was little benefit from NFC technology in smartphones. For example, it allowed to transfer data between two devices with almost instantaneous detection of the receiver, but it was associated with two inconveniences at once:

The data transfer rate is almost at the level of the infrared port.
The need to keep smartphones in close proximity to each other.

So as a means of transmission NFC data definitely lost to more convenient and faster solutions - Bluetooth and WiFi Direct.

Contactless mobile payments

True, NFC support in smartphones became a really useful thing, however, only with the release of Android 4.4 KitKat, where full support for contactless emulation appeared. bank card with MasterCard PayPass and VISA PayWire technologies.

Previously, it was only available for Nexus smartphones using the proprietary Google Wallet application (does not work properly outside the US).

However, thanks to Android 4.4 KitKat and later, quite a few large quantities applications that allow you to use your smartphone instead of a payment card.

By the way, with the help of special software, a smartphone can even be turned into a payment terminal that can accept MasterCard PayPass and VISA PayWire cards for payment.

Perhaps the most versatile application that allows you to issue a contactless bank card or connect an existing one.

Issuing a new card:

Tinkoff is a prepaid MasterCard PayPass card, there is a possibility of simplified identification for expanding limits and payments abroad. Using the card and SMS-informing is free of charge. Minus - the lack of transaction history (only in SMS and upon request to hotline jar). Free replenishment on the bank's website and in many terminals.
Russian Standard is a virtual MasterCard PayPass without identification and with low limits. Useless when paying overseas. There is a history of transactions.

Also in the application, you can store discount cards of various stores without having to carry them with you every time.

It is possible to work on a rooted smartphone (a warning about the removal of responsibility is issued).

This application also allows you to pay for smartphone purchases using VISA PayWire. To activate payment via NFC smartphone must have a "clean" non-rooted firmware.

When identifying the level "Standard" and above, payment for goods and services abroad is available.

The contactless payment feature has appeared in this Android app relatively recently. Upon activation, a separate contactless card is generated, which is attached to the wallet. When paying, a write-off is made from the main balance.

It is possible to work on smartphones with active root mode.

"Corn"

In the application for the popular Russian payment system there is also support for contactless payment, and if the Corn cards themselves are issued on MasterCard “plastic”, then the virtual NFC card in the application is VISA PayWire.

In order to use contactless payment in the application, the user must have an active "Kukuruz" card and a non-rooted smartphone. Note that given function may not work on Chinese smartphones with NFC, which, according to the program, have a "strange" system that has been modified (due to the general curvature of Chinese firmware).

Mobile application from Russian Standard Bank

In this application, it is possible to issue a contactless card for payments, and it is not at all necessary to be a bank client. However, there is no possibility of identification even for existing customers, so the card is very limited in terms of limits and cannot be used for payments outside of Russia.

Mobile Privat24

This application may be useful for users of smartphones with NFC from Ukraine. Bank customers can create a virtual card for contactless payments using a smartphone. The card is attached to one of the existing accounts in any currency.

Emulation of electronic travel documents

Modern cards for public transport (for example, the Moscow Metro) are often based on NFC technology. Therefore, with the help of special programs, they can be easily copied and used as a smartphone instead of a travel pass.

Other use cases

A smartphone with NFC module support can also be used as a terminal for reading/writing contactless cards. There are programs that allow you to unlock the smartphone screen using a contactless smart card.

With the growing number of different mobile devices and devices, it became necessary to provide fast wireless communication between them. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies have been actively exploring new niches in recent years, making it possible to transfer data, share files and upload them to social networks. Today, even cameras are equipped with a Wi-Fi module so that you can quickly share pictures and videos. However, these technologies still require a certain amount of time to set up the connection and pair the devices. Therefore, NFC technology was born, which allows mobile devices to connect in just 0.1 seconds, and then transfer the necessary data. Many Russians are already using this technology without even knowing what it really is and how it works.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of NFC is based on the induction of a magnetic field: the devices have two compact antennas that are located within a short range relative to each other. Accordingly, when the devices approach each other, an air-core transformer is formed. There is no need for registration, configuration and any additional manipulations - it is enough to bring two smartphones to each other, for example, and a stable connection is instantly formed between them. The distance between compact antennas built into mobile devices or digital devices should not exceed twenty centimeters. Only in this case, you will get a reliable, wireless connection between devices.

In fact, NFC can be considered, in fact, the continuation of the already well-established radio frequency identification technology RFID. As we know, RFID is ubiquitous in contactless cards and tags. However, NFC can not only read information from any passive electronic tags, but is also capable of providing two-way wireless communication between devices.

Therefore, NFC immediately attracted attention as a technology with significant potential. After all, it can be used not only in phones, but also for making electronic payments and in other areas. The development of its own standard for this technology began in 2004, and the first specifications were published two years later. It took some time before NFC was fully ready for commercial use.

Today, the technology is based on the ISO 18092 standard. At the same time, the NFC Forum organization also develops specific requirements for the use of technology, develops it and implements it in various fields of activity. NFC uses a frequency of 13.56 MHz to transmit information, the data transfer rate reaches up to 424 Kbps. It is important that the connection between compatible devices is established instantly. This has its advantages not only in terms of convenience, but also to provide increased security and prevent unauthorized connections.

Advantages

How is NFC fundamentally different, for example, from Bluetooth, which is also a short-range technology and is actively used in modern phones? In fact, NFC has a lot of advantages, including the following:

- Fast connection setup speed

As we have already noted, NFC compares favorably with all other wireless communication technologies by the speed of establishing a connection. Communication between compatible devices is established in less than one tenth of a second (against about six seconds with Bluetooth). For the exchange of information is not required "pairing" devices. Not needed manual settings to identify devices, the connection is established automatically when the devices are placed at a certain distance from each other. At the same time, it should be noted that NFC is inferior to the same Bluetooth in terms of data transfer speed - 424 Kbps versus 2.1 Mbps. However, given the scope of this technology, this circumstance is not a critical disadvantage.

— Convenience

For users, the use of NFC greatly simplifies many operations. For example, to transfer digital pictures or other files, just touch one device with another. The same procedure can be followed to make an electronic payment or transfer of funds. Thus, all actions are carried out literally with one touch.

- Safety

On the one hand, a short range (up to 20 centimeters) is a disadvantage, and on the other hand, it has a positive effect on the security of information exchange. This circumstance makes the NFC connection suitable for use in crowded spaces or crowded places where data interception or accidental connection is possible. Also, thanks to increased security, a small device with an NFC chip can perform the functions of a work pass, electronic keys to an apartment or a hotel room.

– Versatility

Unlike Bluetooth, this technology is compatible with contactless solutions and RFID structures. In addition, it can work even if one of the compatible devices is not supplied with a power source (in particular, the phone is turned off).

- Support for other wireless technologies

NFC can be used to initiate faster connections, making it much easier to set up the same Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

— Openness

NFC is open and compliant with widely accepted ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards, making it suitable for a wide range of commercial areas and uses.

To date, NFC chips are installed in a wide variety of devices, but, above all, we are talking, of course, about smartphones and communicators. NFC technology generates huge interest from companies mobile communications and providers. However, the scope of NFC is not limited to this. In the next part, we will look in more detail at the various applications of this short range wireless technology.

Application

The main area of application of NFC technology, of course, is its implementation in various mobile devices - from smartphones to tablet computers and compact cameras. The first phone equipped with an NFC chip was introduced in 2006. It was a simple Nokia 6131 clamshell for today. At the moment, hundreds of mobile phones and communicators with an NFC chip, thanks to which it becomes possible to wirelessly transfer data from one device to another with just one touch. Some modern digital cameras are also equipped with Wi-Fi coupled with NFC to instantly transfer captured photos and videos to your tablet.

With the help of NFC, it became possible to play on the TV screen the video that is stored on the smartphone. To do this, you just need to bring your smartphone closer to the TV remote control. For example, in Sony TVs, this feature is called One Touch Mirroring. Of course, in order for it to work, you must have a built-in NFC chip both in your smartphone and in the remote control itself. As we can see, the scope of NFC technology in mobile devices and household appliances is very diverse, but even greater prospects have opened up for this technological solution in other areas, for example, in banking.

Card emulation

NFC is very attractive for making electronic payments and, accordingly, banks, since it supports the so-called emulation mode. That is, using this technology, you can emulate the work of a well-known bank card. In particular, the user only needs to bring his smartphone with an integrated NFC chip to the terminal and he can easily make any payment. Thanks to NFC, you can create your own electronic wallet. The advantage here is that the technology can be implemented in almost any device, be it a smartphone or a key fob.

An example is the work of PayPass technology. Its essence is as follows. If the user has a phone with an NFC chip and his NFC bank card is activated in the SIM menu, then he can approach any terminal that supports the MasterCard PayPass payment function, present the phone to it at the required distance (20 centimeters) and the payment will be made. Everything is very fast and convenient. You don't even need to interact with the payment terminal by browsing through its menu. Sound and light signals will confirm that the required funds have been debited from the bank card account. All that a person needs to implement such a solution is that, in addition to the NFC chip, his phone also has data on bank accounts filled in. It should be noted that the main drivers of NFC distribution are mobile operators. After all, the more such services are loaded into a smartphone, the more likely it is that the client will not refuse the services of this operator.

Mobile trading, electronic ticketing, electronic payments - all this is relevant for NFC technology.

Reading data

In addition to card emulation, NFC can work in the information reading mode. And here there are plenty of opportunities for its application. Suffice it to say that NFC can be successfully used to read information from electronic boards, and also serve as electronic keys to a car, hotel room or house. The NFC chip embedded in a mobile device can read data from various objects through smart tags. Thanks to this, in particular, the user can obtain additional information from the movie poster or from the product label on the store counter.

One of the most promising areas of application for NFC is fare collection systems. Thanks to the emulation mode, a smartphone with a built-in NFC chip makes it easy to purchase tickets on trains or on public transport. You can generate a ticket purchase request by touching the phone to the NFC tag located on the smart poster. After that, a special application is instantly launched and a ticket purchase request is activated. In this case, the smartphone already works as a reader, reading the information that is stored in the label. Next, the user confirms the purchase, and the electronic ticket is downloaded to his phone. Moreover, the ticket data is stored in the security elements of the device, making it impossible to change them.

The ticket price is automatically deducted from the user's account with a mobile operator or from a bank card. Fare payment control can be performed using a turnstile or a controller already directly on the route. To do this, the smartphone is simply brought to the reader and the ticket data is instantly sent to the processing center, which provides the appropriate verification. After confirmation of authenticity, the turnstile opens. In such a simple and at the same time convenient way, the operation of the fare payment system for transport can be organized. Such systems are now beginning to be actively implemented.

The use of NFC-enabled smartphones is enabling the next generation of transport applications. In this case, the phone can act as a carrier of electronic tickets, which contains information about the user, his travel history and other data useful for the transport company.