NFC: Detailed Introduction and Operation - Case Study Example

? Near Field Communications and their Operations Introduction Over the last three decades, there has been significant improvement and advancement in technology with telecommunication sector being the major beneficiary of these technological advancements. These technological expansive processes have been fundamental in improving the quality of life by allowing faster, effective, reliable, and safety interactions. The primary idea of communication and technology integration is driven by the desire to efficiently connect the physical world to the virtual information thereby providing ubiquitous computing (Want, 2011). The concept of ‘Internet of Thing’ is closely related to network ubiquity, which refers to identification, virtual connectivity and tracking of daily connection objects. This connectivity if the object and the virtual communication system have been enabled by the introduction of modern technology, particularly NFC (Near Field Communication), a device that is responsible for linking virtual information to different physical devices through proximity (Langer, & Roland, 2010). Nearly every place or object can supplied with this technology (NFC tags) and this would aid in providing useful information and proximate identification to the smart device users such as smartphones and tablet computers. For instance, the application of this device would provide detailed information about a music concert advert as well as allowing purchasing of the concert’s tickets using their phones as the technology allows for direct dispensing of the tickets through the smartphones and computers. The technological interaction behind the NFC has remained invisible to majority of the users who are unleobtrusively struck to concern posters (Langer, & Roland, 2010). The validity of these tickets can simply be verified by just waving the smartphone or computer across the NFC reader device installed at the entrance to the hall. After the event, the attendance can easily share the photos taken during the concert by just holding their Smartphone together. NFC Technology Technical Principles and Historical Progression Near Field Communication (NFC) is a high frequency wireless form of communication technology that enables effective exchange of data and information between devices that are four inches distance apart. The NFC is just but an expansion of ISO/IEC 14443 or RFID proximity-card standard that is a combination of reader and smartcard interface into one simple device. The NFC standardization covers data exchange format and communications protocols that are based on the already existing RFID (radio-frequency identification) standards including FeliCa and IEC/ISO 14443 (Want, 2011). The RFID technology was introduced by 1970s and has since then been critical in enhancing telecommunication industry. The RFID technology realizes automatic data transfer and identification by the use of electromagnetic radio signals by active reader means connected passive electronic tag and energy source that relies on magnetic inductions to transponder the receiving of communication power (Want, 2011). The RFID tag is fixed with antenna that is responsible for receiving and transmitting radio signals. The device is also fitted with integrated circuits for storing and processing information as well as demodulating and modulating the signal received. In 2004, Sony, Nokia, and NXO Semiconductors founded the popular NFC Forum purposely to standardize the then existing smart card technology and the RFID technologies together, thus creating an innovative and novel capability targeting short-range communication. The NFC Forum still support companies that aims at standardizing NFC technology. Technical Characteristics and Operation Modes The main advantage of this technology (NFC) that was made its success possible is its compatibility with the RFID infrastructure, many smart cards, and RFID tags. The NFC is built on subsets of ISO standards that are already in existence, including ISO/IEC 14443 standards that are applied in RFID technology. Therefore, NFC operates at 13.56 MHz radio frequency band and it is unlicensed, but has amplitude shift-keying modules that allow transfer of data up to 424 Kilobits per second (Siira, Tuikka, & Tormanen, 2009). Theoretically, the NFC operates within 20 cm but in most instances, a 4 cm working parameter is preferred as the electromagnetic powers are more powerful and effective within that radius. Unlike the conventional RFID technology, NFC system has limited strict difference between the reader and the transponder (Langer, & Roland, 2010). NFC-capable devices have the capacity to integrate both components: the active reader and passive transponder. Besides reading and writing data from a tag, NFC can also transmit and receive data directly from another NFC garget within the supported distance (Siira, Tuikka, & Tormanen, 2009). Therefore, NFC effectively supports the three basic functions: Reader/Writer Mode: NFC capable devices function as either writer or active reader. If the NFC gets closer (within the sensitive region) to the passive RFID system or passive smartcard, the magnetic inductive power helps in transferring the energy to the device’s passive tag, which established a contactless communication after being powered. The NFC powered device then reads the information in kept in the tag and also writes the information in the tag’s memory. Peer-to-Peer Mode: when two or more active NFC devices are held close, the device allows for easy exchange of data between these devices (Siira, Tuikka, & Tormanen, 2009). Card Emulation Mode: NFC can serve as smartcard that other smart device can easily read data from. It is this operation that is applied in ticketing and payment applications or in the provision of access controls (Langer, & Roland, 2010). This device, NFC therefore serves a perfect substitute for credit cards, ID cards, and paper-based tickets, thus elimination of accordant physical objects. Applications of NFC Near Field Communication provides massive abilities for diverse and wide utilization cases. NFC application is mainly based on prevailing RFID infrastructure which is cheap, fast acceptable and marketability (Coskun, 2013). NFC is applicable in mobile payment and mobile Ticketing. NFC is utilized in mobile payment, which is faster and easier payment at the underlying Point of Sale in places such as the supermarket checkout and ticket vending machine (Coskun, 2013). The POS also offer proper amount of invoiced money, change of need and scrabbled together. NFC capable phone utilized reader device that enforced payment which store personalized discount coupons and bonus cards (Resatsch, 2010). NFC mobile payment also are utilized include Google Wallet that offer card and compromise and record personalized vouchers and corresponding loyalty cards through means of a service known as Google Offers (Resatsch, 2010). It also Offer Company owned commodities such as Google Maps and Google Places. NFC mobile payment also utilized ISIS Consortium and SIMpass Technology. Consortium is mainly constructed upon a partnership amidst major players of the US mobile communication market such as AT & T, T-Mobile and corresponding Verizon Wireless. SIMpass Technology offer diverse approaches for the mobile payments that is mainly based on an external NFC antenna that are manually placed amidst the battery and the back case of the prevailing mobile phone that is linked to the special RFID-SIM card (Resatsch, 2010). For NFC based P2P Payment both users are normally demanded to possess an account at PayPal and to install the application of the Android NFC phones, Via a Request Money widget on the phone, the payee enters the favorite amount, shunts the phone of the corresponding user and buzz appearance (Resatsch, 2010). NFC is also utilized in Mobile Ticketing via application of the Oyster Card, DB Touch and Travel, Movie, Concert and Hotel Ticketing (Resatsch, 2010). Oyster Card function with numerous smartcard for the prepaid mobile ticketing since it is equipped with RFID readers that customers utilized at the buses entrance and corresponding departure gates of the subway and train stations (Coskun, 2013). It automatically debits suitable fare from the card depending on the travelling type and duration. DB Touch and Travel is mainly based on the best price principle utilizing check-in and check-out sections at the train stations which the customers know in order to trace their journey (Coskun, 2013). NFC is applicable in the Movie, Concert and Hotel Ticketing that is tag advertisement poster and is redirected to a corresponding website that aids in buying ticket online. Application of the NFC technology is also used in access control, P2P Data Transfer, Product Information System, Location-based Wikipedia, Indoor Navigation System and Educational Systems. Security Concerns of NFC NFC normally deals with complex data such as credit card numbers, bank account details, account balances, custom-made tickets and individual data. Therefore, data storage and corresponding wireless transfer security is fundamental for NFC. This is because it offers numerous mechanisms security and immunity (Coskun, 2013). NFC technology offers data transfer amidst dual devices and corresponding tagged object distance amidst the dual items falls below a particular range though certain physical security due to the underlying touch-to-connect principle (Resatsch, 2010). The transmit power of the radio frequency and the obtain sensitivity of the NFC readers that accomplish the ISO specifications that is robust to function to a certain centimeters. Thus, supermarket checkpoint the client requires setting the phone directly above the prevailing reading device. Data skimming that is responsible for capturing and intercepting transferred data by the distant attacker is not possible thereby making its misuse to be possible in the form to relay attacks. Moreover, the attacks are ideally achieved through an attacker serving as the underlying man-in-the-middle that forward transmission data amidst a reader such as the NFC payments and corresponding target transponder (Coskun, 2013). An attacker places their altered NFC phone on the top of the NFC reader at the underlying POS. Wireless channel communication in regard to the NFC does not ensure secure encrypting mechanisms. Nevertheless, elevated layers of the NFC applications can be utilized industry-standard cryptographic protocols such as SSL/TLS based on the underlying methods that encrypt the prevailing data that are transferred over the air and stored within the secure element (Resatsch, 2010). Challenges of NFC The extent definite standards for the NFC services are currently missing. There is also lack of an ultimate conclusive strategy for the advancement of the NFC services originates within a fundamental conflict amidst numerous involved chief actors encompassing mobile phone manufacturers, network operators, banks and other supplementary service providers (Coskun, 2013). This means that each party normally strive to enforce interest and corresponding needs that play main role within the flow of the application scenario and relation acquisition of massive money (Resatsch, 2010). Moreover, third-party providers such as banks and financial institutions strive to host NFC applications within the neutral space on the handset whilst the network operators that can charge customers for offering services hoisted within secure environment on the prevailing UICC (Coskun, 2013). Conversely, the mobile phone manufacturers have decided kind of the NFC hardware, which is an alternative form of dedicated Secure Elements chips that are executed within the handset (Resatsch, 2010). Conclusion Dependability and usability of the NFC applications are likely the most significant elements of the user experience in the day to day utilization of the NFC technology and thus significant component for its accomplishment (Coskun, 2013). In comparison to the underlying alternative technologies, NFC provides massive merits. Fundamental basement of NFC have been established and effectual field trials have been finished (Resatsch, 2010). Based on the accomplishment of partnerships and corresponding collaborations amidst the stakeholders the applications with good user knowledge require to be published. Moreover, the experience of the NFC applications has resulted to motivation of the handset manufacturers to be incentivized to the production of the NFC capable smartphones (Coskun, 2013). This makes NFC technology to the probable technology that is capable to play a big role in the people’s future day to day life. References Coskun, V. (2013). Professional NFC Application Development for Android. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Langer, J. & Roland, M. (2010). Anwendungen und Technik von Near Field Communication (NFC). Resatsch, F. (2010). Ubiquitous Computing: Developing and Evaluating Near Field Communication applications. Wiesbaden: Gabler. Siira, E., Tuikka, T. & Tormanen, V. (2009). “Location-based mobile wiki using NFC tag infrastructure,” in Near Field Communication, 2009. NFC ’09. First International Workshop on, Feb. 2009, pp. 56 –60. Want, R. (2011). “Near Field Communication,” Pervasive Computing, IEEE, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 4–7. Read More