STMicroelectronics Near Field Communication Application Solutions

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Near field communication (NFC) is a set of standards for smartphones and other similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bring them into close proximity, usually no more than a few centimeters. Established in 2004, the NFC Forum (STMicroelectronics is a sponsor member) promotes the use of NFC short-range wireless interaction in consumer electronics, mobile devices, and PCs to increase a range of benefits for the end-user. Benefits include easy connections, quick transactions, simple data sharing, versatility across the broadest range of industries, compatibility with existing technologies and standards, and security in transmission.

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A remarkably diverse and ever-expanding universe of NFC use cases is being explored and brought to market all around the world. Today, both research organizations and commercial enterprises are putting NFC to work in widely diverse areas.
NFC complements many popular consumer level wireless technologies by utilizing the key elements in existing standards for contactless card technology (ISO/IEC 14443 A&B and JIS-X 6319-4). NFC can be compatible with existing contactless card infrastructure and enables a consumer to utilize one device across different systems.

Extending the ability of the contactless card technology, NFC also enables devices to share information at a distance less than 4 centimeters with a maximum communication speed of 424kbps. Users can share business cards, make transactions, access information from smart posters or provide credentials for access control systems with a simple touch.

NFC’s bidirectional communication ability is ideal for establishing connections with other technologies by the simplicity of touch. For example if the user wants to connect their mobile device to their stereo to play media, they can simply touch the device to the stereo’s NFC touch point and the devices will negotiate the best wireless technology to use.

STMicroelectronics' innovative family of Near Field Communication (NFC) Solutions Dual Interface EEPROMs provides new features and capabilities. The EEPROM memory bank can be accessed either by a low-power I²C interface or by an ISO 15693 RF interface operating at 13.56 MHz. It also features an energy harvesting and an RF status function. In addition, the family features a 32-bit password protection mechanism.