RFID / NFC
Technology Overview
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method that relies on the storage and remote retrieval of data using RFID tags or transponders, which are mainly used for identification. Most RFID tags contain an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating radio frequency (RF) signals, and for other special functions such as encryption in an electronic passport. A large variety of tags are available for many different applications.
Near-field communication (NFC) mainly focuses on short-range wireless communications in consumer electronics, mobile user devices and PCs over a distance of about 10 cm. The NFC Forum defines different air interfaces (NFC-A, NFC-B and NFC-F) in the NFC Analogue Specification to ensure backwards compatibility. The specifications for NFC are based on the RFID standards ISO/IEC 14443A (NFC-A), ISO/IEC 14443B (NFC-B) and JIS X6319-4, also known as FeliCa (NFC-F). An NFC device can work in reader (polling), tag (listening) or peer-to-peer mode.
Applications
RFID and NFC support many different applications. The most common ones for RFID are product identification, such as the tracking of goods for logistics or electronic product coding (EPC), as well as human identification including electronic passports and entry systems. NFC will, for example, be implemented in mobile user devices for enabling payment transactions, personalization, authentication, data transfer, access control and many additional functions.
Rohde & Schwarz Test Solutions
The R&S®FSL spectrum analyzer and the R&S®RTOdigital oscilloscope are ideally suited for the analysis of NFC and RFID signals. The R&S®SMx-K6 pulse sequencer software for signal generators makes it easy to generate NFC and RFID signals in line with the standard specifications. In addition, user-specific commands can easily be configured and generated.
Key Parameters
| RFID | |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range |
Show / Hide
|
| Modulation | FSK, ASK, PSK, PJM, BPSK |
| Multiple Access | TDMA, FDMA |
| Duplex (Uplink/Downlink) | TDD |
| Channel Bandwidth | Typically: 200 kHz/500 kHz |
| Peak Data Rate | 106 kbit/s
212 kbit/s 424 kbit/s 848 kbit/s depends on standard |
| Max. Speed | typ. 1 km/h |
| Max. Distance | NFC: typ. 0.01 m
RFID: typ. 1 m max. 100 m |
Standardization
The NFC Analogue Specification is standardized by the NFC Forum. The evolution of the NFC standards over the past ten years is shown below:
RFID is a generic term covering many standards for different applications. The following table shows some of the most important ones:
|
Standard
|
Frequency
|
Application
|
|---|---|---|
|
ISO/IEC 11784
|
125 kHz / 135 kHz
|
animal identification (read-only)
|
|
ISO/IEC 14223/1
|
animal identification (read/write)
|
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-2
|
logistics
|
|
|
ISO/IEC 10536
(ID1 format) |
0 MHz to 30 MHz
|
high security
|
|
NFC Analogue Specification
|
13.56 MHz
|
NFC (proximity cards, contactless controller)
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-3
|
vicinity cards (contactless memory), logistics
|
|
|
EPC Class I RF
|
electronic product code
|
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-7
|
433 MHz
|
logistics
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-6
|
860 MHz to 960 MHz
|
logistics
|
|
EPC Class I Gen 2
|
electronic product code (reading of multiple tags)
|
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-4
|
2.4 GHz to 2.4835 GHz,
2.45 GHz |
logistics
|
|
ISO/IEC 18000-5
|
5.725 GHz to 5.875 GHz
|
logistics
|
