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What is NFC (near-field communication)?

Wireless communication over distances of a few centimeters to about 10 cm using electromagnetic induction by a 13.56 MHz magnetic field. The card receives power from the reader's magnetic field, so it needs no battery. It is used in transit IC cards, contactless payments, data exchange between smartphones and more, and FeliCa, widespread in Japan, also uses the same 13.56 MHz.

Japanese name: NFC(Near Field Communication)

NFC (near-field communication) appears in 1 practice question across 1 topic, including Wireless Communication Basics.

Field: Wireless Communication Basics

Try it: questions about NFC (near-field communication)

Which is a characteristic of NFC, used in transit IC cards and contactless smartphone payments?

  1. AIt uses radio waves in the 2.4 GHz band and can communicate with devices several tens of meters away
  2. BThe card has a built-in battery and uses its power to emit strong radio waves
  3. CIt uses 13.56 MHz electromagnetic induction with a range of a few centimeters to about 10 cm, and the card runs on power received from the reader's magnetic field
Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. It uses 13.56 MHz electromagnetic induction with a range of a few centimeters to about 10 cm, and the card runs on power received from the reader's magnetic field

NFC is short-range wireless communication using electromagnetic induction by a 13.56 MHz magnetic field. The coil in the card receives power from the magnetic field produced by the reader, so the card needs no battery. The range is short, a few centimeters to about 10 cm, so cards are hard to read unintentionally from a distance and are used with a "tap" action. FeliCa, used in Japanese transit IC cards and elsewhere, also uses the same 13.56 MHz.

NFC (near-field communication) in the explanations

Questions that mention NFC (near-field communication) (1)

  1. Which is a characteristic of NFC, used in transit IC cards and contactless smartphone payments?

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Related terms

Beamforming Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Direct-conversion receiver Fading Free-space path loss (FSPL) Hidden node problem Link budget LPWA (low-power wide-area) MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) Noise figure (NF)

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