RFC 9428 Brings Full Internet Connectivity to Near-Field Communication (NFC) Devices
New proposed standard brings IPv6 connectivity at a four-inch range to otherwise-disconnected NFC-equipped devices.
Researchers at South Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), Daejon University, and Dongeui University have added a new trick to near-field communication (NFC) technology: internet connectivity, now published as the proposed standard RFC 9428.
Building atop radio frequency ID (RFID) technology and first used commercially in 1997 to power interactive Star Wars toys from Hasbro, NFC became an international standard for short-range low-bitrate bidirectional communication in 2003. Where traditional RFID systems were strictly read-only, NFC can communicate in both directions — which is where RFC 9428 comes in.
Designed to offer full internet connectivity for otherwise-disconnected devices, like payment terminals, RFC 9428 — Transmission of IPv6 Packets over near-field communication — allows an NFC connection between two devices to act as a low-power wireless personal area network (6LoWPAN). Where traditionally NFC would have been used to set up a pairing for communication over a longer-range and higher-bitrate connection, like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it can now bridge a connection on one device to another without further pairing or any reconnection.
This, its proponents claim, brings a number of advantages. The first is obviously convenience: an offline payment terminal can be temporarily connected for the duration of a transaction, simply by sending the packets through its NFC partner. Another is security: by limiting the range of the radio to just 10cm (around 4"), the researchers say, the communication is "less susceptible to hacking risks" compared to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
The team behind the standard is also keen to see its adoption in the Internet of Things (IoT), including smart homes, smart buildings, and smart factories, for contactless short-range communication. "The development of this international standard and the acquisition of standard patents hold great meaning," claims ETRI director Kang Shin-gak. "It represents a valuable achievement that can lead innovation in the IoT field and pave the way for future market dominance."
The full text of RFC 9428 is available on RFC-Editor.org.