Fundamentals

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)

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A technology that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. NFC is a specialized subset of HF RFID operating at 13.56 MHz with additional features like peer-to-peer communication.

    


    
    
    

      별칭:
      
      RFID
      
      Radio-Frequency Identification
      
    

    
  


  




  
  

    
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)


Radio-Frequency Identification is a broad family of technologies that use electromagnetic
fields to identify and track tags attached to objects. RFID systems consist of three
components: a tag (transponder) carrying an identifier, a reader (interrogator) that
emits radio waves and receives responses, and backend software that processes the
collected data. NFC is a specialized subset of
HF RFID with additional capabilities.


Frequency Bands


RFID operates across three primary frequency bands, each offering different trade-offs
between read range, data rate, and environmental behavior:


    

  • LF (125-134 kHz): Read range up to 0.5 m. Penetrates water and animal tissue
  effectively. Used in livestock tracking (ISO 11784/85), car key immobilizers, and
  legacy access cards. Low data rates (~8 kbps).
    • 

  • HF (13.56 MHz): Read range up to about 1 m. This is where NFC lives, alongside
  ISO 15693 vicinity cards. Balanced data rates (up to 848 kbps
  for NFC-A) and good water tolerance.
    • 

  • UHF (860-960 MHz): Read range up to 12 m. Dominant in supply chain and logistics
  (EPC Gen2 / ISO 18000-63). Bulk reading of hundreds of tags per second, but poor
  performance near water and metal.
    • 



NFC as an RFID Subset


While all NFC communication is technically RFID, the reverse is not true. NFC adds
peer-to-peer communication via NFCIP-1, a standardized data
payload format (NDEF), and bidirectional read/write capability.
Critically, NFC constrains the read range to approximately
4 cm using ISO 14443, enforcing physical proximity for
security-sensitive applications like payments and access control.


Engineering Considerations


When evaluating RFID versus NFC, the choice depends on range, throughput, and security
requirements. UHF RFID excels at bulk inventory scanning over meters of distance. NFC
excels at secure, intentional, one-to-one interactions at touch range. Many modern
deployments combine both: UHF RFID for warehouse-level tracking, NFC for consumer-facing
authentication using chips like NTAG 424 DNA.

  

  

  
  
  




  
  
Related Terms

  

  

    
    Near Field Communication (NFC)
    
  





  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

    
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자주 묻는 질문


  

    
    

      
      

        
The NFC glossary is a comprehensive reference of technical terms, acronyms, and concepts used in Near Field Communication technology. It is designed for developers, product managers, and engineers who work with NFC and need clear definitions of terms like NDEF, APDU, anti-collision, and ISO 14443.

      

    

    
    

      
      

        
Each glossary term is cross-referenced with related NFC chips, standards, and other terms. For example, the term 'AES-128' links to chips that support AES encryption (NTAG 424 DNA, DESFire EV2/EV3), and the term 'ISO 14443' links to all chips compliant with that standard.

      

    

    
    

      
      

        
Yes. NFCFYI provides glossary definitions in 15 languages including English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic, French, Russian, German, Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai. Use the language selector in the header to switch languages.