NFC Tag: Innovision Welcomes Publication Of NFC Forum's Tag Specifications As Route To Widespread Interoperability
The publication of the NFC tag specifications this week is finally opening the door to interoperability and closer co-operation between NFC developers and device manufacturers. This is according to leading NFC IC design and solutions developer, Innovision Research & Technology, which is driving the development and adoption of NFC technology.
Recently announced by the NFC Forum, the new specifications underpin the importance of standards in an industry which will be defined ultimately by the successful interoperability between different NFC technologies. It is a particularly significant announcement for application developers and device manufacturers, as the tags are the core ingredient in every NFC project.
"This is an important step forward in the growth and widespread development of NFC, as it paves the way forward for mass interoperability between NFC tags from different manufacturers and NFC application developers, as well as interaction with a multitude of NFC devices currently under development," according to Innovision's CTO, Heikki Huomo.
"For example, application developers for ‘smart posters' need to know how to write the NDEF data on the tags in such a way that the tags can be read by the NFC devices, such as a mobile phone. On the other hand, the handset manufacturers need the specifications to ensure their NFC-enabled handsets can read, and in some cases write, the NDEF messages to the tags."
The announcement follows the publication last year by the NFC Forum of the four initial NFC tag formats, which include Innovision's Topaz as the type 1 tag format. Topaz is one of only three proprietary tag formats officially mandated by the NFC Forum and supported by all of the leading mobile device manufacturers.
The announcement also echoes the subject of Innovision's second NFC White Paper published earlier this year – ‘Using the right NFC tag type for the right NFC application'. Highlighting the need to ensure the features and capabilities of an NFC tag meet the needs of a specific application, the paper aims to help NFC developers explore the relative merits of each of the four NFC Forum-mandated tag types for various applications.
About Innovision Research & Technology plc
Innovision Research & Technology plc, is leading the next generation of NFC/RFID solutions. As the leading fabless developer of short-range data communication semiconductor and system solutions, with particular focus on NFC/RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and ultra low-cost Integrated Circuit (IC) and RF electronic design, IRT is pushing cost performance to enable clients to get maximum utility for minimum cost.
The company develops innovative semiconductor technologies, ICs, RF systems (HF/UHF) and complete end product applications for mass volume commercialisation and then licenses customers for its incorporation into their own products.
At the heart of the emerging Near Field Communication (NFC) market, Innovision R&T designs and develops NFC/RFID IC solutions for the global mobile handset and consumer device sectors.
Products include Topaz, mandated by the NFC Forum as the NFC number one tag type format, Jewel for mass transit ticketing applications, and io, the world's smallest standards compatible Near-Field RFID reader.
Headquartered in the UK, Innovision R&T was listed in 2001 on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: INN). Visit: www.innovision-group.com for further details.
SOURCE: Innovision Research & Technology plc