ISO 14443A, ISO 15693 & NFC NDEF Protocols
HF RFID operates at 13.56 MHz via inductive near-field magnetic coupling. ISO 14443A (Proximity, up to 10cm) powers payments and smartphone NFC taps. ISO 15693 (Vicinity, up to 1.5m) powers open-aisle library security gates and ski-pass turnstiles.
Core Protocol Architecture & Specifications
- ✓ Inductive coupling physics immune to water and human body interference (unlike raw UHF)
- ✓ NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) standardized record formatting for URLs, Wi-Fi credentials, and MIME payloads
- ✓ ISO 15693 Vicinity 1.5-meter open gate detection using high-Q tuned loop antennas
- ✓ MIFARE Classic & DESFire EV2/EV3 multi-application cryptographic security
- ✓ Native tap-and-verify scanning on 100% of modern Apple iOS and Android smartphones
// Encodes a standard NFC Forum NDEF URI Record for NTAG213 chips
export function encodeNdefUri(url: string): Uint8Array {
const uriPrefixMap: Record<string, number> = {
'http://www.': 0x01,
'https://www.': 0x02,
'http://': 0x03,
'https://': 0x04,
'tel:': 0x05,
'mailto:': 0x06
};
let prefixCode = 0x00;
let trimmedUrl = url;
for (const [prefix, code] of Object.entries(uriPrefixMap)) {
if (url.startsWith(prefix)) {
prefixCode = code;
trimmedUrl = url.slice(prefix.length);
break;
}
}
const urlBytes = new TextEncoder().encode(trimmedUrl);
const payloadLength = 1 + urlBytes.length;
// NDEF Record Header: MB=1, ME=1, CF=0, SR=1, IL=0, TNF=0x01 (NFC Well Known)
const header = 0xD1;
const typeLength = 0x01; // 'U' for URI
const typeByte = 0x55; // ASCII 'U'
const ndefMessage = new Uint8Array([
0x03, // NDEF Message TLV Tag
payloadLength + 4, // TLV Length
header,
typeLength,
payloadLength,
typeByte,
prefixCode,
...urlBytes,
0xFE // Terminator TLV
]);
return ndefMessage;
} Verified Hardware Implementations
Our engineering team has thoroughly tested and validated ISO 14443 / ISO 15693 (NFC) across the following reader models, embedded modules, and smart transponders:
Target Deployments
- Smart brand packaging & anti-counterfeit authentication
- Library book check-in & EAS theft detection
- Hospital patient wristbands
- Contactless cashless canteen payments
Deploy with OpenRFID
Integrate ISO 14443 / ISO 15693 (NFC) into your ERP, warehouse software, or custom mobile app with pre-built C# / C++ drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions (ISO 14443 / ISO 15693 (NFC))
Engineering insights on ISO/IEC 14443 Type A/B | ISO/IEC 15693 | NFC Forum Type 2/4/5 implementation challenges
Why do libraries use 13.56 MHz ISO 15693 instead of UHF Gen2?
What are the primary operational differences in read range between ISO 14443A and ISO 15693?
How is NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format) structured across tag memory blocks?
https://..., vCard, or text). It allows cross-platform smartphones (iOS and Android) to open web URLs or apps upon tap without proprietary software.