NFC Forum

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For release: 05 Oct 2006

NFC Forum Publishes Specification For "SmartPoster" Records

WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA – Oct. 5, 2006 – The NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association advancing the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, today announced publication of the Forum’s SmartPoster Record Type Definition (RTD) Specification.

The SmartPoster RTD specification provides the technical details to create records for smart poster “tags,” integrated circuits that store data that can be read by NFC-enabled devices. The specification is available to the public for download at no charge from the NFC Forum Web site at www.nfc-forum.org.

NFC technology is a short-range, standards-based wireless connectivity technology. It allows consumers to perform safe contactless transactions, access digital content and connect electronic devices with a single touch. ABI Research estimates that 450 million mobile phone handsets will be NFC-enabled in 2011.

The SmartPoster RTD Specification was developed for content providers seeking new and innovative ways of transmitting digital content to consumers. Smart posters are printed materials such as posters, signs or magazine pages that contain data tags.

Consumers may use their NFC-enabled devices to access additional information stored on the these tags, including current transportation schedules, discount coupons, movie clips, links to e-commerce sites for concert tickets and much more. Smart posters essentially allow consumers to retrieve only the electronic information they find interesting and relevant, but do not create unwanted or unsolicited electronic advertising clutter.

This is the fifth specification released by the NFC Forum. In August, the Forum published its first four specifications, which are also available at no charge from the Forum’s Web site. The four specifications include:

• NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) Technical Specification (specifies a common data format for NFC Forum-compliant devices and NFC Forum-compliant tags)
• NFC Record Type Definition (RTD) Technical Specification (specifies standard record types used in messages between two NFC Forum-compliant devices or between NFC Forum-compliant devices and tags)
• NFC Text RTD Technical Specification (for records containing plain text that can be read by NFC-enabled devices)
• NFC URI RTD Technical Specification (for elements that refer to an Internet resource that can be read by NFC-enabled devices)

In June, the NFC Forum unveiled its modular NFC architecture and protocols for interoperable data exchange, device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability. A schematic diagram showing the basic elements of the NFC Forum technology architecture is available on the NFC Forum’s Web site at http://www.nfc-forum.org/news/. Additional specifications are still under development.

In June, the Forum also announced the initial set of tag formats that all NFC Forum-compliant devices must support. The Forum's selected tags are based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14443 Type A and B standards and Sony’s FeliCa.

About Near Field Communication Technology
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a standards-based, short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables simple and safe two-way interactions among electronic devices, allowing consumers to perform contactless transactions, access digital content and connect devices with a single touch. NFC also simplifies setup of longer-range wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology evolved from a combination of contactless identification and interconnection technologies. NFC operates in the 13.56 MHz frequency range, over a typical distance of a few centimeters. The underlying layers of NFC technology are ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards.

NFC technology is supported by the leading mobile device, infrastructure and technology manufacturers and by all major payment providers, and it is compatible with millions of contactless cards already in use worldwide.

About the NFC Forum
The NFC Forum was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor and consumer electronics companies. The Forum’s mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 90-plus global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.

The NFC Forum's Sponsor Members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor Members are: HP, MasterCard International, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, Panasonic, Renesas Technology, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung, Sony Corporation, Texas Instruments and Visa International.

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