Logo Questions Linux Laravel Mysql Ubuntu Git Menu
 

NFC card emulation Android

the Nexus S device NXP PN544 NFC controller supports not only SWP for UICC based SE, but also the S2C (aka NFC-WI) for the external, e.g. micro SD card SE. Does anybody know how this can be enabled and what it means for the SD card? That is not relevant for the Google Nexus S (there is not SD card slot), but the NFC version of the Samsung Galaxy S II comes already with the SD card slot and here this will be a question.

I have tried to search for that and even the S2C standard seems to be relatively old (I think ECMA, 2006) I did not any related materials. What it means supporting S2C? The NXP544 has the built-in support, but what about the phone? Should the device have some hardware support like, e.g. antenna connectors in the slot and on the SD card to be connected directly to the RF interface?

Thanks a lot
Regards,
STeN


ADDED LATER:

Please visit following link on www.stackoverflow.com as well:
Android and Symbian NFC mobile development questions and answers (FAQ)


like image 472
STeN Avatar asked Jul 07 '11 13:07

STeN


2 Answers

We are all a little bit lost about NFC Card Emulation in Android. Google and manufacturers are being a little bit too secretive about it. Engineers in charge of the API are IMHO playing a smokescreen game. They claim about the lack of interest in card emulation and they difficulties developers could face, but the fact is that they want to keep the hen of the golden egss for themselves for the time being.

No one knows a thing about SGII SWP capabilities. All are rumors. The same happens with Nexus S, which faces several problems. Obviously though applications could access embedded SE it would be worthless, since keys are expected to be kept secret by Google. The only way to go is the hope in SWP connectivity between UICC and NFC controller. Theoretically it is possible, and it has supposedly demostrated by Dr. Madlmayr at last MWC. However I am a bit skeptical about his success taking into consideration that without the manufacturer's cooperation, regarding baseband firmware support on SNS or SGSII, sending APDUs to the UICC, that seems not yet supported, card emulation through UICC is a lost war.

like image 179
Fernando Miguélez Avatar answered Oct 14 '22 04:10

Fernando Miguélez


The PN544 has only one S2C (NFC-WI) interface. In case the phone has an embedded Secure Element, i.e. a SmartMX, this is connected via S2C. So there is in that case no possibility to connect also a micro-SD-based Secure Element.

like image 20
NFC guy Avatar answered Oct 14 '22 05:10

NFC guy