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If I'm able to develop a mobile app which is able to use the NFC hardware of a smartphone to write/read through it. And if I have a board containing a MCU and a NFC transponder like the IC from ST Microelectronics M24LR04E which can also make write/read. Will I be able, for example, to implement a data protocol between an Android app and the MCU through the NFC hardware? Today many people implement data protocols between Android app and MCU by using a bluetooth module. I want to eliminate the bluetooth and communicate them through the NFC hardware.

If you need to know, the MCU I will use have embedded AES and TRNG modules to communicate in a cryptografic form.

Then, is that possible? Regards.

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    \$\begingroup\$ NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format) Is the simplified NFC protocol. Provided it is supported by the NFC chip \$\endgroup\$
    – User323693
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 3:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ The datasheet of the NFC chip shows this, do you think it is enough? M24LR04E-R protocol description The transmission protocol (or simply “the protocol”) defines the mechanism used to exchange instructions and data between the VCD and the M24LR04E-R in both directions. It is based on the concept of “VCD talks first”. This means that an M24LR04E-R does not start transmitting unless it has received and properly decoded an instruction sent by the VCD. The protocol is based on an exchange of: • a request from the VCD to the M24LR04E-R, • a response from the M24LR04E-R to the VCD. \$\endgroup\$
    – abomin3v3l
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 3:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ VCD = vicinity coupled device \$\endgroup\$
    – abomin3v3l
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 3:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ Simple answer to your question is YES. It is possible and there all already many apps out there too. At the abstract level, we are switching the Bluetooth physical layer to NFC \$\endgroup\$
    – User323693
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 3:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks very much. Please answer to my topic, not as comment but as a definitive answer, and I will mark it as solution for the question. You will win points \$\endgroup\$
    – abomin3v3l
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 4:06

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Yes, Possible

I have seen it personally the app developed for our production line. The datarate we wanted couldn't be achieved. But the communication as such was complete.

Here is a useful link if you are starting with mobile app development for Android.

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/nfc/nfc

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for your help. Which datarate you ended up using in practice? \$\endgroup\$
    – abomin3v3l
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 4:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ We were looking to update the while firmware package (Around 2 Mbytes), the time taken was not acceptable. So, didn't put it into use. Other alternative was Chosen. I will see the datarate we were able to achieve if you are interested. \$\endgroup\$
    – User323693
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 4:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes, I am interested. I also plan a bootloader via NFC, but my MCU will have 64KB (or 128KB max) of flash memory only. \$\endgroup\$
    – abomin3v3l
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 5:00
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    \$\begingroup\$ 4MBytes under 5.5 minutes \$\endgroup\$
    – User323693
    Commented Feb 19, 2020 at 5:35

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