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QLn Series User Guide
Near Field Communication (NFC)
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi seem similar to Near Field
Communication (NFC) on the surface. All three allow wireless
communication and data exchange between digital devices
like smartphones. Yet near field communication utilizes elec-
tromagnetic radio fields while technologies such as Bluetooth
and Wi-Fi focus on radio transmissions instead.
NFC is an offshoot of radio-frequency identification (RFID),
with the exception that NFC is designed for use by devices
within close proximity to each other, i.e. a smartphone and
a QLn Series printer. Three forms of NFC technology exist:
Type A, Type B, and FeliCa. All are similar but communicate in
slightly different ways. FeliCa is commonly found in Japan.
Devices using NFC may be active or passive. A passive de-
vice, such as a QLn Series printer with an NFC tag, contains in-
formation that other devices can read but does not read any
information itself. An active device, such as a smartphone, can
read the information on the printer’s NFC tag, but the tag itself
does nothing except transmit the info to authorized devices.
Active devices can read information and send it. An active
NFC device, like a smartphone, would not only be able to col-
lect information from NFC tags, but it would also be able to ex-
change information with other compatible phones or devices.
An active device could even alter the information on the NFC
tag if authorized to make such changes.
To ensure security, NFC often establishes a secure channel
and uses encryption when sending sensitive information.
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