ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006

Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit cards — Vicinity cards — Part 2: Air interface and initialization

ISO/IEC 15693 forms part of a series of International Standards that specify a contactless smart card. The card can be carried by members of the public in a purse or wallet and when presented nearby a terminal device give access to places, goods or services. In addition, the card can be attached to objects like bags and valuable items which can then be tracked whilst in the vicinity of a reading device. ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006 defines the power and communications interface between the vicinity card and the reading device. Other parts of ISO/IEC 15693 define the physical dimensions of the card and the commands interpreted by the card and reader. Power is coupled to the vicinity card by an a.c. field produced in the reader, also known as a coupler; the powering field has a frequency of 13,56 MHz and is one of the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequencies available for worldwide use. When sufficient power is received by the card, it is able to respond to commands sent from the coupler. The coupler sends commands to the card by modulating the powering field and by using a modulation system known as pulse position modulation, whereby the position of a single pulse relative to a known reference point codes the value of a nibble or byte of data. This allows the card to draw the maximum energy from the field almost continuously. Vicinity cards, which have no power source, can be energized at ranges of up to 1 m from a coupler that can only transmit power within the limits permitted by international radio frequency (RF) regulations. A vicinity card only responds when it receives a valid command that selects a single card from a possible collection of cards within range of the coupler. This process of collision detection and selection, also known as anti-collision, is made possible by detecting the unique identification number encoded into every card. Anti-collision and the commands used are defined in ISO/IEC 15693-3. The card responds to the coupler by drawing more or less power from the field and generates one or two sub-carriers of around 450 kHz. These are switched on and off to provide Manchester-encoded data that are then detected by the coupler. Thus both power and bi-directional communications form the air interface between the vicinity card and the coupler. It is the flexibility of the interface to select one or two sub-carriers when communicating from card to coupler, whilst also using slow or fast data rates from the coupler to the card, that allows systems to be tuned to suit different operational requirements ranging from use with high RF noise at short range to low RF noise at long range.

Cartes d'identification — Cartes à circuit intégré sans contact — Cartes de voisinage — Partie 2: Interface et initialisation dans l'air

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 05-Dec-2006
• Withdrawal Date: 05-Dec-2006
• ICS: 35.240.15 - Identification cards. Chip cards. Biometrics
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 17 - Cards and security devices for personal identification
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 17/WG 8 - Integrated circuit cards without contacts
• Current Stage: 9599 - Withdrawal of International Standard
• Completion Date: 23-Apr-2019

Relations

• Revised: ISO/IEC 15693-2:2019 - Cards and security devices for personal identification — Contactless vicinity objects — Part 2: Air interface and initialization
• Effective Date: 22-Apr-2017
• Revises: ISO/IEC 15693-2:2000 - Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit(s) cards — Vicinity cards — Part 2: Air interface and initialization
• Effective Date: 15-Apr-2008

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15693-2
Second edition
2006-12-15


Identification cards — Contactless
integrated circuit cards — Vicinity
cards —
Part 2:
Air interface and initialization
Cartes d'identification — Cartes à circuit(s) intégré(s) sans contact —
Cartes de voisinage —
Partie 2: Interface et initialisation dans l'air



Reference number
ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2006

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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
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©  ISO/IEC 2006
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Normative references. 1
3 Terms and definitions. 1
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms . 2
4.1 Abbreviated terms. 2
4.2 Symbols. 2
5 Initial dialogue for vicinity cards. 2
6 Power transfer. 3
6.1 Frequency. 3
6.2 Operating field. 3
7 Communications signal interface VCD to VICC . 3
7.1 Modulation. 3
7.2 Data rate and data coding. 5
7.3 VCD to VICC frames. 7
8 Communications signal interface VICC to VCD . 9
8.1 Load modulation. 9
8.2 Subcarrier. 9
8.3 Data rates. 9
8.4 Bit representation and coding. 10
8.5 VICC to VCD frames. 11
Annex A (informative) Standards compatibility . 14

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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
ISO/IEC 15693-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 17, Cards and personal identification.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15693-2:2000), of which it constitutes a
minor revision. It also incorporates Technical Corrigendum ISO/IEC 15693-2:2000/Cor.1:2001.
ISO/IEC 15693 consists of the following parts, under the general title Identification cards — Contactless
integrated circuit cards — Vicinity cards:
⎯ Part 1: Physical characteristics
⎯ Part 2: Air interface and initialization
⎯ Part 3: Anticollision and transmission protocol

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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
Introduction
ISO/IEC 15693 is one of a series of International Standards defining the parameters for identification cards as
defined in ISO/IEC 7810 and the use of such cards for international interchange.
This part of ISO/IEC 15693 defines the electrical characteristics of the contactless interface between a vicinity
card and a vicinity coupling device. The interface includes power and bi-directional communications.
This part of ISO/IEC 15693 does not preclude the incorporation of other standard technologies on the card.
Contactless card standards cover a variety of types as embodied in ISO/IEC 10536 (close-coupled cards),
ISO/IEC 14443 (proximity cards) and ISO/IEC 15693 (vicinity cards). These are intended for operation when
very near, nearby and at a longer distance from associated coupling devices, respectively.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
draw attention to the fact that it is claimed that compliance with this document may involve the use of patents.
ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity and scope of these patent rights.
The holders of these patent rights have assured ISO and IEC that they are willing to negotiate licences under
reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms and conditions with applicants throughout the world. In this respect,
the statements of the holders of these patent rights are registered with the ISO and IEC. Information may be
obtained from the following companies.
Contact Subclause in this part of ISO/IEC 15693
Infineon Technologies AG
P O Box 800949
D-81609 Munich
Germany
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Prof. Holstlaan 6
6566 AA Eindhoven 7.2, Data rate and data coding
The Netherlands
Omron Corporation
Intellectual Property Group
20 Igadera, Shimokaiinji,
Nagaokakyo-City
Kyoto, 617-8510 Japan
EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
IP Management 7.2, Data rate and data coding
Rue des Sors 3 7.3, VCD to VICC frames
CH-2074 Marin
Texas Instruments
Deutschland GmbH 8.2, Subcarrier
D-85350 Freising 8.3, Data rates
Germany

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights other than those identified above. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all
such patent rights.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)

Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit cards —
Vicinity cards —
Part 2:
Air interface and initialization
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15693 specifies the nature and characteristics of the fields to be provided for power and
bi-directional communications between vicinity coupling devices (VCDs) and vicinity cards (VICCs).
This part of ISO/IEC 15693 is to be used in conjunction with other parts of ISO/IEC 15693.
This part of ISO/IEC 15693 does not specify the means of generating coupling fields, nor the means of
compliance with electromagnetic radiation and human exposure regulations which can vary according to
country regulations and/or standards.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 10373-7, Identification cards — Test methods — Part 7: Vicinity cards
ISO/IEC 15693-1, Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit(s) cards — Vicinity cards — Part 1:
Physical characteristics
ISO/IEC 15693-3, Identification cards — Contactless integrated circuit(s) cards — Vicinity cards — Part 3:
Anticollision and transmission protocol
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 15693-1 and the following apply.
3.1
modulation index
index equal to [a-b]/[a+b] where a and b are the peak and minimum signal amplitude, respectively
NOTE The value of the index may be expressed as a percentage.
3.2
subcarrier
signal of frequency f used to modulate the carrier of frequency f
s c
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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
3.3
byte
string that consists of 8 bits of data designated b1 to b8, from the most significant bit (MSB,b8) to the least
significant bit (LSB,b1)
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms
For the purposes of this document, the following abbreviated terms and symbols apply.
4.1 Abbreviated terms
ASK amplitude shift keying
EOF end of frame
LSB least significant bit
MSB most significant bit
PPM pulse position modulation
RF radio frequency
SOF start of frame
VCD vicinity coupling device
VICC vicinity integrated circuit card
4.2 Symbols
a carrier amplitude without modulation
b carrier amplitude when modulated
f frequency of operating field (carrier frequency)
c
f frequency of subcarrier
s
H maximum operating field

max
H minimum operating field
min
5 Initial dialogue for vicinity cards
The dialogue between the VCD and the VICC (one or more VICCs may be present at the same time) is
conducted through the following consecutive operations:
⎯ activation of the VICC by the RF operating field of the VCD,
⎯ VICC waits silently for a command from the VCD,
⎯ transmission of a command by the VCD,
⎯ transmission of a response by the VICC.
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ISO/IEC 15693-2:2006(E)
These operations use the RF power transfer and communication signal interface specified in the following
paragraphs and shall be performed according to the protocol defined in ISO/IEC 15693-
...