FeliCa Reader/Writer
Digital Protocol Requirements Specification

Version 1.22
Dec 15, 2020

Japan Electronic-money Promotion Association

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FeliCa Reader/Writer Digital Protocol Requirements Specification Version 1.22

Revision History

VersionNo.
1.0

Date issued
October 05, 2017

Description of Revisions
First edition
4 Change the submission
5.3 Change the equipment used for evaluation

1.1

January 18, 2019

6.3 Change the term definition
6.5 Changing Digital Protocol Requirements
6.10 Add Frame Configuration Evaluation
Appendix A Changed Digital Protocol Requirements Check Sheet

6.10 Changing the Sequence #9 to 12 used for Frame Configuration Evaluation
1.2

Apr 10, 2019

Appendix A Add an informative notice about “Guidelines for implementing e-money
payment terminals supporting NFC/FeliCa”

1.21

Feb 1, 2020

Appendix A Changed Digital Protocol Requirements Check Sheet

1.22

Dec 15, 2020

6.5 Change note

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FeliCa Reader/Writer Digital Protocol Requirements Specification Version 1.22

PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.

PURPOSE OF THE REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................. 4

2.

STATUS OF THE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................. 4

3. PRODUCTS TO BE TESTED ............................................................................................................................ 4
3.1. Products subject to testing ............................................................................................................................. 4
3.2. Product models to be tested .......................................................................................................................... 4
4. ITEM TO BE SUBMITTED ................................................................................................................................. 4
5. HOW TO PROCEED.......................................................................................................................................... 5
5.1. Relationship with the FeliCa RF performance certification test ..................................................................... 55.2. Place of evaluation ......................................................................................................................................... 55.3. Instruments to be used for evaluation ............................................................................................................ 5
6. DETAILS OF THE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................ 6
6.1. Bit rate for checking the Requirements .......................................................................................................... 6
6.2. Reference standards ...................................................................................................................................... 6
6.3. Definition of the terms .................................................................................................................................... 6
6.4. Categories and scope of evaluations ............................................................................................................. 6
6.5. Digital protocol Requirements to be checked ................................................................................................ 7
6.6. Coding system................................................................................................................................................ 9
6.6.1.
6.6.2.
6.6.3.
6.6.4.

6.7.

Command format for only enabling e-money payments .............................................................................. 11

6.7.1.
6.7.2.
6.7.3.

6.8.

Target to be checked .................................................................................................................................... 11
Devices to be used for evaluation ................................................................................................................ 11
Format of the request command................................................................................................................... 11

Command format for enabling e-money payments and performing peer-to-peer communication based on
NFC-DEP(F) ................................................................................................................................................. 13

6.8.1.
6.8.2.
6.8.3.
6.8.4.

6.9.

Target to be checked ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Devices to be used for evaluation .................................................................................................................. 9
Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 9
Measurement procedure................................................................................................................................. 9

Target to be checked .................................................................................................................................... 13
Devices to be used for evaluation ................................................................................................................ 13
Format of the request command................................................................................................................... 13
Format of a response .................................................................................................................................... 13

Guard time .................................................................................................................................................... 15

6.9.1.
6.9.2.
6.9.3.
6.9.4.

Target to be checked .................................................................................................................................... 15
Devices to be used for evaluation ................................................................................................................ 15
Requirements ............................................................................................................................................... 15
Measurement procedure............................................................................................................................... 15

6.10. Frame structure ............................................................................................................................................ 16
6.10.1.
6.10.2.
6.10.3.
6.10.4.

Target to be checked .................................................................................................................................... 16
Devices to be used for evaluation ................................................................................................................ 16
Requirements ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Measurement procedure............................................................................................................................... 19

APPENDIX A DIGITAL PROTOCOL REQUIREMENTS CHECK SHEET ........................................................... 20

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Preface
This document specifies the FeliCa Reader/Writer digital protocol requirements (abbreviated to as the Requirements
hereafter) to be implemented on the FeliCa-compatible Reader/Writer.
The Requirements concern only the digital protocol for the Reader/Writer products and not other matters including RF.
See below for the details, methods, standards, evaluation environments, and procedures for the Requirements.
The Requirements are defined based on the results of the discussion held at the Japan Electronic-money Promotion
Association.

1. Purpose of the Requirements
The purpose of the Requirements is to create an environment in which service providers and end users feel secure and havea positive experience with services that use FeliCa technology. To that end, we will use the requirement process to establish
shared Digital Protocol standards for equipment and systems to achieve better interconnectivity between FeliCa devices.

2. Status of the Requirements
The standards set forth in the Requirements do not certify the interoperability of marketed FeliCa equipment.
The Requirements are used only to check whether the samples of a product satisfy the Requirements before an applicant
manufacturer submits the product to the FeliCa Reader/Writer RF Performance Certification Test.

Warranties on the products tested shall conform to the warranty conditions originally established by the individual
manufacturers.

3. Products to be tested
Products subject to testing
The Requirements are for FeliCa-compatible Reader/Writer products.

Product models to be tested
Each applicant manufacturer shall check whether each model of each product to be tested meets the Requirements.

4. Item to be submitted
The evaluation of this requirement includes the overlap with technical requirements and test cases conducted by the NFC
Forum. The NFC Forum is the international standards organization for NFC technology. For the purpose of reducing an
excessive burden on the applicant manufacturers, duplicate test items are allowed to inherit passing results from the NFC
Forum test and be treated as passing for the Requirements.

For the devices certified by the NFC Forum, please submit the following two documents.
1. Copy of a Letter of Approval for the NFC Forum certified devices
2. FeliCa Reader/Writer Digital Protocol Requirements Check Sheet (abbreviated to as the Requirements Check Sheethereafter).

For other products, please submit the following.
1. FeliCa Reader/Writer Digital Protocol Requirements Check Sheet (the Requirements Check Sheet).
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5. How to proceed
Relationship with the FeliCa RF performance certification test
If the digital protocol of your product satisfies the Requirements, you can take the FeliCa RF Performance Certification
Test.

Place of evaluation
The Requirements shall be voluntarily checked by an applicant manufacturer and the results shall be written into theRequirements Check Sheet. The Requirements Check Sheet shall be submitted to the test site when you apply for the FeliCa
RF Performance Certification Test.

Instruments to be used for evaluation
Configure an arrangement of instruments for checking the Requirements to best suit your evaluation environment.
An example arrangement of instruments is as follows:-

Instruments that can analyze modulated signals (abbreviated to as instruments hereafter)

Test tools for the NFC Forum Digital Protocol Certification Test or any equivalent instruments



Digital protocol testerOscilloscope and others-

Probe or antenna for observing wireless interface (abbreviated to as probe hereafter)-

Frame Configuration Assessment Jig (abbreviated to as DP TestBoard hereafter)

USB cable (one terminal is USB MicroB)

Test application that sends commands according to the sequence in 6.10.3

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6. Details of the Requirements
Bit rate for checking the Requirements
All evaluations shall be performed at the bit rate of 212 kbps.

Reference standards
The latest versions of the following standards shall be referenced as needed.
*1

JIS X 6319-4 Specification of implementation for integrated circuit(s) cards – Part 4: High speed proximity cards, JIS*2

NFC Forum Digital Protocol Technical Specification, NFC Forum, Inc.

Definition of the terms
The following table defines the terms used in this specification.
Term

SynonymDefinition

etu

bd *2

Unit of transmission time for bit rate *1. 1 etu = 128 / (2 x

IDm

PICC identifier *1 and NFCID2 *2

13.56 MHz) for 212 kbps communications

NFC-DEP(F)

Manufacture ID
Peer-to-peer communication mode based on the FeliCa
communication method among several types ofcommunications that support the NFC Data Exchange
Protocol *2

NFC Forum

Acceptable products of Universal Device *[2] certification test

Certified device

or the Reader Device *[2] certification test conducted by the
NFC Forum

Polling command

REQ command (request
command)*1 andA command sent by the Reader/Writer to capture and identify
the communication target card

SENSF_REQ *2
Polling response

REQ response, ATQ (Answer To

A response is returned from an IC card or an NFC-DEP(F)

Request) *1,

device when it receives the Polling command and satisfies theand SENSF_RES

*2

T3T

requirements defined for the Polling response.
Abbreviation for Type 3 Tag. A T3T can be an IC card that
conforms to JIS X 6319-4 or a device that supports Card
Emulation mode or NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format) *2.

Categories and scope of evaluations
Category

Scope of evaluation

M

Mandatory: An evaluation is mandatory if the product to be tested handles e-money payments.

C

Conditional: An evaluation is mandatory if the product to be tested handles e-money payments and supports
NFC-DEP(F).

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Digital protocol Requirements to be checked
SectionItem to be checked

Relevant section in the standards

Requirement

Category

6.6*

Coding system[JIS X 6319-4]

Each preamble must be sent in 48

M

Preamble

5.2.4

bits.

6.2.1
[NFC Forum]
8.1.2
6.7.3*

Format of the request[JIS X 6319-4]

System Code (SC), Request Codecommand when only

8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4(RC), and Time Slot must be

enabling e-money[NFC Forum]correctly set in the Polling

payments

8.6.1

command sent from the

System CodeM

Reader/Writer.

Request CodeTime Slot count
6.8.3*

Format of the request[JIS X 6319-4]

System Code (SC), Request Codecommand when enabling

8.5.1, 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4(RC), and Time Slot must be

e-money payments and[NFC Forum]correctly set in the Polling

performing peer-to-peer

8.6.1

command sent from thecommunication based onC

Reader/Writer.

NFC-DEP(F)6.8.4*

Format of a response[JIS X 6319-4]

The first two Bytes of IDm in thewhen enabling e-money

8.6.1, 8.6.2, 8.6.3

Polling response sent from a device

payments and[NFC Forum]such as a smartphone must be

performing peer-to-peer

8.6.2

checked to identify the device ascommunication based on

C

T3T or NFC-DEP(F).

NFC-DEP(F)
6.9

Guard time

[JIS X 6319-4]

The RF output must be turned on at

Appendix F.3

least 30ms after it is turned off.

[NFC Forum]

The first FeliCa frame (such as the

8.7.4

M

Polling command) must be sent atleast 20.4 ms after the RF output isturned on.

6.10*

Frame structure[JIS X 6319-4]

The end of the frame is calculated

6.2

Mby LEN and the coding state after[NFC Forum]

CRC is ignored.

8.1.3* The following item number is allowed to inherit passing results from the NFC Forum test and be treated as passing for the
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Requirements.


NFC Forum Certification Release (abbreviated to as CR hereafter) 11 or 12 acceptable products: 6.6 - 6.8.4 can be
inherited.

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Coding system
Target to be checkedThis item must be checked for all the samples of all the products to be submitted to the Certification Test.

Devices to be used for evaluation
Examples of devices to be needed in addition to the instruments in section 5.3 Instruments to be used for evaluation are
as follows:
None.

Requirements
The preamble (SoS) in the Polling command sent from a sample must consist of 48 bits of pattern D or 48 bits of pattern E(see Figures 1 and 2).

Measurement procedure
1.

Place a probe over the antenna of your sample.

2.

The sample sends the Polling command.

3.

Use the instruments to analyze the bit string of the Polling command received via the probe.

4.

Starting from the point when non-modulation changes to modulation, check the number of bits of the preamble within
48 etu.

Figure 1
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a) Positive polarity codingb) Negative polarity coding

Figure 2

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Command format for only enabling e-money payments
Target to be checkedThis item must be checked for all the samples of all the products to be submitted to the Certification Test.

Devices to be used for evaluation
Examples of devices to be needed in addition to the instruments in section 5.3 Instruments to be used for evaluation are
as follows:
T3T devices (such as smartphones that can handle e-money payments in Japan and IC cards)

Format of the request command
6.7.3.1.1. Requirements
Check that System Code, Request Code, and Time Slot are correctly set in the Polling command (see Table 1).
Check the type of System Code in Table 1. Based on the type of System Code, check Figure 3 Sequence 1 for only enabling
e-money payments or Figure 4 Sequence 2 for only enabling e-money payments to see if your sample and the target T3T
device behave as described in either figure.

6.7.3.2. Measurement procedure
1.

Place a T3T device over the antenna of your sample.

2.

The sample sends the Polling command.

3.

Observe the Polling command and check whether the sent command contains Request Code appropriate for System
Code.

Note: Enter System Code and Request Code used during the evaluation in the Check Sheet.

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Combinations of System Code and Request Code for only enabling e-money payments
SystemRequest

Code

Code

Other than

Any

FFFF
FFFF

Polling response

Applicable sequence
figureT3T (the first two Bytes of IDm must be otherFigure 3than 01FE)
01

Figure 4
Table 1Figure 3

Figure 4

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Command format for enabling e-money payments and performing peer-to-peer
communication based on NFC-DEP(F)
Target to be checkedThis item must be checked for the samples of the products to be submitted to the Certification Test if they support NFCDEP(F) and send the Polling command with FFFF as System Code.

Devices to be used for evaluation
Examples of devices to be needed in addition to the instruments in section 5.3 Instruments to be used for evaluation are
as follows:
T3T devices and devices that support NFC-DEP(F) (such as smartphones sold outside Japan. In this case, the HCE-F
application or NFC-F-compatible SIM cards (such as commercial SIM cards available in Hong Kong) are needed. HCE-F
begins to be supported in Android 7.0)

Format of the request command
6.8.3.1. Requirements
Check that System Code, Request Code, and Time Slot are correctly set in the Polling command (see Table 2 and Figure 5).

6.8.3.2. Measurement procedure
1. Place a T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device over the antenna of your sample.
2. The sample sends the Polling command.
3. Observe the Polling command and check whether the sent command contains FFFF as System Code and 00 as Request
Code for technology discovery.
4. After the sample receives the Polling response from the T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device using NFC-DEP(F), check whether
the sample sends the Polling command containing FFFF as System Code and 00 as Request Code. This step is todetermine whether the device is NFC-DEP(F) or T3T.
5. After the sample receives the Polling response from the T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device using NFC-DEP(F), check whether
the sample sends the Polling command containing FFFF as System Code and 01 as Request Code. This step is tocapture and identify a T3T signal.

Format of a response
6.8.4.1. Requirements
Check the first two Bytes of IDm in the Polling response returned from a T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device and make sure that you
can identify the device as NFC-DEP(F) or T3T (see Figure 5).

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6.8.4.2. Measurement procedure
1. Place a T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device over the antenna of your sample.
2. The sample sends the Polling command containing FFFF as System Code and either Request Code listed in Table 2.
3. After the sample receive the Polling response from the T3T/NFC-DEP(F) device, check the FeliCa frame sent from thesample.

Combinations of System Code and Request Code for enabling e-money payments and performing peer-to-peer
communication based on NFC-DEP(F)
SystemRequest

Code

Code

FFFF

00

Polling response

figureNFC-DEP(F) (the first two Bytes of IDm must be
01FE)

01

Applicable sequence

T3T (the first two Bytes of IDm must be other than
01FE)
Table 2

Figure 5
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Figure 5

Guard timeTarget to be checkedThis item must be checked for all the samples of all the products to be submitted to the Certification Test.

Devices to be used for evaluation
Examples of devices to be needed in addition to the instruments in section 5.3 Instruments to be used for evaluation are
as follows:
None.

Requirements
The RF output must be turned on at least 30 ms after it is turned off. Even if your sample is received the command to turnon the RF output by applications, the sample should wait to turn on the RF output until at least 30ms.
The first command must be sent at least 20.4 ms after the RF output is turned on.

Figure 6

Measurement procedure
1. Place a probe over the antenna of your sample.
2. The sample sends the Polling command.
3. The sample turns off the RF output and then turns it off.
4. Use appropriate instruments via the probe to measure the off period and on period of the RF output.
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Frame structure
Target to be checkedThis item must be checked for all the samples of all the products to be submitted to the Certification Test.

Devices to be used for evaluation
Examples of devices to be needed in addition to the instruments in section 5.3 Instruments to be used for evaluation are as
follows:
None.

Requirements
The sample to be inspected shall transmit each command (odd number) according to the sequence shown in Table 3, and beable to correctly receive all the responses (even number) including the frame configurations of the following six patterns (ato f) returned from the DP TestBoard.

a) CRC last bit is 0b, followed by one bit of non-modulation

Nonmodulationb) CRC last bit 1b, followed by one bit of non-modulation

Nonmodulationc) CRC last bit is 0b, followed by 2 bits of non-modulation

Nonmodulation

Figure 7
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d) CRC last bit 1b, followed by 2 bits of non-modulation

Nonmodulatione) CRC last bit is 0b, followed by 1 byte FFh

Nonmodulationf)

CRC last bit 1b, followed by 1 byte FFh

Nonmodulation

Figure 8

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Table 3 Sequence
Frame
Type

#

LEN
1

Command2

Response

06
14

3

Command4

Response

06
14

5

Command6

Response

10
1D

7

Command8

Response

10
1D

9Command

10 Response

11 Command

10
1D
10

12 Response
1D

Packet data
00FFFF0103

CRC
0A73

0102FE010203040566FFFFFFFFFFFFFFEE12FC
00FFFF0100

2FC
0602FE112233440506010B00018004
0702FE11223344050600000144444444444444
444444444444444444
0602FE112233440506010B00018002
0702FE11223344050600000122222222222222
222222222222222222
0602FE112233440506010B00018005
0702FE11223344050600000155555555555555555
555555555555555
0602FE112233440506010B00018009
0702FE11223344050600000199999999999999999
999999999999999

f) 1b + one extra byte

C59F
3A10

0102FE112233440506FFFFFFFFFFABCDFF1

Patterne) 0b + one extra byte

BD20
9E58

d) 1b + two extra bits

6889
FE9E

c) 0b + two extra bits

98BC
8E79

b) 1b + one extra bits

388F
4FF5

a) 0b + one extra bit

C8C4

Table 4 Commands and Responses for Setting the DP TestBoard
Communic#

Coding polarity
ationsCommand

Response(LEN + packet data + CRC)

(LEN + packet data + CRC)

1

212kpbs

Positive encoding

04FA0100DD53

04FB0100EA63

2

212kpbs

Negative encoding

04FA01FFC3A3

04FB01FFF493

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Measurement procedure
1. Connect a DP TestBoard* to the MicroB terminal of the USB cable.
2. The other terminal of the USB cable is connected to a power supply device with a USB terminal that can supply 500 mA.
3. Put a DP TestBoard on the antenna of the Reader / Writer sample.
4. The command No. 1 in Table 4 is transmitted from the Reader / Writer sample to the DP TestBoard, and the DP TestBoardis set to "212 kbps" and "positive encoding".
5. When the Reader /Writer sample transmits commands in accordance with the sequence shown in Table 3, the Reader /Writer sample is inspected to receive all responses from the DP TestBoard.
6. The command No. 2 in Table 4 is transmitted from the Reader / Writer sample to the DP TestBoard, and the DP TestBoardis set to "212 kbps" and "negative encoding".
7. When the Reader /Writer sample transmits commands in accordance with the sequence shown in Table 3, the Reader /Writer sample is inspected to receive all responses from the DP TestBoard.

* Refer to the operation manual for detailed setting of the DP TestBoard.

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Appendix A Digital protocol requirements check sheet
We guarantee that the following requirements have been satisfied.

Applicant information
Company name:Date of application:

ApplicantApplicant name:E-mail address:
Department:
Authorization
Authorized by:Title:
Information on the product to be tested
Model of the product:

Signature

Signature:

Enter the certification number if the product is an NFC Forum certified device.
CR Ver:Certification ID:

If the Requirements are satisfied, circle YES in the Check column in the following table.
The following items are for all the samples of all the products to be submitted to the Certification Test.
No.

Item

Functionality

6.6

Coding system

Are all preambles sent in 48 bits?

6.7.3

Request command

Are System Code, Request Code, andformat for only

Time Slot correctly set in the Polling

enabling e-moneycommand sent from the Reader/Writer?

payments

Note: Specify the sequence figure,

6.9

Guard time

Category

Check

M

YES
YES

M

Fig. 3

System Code, and Request Code chosenSC=

for the evaluation.

RC=

or Fig. 4

Is the RF output turned on at least 30
ms after it is turned off? Is the first
FeliCa frame sent at least 20.4 ms after

M

YES

M

YES

the RF output is turned on?
6.10

Frame structure

The end of the frame is calculated by
LEN and the coding state after CRC isignored.
Please select one of the following regarding the test method you conducted.
□ FeliCa Evaluation Lab□ FeliCa Reader/Writer RF Certification Pre-test□ Use the DP TestBoard lent to you□ NFC Forum Certification Test
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The following question determines whether your product falls into the category of Conditional. Circle
either answer.
Do your samples support NFC-DEP(F)?

YES

or

NO

If the answer is YES, also check the following for your samples (which support NFC-DEP(F)).
No.

Item

Functionality

6.8.3

Request command

Are System Code, Request Code, andformat for enabling

Time Slot correctly set in the Pollinge-money paymentscommand sent from the Reader/Writer?

Category

Check

C

YES

C

YES

and performing
peer-to-peer
communication
based on NFCDEP(F)6.8.4

Response format

Do the first two Bytes of IDm in thefor enabling e-

Polling response sent from devices suchmoney payments

as smartphones indicate T3T or NFC-

and performing

DEP(F)?

peer-to-peer
communication
based on NFCDEP(F)
Information for consideration

Japan Electronic-money Promotion Association published a "Guidelines for implementing e-money payment terminals
supporting NFC/FeliCa" document to avoid a number of interoperability issues that can potentially occur between FeliCa
based e-money payment terminals and NFC mobile devices. To improve the interoperability of FeliCa devices, please referto the details
http://www.felicatech.org/readerwriter/guideline.html

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