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This document provides a collection of use cases and usage scenarios for web pages and applications using Near Field Communication (NFC). More information about Web NFC can be found here.
This specification defines an API to manage selected NFC use-cases from Web applications and pages, and to enable new use-cases based on NFC technology.
This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at https://www.w3.org/TR/.
This document provides informative background to the Web NFC specification. Comments on the document should be filed as issues at https://github.com/w3c/nfc/issues.
This document was published by the NFC working group as an Editor's Draft.
Comments regarding this document are welcome. Please send them to public-nfc@w3.org (archives).
Publication as an Editor's Draft does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.
This document was produced by a group operating under the W3C Patent Policy. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.
This document is governed by the 1 March 2019 W3C Process Document.
For NFC terminology see the Web NFC specification.
This section is non-normative.
A few NFC user scenarios have been enumerated here. For the Web NFC API in particular, a few examples of intended user scenarios follow next.
The user touches an NFC capable device to information points of works of arts in a museum, obtaining information about the exposed items. Also, by touching information points in halls, the user can get suggested itineraries, schedule and other information to the personal device for later consultation.
In a population administration office, the user touches in information point in order to save a list of documents required for renewing a passport, and obtaining a the next queuing number for the clerk.
A museum employee touches information points with a special device which can write to the museum's NFC tags in order to update (read, then write) information on them.
While a user is actively interacting with web site, e.g. https://images.example.com/, and if the user taps the device with another device where another user is actively interacting with the same web site https://images.example.com/, then they can initiate sending an image from one device to the other, using the NFC connection or by handover to Bluetooth or WiFi connection. The second device may be for instance a TV set to show the picture, or a personal computer for image processing.
NFC supports handover protocols to Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity for the purpose of larger volume data transfer. The user touches another NFC capable device, and as a result configuration data is sent for a new Bluetooth or WiFi connection, which is then established between the devices.
A related use case for gaming has been described here. Other use cases may include bulk transfer of contacts cards, photos, and other data.
The user navigates to a web site which manages seller and buyer accounts and touches the device to another device of another user. A payment can be made between the two users' accounts.
On an automated point of sales terminal, such as ticketing machines, the user navigates to a web site which offers the paid service. By touching the receiver area of the point of sales, the payment can be done and the ticket can be delivered electronically to the user's device.
The editors would like to express their gratitude to Jonas Sicking and Jeffrey Yasskin.