NFC and POS

Hi Moh,

Peer to peer mode or a dynamic tag could be used in the POS. 

For peer to peer mode, I suggest TRF7970A transceiver.  This device also supports reader/writer mode, so you could also support other tags like loyalty cards, keychains, etc for users that do not have an NFC enabled smart phone.  This would be a more expensive solution than dynamic tag, but provides additional functionality.

For the lowest cost implementation, I suggest RF430CL330H.  This device is a NFC type 4B tag which also includes an I2C and SPI interface.  You would need to write an app on the phone which writes data to the tag.  The microcontroller that is on the POS can then read this data to process the payment/loyalty information.

Since you indicated this would include loyalty, I am assuming this is for a proprietary implementation.  Please let me know if you would also need to support EMVco or things like Applepay, Google Wallet, etc. 

Hi Eddie,

Many thanks for your reply it helped alot clarifying many issues related to the project. 

In fact my knowledge in NFC and this field is too limited, so for a better understanding of my project ill explain it here; the idea is to create a loyalty program where customers can gain points for purchases (for both cash and card payments)at multiple merchants stores and redeem the points later on at any of these stores.

The customers will be using the loyalty program app downloaded at their devices to gain/ redeem points. So the thing is that i want the connection between the mobile apps and the POS available at the stores to be established through NFC technology.

So its would be great if you can help me understanding the full requirements for establishing such connection other than the transceiver that support both reader and writer modes.

Thanks

Thanks for the description!  I suggest using peer to peer mode for this application.  This would allow you to have the flexibility to send data(loyalty points) from the POS to the phone app as well as receive data from the phone app to the POS.  Have a look at the app note below which describes in detail peer to peer mode operation along with code and hardware examples.

http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDM-NFC-P2P 

Hi Eddie,

I'm deeply appreciating your assistance, in fact it cant be more helpful!!!

I have one more question if you allow me, does this mode require a special integration with different types of POS or its simply compatible with different type of POS. and based on your experience what would be the average cost of integrating this mode with a single POS.

Many thanks in advance.

Typically the POS systems use reader/writer mode for payments, but the chip in the POS should be capable of peer to peer mode as well.  As far as integrating this mode with existing POS systems, you would need to contact a POS manufacturer.  I could not comment on the cost as we work on a IC level.  This would likely be more of a software integration for the POS vendor.  I recommend contacting the POS vendors with this question such as Vivotech, Verifone, Ingenico, etc.