NFC interoperability in Windows8

Question

Hi,

I am newbie to NFC, I would like to implement an NFC driver for my proprietary NFC controller in Windows 8.

I could find from Microsoft documentation that calling PeerFinder::Start() from Proximity app of Windows8 will cause several internal publication & subsricptions with randomly generated names. If the peer NFC device is running on different platform (say Android), will it be able to decode these internal publication & subscription messages which are generated by Windows 8?

If NO, then does NFC in Windows 8 can work only with Windows 8 on the peer side?

Answer 1

I will look into this for you.

Best Wishes - Eric

Answer 2

Hi Eric,

Do you have any update?

Answer 3

There is nothing that would prevent other platforms from reading the publications and subscriptions that Windows uses with the PeerFinder. However, in order to execute the scenarios that the PeerFinder provides, other platforms do need to implement the protocol that is exchanged during those publications and subscriptions. That protocol enables matching of apps and exchanging the alternate connection info (Bluetooth and wifi addresses). It is unlikely that any existing device currently implements that protocol other than Windows 8 devices and Windows Phone 8 devices. Technically if Android or other platforms implement the necessary protocol, they can fully interoperate.

-Mike [MSFT]

Answer 4

>> However, in order to execute the scenarios that the PeerFinder provides, other platforms do need to implement the protocol that is exchanged during those publications and subscriptions.

Could you tell me which protocol are you referring to? Does this refers to NFC protocol OR any other protocol which Microsoft uses for exchanging publications & subscriptions only

Basically I need to know how to decode the information that is passed during publication & subscription. If I could understand the format of data exchanged during publication & subscription then my Android device can be programmed accordingly(to the protocol which has been referred in your statement).

Answer 5

The protocol was defined by Windows and is exchanged over NFC. So as you mentioned you could write the code on your Android device to implement the other half of the protocol exchanged. There is not currently documentation that describes the protocol.

-Mike [MSFT]

Answer 6

Hi Mike

ThankYou for your reply. Exactly thats what I am looking for. If I there is no documentation from Microsoft to explain the protocol(which was defined by Windows & is exchanged over NFC), then how to implement the other half on non-windows platform ? In Android, eventhough I could receive the publication & subscription messages, it couldn't be decoded. Does Microsoft has any idea of releasing documentation for this protocol to encourage proximity interoperability with non-windows platform?

Answer 7

Wzybca,

 

Thank you for your question.  The documentation you are seeking is in a preview stage as [MS-NFPB] “Near Field Proximity: Bidirectional Services Protocol” and [MS-NFPS] “Near Field Proximity: Sharing Protocol”.  See http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/6/C/C6C3C6F1-E84A-44EF-82A9-49BD3AAD8F58/[MS-NFPB].pdf and http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/6/C/C6C3C6F1-E84A-44EF-82A9-49BD3AAD8F58/[MS-NFPS].pdf.  These links may change when the document moves out of the preview stage.  If they do, please look in the collection of Windows protocol specifications at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc216517(prot.20).aspx.

 

If you have further questions on these specifications, please post a new thread (with the document citation and section, if relevant) at the Windows Protocols forum at http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/os_windowsprotocols/threads or send mail to "dochelp (at) Microsoft (dot) com".

 

Bryan

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Bryan S. Burgin Senior Escalation Engineer Microsoft Protocol Open Specifications Team

Answer 8

Thank You for sharing the link Bryan