IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - March 2015 - 75

Application
Server
Database
Server
Web
Server

Doctor with NFC
Phone
Medical Emergencies

Mobile Tower

Servers/
Administration

Pilgrim with
NFC Phone

Access Point

Police/Security
with NFC Phone

Pilgrims with NFC Mobiles

Pilgrim Identification

Police/Security
with NFC
Phone
Volunteers
with NFC
Phone
ID Loss

Police/Security
with NFC
Phone
Police/Security
with NFC Phone

Pilgrim with
NFC Phone

Hajj Permit Verification
NFC Based Mobile Application Is Used for
Data Transmission Between the Phones

Volunteers with
NFC Phone

Lost Pilgrim Guidance

Figure 1. System architecture of the Pilgrim Identification and Utilities System.

Communications Commission reported that during
the 5 days of the last pilgrimage season, about 400
million mobile phone calls were made successfully in
the Holy sites [7]. It is worth noting that governments
around the world are conducting pre-pilgrimage orientation programs to prepare pilgrims to perform the
different rituals of Hajj according to authentic Islamic
resources that do not forbid the use of latest technologies during the pilgrimage.

What is NFC?
Near Field Communication is a short-range, high-frequency wireless communication technology that enables
the exchange of data packets between devices over a
very short distance (a few centimeters is typical). The
technology is a simple extension of the ISO/IEC 14443
proximity-card standard that combines the interface of
a smartcard and a reader into a single device. Based on
RFID technology that uses magnetic field induction to
enable communication between electronic devices in
close proximity, NFC provides a seamless medium for
the identification protocols that facilitate secure data
transfer. As a result, users are able to perform intuitive,
MARCH 2015

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safe, contactless transactions, access digital content, and
connect to electronic devices simply by touching devices
or bringing them into close proximity [8].
NFC is distinct from other wireless technologies, not
only in its implementation, but also in the applications
envisaged. It is a specific case of RFID technology that
is regulated by standards enabling it to be interoperable. NFC does not require initial setup as does Bluetooth technology. Rather, it operates within the globally
available and unlicensed radio frequency ISM band of
13.56 MHz. The supported data transfer rates include:
106, 212, 424 or 848 kbit/s. NFC devices are unique in
that they can change their mode of operation to function
in reader/writer mode, peer-to-peer mode, or card emulation mode. The different operating modes are based
on the ISO/IEC 18092, NFC IP-1, and ISO/IEC 14443
contactless smart card standards.
In recent years, smart phones have experienced
a dramatic increase in popularity. For instance, the
penetration rate of smart phones in Saudi Arabia
is 72.8% [9]. This trend is also witnessed with NFCenabled mobile phones with market research [1] showing that 32% of all mobile phones will be NFC-enabled

IEEE TEchnology and SocIETy MagazInE

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