ISO/IEC 10373-7:2019

Overview

ISO/IEC 10373-7:2019 - "Cards and security devices for personal identification - Test methods - Part 7: Contactless vicinity objects" defines standardized test methods specific to contactless vicinity cards (vicinity cards) and their coupling devices. It specifies how to verify physical and electromagnetic characteristics that demonstrate conformance to the vicinity-card family defined in ISO/IEC 15693‑1, ‑2 and ‑3. This part of the ISO/IEC 10373 series focuses on test apparatus, procedures and reporting for contactless vicinity object technologies rather than pass/fail criteria.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and applicability
  • Test methods apply exclusively to vicinity cards (ISO/IEC 15693 series).
  • Tests are intended to be performed separately; sequential testing is not required.
• Test environment & pre-conditioning
  • Default test environment: 23 °C ± 3 °C and 40–60% relative humidity.
  • Cards should be conditioned for 24 h when pre‑conditioning is required.
• Measurement and tolerances
  • Default tolerance for test equipment and procedures: ±5%.
  • Test reports must state total measurement uncertainty.
• Test apparatus and calibrated equipment
  • Definitions and specifications for calibration coil cards, test VCD (vicinity coupling device) assemblies, sense coils and reference VICC (vicinity integrated circuit card) hardware are provided.
  • Normative annexes detail antenna design, sense coil geometry and reference boards.
• Functional and electromagnetic tests
  • VICC functional tests (basic operation).
  • VCD tests covering field strength, power transfer, modulation index, waveform and load‑modulation reception.
  • Static electricity (ESD) test references and additional VICC/VCD test methods included in annexes.
• Documentation
  • Required test procedures and test-report items are specified for traceable verification.

Applications and who uses this standard

ISO/IEC 10373-7:2019 is used by:

• Card manufacturers and IC vendors for product verification and design validation of vicinity cards and modules.
• Test laboratories and certification bodies implementing repeatable, standardized test procedures.
• System integrators and readers/VCD manufacturers to validate field strength, modulation and power transfer.
• Procurement, quality assurance and compliance teams to specify test methods in contracts and conformance plans.
• R&D teams developing antenna designs, calibration fixtures and interoperability solutions for ISO/IEC 15693-based systems.

Practical use cases include contactless ticketing, asset tracking, logistics tags and long‑range identification systems that rely on vicinity card technology.

Related standards

• ISO/IEC 15693‑1, ‑2, ‑3 - Physical characteristics, air interface and transmission protocol for contactless vicinity objects.
• ISO/IEC 7810 - Identification cards - Physical characteristics.
• ISO/IEC 10373‑1 - Common test methods for integrated circuit card technologies.

Keywords: ISO/IEC 10373-7:2019, contactless vicinity objects, vicinity card, VICC, VCD, ISO/IEC 15693, test methods, calibration coil, modulation index, load modulation, ESD test.