The EPCglobal Network

The EPCglobal Network

The EPCglobal Network is a community of trading partners engaged in the capture, sharing, and discovery of EPC related data using EPCglobal certified hardware and software components and standard interfaces.

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PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Use EPCglobal Subscriber Portfolio of planning tools and processes

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INSTALL READERS AND TAGS
Use EPCglobal Gen2 certified hardware and related EPCglobal standards

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IMPLEMENT SOFTWARE TO USE EPC INFO
Use EPCglobal standards and standards-based software components from solution providers to link to current company systems

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CONNECT TO PARTNERS
Use EPCglobal standards and standards-based software components from solution providers (primarily EPC Information Services) to facilitate data exchange between trading partners

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CONNECT TO GLOBAL SERVICES
Use EPCglobal standards-based network services to authorize location of EPC information and enable track and trace functions

The EPCglobal Network is comprised of five fundamental elements:

1. EPC
The Electronic Product Code (EPC) is an identification scheme for universally identifying physical objects via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and other means. The standardized EPC data consists of an EPC (or EPC Identifier) that uniquely identifies an individual object, as well as an optional Filter Value when judged to be necessary to enable effective and efficient reading of the EPC tags.

2. ID System (RFID Tags and Readers)
The ID System consists of EPC tags and EPC readers. EPC tags are RFID devices that consist of a microchip and an antenna attached to a substrate. The EPC is stored on this tag, which is applied to cases, pallets and/or items. EPC tags communicate their EPCs to EPC readers using Radio Frequency Identification. EPC readers communicate with EPC tags via radio waves and deliver information to local business information systems using EPC middleware.

3. EPC middleware
EPC middleware manages real-time read events and information, provides alerts, and manages the basic read information for communication to EPC Information Services as well as a company’s other existing information systems. EPCglobal is developing a software interface standard for services enabling data exchange between an EPC reader or network of readers and information systems.

4. Discovery Services
A suite of services that enable users to find data related to a specific EPC and to request access to that data. Object Naming Service (ONS) is one component of Discovery Services.

5. EPC Information Services (EPC IS)
Enables users to exchange EPC-related data with trading partners through the EPCglobal Network.

Leveraging this technology, the EPCglobal Network will enable trading partners to minimize shrinkage and shortages, accelerate order processing and increase responsiveness to consumer demand by enabling real-time information about goods in their supply chain. In addition, it will provide increased efficiency in handling physical goods during processes such as receiving, counting, sorting and shipping.

Security is an important part of the EPCglobal Network. The EPCglobal Network uses industry recognized best practices to protect its data. In addition, the EPCglobal Network functions like an extranet with a federated data model. Data lives both behind a Subscriber company’s firewall and is only referenced by the data registry system at EPCglobal.