The Electronic Product Code, (EPC), is a family of coding schemes created as an eventual successor to the bar code. The EPC was created as a low-cost method of tracking goods using RFID technology. It is designed to meet the needs of various industries, while guaranteeing uniqueness for all EPC-compliant tags. EPC tags were designed to identify each item manufactured, as opposed to just the manufacturer and class of products, as bar codes do today. The EPC accommodates existing coding schemes and defines new schemes where necessary. Wikipedia encoded in Code 128_B A barcode (also bar code) is a machine-readable representation of information in a visual format on a surface. ... An EPC RFID tag used for Wal-Mart Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. ...

The EPC was the creation of the MIT Auto-ID Center, a consortium of over 120 global corporations and university labs. The EPC system is currently managed by EPCglobal, Inc., a subsidiary of GS1, creators of the UPC barcode. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private, coeducational research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ... Auto-ID Labs Logo The Auto-ID Labs network is a renowned research group in the field of networked RFID and emerging sensing technologies. ... EPCglobal is a joint venture between GS1 (formerly known as EAN International) and GS1 USâ„¢ (formerly the Uniform Code Council, Inc. ... GS1 is a global organization dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards and solutions to improve the efficiency and visibility of supply and demand chains globally and across multiple sectors. ...

The Electronic Product Code promises to become the standard for global RFID usage, and a core element of the proposed EPCglobal Network.

Structure

All EPC numbers contain a header identifying the encoding scheme that has been used. This in turn dictates the length, type and structure of the EPC. EPC encoding schemes frequently contain a serial number which can be used to uniquely identify one object.

EPC Version 1.3 supports the following coding schemes:

• General Identifier (GID) GID-96
• a serialized version of the GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) SGTIN-96 SGTIN-198
• GS1 Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) SSCC-96
• GS1 Global Location Number (GLN), SGLN-96 SGLN-195
• GS1 Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI) GRAI-96 GRAI-170
• GS1 Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) GIAI-96 GIAI-202 and
• DOD Construct DoD-96

The Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) is an eighteen digit number used to identify logistics units. ... The Global Location Number (GLN) is a thirteen digit number used to identify parties and physical locations. ... DOD or DoD may refer to: Australian Department of Defence United States Department of Defense Department of Defence of the Republic Of Ireland Date of death Date of discharge Day of Defeat, computer game Delivery of deed Draft on demand DrinkOrDie, a software cracking and warez trading network Diary of...

External links

• EPCglobal Tag Data Standards Version 1.3
• EPCglobal Tag Data Standards Version 1.3
• ManningRF Info Center -- Contains reviews and information concerning EPC-compatible RFID devices and software. Also contains a list of primers and FAQs concerning EPC compatibility issues.
• EPC Step by Step Explanation
• Global RFID. The Value of the EPCglobal Network for Supply Chain Management -- Contains a lot of information by some MIT people involved in the development of EPC.