[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#032E5A” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERING SYSTEMS FOR RAIN RFID TAGS ” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” title_text_color=”#E5B62E” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_shadow_style=”preset4″ text_shadow_color=”#801766″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
The coexistence of all RAIN RFID applications (including those considered as closed-loop ones) relies on the fact that every single RAIN RFID tag carries a globally unique identifier. Such unique identifier, called UII (Unique Item Identifier) or EPC (Electronic Product Code), is the cornerstone for successful and efficient inventory management. Without globally unique identifiers, RAIN RFID simply doesn\u2019t work. Therefore, a fundamental question that must be addressed by all users of RAIN RFID technology is, \u201cWhat should I encode to my tags\/labels?\u201d\u00a0 Stated another way, \u201cWhich standard should I use to format the data in my tags\/labels?\u201d\u00a0 This document is intended to serve as an introduction to this topic and to the more detailed information found in the AIM publication \u201c<\/span>GUIDANCE ON DATA CONTENT AND STRUCTURE IN PASSIVE RFID TAGS<\/span>.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n RAIN RFID tags can be thought of as a blank slate of memory, which can be encoded with data by the user. \u00a0This is both an opportunity and a danger. \u00a0It is an opportunity in the sense that encodings can be flexible, customizable, and targeted for specific use cases. \u00a0It is a danger however when encodings overlap with each other causing interference between applications and\/or are not decodable by reading systems. \u00a0The terms <\/span>\u201c<\/strong><\/span>Tag Clutter\u201d and \u201cTag Pollution\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span> are used interchangeably to denote the problems that arise when tags are not encoded as per a standard (see below for more information)<\/span><\/p>\n To avoid the pitfalls and allow users to take full advantage of RAIN RFID, tags must be encoded in accordance with a standardized \u201cNumbering System\u201d (\u201cencoding scheme\u201d in GS1 terminology).\u00a0 There are many different standardized Numbering Systems in existence today and more are being developed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the context of RAIN RFID encodings, standardized Numbering Systems fall into two basic categories:<\/span><\/p>\n Each of these categories is further defined by specific standards and specific encoding schemes. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slider _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#19A781″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_slide heading=”RFID Data Content Version 1.1″ button_text=”Click Here” button_link=”https:\/\/www.aimglobal.org\/product\/rfid-data-content-version-1-1\/” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n This guideline is written to help system integrators and VARs choose a numbering system for an RFID project. The document may also be of help to a user who is trying to understand the numbering system in use. Each section will include a high-level description followed by more in-depth discussion. Detailed technical information can be found in the Annexes. This guideline explains the various options for encoding data on a passive RFID tag to ensure unique identification and system integrity. It includes explanations of the various Issuing Agency Codes (IACs) that help provide uniqueness, and the possibilities for representing an application\u2018s data using Application Identifiers (AIs), Data Identifiers (DIs), Text Element Identifiers (TEIs) and proprietary methods. RFID encoding methods (e.g., as defined in ISO\/IEC 15962) are briefly discussed in later sections. This document explains how the memory structures in an RFID tag can be used to identify an item that has an RFID tag attached to it. The document describes methods of structuring data in an RFID tag in both standardized open-systems and closed-loop systems, and helps the reader to distinguish between open and closed-loop (proprietary) systems. This guideline does not address data content for active RFID tags.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”The Problem of Tag Clutter Presentation” button_text=”Click Here” button_link=”https:\/\/www.aimglobal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/The-Problem-of-Tag-Clutter-and-What-the-RAIN-Alliance-is-Doing-to-Tackle-the-Problem-v3.pdf” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n TSC’s RFID Subject Matter Expert Chris Brown created this presentation to explain what is Tag Clutter, why it is a problem and what you can do today to deal with the issue.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”TDS 2.1″ button_text=”Click Here” button_link=”https:\/\/ref.gs1.org\/standards\/tds\/2.1.0\/” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n The EPC Tag Data Standard (TDS) defines the Electronic Product Code\u2122, and also specifies the \u00a0\u25a0 The specification of the Electronic Product Code (EPC), including its representation at various [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”GS1 General Specifications” button_text=”Click Here” button_link=”https:\/\/www.gs1.org\/standards\/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys\/gs1-general-specifications” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n The GS1 General Specifications is the core standards document of the GS1 system describing how GS1 barcodes and identification keys should be used.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”RAIN Alliance ISO Numbering System” button_text=”Click Here” button_link=”https:\/\/rainrfid.org\/rain-alliance-iso-numbering-system\/” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n \u00a0A standards-based numbering system and encoding best practices for RAIN RFID that will ensure businesses are able to easily and reliably identify, locate, and authenticate their items of interest.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||35px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The EPC encoding schemes, which provide for the use of GS1 identifiers on RAIN tags, are normatively specified in GS1\u2019s EPC Tag Data Standard (TDS).\u00a0 <\/u>TDS 2.0 was published in August 2022, with incremental updates anticipated in the years ahead. \u00a0Each EPC scheme corresponds to one of the unique, serialized GS1 Keys or Compound Keys specified in the GS1 General Specifications<\/a>;\u00a0 for example, the Serial Shipping Container Code SSCC to identify a logistic unit, the Global Location Number (GLN) to identify a physical location, and the SGTIN (Serialised Global Trade Item Number) to identify a trade item instance.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n ISO AFI-based encodings are not defined in a single standards document like Tag Data Standard.\u00a0 The common approach in the ISO community is to start with a use case, application or \u00a0industry-specific guidance and then retrieve the applicable standards, which may be from ISO directly or even from another organization such as IATA<\/a> for airline baggage tracking or the 6C Coalition<\/a> for road tolling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The GS1 identification system and its various encoding syntaxes (including, but not limited to, EPC encodings for use with RAIN RFID tags) have cross-sector applicability for multiple industries and applications. <\/span><\/p>\n In contrast, the ISO AFI-based numbering systems are generally targeted at specific use cases \/ applications \/ industries. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||141px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Both TDS and the respective ISO AFI encodings include normative specifications regarding:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Using either a TDS-based or an ISO AFI-based standardized Numbering System and corresponding encoding can optimize RAIN implementations and avoid multiple problems.\u00a0 The use of a standardized Numbering System :\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Selecting the appropriate standardized Numbering System for a given RAIN RFID application is important. \u00a0\u00a0If a specific Numbering System is already in use for a barcode (or other AIDC)–based application, the same numbering system should be used for the corresponding RAIN RFID deployment. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Applications using a proprietary \u201cnumbering system\u201d need to envelope their encodings in a standardized ‘wrapper,’ to avoid the risk of collisions. \u00a0In this case, AIM recommends the use of the RAIN Alliance ISO Numbering System<\/a> as the wrapper for proprietary numbering systems. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you are not already using a standardized Numbering System, the RAIN RFID Alliance<\/a> has created a guideline<\/a>, including a decision tree, to help you select the best Numbering System for your application. \u00a0After deciding on the appropriate Numbering System for your needs, \u00a0the next step is to consult the relevant section for your selected Numbering System in AIM\u2019s publication \u201cGUIDANCE ON DATA CONTENT AND STRUCTURE IN PASSIVE RFID TAGS.\u201d \u00a0That publication will also point you to further documentation that may be necessary to understand the technical details and intricacies for proper implementation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
memory contents of Gen 2 RFID Tags. In more detail, TDS covers two broad areas:<\/p>\n
\u00a0levels of the GS1 System Architecture and its correspondence to GS1 keys and other existing
\u00a0codes.
\u00a0\u25a0 The specification of data that is carried on Gen 2 RFID tags, including the EPC, “user memory”
data, control information, and tag manufacture information.<\/p>\n\n
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