Radiofrequency Identification
(RFID)
Rudolf Behrens
Division Manager ECR Process Management
Centrale für Coorganisation GmbH
Maarweg 133, 50825 Cologne
November 27th 2003
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Agenda
 Status ECR D-A-CH Project Team
 Results of the RFID-Questionnaire
 International Framework (Extract)
 EPCglobal
 EPC - Number and Network
 Organisational Structure
 Wal Mart - Starting EPC
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Status D-A-CH Project
 RFID Questionnaire finished in October 2003
 Meeting at 10th of November 2003 of ECR D-A-CH Project team
“Process Changes by RFID”
 Joint Meeting with the more technology oriented CCG Project team “RFID”
 Informing and discussing about the current international developments,
e.g.

EPCglobal
 Decision to restructure the project organisation reflecting the international
framework
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Next Steps D-A-CH project
 Adapting current working structures reflecting national and international
requirements
 until January 2004
 Co-operation within the most important User Action Groups (UAG)
 Support RFID pilots (e.g. European adoption program)
 Finalise standardisation of tag data content as starting position of
process adoption
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Results
of the RFID-Questionnaire
ECR Europe National Initiatives
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
RFID - Questionnaire
 Background and objective
 Decision of National Initiatives, 04th of September 2003
 Overview of the RFID activities of ECR Europe National Initiatives
 Period
 October 2003
 Participation
 10 from 18 Initiatives (without D-A-CH)

Denmark

Norway

France

Finland

Spain

Netherlands

Great Britain

Greece

Ireland

Sweden
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Summary
 RFID activities:
 Monitoring the development in general and the working of other
organisations (especially GCI and EAN International)
 Informing the members of the national ECR initiative
 Researching projects / pilots are only established in few countries (or
unknown)
 Co-operation with scientific organisations regarding RFID not
established in many countries
 Few contacts with government
 A European RFID project will be appreciated by some national initiatives
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Summary regarding countries
 Spain
 No activities in the national initiative
 Further activities in Spain:

EAN Spain (AECOC) - ePC consulting, information, publication

Research project of the “Catalan research foundation” - content not defined yet

Contacts to the ministry of science and technology
 UK (IGD)
 In scope of the ECR initiative / IGD - research regarding RFID
 Commitment by EAN UK (e-centre)
 No contact to ministries / organisations in connection with RFID
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Summary regarding countries
 Ireland
 No activities in the national initiative
 RFID as an aspect in the survey “Measuring the Impact of ECR in the Irish
Market Place” Dublin Institute of Technology (2004)
 France
 No activities in the national initiative
 Orientation on the GCI EPC group
 Finnland
 No activities in the national initiative
 Activities by EAN Finnland
 National aided program - RFID feasibility study
 Planning contacts to ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards
Institute)
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Summary regarding countries
 Norway
 No activities
 Monitoring, waiting for developments of ECR-Europe
 Greece
 No activities in the national initiative
 Further activities: research, retailers and manufacturers consider to invest in
RFID-technology
 Support programs:

national: secretariat for research and technology

EU - in the scope of Information society programme
 Research project (pilot): MyGrocer (Store of the Future)

January 2001 / November 2002

Participants: Atlantic Supermarktes / Procter & Gamble Greece

Supported by EU / IST
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Summary regarding countries
 Sweden
 Activities planned for 2004
 Willingness for co-operation on European level
 Netherlands
 ECR is permanently informed through experts
 Summary and translation of ECR-D-A-CH brochure
 Further activities by EAN Netherlands
 Research program: University of Wageningen / ATO (Agrotechnological
Research Institute) - temperature measuring by fruits and vegetables
 Denmark
 Monitoring, waiting for developments of ECR-Europe
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Is this all?
Questionnaire completed?
Next steps?
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
International Framework
(Extract)
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Extract: International Framework
EPC Global
GCI
GSMP
incl. various Working Groups
EPC Group
development
European
Adaption Program
Co-operation
National
Administration
Promotion
ECR Europe
EPC Global
leadership
National Initiatives
National Structure
EAN West
leadership
CCG
RFID-project
leadership
RFID
ECR D-A-CH
Competence-Center
Co-ordination
co-ordination
Ministry of research and development
Government Aid
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Academic
Partnership
EPC Global
(Organisational Structure)
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
What is EPC
 A network
 A numbering concept, that is able to identify all units
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
EPC-Number
 EPC
= serial identification number
In discussion:
= GTIN + serial number
= Serial Shipping Container Code
= further EAN number identifications
EPC-Nummer
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
EPC-Number (draft)
Header
EPC Manager
Object Class
Serial Number
 96- and 64-Bit-variants
 Header = EAN•UCC indicator
 EAN (NVE, GRAI ...) follow as data
 EPC-Manager = EAN•UCC basis number
 Object class = object reference
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
EPC-Number (draft)
 Further numbering systems then EAN.UCC will be
accepted by EPC in different formats:
 Automotive sector
Defense
sector
 Defence sector
 ...
etc.
FMCG
Automotive
sector
EPC-Branchenansatz
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
EPC - Communication network
EPC
Object
Name
Service
(ONS)
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
Information
of product
EPC - Communication network
Internet
1
3
RF Übertragung
Physical
object with
EPC labell
Reader
2
Open
system
(Savant
network)
ONS
Product
information
(PML)
4
Operational
systems
Product Code (EPC)
1 Electronic
Each object has an exact identification number
2 Reader
Reader detect RFID-Chips with radio frequency waves, which send back the EPC
Object Name Server (ONS)
A Server detects the EPC through the Middleware and gets the connection to the
3 internet to receive further information. The Software Savant acts as the nerve system of
the new network
Physical Mark-Up Language (PML)
4 Information to every product, important characteristics + product category, will be send in
PML which bases on XML
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
EPCglobal Organisational Structure
UCC Board
EAN Board
EPCglobal Board
Operating Committee
Suggest
New
Technologies
Develop Use Cases
Business
requirements
User Action
Group
Technical Steering
Committee
Software
Action Group
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Hardware
Action Group
Auto-ID
Labs
ISO 18000 Frequencies
POWER FIELDSTRENGTH
[Watt]
[dB A/m]
10
REGION 1
REGION 2
(CEPT/ERC)
(US / FCC)
870 MHz
915 MHz 2,45 MHz
< 135kHz
72
5,8 GHz
1
0.1
AM Broadcast, Navigation
6,8 13,56 MHz
42
SW BC, Mobile, Fixed, Marine...)
FM, TV,
Microwave Link, Satellite
0.01
0,1
1
10
100
1,000
10,000 MHz
FREQUENZ
The blue areas are global harmonised for frequencies and energy level
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
WAL MART - Starting EPC
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
WAL MART - Starting EPC
Supplier Briefing
 November 4th
 Briefed and educated our top 100 suppliers
 Briefed the technology community
Quelle: UAG Meeting, 12./13.11.03, London
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
WAL MART - Starting EPC
Milestones
 Live already with 2 suppliers in specialty DC
 2004 Q1 Pilot and commence ramp up
 January 2005 regional implementation with Top 100
Suppliers
 2006: Rollout to all suppliers by year end (US-Market)
Quelle: UAG Meeting, 12./13.11.03, London
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business
WAL MART - Starting EPC
January 2005
 Formats for domestic implementation
 Multiple DC formats
 Multiple Store formats
 Expand as Technology matures
Quelle: UAG Meeting, 12./13.11.03, London
EAN•UCC - The Global Language of Business