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EPC FAQ
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What is an Electronic Product
Code (EPC)?
An EPC is a unique number that corresponds
with an individual product (or container of products). EPCs are embedded
in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached to each unit,
and with an EPC and a distributed EPCglobal Network, an individual can
look up detailed information about a product or package, such as its
manufacture date and expiration date.
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What is Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology?
You may be familiar with EZ-Pass or SmartTag, the systems that debit your banking account by reading
the transponder on your vehicle windshield as you pass through a toll
gate. These systems use RFID. This technology has two components: tags
and readers. RFID tags are small chips with antennas that contain an
EPC ("Electronic Product Code"), a "license plate"
of sorts which uniquely identifies that particular item. RFID tags can
be read automatically, without the line-of-sight limitation of today's
common bar-codes.
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What is the EPCglobal Network?
The EPCglobal Network is a system that leverages
an authoritative, highly scalable infrastructure to create a low-cost,
standards-based set of services for finding and sharing information
about products in the supply chain. Collectively, the system enables
the benefits of a richer product data set to be shared by all parties
in the supply chain.
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What is VeriSign's
role with the EPCglobal Network?
VeriSign has operated the authoritative root
directory for the EPCglobal Network since 2005. Additionally, VeriSign
is active in the continued development of RFID standards, use of RFID
in the public realm to protect consumer privacy and confidentiality,
and security solutions to protect RFID information.
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What is the "Authoritative
Root Directory" for the EPCglobal Network?
The EPCglobal Network is made up of three main
elements: an Object Naming Service (ONS), the EPC Information Services
and the EPC Discovery Service. The authoritative root directory of information
sources that are available to describe products in the supply chain
are referred to as the ONS.
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What are the other elements
of the EPCglobal Network?
In addition to ONS, the EPCglobal Network includes
EPC Information Services and EPC Discovery Services. EPC Information
Services are the actual data repositories that are used to store and
distribute information about unique items in the supply chain.
The EPC Discovery Service provides chain of
custody services as their movement is recorded across multiple instances
of EPC Information Services. It does this for a particular product by
managing a directory for all third party EPC Information Services (e.g.,
logistics companies, warehouses, shipping companies, etc) that have
"seen" and contain information about a particular EPC.
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What is the benefit of the
EPCglobal Network (and related services) to business?
By using the EPCglobal Network, supply chain
members can convert their investments in RFID from cost centers to profit
centers. By taking RFID beyond the four walls (which can only be done
successfully through an interoperable and standards-based solution)
they can enhance their ability to share product data with trading partners.
A network solution that enables trading partners to conduct secure,
real-time discovery and sharing of product data can fundamentally change
the ability to identify inefficiencies and respond to exceptional situations
(e.g., product recall, counterfeiting) within the supply chain.
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Who is EPCglobal?
EPCglobal is a not-for-profit joint-venture
formed by The Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC) and EAN
International to develop and oversee the commercialization and technical
standards for the Electronic Product Code (EPC)™ Network. The EPC™ Network,
based on research conducted by the Auto-ID Center at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), uses radio frequency in combination with
a network system to allow items or products to be identified. This technology
enables companies to have true visibility of their supply chains in
real time, in any industry, anywhere in the world.
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Do you run the EPCglobal Network?
No. VeriSign currently operates a component
of the EPCglobal Network referred to as the Object Naming Service (ONS).
The EPCglobal Network is really an umbrella term for the set of technologies
that enables RFID-based tracking to track products in the supply chain.
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Are
there opportunities for Supply Chain Management companies to partner
with VeriSign?
The EPCglobal Network encompasses a set of
technologies that integrate with a broad array of hardware, software
and services. As a result, there are several partnering opportunities
for companies that service the supply chain.
VeriSign welcomes inquiries from such companies.
If you'd like to discuss partnering opportunities, please email
us.
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Where can I get more information
about the EPCglobal Network?
EPCglobal's Web
site has a wealth of up-to-date information on this topic.
You can find more information about VeriSign and our EPCglobal Network
services on our Web site or emailing
us.
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