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In order to have a quick and successful RFID integration with existing application, RFID Products need to be totally abstracted from the application layers. A RFID product should be seen as an automated data collection device by any integrator leveraging its unique advantage over the barcode in the way it can read multiple items at a time.
Why is abstraction required?
- RFID devices can be integrated with any application like Retail, Library etc very fast without redesigning the traditional software.
How abstraction can be achieved?
- This is possible by writing the existing product code directly into the tag and reading these codes like the way a barcode reads and transfer to application.
- Usually,a RFID reader scans a product multiple times during the short exposure of the product in its field. The duplicate data has to be rejected and only one instance of the product code has to be transferred to the application.
- It requires middle ware that can collect the data from any reader (HH , Fixed and Pedestal) filters the redundant data and convert the data like a key board input which can be directly forwarded to the application. This middle ware can run on hardware or OS as required.
Things to be taken care of while doing this.
- One thing that needs to be noticed is that a traditional barcode application is unable to distinguish between identical items.
For e.g. if two identical item s are scanned by a barcode reader, the corresponding application updates the quantity rather than adding two different items. This is due to UPC data form at as follow ed by the barcode.
- RFID follow s EPC data form at where every item is given a unique number irrespective of their identity. For e.g. two coke of sam e volume and manufacturing date would have the same barcode number/Product ID as 2389021354 following UPC code but would be having different EPC number.
- This creates confusion when a RFID device is being integrated with a traditional application following UPC standard like a barcode reader. If identical products are coded with the sam e product ID and scanned using a RFID reader, RFID reader may treat multiple products as single product and would reject the duplicated product ID and avoid sending it to the application. It will see the two cokes as one product.
- How this can be avoided?
This can be avoided in two ways:
1 Traditional application is modified to accommodate the EPC form at where every product is allotted a unique ID. This will open plethora of new applications like analyzing product age correctly, duplication-free inventory and so on.
2 Along with Product code, serial numbers are also written on the tag. Each item would be given a unique serial number. This will help the middle ware to distinguish between two products and forward IDs multiple times to the application leading to increase in quantity details.
Challenges
- Maintaining a Central Database that can keep track of all Serial numbers across organization. This is to avoid duplication of the number.
- Updating this database at the time of sales to accurately track the item . This is optional and required to track individual items.
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