The EPCglobal Architecture Framework

1
The EPCglobal Architecture Framework

• Son, Byung-guk
• Dept, of Computer Science
• Yonsei University

2
Content

• Introduction
• Architecture Framework Overview
• Goal for the EPCglobal Architecture Framework
• Underlying Technical Principles
• Architecture Foundations
• Roles and Interfaces
• Data Flow Relationships

3
Introduction

• EPCglobal Architecture Framework
• A collection of interrelated standards
• EPCglobal Standards hardware, software, data
  interfaces together with EPCglobal Core Services

4
Architecture Framework Overview
5
Architecture Framework Overview

• Architecture Framework Activities
• EPC Physical Object Exchange
• Exchange of physical objects with EPCs
• EPC Data Exchange
• Subscribers benefit from the EPCglobal Network by
  exchange data with each other
• EPC Infrastructure
• Subscriber carries out operations within its four
  walls

6
Architecture Framework Overview

• Architecture Framework Standards

7
Goals for the EPCglobal Architecture Framework

• The Role of Standards
• To facilitate the exchange information and
  physical objects
• between trading partners
• To foster the existence of a competitive
  marketplace for
• system components
• To encourage innovation
• Just define interface, not implementation
• Global Standards
• EPCglobal standards are developed for global use
• Open System
• Open standard through the EPCglobal Standards
• Development Process or another standards
  organization
• free and open rights to implementation EPCglobal
  Standard
• Platform Independence
• Implemented on heterogeneous software and
  hardware

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Goals for the EPCglobal Architecture Framework

• Scalability and Extensibility
• Designed to scale to meet the needs of each
  End-User
• Security
• Designed to promote a secure environment
• Privacy
• Designed to accommodate the needs of both
  individual and
• corporations
• Industry Architectures and Standards
• Designed to work with complement existing
  industry-
• wide architecture and standards
• Open, Community Process
• designed to yield standards that are relevant
  and beneficial
• to end users

9
Underlying Technical Principles

• Unique Identity
• The name assigned to one entity is different than
  the name
• assigned to another entity
• EPC characteristics
• Uniqueness
• Federation federation of several naming
  structure(GS1 SSCC, GS1 GRAI)
• Representation independence binary realization,
  URI realization
• Decentralized assignment Done through a
  hierarchical scheme (Registration Authority -gt
  Issuing Agency -gt EPC Manager)

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Underlying Technical Principles

• Unique Identity
• EPC characteristics
• Structure Not purely random strings, form of
  designated fields
• Light Weight Just enough structure and
  information to accomplish the goal
• Decentralized Implementation
• EPCglobal is a single global network, but
  logically
• centralized functions are distributed
• assignment of EPC codes, ONS lookup service
• Layering of Data Standard - Verticalization
• Data exchange that are intended to serve the
  needs of
• many different industries
• Layers
• A framework layer apply equally to all
  industries
• vertical data particular industries group

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Underlying Technical Principles

• Layering of Data Standard - Verticalization
• EPC Tag Data Specification
• header bit / specific coding schemes of industry
• EPCIS Data Specification
• Abstract data model / specific event types, mast
  data attributes used within a particular industry
  
• Layering of Software Specification
• Does not rely on specific implementation
  technology (web service, XML, AS2, EDI)
• Layered approach abstract content of data
  (service) is defined neutral description language
  (ex, UML)
• Extensibility
• Recognizes the fact that change is inevitable
• Extensions
• Supports to backward compatibility and forward
  compatibility
• Supports to non-standard extensions by multi
  groups without possibility of conflict or
  collision

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Architectural Foundations

• Electronic Product Code
• Underlying principle of unique identity
• Plays a central part in every role and interface
• EPC Manager
• Subscriber who has been granted rights to use a
  portion of the EPC namespace
• Responsibilities
• Allocate a new EPC (commission), Associate EPC
  with a physical object, entity
• Maintain the Object Name Service records
• EPC Manager Number
• A single number that issues the EPC Manager
• Allows any system to instantly identify the EPC
  Manager associated with a given EPC (distinct
  field)

13
Architectural Foundations

• Embedding of Existing Codes
• EPC Tag Data Specification are based on existing
  industry coding scheme
• GS1 family SGTIN, SSCC, SGLN, GRAI, GIAI
• Class Level Data versus Instance Level Data
• A product class EPC Manager Number and Object
  Class ID
• A product EPC Manager Number, Object Class ID,
  Serial Number
• EPC Information Services (EPCIS)
• The primary vehicle for data exchange between
  EPCglobal subscribers
• Static Data Not change over the life of a
  physical object
• Class-level Static Data
• - same all for all objects of a given object
  class
• Instance-level Static Data
• - differ from one instance to the next within
  a given object class
• - data of manufacture, lot number, expiration
  data

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Architecture Foundations

• EPC Information Services (EPCIS)
• Transactional Data grow and change
• Instance Observations
• - record events that occur in the life of one or
  more specific EPCs
• - EPC X was shipped at 1230pm 15 Marc 2004
  from Acme
• Distribution Center
• - time, location, one or more EPCs, business
  process step
• Quantity Observations
• - record events concerned with measuring the
  quantity of objects
• within a particular object class- There were
  4,100 instances of object class C observed at
• 200am 16 Jan 2003 in RetailMart Store 23

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Architecture Foundations

• EPC Information Services (EPCIS)
• Transactional grow and change
• Quantity Observations
• - time, location. Object class, quantity,
  business process step
• Business Transaction Observations
• - record an association between one or more EPCs
  and a
• business transaction
• - The pallet with EPC X was shipped in
  fulfillment of Acme Corp
• purchase order 23 at 220pm
• - time, one or more EPCs, business process step,
  business
• transaction identifier

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Roles and Interfaces (General Considerations)

• Architecture Framework vs. System Architecture
• Architecture Framework
• Only define interface
• - interoperate, wide marketplace of
  vendor-provided
• Avoid specification of components
• - maximal freedom in designing system
  architecture
• System Architecture
• Implemented by end user, particular hardware or
  software components
• According to preferences and goals of end users
• Cross-Enterprise vs. Intra-Enterprise
• Cross-Enterprise
• Data exchange between enterprises (EPC Object
  Exchange, EPC Data Exchange)
• Intra-Enterprise
• Not affect parties outside the subscribers own
  four wall (EPC Infrastructure)

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Data Flow Relationships(Cross-Enterprise)
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Data Flow Relationships(Cross-Enterprise)

• Data Exchange Interactions
• EPCIS Accessing Application
• Exactly where to find the information (two-party
  supply chain)

• Exactly where to find the information
  (three-party supply chain)

(Following the chain)
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Data Flow Relationships(Cross-Enterprise)

• Data Exchange Interactions
• EPCIS Accessing Application
• Use the Object Name Service (ONS)

• Use EPCIS Discovery Services (case of
  multi-party supply chain)

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Data Flow Relationships(Cross-Enterprise)

• Data Exchange Interactions
• Two EPCglobal Standards govern this Interaction
• EPCIS Query Interface
• - define how data is requested and delivered
• EPCIS Data Specification
• - define the format and meaning of data
• Subscriber Authentication
• Authenticate the identity of the Partner
  EPCglobal Subscriber
• Belong to EPCglobal Core Services
• Object Exchange Interactions
• Read the tag using RFID Readers
• Two EPCglobal Standards govern this
  Interaction
• Tag protocol
• - define how data is carried through a radio
  signal
• EPC Tag Data Specification
• - define the format and meaning of data

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Data Flow Relationships(Cross-Enterprise)

• ONS Interactions
• Input EPC, output URL
• Implemented as a hierarchy of lookup services
• Number Assignment
• EPCglobals service of Issuing unique EPC
  Manager
• Numbers to each EPC Manager
• insure unique

EPC
subscriber
ONS
URL
Root ONS
Local ONS
Local ONS
Local ONS
22
Data Flow Relationships(Intra-Enterprise)
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Data Flow Relationships(Intra-Enterprise)

• Roles and Interfaces
• Readers
• Make multiple observations of RFID tags
• Reader Protocol Interface
• Define the control and delivery of raw tag reads
• Reader -gt Filtering Collection role
• Filtering Collection
• Filters and collections raw tag reads
• - filtering, aggregating, grouping, counting,
  differential analysis
• Filtering Collections (ALE) Interface
• Define control and delivery of filtered and
  collected tag read data
• Filtering Collections -gt EPCIS Capturing
  Application
• EPCIS Capturing Application
• Supervise the operation of the lower EPC element
• provide business context (check for exceptional
  condition)

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Data Flow Relationships(Intra-Enterprise)

• Roles and Interfaces
• EPCIS Capture Interface
• EPCIS data is delivered to enterprise-level roles
• Roles EPCIS Repositories, EPCIS Accessing
  Applications, data exchange with partners
• EPCIS Accessing Application
• Carry out overall enterprise business processes
• - warehouse management, shipping and receiving ,
  etc.
• EPCIS Repository
• Record EPCIS-level events generated by EPCIS
  Capture App
• Make available for later query by EPCIS Accessing
  App
• Interface Insulation
• Each Interface insulate the higher level from
  lower level

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Role and Interfaces(Reference)
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Role and Interfaces(Reference)

• Responsibilities and collaborations
• Reader Management Interface (Interface)
• Query the configuration of an RFID Reader
• Monitor the operational status of an RFID Reader
• Access RFID Reader management functions
• Reader Management (Role)
• Monitor the operational status of one and more
  RFID Readers
• Manages the configuration of one and more RFID
  Readers
• Carries other RFID Reader management functions
• Tag Data Translation Schema (Core Service)
• How to translate between EPC encodings
• Tag Data Translation Interface (Interface)
• Roles that define how to translate between EPC
  encodings