General overview

The EPCglobal Network is a framework that enables immediate, automatic identification and sharing of information on items in the supply chain, In that way, the EPCglobal Network will make organisations more effective by enabling true visibility of information about items in the supply chain. Using a combination of technologies and harnessing the power of current information systems, the EPCglobal Network will provide for immediate, automatic, and accurate identification and location of any item in the supply chain of any company, in any industry, anywhere in the world.

The EPCglobal EPCglobal Network consists of five fundamental elements:

Electronic Product Code (EPC)

The Electronic Product Code™ (EPC) is a globally unique serial number that identifies an item in the supply chain. This allows enquiries to be made about a single instance of an item, wherever it is within the supply chain.

The ID System

The ID System consists of EPC tags and EPC readers. EPC tags are RFID devices that consist of a microchip and an antenna attached to a substrate. The EPC is stored on this tag, which is applied to cases, pallets and/or items. EPC tags communicate their EPCs to EPC readers using Radio Frequency Identification. EPC readers communicate with EPC tags via radio waves and deliver information to local business information systems using EPC Middleware.

EPC Middleware

EPC Middleware manages real-time read events and information, provides alerts, and manages the basic read information for communication to EPC Information Services as well as a company’s other existing information systems. EPCglobal is developing a software interface standard for services enabling data exchange between an EPC reader or network of readers and information systems.

EPC Information Services (EPCIS)

EPC Information Services enables users to exchange EPC-related data with trading partners through the EPCglobal Network.

Discovery Services
The Discovery Services is a suite of services that enables users to find data related to a specific EPC and to request access to that data. The Object Naming Service (ONS) is one component of the Discovery Services.