Technology company signs EPCglobal Intellectual Property Policy agreement
Holtsville, NY — March 8, 2004 — Data capture and mobile computing specialist Symbol Technologies has signed the EPCglobal Intellectual Property Policy (IPP), saying that it is committed to open standards for the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in emerging supply chain applications.
EPCglobal, a joint venture between EAN International and The Uniform Code Council, is a not-for-profit organization entrusted to drive the global, multi-industry adoption of RFID through use of the electronic product code (EPC) technology and the EPCglobal Network.
Symbol, a holder of various RFID patents, has joined almost 100 retail, manufacturing, distribution and technology companies in signing the IPP, which is part of an overall effort to standardize and maintain openness of the EPC Network, with the goal of ensuring interoperability among various manufacturers' RFID systems and solutions.
"RFID is a critical solution that spans wireless infrastructure, mobile computing, advanced data capture and mobility software products," said Philip Lazo, Symbol RFID division vice president and general manager. "We look forward to working with EPCglobal in developing RFID standards that we can implement in our enterprise mobility framework to enable our customers to capture, move and manage mission-critical information anytime, anywhere."
Symbol said it has for some time been an active participant in the standards and discussion forums sponsored by EPCglobal, as well as being a funding sponsor of the MIT Auto ID Center, the industry and academic partnership that initially developed EPC technology.
RFID is an automatic data capture (ADC) technology that comprises small data-carrying labels or tags and fixed or mobile scanners (readers). Tags are attached to or embedded in objects to be identified. Readers may be installed at locations where data capture is required, and may also be in the form of portable readers. Information between the tags and readers is transmitted via wire or wireless communications links. RFID technology is used to mark, identify and track individual objects as they move from the manufacturing floor through the supply chain and into the hands of the buyer or consumer.
For more information on trends relating to RFID, see the following SDCExec.com articles:
- Beware RFID Hype, Analysts Warn (February 13, 2004)
- Manufacturing and Banking Industries to Lead U.S. IT Spending in 2004 (February 12, 2004)
- RFID Integration Services Set for Rise (February 4, 2004)
- Retail Spending on RFID Seen Rising in "Fits and Spurts" (January 8, 2004)
- Retailers to See More RFID Benefits Than Manufacturers Study (November 12, 2003)
- Global RFID Market to be $3 Billion by 2007 (October 1, 2003)
- RFID: Beyond Barcodes (September 3, 2003)
- Who's Buying RFID? (August 22, 2003)
- RFID Picks Up Momentum (July 9, 2003)
- Broader RFID Adoption Seen by 2005 (June 16, 2003)
- Benetton: No RFID Tags in Garments...Yet (April 9, 2003)
- Auto-ID Could Save Billions (February 6, 2003)
