Symbol also rolls out RFID portal system to provide scalability, multi-protocol read performance necessary for supply chain applications
Holtsville, NY June 13, 2005 Solution providers Symbol Technologies, IBM and Royal Philips Electronics today demonstrated a solution for Generation 2 of the radio frequency identification electronic product code (RFID EPC Gen 2), showing simultaneous interoperability between EPC Gen 2 tags and class 0 and class 1 Gen 1 tags.
This demonstration marked the start of Symbol's Gen 2 Early Adopter program, announced in 2004 and designed to migrate customers to Gen 2 at the pace their business requires without disruption to their current RFID system.
Also today Symbol introduced an integrated and modular RFID portal system designed to provide organizations with the scalability and multi-protocol read performance needed for a variety of supply chain applications.
Support for Gen 1 and 2
Regarding the Gen 2 announcement, Symbol said it would simultaneously support the Gen 1 and Gen 2 standards on its reader infrastructure while helping customers manage their transition from Gen 1 tags to Gen 2 tags. The solution provider said that its Gen 2 Early Adopter customers and partners can view the demo and will be able to evaluate prototype Gen 2 tags and reader infrastructure in the coming months, helping to ease the evolution through simultaneous support of Gen 2 and Gen 1 in preparation for the broad commercial release of Gen 2 solutions.
The Gen 2 demo incorporates Symbol's new XR400 reader with IBM's WebSphere RFID software platform and, Symbol said, represents another step in the two companies' alliance to develop mobile business solutions and applications for customers. Philips is a Symbol EPC Gen 2 technology partner.
"Our collaboration with Symbol on this demo will prove the viability of Gen 2 and spur customer adoption," suggested Dr. Robert Mayberry, vice president of IBM Sensor and Actuator Solutions. "By combining our core strengths in RFID deployment, Symbol and IBM can help customers use RFID technologies to realize the efficiency and visibility benefits they are seeking. We formed this alliance in 2001, and RFID is a great opportunity to extend our relationship to deliver future solutions to our customers."
Multi-protocol Support
"We are excited to be collaborating with two proven RFID leaders to provide Gen 2 solutions to customers in Symbol's Gen 2 Early Adopter Program," said Jan-Willem Reynaerts, general manager of Philips Semiconductors' RFID business. "By jointly helping customers to this new global standard, we are enabling them to experience the benefits of deploying RFID across multinational infrastructures sooner."
"Symbol is leveraging its experience in the deployment of Gen 1 technology by integrating it with Gen 2 to ease the transition for customers already utilizing RFID in production," said John Bruno, senior vice president and general manager of RFID at Symbol. "Symbol is committed to full, multi-protocol support for customers looking for one, flexible solution to meet multiple needs today and in the future."
Gen 2 represents a simplification and expansion of the existing EPC Generation 1 standard and allows the opportunity for a single, global standard to help grow the RFID market. Gen 2 emerged from a standards process managed by EPCglobal, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Uniform Code Council and EAN International, the global standards bodies responsible for the broad adoption of the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code.
A founding member of EPCglobal, Symbol said it supports both Gen 1 and Gen 2 EPC technology with readers that are currently firmware upgradeable to Gen 2 and versions of Gen 2 tags that will soon be available.
New RFID Portal System
Also today Symbol introduced the DC600, an integrated and modular RFID portal system designed to provide organizations with the scalability and multi-protocol read performance needed for a variety of supply chain applications, including asset tracking and inventory management.
The DC600 packages an RFID portal system to help reduce supply chain shrinkage when tracking inventory in motion through designated read zones within warehouses, distribution centers, retail stores and airports.
The unit includes Symbol's XR400 multi-protocol reader and the high-performance antennas and cables necessary for the fast and accurate reading of EPC RFID tags, Symbol said. The visibility and security provided by RFID technology on the DC600 can help enable such benefits as ensuring automated supplier manifest reconciliation, validating shipment accuracy in real-time and reducing shipping errors, according to the solution provider
Modular Design
"Building on our experience with the DC400, the Symbol DC600 is a fully integrated system based on Symbol's XR400 platform providing customers with access to information across the enterprise at the point of business activity," said Bruno.
The new DC600 portal system offers bolted installation and is durable for high-volume industrial environments, built to sustain minor, non-direct pallet impacts, Symbol said. The unit also features modular electronics to help reduce maintenance costs, sensor-activated reader operation to decrease RF interference, and visual alerts and alarms for edge business processing.
In addition, the DC600 leverages the XR400 reader's application programming interface (API) for standard and customized integration with management systems for performance monitoring and operational visibility, according to Symbol.
Additional Articles of Interest
For more information on trends relating to radio frequency identification (RFID), follow this link for an extensive listing of SDCExec.com articles, featuring the latest research findings on the RFID, including adoption, return on investment and barriers to implementation.
For a contrary view of the future of the RFID market, see the article "The O'RFID Factor: A 'No Spin' Look at Where Radio Frequency Identification Is Headed," in the October/November 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
Holtsville, NY June 13, 2005 Solution providers Symbol Technologies, IBM and Royal Philips Electronics today demonstrated a solution for Generation 2 of the radio frequency identification electronic product code (RFID EPC Gen 2), showing simultaneous interoperability between EPC Gen 2 tags and class 0 and class 1 Gen 1 tags.
This demonstration marked the start of Symbol's Gen 2 Early Adopter program, announced in 2004 and designed to migrate customers to Gen 2 at the pace their business requires without disruption to their current RFID system.
Also today Symbol introduced an integrated and modular RFID portal system designed to provide organizations with the scalability and multi-protocol read performance needed for a variety of supply chain applications.
Support for Gen 1 and 2
Regarding the Gen 2 announcement, Symbol said it would simultaneously support the Gen 1 and Gen 2 standards on its reader infrastructure while helping customers manage their transition from Gen 1 tags to Gen 2 tags. The solution provider said that its Gen 2 Early Adopter customers and partners can view the demo and will be able to evaluate prototype Gen 2 tags and reader infrastructure in the coming months, helping to ease the evolution through simultaneous support of Gen 2 and Gen 1 in preparation for the broad commercial release of Gen 2 solutions.
The Gen 2 demo incorporates Symbol's new XR400 reader with IBM's WebSphere RFID software platform and, Symbol said, represents another step in the two companies' alliance to develop mobile business solutions and applications for customers. Philips is a Symbol EPC Gen 2 technology partner.
"Our collaboration with Symbol on this demo will prove the viability of Gen 2 and spur customer adoption," suggested Dr. Robert Mayberry, vice president of IBM Sensor and Actuator Solutions. "By combining our core strengths in RFID deployment, Symbol and IBM can help customers use RFID technologies to realize the efficiency and visibility benefits they are seeking. We formed this alliance in 2001, and RFID is a great opportunity to extend our relationship to deliver future solutions to our customers."
Multi-protocol Support
"We are excited to be collaborating with two proven RFID leaders to provide Gen 2 solutions to customers in Symbol's Gen 2 Early Adopter Program," said Jan-Willem Reynaerts, general manager of Philips Semiconductors' RFID business. "By jointly helping customers to this new global standard, we are enabling them to experience the benefits of deploying RFID across multinational infrastructures sooner."
"Symbol is leveraging its experience in the deployment of Gen 1 technology by integrating it with Gen 2 to ease the transition for customers already utilizing RFID in production," said John Bruno, senior vice president and general manager of RFID at Symbol. "Symbol is committed to full, multi-protocol support for customers looking for one, flexible solution to meet multiple needs today and in the future."
Gen 2 represents a simplification and expansion of the existing EPC Generation 1 standard and allows the opportunity for a single, global standard to help grow the RFID market. Gen 2 emerged from a standards process managed by EPCglobal, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Uniform Code Council and EAN International, the global standards bodies responsible for the broad adoption of the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code.
A founding member of EPCglobal, Symbol said it supports both Gen 1 and Gen 2 EPC technology with readers that are currently firmware upgradeable to Gen 2 and versions of Gen 2 tags that will soon be available.
New RFID Portal System
Also today Symbol introduced the DC600, an integrated and modular RFID portal system designed to provide organizations with the scalability and multi-protocol read performance needed for a variety of supply chain applications, including asset tracking and inventory management.
The DC600 packages an RFID portal system to help reduce supply chain shrinkage when tracking inventory in motion through designated read zones within warehouses, distribution centers, retail stores and airports.
The unit includes Symbol's XR400 multi-protocol reader and the high-performance antennas and cables necessary for the fast and accurate reading of EPC RFID tags, Symbol said. The visibility and security provided by RFID technology on the DC600 can help enable such benefits as ensuring automated supplier manifest reconciliation, validating shipment accuracy in real-time and reducing shipping errors, according to the solution provider
Modular Design
"Building on our experience with the DC400, the Symbol DC600 is a fully integrated system based on Symbol's XR400 platform providing customers with access to information across the enterprise at the point of business activity," said Bruno.
The new DC600 portal system offers bolted installation and is durable for high-volume industrial environments, built to sustain minor, non-direct pallet impacts, Symbol said. The unit also features modular electronics to help reduce maintenance costs, sensor-activated reader operation to decrease RF interference, and visual alerts and alarms for edge business processing.
In addition, the DC600 leverages the XR400 reader's application programming interface (API) for standard and customized integration with management systems for performance monitoring and operational visibility, according to Symbol.
Additional Articles of Interest
For more information on trends relating to radio frequency identification (RFID), follow this link for an extensive listing of SDCExec.com articles, featuring the latest research findings on the RFID, including adoption, return on investment and barriers to implementation.
For a contrary view of the future of the RFID market, see the article "The O'RFID Factor: A 'No Spin' Look at Where Radio Frequency Identification Is Headed," in the October/November 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
- More articles about Symbol Technologies.
