Structure
The canonical representation of an EPC is a URI - the 'pure-identity URI' that is intended for use when referring to a specific physical object in communications about EPCs among information systems and business application software.
Each coding scheme within the EPC identifier framework is distinguished through the use of a separate namespace. In the URI notations, this is indicated using a URI prefix such as urn:epc:id:sgtin or urn:epc:id:sscc In the compact binary encoding of an EPC identifier, the namespace is instead indicated using a compact binary header (typically the first 8 bits of the binary encoding of an EPC identifier). The EPCglobal Tag Data Standard provides details of the URI prefixes and corresponding binary header values.
This namespace indicator (URI prefix or compact binary header value) in turn dictates the length, type and structure of the EPC. EPC encoding schemes are used to uniquely identify one object. Most EPCs include an element within their structure that corresponds to a serial number.
EPC Version 1.3 supports the following alternative coding schemes:
- General Identifier (GID) GID-96
- a serialized version of the GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) SGTIN-96 SGTIN-198
- GS1 Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) SSCC-96
- GS1 Global Location Number (GLN), SGLN-96 SGLN-195
- GS1 Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI) GRAI-96 GRAI-170
- GS1 Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) GIAI-96 GIAI-202 and
- DOD Construct DoD-96
From Version 1.4 these new coding schemas are also additionally supported:
- Global Service Relation Number (GSRN) GSRN-96
- Global Document Type Identifier (GDTI) GDTI-96
As of September 2010, the current version of the Tag Data Standard is v1.5, which additionally defines the formatting of the Tag Identifier (TID) memory bank and how to use Packed Objects for the formatting of additional data within the user memory bank.
Read more about this topic: Electronic Product Code
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