September 22, 2005
RFID Middleware
In an RFID system, RFID middleware is placed between the reader and the enterprise systems. The middleware has to fulfill the Savant specifications as laid down by EPCGlobal. According to EPC specifications, Savants are middleware applications that handle the tag and reader data originating at different sources. RFID middleware fulfills the Savant specifications and supports the commissioning of unique EPC numbers to the items that are being tracked by the tags. Data is routed and converted into formats as per the requirements of the various applications with the help of conventional middleware.
RFID middleware has to work with conventional middleware, which according to analysts will be an important factor in the development of further innovation. Standards such as Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI), Web Services Definition Language (WSDL), etc are standards that are important for a cost-effective integration of distinct applications in an RFID setup. RFID middleware finds use as an interface with technologies such as bar code scanners, thereby achieving cross-platform hardware integration.
Interfacing with these auto-ID technologies using conventional middleware is somewhat tedious as it requires web services standards and an architecture that is service oriented. RFID middleware also helps to segregate and aggregate the vast amount of data before it reaches the enterprise applications. Conventional middleware can be used for integrating software applications and also for resolving lookups for the many items in a supply chain. It does so by connecting to the EPC Network by using the Object Name Service.
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