The Electronic Product Code (EPC), often referred to as a “radio barcode” or “next-generation barcode,” currently represents one of the greatest challenges for companies in the FMCG industry. It utilizes RFID technology, in which an identification number is stored in a special marker called a tag placed on a product, and high-frequency electromagnetic waves are used to read it.
It seems that thanks to its capabilities, RFID technology will soon be able to finally fulfill the dreams of individual product identification, fast and simple identification of transport packaging contents, and the possibility of online tracking of goods flow. RFID technology, which uses radio frequencies to identify objects, is not a new technology. However, it is only in the last few years that its enormous potential has begun to be recognized, especially in connection with the Internet, which has led to the development of a completely new solution – the concept of the Electronic Product Code (EPC – Electronic Product Code).
History of RFID technology usage
RFID technology was first used in the 1940s, during World War II, to distinguish Allied aircraft from enemy aircraft. High-power RFID transponders were placed on board Allied military aircraft. Triggered by a radar signal, they sent a response enabling the aircraft to be identified as “friendly.” This system, called IFF (Friend or Foe), was the first obvious application of RFID technology, and current air traffic control systems are still based on the IFF concept. In the 1970s, research into the application of RFID systems was funded almost exclusively by government sources. Its scope focused on security issues in a number of government programs, particularly those involving nuclear materials.
The invention of the microchip and the associated technological progress led to the design and application of so-called passive RFID tags, i.e., markers that can be read without the need for power from external sources, such as batteries. The lack of power supplies reduced the cost of such markers on one hand, as they used the energy of the radio wave sent by the reader, but on the other hand, it limited the range of the reading distance.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 4/2004.