IBM promotes open standards in RFID sphere

IBM has convinced eight leading RFID device manufacturers to implement the Eclipse open source device model to interface their wares with the IBM Premises Server 6.0. Separately, GS1 EPC Global has certified the IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center version 1.1 as fully compliant with the EPCIS standards for tracking the progress of items as they move through the supply chain.

IBM shipped the newest version of WebSphere Premises Server, version 6.0, in March this year, and introduced an open-standards-based RFID device-support model for RFID device vendors to deliver data to IBM’s middleware.

IBM has approved devices from Alien Technology, Arcom, Feig Electronic, Intermec, Motorola, Reva Systems, Sirit and Tagsys with the IBM WebSphere RFID device-validation program. In order to help speed RFID equipment manufacturers' time-to-market, embedded systems integrators Apogee Software and MicroDoc have been trained to build device adapters using the Eclipse device toolkit. Both companies are working with RFID equipment manufacturers to build device adapters or intelligent reader controller platforms that are compatible with WebSphere RFID data capture.

Also, IBM is providing support for EPCglobal’s newly ratified Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) reader-interface standard. IBM plans to contribute the new adapter to eclipse.org, and is working with Impinj to validate the LLRP compatibility of Impinj’s Speedway reader.

Standards organization GS1 EPCglobal's EPCIS standard provides a data model for events, including shipping and receiving of uniquely identified objects. The standard also defines interfaces for capturing product-movement data and for sharing that information with trading partners.

The newest version of the software includes an optional ePedigree feature that provides all participants in the pharmaceutical supply chain with secure and on-demand access to historical data on individual bottles or packages of medicine to enable compliance with current and emerging regulations. The EPCIS standard was ratified in April, and conformance testing began in September. IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center passed the tests conducted on EPCglobal’s behalf by MetLabs.