Software Action Group (SAG)

The mission of the SAG is the definition of software interface and other standards both within the EPCglobal Network elements and between these and other elements of enterprise systems distributed over a number of enterprises and geographies.

SAG Working Groups:

EPC Information Services (EPCIS) Phase 2

• Create one or more normative technical specifications that will facilitate the development of interoperable EPCIS systems. The scope of these specifications is limited by the following constraints and guidelines:
• EPCIS version 1.0 will address Data Capture and Data Query
• Access Control and Authentication will be addressed
• All specifications will seek to adopt the layered approach already adopted by the Reader Protocol, Reader Management, and Filtering & Collection Working Groups and to cleanly separate the specification of data from operations upon data
• The only binding of the abstract service descriptions provided in this version of specifications will be a binding to a web services framework, using WSDL and XSD

• Create a specification for a software application programming interface (API), associated data specifications, and reporting mechanisms, through which clients may obtain filtered, aggregated tag read data from a multiplicity of tag read sources.

• Complete outstanding work concerning the Object Name Service, which includes bringing the "Object Name Service 1.0" document to the Standard Specification level within the EPCglobal standards development process
• In addition to the base protocol specification, the group will also specify an application programming interface (API) for issuing ONS queries and an operational guidelines document that outlines industry best practices for the operation of DNS infrastructure

• Define the 1.0 protocol specification for exchanging data and commands between hosts and readers, supporting functions such as reading tags, writing to tags, and killing tags

• Define a set of standard functions that enable configuration, provisioning, monitoring, and alarm notification of individual RFID readers leveraging the standard communication protocol defined by the Reader Protocol Working Group where applicable (This set of standard functions will provide a baseline for management operations, will be extensible for future revisions, and will provide the ability to accommodate vendor specific extensions)

• Deliver a set of recommendations to provide a security framework to ensure different levels (i.e. 'low, 'medium', 'high') of consumer information privacy, data authentication, integrity for both wireless and wired data transmissions, and mutual business confidence for collaborative business trading networks

• Develop the necessary specifications to express the current Tag Data Standards encoding and decoding rules in an unambiguous machine-readable format, which will allow any component in the EPCglobal Network technology stack to automatically convert between the binary and tag-encoding and pure-identity URI formats of the EPC as appropriate (The motivation is to allow components flexibility in how they receive or transmit EPCs, to reduce potential 'impedance mismatches' at interfaces in the EPCglobal Network technology stack. Reference implementations of software that demonstrate these capabilities will also be developed)

Tag Data Standards

• Identify and document the required correction and enhancement to the current EPCglobal Tag Data Standard specification
• Provide methodology as guidance to the current Tag Data Standard specification for proprietary coding, alphanumeric coding, etc.
• Identify the requirements of future tag data standard scheme including synchronization and/or Incorporation of ISO data standard, potential new industries, Class 2 and beyond

Physical meetings of the Software Action Group are held bi-annually. Conference calls are held weekly or as needed by each Working Group.

For more information, please contact the EPCglobal Subscriber Services at EPCinfo@EPCglobalinc.org.