Electronic Product Code

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The Electronic Product Code, (EPC), is a code electronically recorded on an RFID tag. It is intended to be an improvement on the UPC barcode system. The EPC is a 64- or 96-bit code, which based on current numbering schemes (Global Trade Item Number, VIN etc.), is divided into numbers that differentiate the product and manufacturer of a given item. The difference between EPC and previous numbering systems lies in the usage of an extra set of digits to uniquely identify one object. An EPC number contains:

A Header, identifying the length, type, structure, version and generation of EPC
The Manager Number, which identifies the company or company entity
Object Class, similar to a Stock Keeping Unit or SKU
Serial Number, which is the specific instance of the Object Class being tagged

The Electronic Product Code promises to become the standard for global RFID usage. The EPC was the creation of the MIT Auto-ID Center, a consortium of over 120 global corporations and university labs. The EPC system is currently managed by EPCglobal, Inc., a subsidiary of GS1, creators of the UPC barcode.

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