Understanding WebLogic RFID Edge Server

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to identify objects. Typically, a unique identifier (such as an EPC code) that identifies objects, and perhaps other information, is stored on a microchip that is attached to an antenna (the chip and the antenna together constitute an RFID tag). The antenna enables the chip to transmit the identification information to a reader. The reader converts the radio waves reflected back from the RFID tag into digital information that computers can receive and process on behalf of user applications.

WebLogic RFID Compliance Express—An application that people at the warehouse or distribution center use to assign unique EPC codes, program them onto RFID tags, and verify the application of those tags to cartons and pallets.
WebLogic RFID Edge Server—Software deployed at remote sites where there are RFID readers, such as warehouses, distribution centers, and retail stores, for recording incoming tag data and reporting that data to the Enterprise Server. The Edge Server can run stand-alone on a computer or be embedded in a growing range of other devices, including routers.
WebLogic RFID Enterprise Server—Runs at the data center; gathers information from Edge Servers and Compliance Express at the edge (remote sites); and processes, records, and presents the data.

About the RFID Edge Server

WebLogic RFID Edge Server performs a number of operations that help tailor the RFID solution to particular business requirements:

Out of the box connectivity to various RFID devices including readers and printers.
Support for filtering tag data and tag commissioning through the Application Level Events (ALE) API, a standard lead authored by BEA and ratified by EPCglobal.
Support for monitoring and configuring RFID devices across the supply chain.
Support for configurable local workflows for automating business processes relevant at the store, distribution center, or warehouse level.
A lightweight, distributed architecture with minimal hardware and network requirements.

WebLogic RFID Edge Server provides a comprehensive software infrastructure for developing and deploying reliable RFID applications. Edge Server technology enables developers to write applications at a suitably high level, while the RFID Edge Server handles all low-level interactions with many types of readers and ensures that the network of readers and software functions at peak efficiency.

The RFID Edge Server provides support for processes that are crucial to any enterprise-scale deployment of RFID technology:

Data Filtering and Integration

RFID readers generate a flood of very fine-grained information. For example, an RFID reader deployed in a typical warehouse shelf environment reports the presence of a particular tag as frequently as five times per second. Most business applications cannot deal effectively with such fine-grained information; they are geared to receive high-level reports such as "in the last 60 seconds, the following case-level tags were added to the shelf."

WebLogic RFID Edge Server provides a simple yet powerful application programming interface (API) through which applications can define such high-level events, and receive them in a variety of formats designed for easy integration with enterprise software. Applications define what application-level events they are interested in, and the RFID Edge Server fulfills those requests by interacting with RFID readers and performing filtering, counting, and grouping data operations.

In addition, WebLogic RFID Edge Server insulates applications from the details of how many readers are in use at a given location, their make or model, and how they are configured.

Management of RFID Infrastructure

Enterprise-scale RFID applications typically involve hundreds to hundreds of thousands of RFID readers, deployed at dozens to thousands of remote sites. Most readers are deployed at sites having limited or no IT support staff. Moreover, RFID readers operate autonomously, generating data into enterprise business processes without human intervention or control. In order for business processes to rely on this data, there must be confidence that the infrastructure is sound. For example, it makes a difference whether no RFID tags are read at Loading Dock #5 because no shipments are received, or because an errant forklift damaged the reader's antenna.

WebLogic RFID Edge Server provides a comprehensive remote monitoring and management facility for the RFID infrastructure. Through the RFID Edge Server's monitoring and management facilities, operations staff can centrally monitor the health and functioning of remote RFID readers and associated computer hardware. The RFID Edge Server can also connect this monitoring information into existing enterprise infrastructure management and service applications.

WebLogic RFID Edge Server also provides a central location for defining and administering RFID device configuration, including setting model-specific parameters that you use to tune for optimal operation.

Local Workflows

Enriching technical events with business related information is done at the workflow module level. A workflow is a series of actions triggered by an external event, such as the observation of an RFID tag. For example, the observation of an RFID tag on a piece of luggage traveling down a conveyor belt could increment an LED counter, change a stack light to green, send an EPC Information Service (EPCIS) event, or send a notification to another system. Any or all of these workflow related events could be triggered by the tag observation. In more complex cases, multiple actions of the same type could be triggered (for example, events or notifications could be sent to multiple destinations).

Workflows are constructed from workflow modules, which take input messages (event cycle reports or output from other modules), and emit workflow messages according to embedded business logic. There are two types of workflow modules: business logic modules (such as, Directional Portal or Observe Portal) that represent business processes, and helper modules (such as, Stack Light) that the business logic modules call to control hardware at the edge or send messages to other systems.

Standards Compliance

WebLogic RFID Edge Server is compliant with all relevant standards of EPCglobal, ISO, and other standards bodies. BEA is committed to revising RFID Edge Server so that it is always in compliance with these standards.

RFID Edge Server works with RFID readers that implement the following protocols:

EPCglobal Class 0, Class 0+, Class 1, and Class 1 RF Protocols
EPCglobal UHF Class 1 Gen 2 Tag Protocol (ISO 18000-6C)
ISO 15693 RF Interface protocol
ISO 18000-6B RF Interface protocol

RFID Edge Server supports the EPCglobal EPC Generation 1 Tag Data Standards Version 1.27. This standard governs the bit-level encoding of object identity and other information onto RFID tags. It also specifies a URI-based syntax for exchange of tag data between software application components, and a second URI-based syntax for the description of filtering patterns.
RFID Edge Server includes components that fulfill the collecting and filtering role, as defined by EPCglobal. RFID Edge Server fully implements the The Application Level Events (ALE) Specification Version 1.0, which is the standard interface to filtering and collection as defined by EPCglobal (replacing earlier "Savant" specifications). RFID Edge Server also provides extensions in the areas of reader management, application integration, and tag writing.

Product Overview