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RFID Tags and Tag Encoding

When first deploying RedBeam RFID, users must decide to configure the RFID EPC values to display in either Hex, ASCII or SGTIN (Serialized Global Trade Item Number).

Note: RedBeam RFID currently only supports data stored in the EPC memory bank of EPC Gen 2 tags. The TID and User memory banks are not used by the application.

Tag Prefixes (Optional)

A prefix is a 2–6-character Hex value encoded at the beginning of every tag. They are used to filter out tags not part of your system (retail tags in the same area).

Hex Encoding

If the system is configured for Hex, tag values can contain all digits (0-9) and characters A-F, holding twice as many characters as ASCII. For example, a standard 96-bit EPC Gen 2 tag can store 24 Hex characters.

Hex is best for numeric-only IDs or limited characters when a maximum length is required. With a prefix of 4-6 characters, 18-20 characters can be used for the unique ID.

ASII Encoding

If the system is configured for ASCII, it supports the most printable characters from ISO 8859-1 (also known as ISO Latin 1), containing most characters used in English and other Western European languages. Because it uses more memory than Hex, fewer characters fit. For example, A 96-bit EPC tag can store 12 ASCII characters.

ASCII is best when IDs require letters, numbers and symbols. With a prefix of 4-6 characters, 8-10 characters can be used for the unique ID.

SGTIN Encoding

A system should be configured for SGTIN when companies must follow standards-based encoding defined by GS1. RedBeam SGTIN will automatically extract the EPC into

  • Manufacturer (Company Prefix)
  • Model (Item Reference)
  • Serial Number

SGTIN is best for organizations needing GS1 compliance or detailed unit-level traceability.