chrispeng [ad_1]
In the past, in the application of RFID in China, from the collection of front-end data to the connection with the back-end business system, most of them used custom software development methods. Once the types of front-end tags increase, or there are any changes in the back-end business system, the program needs to be rewritten, which results in extremely low development efficiency and high maintenance costs. In this context, the concept of middleware came into being.
What is RFID middleware?
RFID middleware is a kind of message-oriented middleware. Information is in the form of messages, transferred from one program to another or more programs. Information can be transmitted asynchronously, so there is no need to wait for a response. The function of message-oriented middleware is not only to transfer information, but also to interpret data, security, data broadcasting, error recovery, locating network resources, finding a path that meets the cost, priority of messages and requirements, and extended elimination. Wrong tools and other services.
RFID middleware technology includes: concurrent access technology, directory service and location technology, data and equipment monitoring technology, remote data access, security and integration technology, process and session management technology, etc. RFID middleware shields the diversity and complexity of RFID equipment, and can provide strong support for back-end business systems.
Figure 1: Butler uses RFID middleware to manage the system
In fact, RFID middleware is very important in the system. If there is no middleware, the management system will have to directly face the event information from a large number of readers and sensors. The application management system needs to extract and process a large number of initial events one by one, thus wasting a lot of system resources.
The design of RFID middleware can be conceptually divided into the following two types:
- *App-centric
- *Architecture-centric
RFID middleware generally has the following characteristics:
1. Based on standards
Middleware must be based on standards. ISO and EPCglobal are studying to propose common standards for the global unique identification number of various products. Of course, China is also actively studying its own relevant standards.
At present, EPCglobal has issued relevant standards and norms in various links. Including reader access protocol and management interface between reader and middleware; RFID event filtering and collection interface (ALE) between middleware and EPCIS capture application; EPCIS information between EPCIS capture application and EPCIS storage system Capture interface; there is also the EPCIS information query interface between the EPCIS storage system and the EPCIS information access system, as well as the specifications and interfaces for cross-enterprise information interaction, such as the ONS interface.
2, independent of architecture
The RFID middleware is independent and between the front-end system of the RFID reader and the back-end application, and can be connected with multiple RFID readers and multiple back-end applications.
3. Data stream processing
The main purpose of RFID is to convert physical objects into virtual objects in the information environment, so data processing is the most important function of RFID. RFID middleware uses program logic and storage and retransmission functions to provide sequential message flow, and has the ability to design and manage data flow.
In the face of various RFID applications, the first question for users is: “How to connect the existing system with the new RFIDReader?”
In fact, the essence of this problem is the interface between the user’s application system and the hardware. In RFID applications, permeability is the key to the entire application. Correctly capturing data, ensuring the reliability of data reading, and effectively transmitting data to the back-end system are all issues that must be considered. Data transparency between traditional applications is solved through middleware architecture, and various ApplicationServer applications have been developed from this.
Figure 2: The role and position of middleware in the system
RFID middleware plays an intermediary role between RFID hardware and applications. From the application side, a set of general application program interfaces (APIs) provided by the middleware can be used to realize the connection to the RFID reader. In this way, even if the database software or back-end application that stores RFID tag data is added or replaced by other software, or the types of reading and writing RFID readers increase, the application side can handle it without modification, which solves the problem. The maintenance complexity of many-to-many connections.
[ad_2]
