middleware is a necessity"RFID middleware is in the thick of the RFID evolution, both literally and figuratively. Unlike traditional middleware, RFID middleware works on the edge of the network, moving information to the point of transaction. RFID comprises a collection of technologies that track items at the case and pallet level throughout the supply chain. RFID tags, which contain EPC information about the items being shipped, are attached to the case or pallet. An RFID reader sends out electromagnetic waves that activate antennas in the tags, and then the tags send the EPC data back to the reader, which captures the data for further processing.
The middleware manages the readers. It extracts EPC data from the readers, performs filtering, aggregation, and counting of tag data, then sends the data to the enterprise WMS (warehouse management systems), ERP (enterprise resource planning) system, or MES (manufacturing execution system)."
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https://www.integratedsolutionsmag.com/Articles/2004_05/040508.htm