Frequently-asked questions
Read on for answers to questions about RFIDcoder.
General questions about RFIDcoder
What is RFIDcoder?
RFIDcoder is an Application Programming Interface (API) for encoding and decoding UHF Gen2 RFID tags.
What do you mean by an API?
An Application Programming Interface (API) is a way for an application that you write to get a service that your application needs. In this case the service is encoding and decoding the content of UHF Gen2 RFID tags.
Why would I need that?
Suppose you are writing an application that reads an RFID tag using an RFID reader (also called an "interrogator").
The output of the reader is the binary content of the RFID's EPC memory bank, usually represented as a hexadecimal string
like this: 30F4257BF46DB64000000190. RFIDcoder can decode that for your application, so your
application will know this RFID tag contains a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and a serial number; in this example,
GTIN 10614141123459 and serial number 400.
Great, I can decode Serialized GTINs! Anything else?
Yes, RFIDcoder can decode all 25 EPC encodings specified in the GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard. It can also operate in reverse to encode tags: you give it a GTIN and a serial number (or any other type of identifier allowed in an EPC tag) and RFIDcoder will tell your application the binary content you need to write the tag.
Besides the EPC memory bank, RFIDcoder can also encode and decode the user memory bank, and decode the Tag Identification (TID) memory bank. See the API documentation for full details.
This is just what I need. Is it expensive?
No, in fact it might be free for you. You can use the API for free as long as you don't do more than 100 encode or decode operations in a single day. If your application needs to do more, you can get a higher-capacity plan for a small annual fee.
Why does RFIDcoder exist?
To make it easier to use UHF Gen2 RFID tags. Because most RFID readers and printers only deal with the binary content of the tag, an application usually needs to be able to encode and decode. RFIDcoder makes this easy.
Why is RFIDcoder free?
We offer RFIDcoder free of charge to make it easy for everybody to use RFID tags. We think you should be able to use the correct, standards-compliant tag encodings without investing a lot of time or money.
Getting started
RFIDcoder sounds great. How do I get started?
Simply register for an account. After you log in, you will receive an API key -- you will need this to use the API. Then check out the API documentation to see how to integrate the API into your application.
Why do I have to register for an account?
So that you can receive an API key that is unique to your application, and so that RFIDcoder can count your use of the API separately from every other application's use.
What information do I need to provide to register?
Just your name, e-mail, company name, and your time zone.
Why do you need that information?
You use your e-mail to log in, so we need to know that to recognize you. We want your name so that we can greet you when you log in. We need to know your time zone so that we can display dates and times. And we want your company name so that we have an idea of what sorts of companies are interested in RFIDcoder (but we won't mind if you leave that one blank).
Will I be asked to provide a credit card number?
Not if you stick with the free plan that gives you up to 100 encode/decode operations per day. That plan is free, so we don't need your credit card number. If you sign up for a paid plan, we will use a secure payment processor to receive your payment.
How will you use my e-mail address?
Right after you register, we will send you an e-mail to complete your registration. You click the link in the e-mail, which takes you to a screen where you set your password, and then your account is ready to use. After that, you enter your e-mail address and password to log in. If you ever forget your password or want to change it, we will send you another e-mail with a reset password link. If you provide feedback or ask a question through the Feedback link, we might use your e-mail to send you a reply. Finally, we may occasionally use your e-mail to notify you of new features or other changes to RFIDcoder.
One thing we will not do is give your e-mail address to anybody else, for any reason.
I forgot my password; what do I do?
Just click the Forgot Password link on the home page or login screen. We will send you an e-mail with a link to reset your password.
What if I remember my password but I want to change it?
Use the Forgot Password link on the home page or login screen (even though you didn't really forget it). We will send you an e-mail with a link to reset your password.
How can I change the e-mail address for my account?
Click the Feedback link and ask for a change. We'll take care of it as soon as possible.