EPCglobal Inc, a subsidiary of GS1, a not-for-profit standards organization entrusted with driving the global adoption of Electronic Product Code (EPC) technology and the EPCglobal Network, today announced the ratification of a new software standard for using EPC technology in the supply chain.

The standard, known as the Application Level Events standard, or ALE, is the first created by the EPCglobal community specifically for software. ALE was developed by more than 100 leading companies within the EPCglobal Software Action Group and establishes the approach EPC-enabled software products will take in collecting, managing and routing data EPC technology generates in the supply chain.

Standards developed by the EPCglobal community are foundational elements in the continuing build-out of the EPCglobal Network, which combines RFID technology, existing network infrastructure and the EPC to provide accurate, cost-efficient visibility of product information throughout supply chains.

Royalty-free standards are a primary goal of EPCglobal, and will aid in the rapid creation of standards-based, interoperable products and the widespread deployment of EPC technology.

The new standard joins other EPCglobal standards, including the UHF Generation 2 standard, which was ratified in December 2004.