Assessment of communication protocols in the EPC Network - replacing textual SOAP and XML with binary google protocol buffers encoding

Abstract

The diffusion of RFID technology continues using the Electronic Product Code (EPC) as unique identifier for physical objects. The EPC Network enables companies to share information about read events by defining EPC Information Services (EPCIS). The communication protocols in the EPC Network are defined to be XML and SOAP. We claim that a binary encoded communication protocol is more appropriate given the fact that billions of read events will occur. We extend the Fosstrak EPCIS repository by binary encoded Google's Protocol Buffers. Our experimental evaluation shows that this switch in the protocol from textual encoding to binary encoding reduces the message size by about 75%, the processing time by at least 11% for XML and at least 59% for SOAP communication. With regards to the Internet of Things, our contribution shows the importance of the appropriate choice of communication protocols. We encourage that the EPC Network should be extended by a binary encoded communication protocol.