The How-To Community is focused on making RAIN RFID accessible to integrators, software engineers and data practitioners. We address the “how to” questions surrounding the use of RAIN RFID, such as:

• Interpreting RAIN tag data
• Understanding RAIN tag data constructs
• RAIN reader and printer interfaces
• Making the RAIN read-zone efficient
• Understanding all aspects of RAIN performance
• Focusing on tags of interest

The work includes the important aspect of interoperability with barcodes and deals with sensors, authentication and data security.

Structure: This community consists of ongoing Workgroups – Developers and Technical currently – and Tiger Teams, which are focused on specific shorter team projects and deliverables. Here are some of the projects:

Projects:

• RCI Ver 6, incorporating GS1 TDS/TDT [Developers]
• RCI Simulator implementing Basic RCI. [Developers]
• RAIN RFID Best practices [Technical]
• RAIN RFID Encoding Best Practices: From barcodes to RAIN Encoding [Technical]
• Guidelines for Developers of Label (Encoding) Software [Developers]
• RFID Regulations
• Manufacturing Quality Certification Specifications
• RAIN RFID Training and Accreditation
• The RAIN Alliance How To for DPP
• Overview of Gen2v3 air interface [Technical]

WORKGROUPS

The Developers Workgroup supports the exchange of best practices and promotes open-source software and easy-to-use systems to accelerate development efforts through an active RAIN RFID ecosystem.

• Leaders: Lars Thuring, Bertus Pretorius
• Participants: RAIN Alliance members committed to producing specific deliverables
• Level of dedication for active contributors (measured in working hours): high (from 1hr to 2hrs /week until deliverables are complete)
• Responsible for:
  • Projects such as the next version of the RAIN Communication Interface (RCI) Guide, Labelling Software Guide, and RCI Simulator
  • Defining, delivering, and deploying strategy (OKRs)
• Meeting cadence: Monthly

The Technical Workgroup identifies, develops, and publishes materials that provide technical information for alliance members to support the development of RAIN technology within the Alliance and to support the Alliance externally.

• Leader: Claude Tetelin
• Participants: RAIN Alliance members committed to producing specific deliverables
• Level of dedication for active contributors (measured in working hours): high (from 1hr to 2hrs /week until deliverables are complete)
• Responsible for:
  • Projects such as the education and promotion of the new Gen2v3 air interface protocol
  • Defining, delivering, and deploying strategy (OKRs)
• Meeting cadence: Monthly

To learn more, contact the How-To Community leaders: Lars Thuring, Claude Tetelin, Bertus Pretorius

Resources

• RAIN Communication Interface (RCI) Guide V.5.0 (Members only access)
• RAIN RFID System Design Guidelines
• What is RAIN?
• RAIN associated standards
• RAIN Item Numbering and Tag Data The technical note describes the potential of RAIN tag use at the hand of the different types of RAIN tag data elements, each with its purpose, benefits, and issues. The aim is to inform business leaders, integrators, and users of the advantages of proper usage of RAIN item/object numbers and its data as stored in its tag. The document also addresses the critical issues of ‘RAIN flooding’ (occasions where too many tags are in the read zone) and ‘acid RAIN’ (occurrences of poorly programmed tags and of tag cloning/copying).
• RAIN Item Numbering to Avoid Tag Interference: This advisory note informs business leaders, integrators and users of the importance and advantages of proper usage of RAIN item numbering and information to reduce RAIN tag interference.
• RAIN Readers
• RAIN Communication Interface (RCI)
• RAIN RCI Version 4 – regulations, tag filters, crypto and sensors
• RAIN Antennas
• RAIN Tags