ISO/TS 28560-4:2014

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2017
Informatika in dokumentacija - RFID v knjižnicah - 4. del: Kodiranje podatkovnih
elementov po pravilih iz ISO/IEC 15962 v oznako RFID s porazdeljenim spominom
Information and documentation -- RFID in libraries -- Part 4: Encoding of data elements
based on rules from ISO/IEC 15962 in an RFID tag with partitioned memory
Information et documentation -- RFID dans les bibliothèques -- Partie 4: Encodage des
éléments de données RFID fondé sur les règles de l'ISO/CEI 15962 dans une étiquette
de RFID avec la mémoire divisée
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO/TS 28560-4:2014
ICS:
01.140.20 Informacijske vede Information sciences
35.040.50 Tehnike za samodejno Automatic identification and
razpoznavanje in zajem data capture techniques
podatkov
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

TECHNICAL ISO/TS
SPECIFICATION 28560-4
First edition
2014-12-15
Information and documentation —
RFID in libraries —
Part 4:
Encoding of data elements based on
rules from ISO/IEC 15962 in an RFID
tag with partitioned memory
Information et documentation — RFID dans les bibliothèques —
Partie 4: Encodage des éléments de données RFID fondé sur les règles
de l’ISO/CEI 15962 dans une étiquette de RFID avec la mémoire divisée
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
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ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Applicability and relationship with other systems . 4
4.1 General . 4
4.2 Independent standards-based components . 4
4.3 Integrated encoding/decoding software . 6
4.4 Legacy-based architecture . 8
5 Requirements . 9
5.1 Data elements . 9
5.2 RFID air interface: ISO/IEC 18000-63 for UHF . 9
5.3 RFID air interface: Other air interface protocols .10
5.4 Data protocol .10
5.5 RFID interrogators (RFID readers) .10
6 Data elements .10
6.1 General .10
6.2 Unique item identifier (UII) .12
6.3 Primary item identifier .15
6.4 Content parameter .15
6.5 Owner institution (ISIL) .16
6.6 Set information .16
6.7 Type of usage .16
6.8 Shelf location .16
6.9 ONIX media format .17
6.10 MARC media format .17
6.11 Supplier identifier .17
6.12 Order number .17
6.13 ILL borrowing institute .17
6.14 ILL transaction number .17
6.15 GS1 product identifier .17
6.16 Alternative unique item identifier .18
6.17 Local data .18
6.18 Title .18
6.19 Product identifier (local) .19
6.20 Media format (other) .19
6.21 Supply chain stage.19
6.22 Supplier invoice number .19
6.23 Alternative item number .19
6.24 Alternative owner institution .20
6.25 Subsidiary of an owner library .20
6.26 Alternative ILL borrowing institution.20
6.27 Other reserved data elements.20
7 Data encoding .20
7.1 Data protocol overview .20
7.2 ISO/IEC 15961-1 commands and responses .22
7.3 ISO/IEC 15962 encoding rules for this part of ISO 28560 .22
8 RFID tag requirements .34
8.1 Air interface protocol .34
8.2 Required air interface commands .35
8.3 Air interface conformance.36
8.4 Performance .36
9 Data integrity, security, and privacy issues .36
9.1 Data integrity .36
9.2 Item security .36
9.3 Privacy issues .40
10 Implementation and migration .40
Annex A (informative) Information about ISO 28560 RFID in libraries .41
Annex B (normative) Relevant ISO/IEC 15961-1 application commands .42
Annex C (normative) Locking procedure for MB 01 with encoding in MB 11 .45
Annex D (normative) Monomorphic-UII and URN Code 40 encoding .46
Annex E (informative) Encoding examples .50
Annex F (informative) Implementation and migration .54
Bibliography .56
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation, Subcommittee
SC 4, Technical interoperability.
ISO 28560 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information and documentation — RFID
in libraries:
— Part 1: Data elements and general guidelines for implementation
— Part 2: Encoding of RFID data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC 15962
— Part 3: Fixed length encoding
— Part 4: Encoding of data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC 15962 in an RFID tag with partitioned
memory
Introduction
Libraries are implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) as item identification to replace bar
codes. RFID streamlines applications like user self-service, security, and materials handling. A standard
data model for encoding information on RFID tags could increase the cost-effectiveness of the technology
within libraries particularly through greater interoperability of RFID tags and equipment, and enhance
support for resource sharing between libraries.
A standard data model, taking into account the lessons learned from the national schemes and vendor
solutions was developed with ISO 28560-1, which defines the set of mandatory and optional data
elements. ISO 28560-2 and ISO 28560-3 define encoding rules for those libraries that choose to use High
Frequency RFID technology operating at 13,56 MHz.
This part of ISO 28560 defines encoding rules for those libraries that choose to use UHF RFID technology
operating at 860 MHz to 960 MHz, with the interrogators (readers) set to conform to local radio
regulations that specify only part of this spectrum. The UHF tags can function efficiently in any of the
radio regulated regions. This part of ISO 28560 uses encoding rules that are specified in ISO/IEC 15962,
as does ISO 28560-2. Some of the encoding rules are different because of the nature of the different RFID
technology, but a number of rules are similar if not identical.
vi © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 28560-4:2014(E)
Information and documentation — RFID in libraries —
Part 4:
Encoding of data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC
15962 in an RFID tag with partitioned memory
1 Scope
This part of ISO 28560 defines rules for ISO 28560-1 data elements to be encoded in radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags with a memory structure that is partitioned into four memory banks. This
primarily applies to ISO/IEC 18000-63 (previously known as ISO/IEC 18000-6 Type C) operating in the
UHF frequency, but not necessarily restricted to this technology.
The rules for encoding a subset of data elements taken from the total set of data elements defined in
ISO 28560-1 are based on ISO/IEC 15962, which uses an object identifier structure to identify data
elements. This part of ISO 28560 defines the rules for encoding a unique item identifier in a specific
memory bank, known as MB 01, taking into account different requirements for privacy. It also defines
the rules for encoding other relevant data in a separate memory bank, known as MB 11. Each of these
memory banks is addressable using different command set of the appropriate RFID technology.
As with other parts of ISO 28560, this part of ISO 28560 is appropriate for the needs of all types of
libraries (including academic, public, corporate, special, and school libraries).
This part of ISO 28560 provides essential standards-based information about RFID in libraries. A source
of additional information about implementation issues is provided in Annex A.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15961-1, Information technology — Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management:
Data protocol — Part 1: Application interface
ISO/IEC 15962, Information technology — Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management —
Data protocol: data encoding rules and logical memory functions
ISO/IEC 18000-63, Information technology — Radio frequency identification for item management —
Part 63: Parameters for air interface communications at 860 MHz to 960 MHz Type C
ISO/IEC 18046-1, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 1: Test methods for system performance
ISO/IEC 18046-2, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 2: Test methods for interrogator performance
ISO/IEC 18046-3, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 3: Test methods for tag performance
ISO/IEC 18047-6, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device conformance test
methods — Part 6: Test methods for air interface communications at 860 MHz to 960 MHz
ISO 28560-1, Information and documentation — RFID in libraries — Part 1: Data elements and general
guidelines for implementation
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
access method
component of the DSFID (3.8) that is responsible for declaring the ISO/IEC 15962 compaction and
encoding rules on an RFID tag
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional
data elements.
3.2
air interface protocol
rules of communication between an RFID interrogator and the RFID tag of a particular type, covering
frequency, modulation, bit encoding, and command sets
3.3
application command
instruction issued from the application to the ISO/IEC 15962 data protocol processor in order to initiate
an action or operation with the RFID tag(s) through the interrogator
3.4
application family identifier
AFI
mechanism used in the data protocol and the air interface protocol (3.2) to select a class of RFID tags
relevant to an application or aspect of an application, and to ignore further communications with other
classes of RFID tags with different identifiers
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 01, containing the data
elements comprising the UII.
3.5
arc
specific branch of an object identifier tree, with new arcs added as required to define a particular object
Note 1 to entry: The top three arcs of all object identifiers are compliant with ISO/IEC 9834-1 ensuring uniqueness.
3.6
data format
component of the DSFID (3.8) that is a mechanism used in the data protocol to identify how object
identifiers (3.12) are encoded on the RFID tag, and (where possible) identify a particular data dictionary
for the set of relevant object identifiers for that application
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional data
elements. The data format declares the Root-OID (3.14) in an efficient manner, so that a complete object identifier
can be reconstructed for external communications.
3.7
data protocol processor
implementation of the processes defined in ISO/IEC 15962, including data compaction, formatting,
support of the command/response unit, and an interface to the tag driver
2 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

3.8
data storage format identifier
DSFID
code that consists of, at least, the access method (3.1) and data format (3.6)
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional
data elements.
3.9
digital vandalism
unauthorized modification of data on an RFID tag that either renders it unusable or falsely represents
another identifier
3.10
Memory Bank
MB
designated name of a segmented memory structure (3.15)
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the Memory Banks 00, 01, 10, and 11 are using binary notation.
3.11
metadata
type of data or information about data
Note 1 to entry: In the context of this part of ISO 28560, metadata can be the Relative-OID (3.13) in relation to the data,
the precursor in relation to the compacted and encoded bytes, or the AFI (3.4) and DSFID (3.8) in relation to the data.
3.12
object identifier
value (distinguishable from all other such values), which is associated with an object
3.13
Relative-OID
particular object identifier (3.12) that constitutes the remaining arcs (3.5) after the Root-OID (3.14)
3.14
Root-OID
particular object identifier (3.12) that constitutes the first, second, and subsequent common arcs (3.5) of
a set of object identifiers (hence, the common root)
3.15
segmented memory structure
memory storage that is separated into separate elements and requires multiple addressing elements for
access
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, this has the same meaning as partitioned memory.
3.16
tag driver
implementation of the process to transfer data between the data protocol processor and the RFID tag
3.17
unique item identifier
UII
encodable data that when combined with an object identifier prefix renders the combination unique
within the rules of the application domain
4 Applicability and relationship with other systems
4.1 General
The use of the ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface protocol brings with it a set of different standards which
can be deployed to support RFID in libraries. Three different device architectures are discussed below
from the library application to the RFID tag. It should be noted that with the development in UHF RFID,
the LMS/ILS is not the only end point (or start point for encoding) in an RFID system. Therefore, under
the heading of “library application”, the following also needs to be considered:
— the library management system/integrated library system;
— software linked to encoding devices used by book suppliers;
— portable devices, with on-board processing, which exchange data (as necessary) with the LMS/ILS
on a transaction or even batch mode basis;
— sortation systems that can operate somewhat autonomously from the LMS/ILS;
— software to support quality control devices;
— mobile phones and other user-centric portable devices.
Some of the architectures described below offer different perspectives on how to achieve interoperability.
The one described in 4.2 offers more opportunities for using generic modules, while the one described in
4.3 can be called the “traditional model” replicating structures used by libraries that have implemented
RFID using 13,56 MHz technology, while the one described in 4.4 can be considered a compromise
between the other two architectures. There is no requirement to adopt one of these architectures; in
fact, some might be more suited to some type of device (e.g. portable devices, RFID tunnel readers) or
some type of operator (e.g. a book supplier compared with a circulation library). Some of the choices
might depend on the interfaces supported by hardware devices and software components.
4.2 Independent standards-based components
Figure 1 shows an architecture where individual hardware and/or software modules communicate
between different layers.
4 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Figure 1 — Architecture using all standard components
Using the example of reading data from the tag (i.e. bottom up in the figure, the inverse applies for
encoding data).
a) The ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface protocol is used between the tag and the interrogator to transfer
encoded bits within commands and responses.
b) The interrogator supports the device interface standard (ISO/IEC 24791-5) and communicates to
upper layers using this protocol, typically to a stand-alone ISO/IEC 15962 software implementation.
c) In turn, after decoding the data on the tag, the ISO/IEC 15962 software simply communicates to an
ISO/TS 28560-4 software implementation:
— object identifiers and the de-compacted data, where these are encoded using standard
ISO/IEC 15962 compaction rules;
— object identifiers and the still compacted data bytes for data elements defined as application-
specific.
d) The device, shown in dotted lines, is capable of processing some front-line function. A typical
example is the self-check terminal, but could be any other device designed or configured for a
library application. The ISO 28560-4 software module can be integrated in the device or can directly
interface with it, based on the implementation and design requirements. This software decodes
the additional application-specific data elements and passes on all the data elements to specific
software in the library device (e.g. circulation control terminals, sortation systems, portable
devices) for processing.
e) The library device processes the data elements in a manner relevant to library applications, including
the LMS/ILS using a communication protocol implemented by the library, such as SIP 2.0.
4.3 Integrated encoding/decoding software
Figure 2 illustrates an architecture that has a more integrated software component but uses the standard
air interface protocol and the device interface protocol from the interrogator module.
6 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Figure 2 — Architecture with integrated data element software component
The software module that processes the data according to ISO/IEC 15962 rules is incorporated into
a software product that also deals with all the ISO/TS 28560-4 encoding rules. This means that the
interface between the software and any device with which it is associated or embedded communicates
ISO 28560-1 data elements to library application modules.
4.4 Legacy-based architecture
Figure 3 shows an architecture that is not dissimilar to that, which is common for RFID systems based
on 13,56 MHz technology.
Figure 3 — Legacy-based architecture
Using the same example of reading data from the tag, as in 4.2, the ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface
protocol communicates directly with an interrogator integrated directly into the front-line library
device. This either embeds, or makes calls to, a software module that supports all the requirements of
ISO/TS 28560-4 including the encoding rules of ISO/IEC 15962.
The advantage of this architecture is that it might be familiar to system vendors. The disadvantage is that
the application interface of the interrogator is probably based on some proprietary protocol. In turn, this
means that some aspects of the ISO/IEC 28560-4 software might also require a customised interface.
8 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

5 Requirements
5.1 Data elements
The data elements shall be conformant with ISO 28560-1.
NOTE There is a degree of flexibility in using locally defined codes that enable enhancements and variations
to be implemented while still conforming with the basic set of data elements.
5.2 RFID air interface: ISO/IEC 18000-63 for UHF
5.2.1 General
The air interface for compliant RFID tags and interrogators is specified in ISO/IEC 18000-63. RFID
tags have what is known as a segmented memory structure, where four different memory banks are
supported and separately addressable. The memory banks are using the following binary notation:
— 00 for password;
— 01 for the unique item identifier;
— 10 for tag identification, which can include serialization;
— 11 for additional user data, which in the case of ISO/TS 28560-4, will include the optional data.
Memory is organized in a 16-bit word for commands to read and write the data, but the actual memory
structure is left to the chip manufacturer to decide on how this is implemented.
There are different national and regional radio regulations for the use of RFID within the UHF frequency
spectrum. It is essential to comply with the following regulations:
— To meet with international requirements, RFID tags should be able to operate between 860 MHz
and 960 MHz, but shall comply with the national or regional requirements.
— RFID interrogators, or readers, shall operate at the nationally or regionally prescribed frequency
within the 860 MHz to 960 MHz range.
5.2.2 Air interface conformance
The air interface conformance shall be tested in accordance with the procedures of ISO/IEC 18047-6.
5.2.3 Tag performance
Where there are requirements to test tag performance, these shall be done in accordance with
ISO/IEC 18046-3.
5.2.4 Interrogator performance
Where there are requirements to test interrogator (reader) performance, these shall be done in
accordance with ISO/IEC 18046-2.
5.2.5 System performance
Where there are requirements to test system performance, these shall be done in accordance with
ISO/IEC 18046-1.
5.3 RFID air interface: Other air interface protocols
Although the segmented memory structure is used for other air interface protocols, this part of
ISO 28560 currently provides no specific advice and guidelines on implementing with an air interface
protocol other than ISO/IEC 18000-63.
5.4 Data protocol
ISO/IEC 15961-1 specifies the application commands that are used to define the communication
requirements between the application and the RFID tag. The relevant commands are described in Annex B.
The process rules of ISO/IEC 15962 shall be used to encode and decode data from the RFID tag. In
particular, the following constraints shall apply:
— encoding in memory bank 00 is for passwords;
— encoding in memory bank 01 shall comply with the ISO/IEC 15962 rules for a Monomorphic-UII.
Encoding in MB 01 is mandatory with the rules as defined in 6.2;
— encoding in memory bank 11 shall comply with the No-directory access method, and be used for
encoding the optional data elements defined in ISO 28560-1;
— no alternative access method shall be supported until this part of ISO 28560 is revised;
— no encoding is possible in memory bank 10.
Memory bank 11 is defined as optional in ISO/IEC 18000-63, and therefore, not all RFID tags include this
memory bank. Increasingly, MB 11 is incorporated in RFID tag products, so should be used to support
the encoding rules defined in this part of ISO 28560.
5.5 RFID interrogators (RFID readers)
RFID interrogators shall support all memory banks so that tags with three or four memory banks and
different sized memory are all interoperable.
In order to achieve interoperability, RFID interrogators shall be based on open architecture RFID
standards defined by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31. Particular standards are specified in this part of ISO 28560.
This means that any one of the manufacturer’s reading/writing equipment shall be able to read or write
to any other manufacturer’s RFID tags, and that any manufacturer’s RFID tags shall be able to be read
and/or programmed by any other manufacturer’s reader/writer.
6 Data elements
6.1 General
The set of data elements that comprises the data dictionary for this part of ISO 28560 is fully described
in ISO 28560-1 and repeated and adapted for this part of ISO 28560 as outlined in Table 1. Only one data
element is mandatory, the primary item identifier. All others are optional, but can be selected to meet
the requirements of individual libraries, and/or for particular items.
Table 1 shows the Relative-OID value, the format for input data, and advice about locking the data
element as an encoded data set on the RFID tag. A maximum length of 255 characters should apply to all
data elements that have a variable length display format.
10 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Table 1 — List of data elements
Name of the data
a
N Status Display format Lock
element
0 Unique item identifier Mandatory One of six formats Should be
(UII) locked
{Primary item identifier}
{Primary item identifier}.S
{Primary item identifier}.{set information}
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}.S
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}.{set
information}
1 Primary item identifier Not Not
Variable length alphanumeric
explicitly applicable
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 International Reference
used (see
Version (IRV)
UII N 0)
2 Content parameter Optional Bit mapped code (see 6.4) Optional
b
3 Owner institution Optional Variable length field (maximum of 16 characters) Optional
(ISIL) based on ISO 15511
4 Set information Optional {Total in set/part number} structure Optional
(maximum ≤ 255)
5 Type of usage Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
6 Shelf location Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
7 ONIX media format Optional Two uppercase alphabetic characters Optional
8 MARC media format Optional Two lowercase alphabetic characters Optional
9 Supplier identifier Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
10 Order number Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
b
11 ILL borrowing Optional Variable length field (maximum of 16 characters) Not locked
institution (ISIL) based on ISO 15511
12 ILL borrowing Optional Variable length alphanumeric Not locked
transaction number Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
13 GS1 product identifier Optional Fixed length 13 numeric digit field Optional
14 Alternative unique Reserved —
item identifier for future —
use
15 Local data A Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
16 Local data B Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
17 Title Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
a
This column specifies the data element number (N) or the Relative-OID value, i.e. the number identifying the data
element, as defined in ISO 28560-1.
b
The ISIL, as used for Relative-OID values 3 and 11, is presented and displayed according to the characters defined in
ISO 15511.
Table 1 (continued)
Name of the data
a
N Status Display format Lock
element
18 Product identifier local Optional Variable length Alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
19 Media format (other) Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
20 Supply chain stage Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
21 Supplier invoice num- Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
ber Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
22 Alternative item Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
identifier Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
23 Alternative owner Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
24 Subsidiary of an owner Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
25 Alternative ILL Optional Variable length alphanumeric Not locked
borrowing institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
26 Local data C Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
27 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
28 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
29 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
30 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
31 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
a
This column specifies the data element number (N) or the Relative-OID value, i.e. the number identifying the data
element, as defined in ISO 28560-1.
b
The ISIL, as used for Relative-OID values 3 and 11, is presented and displayed according to the characters defined in
ISO 15511.
6.2 Unique item identifier (UII)
The unique item identifier (UII) is a mandatory data element to be encoded in Memory Bank 01 of
an RFID tag with a segmented memory structure. The UII shall be encoded using the rules defined
in ISO/IEC 15962 for a Monomorphic-UII, which declares the object identifier and encoding scheme
directly from the AFI.
NOTE The Relative-OID does not need to be encoded, nor is a DSFID or precursor required for MB 01.
Specifically, the encoding shall comply with the URN Code 40 encoding rules as defined in ISO/IEC 15962.
This enables this part of ISO 28560 to support three components (ISIL, primary item identifier, and set
information) resulting in six possible structures for the UII, one of which shall be selected for encoding
12 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

in a particular RFID tag. Because of the structure of the UII, the options can be intermixed within a
system. The structures are described in the following subclauses.
NOTE Including the ISIL (if it exists for the library) in the UII can result in privacy issues because the tag is
more uniquely identifiable. Encoding the ISIL as optional data in MB 11 is of lesser concern. Excluding the ISIL
from the UII might impact aspects of transactions for ILL items.
The URN Code 40 encoding rules require a ‘dot’ separator to be placed between the component parts of
the UII. To ensure that this is always the case, a ‘dot’ (also known as a ‘full stop’ or ‘period’, ISO/IEC 8859-
1 code point 2E ) shall not be part of either the primary item identifier or the ISIL for any of the
HEX
structures defined in the following subclauses.
NOTE Although beyond the scope of this part of ISO 28560, characters other than the ‘dot’ need to be used if
they currently appear in either the ISIL or the primary item identifier and are encoded in the UII. This is because
the presence of a ‘dot’ in the wrong place will result in a corrupted decode.
The UII should be locked to prevent various forms of digital vandalism and to ensure proof of ownership
by a particular library. The procedure for locking MB 01 is defined in Annex C.
MB 01 has a signal, encoded by air interface protocol rules, to indicate if encoding is present in MB 11 for
the optional data elements (see 7.3.4).
The Relative-OID value ‘0’ is created by the RFID decoding process from the information registered for the
AFI associated with the Monomorphic-UII. A library system may retain this Relative-OID as the data element
identifier, or map the constituent part(s) of the UII to data elements as defined in the following subclauses.
6.2.1 UII comprising of only the primary item identifier
The input format for this structure shall comprise a single component:
{Primary item identifier}
The format of the primary item identifier is variable length, and the alphanumeric characters can be
any f
...

TECHNICAL ISO/TS
SPECIFICATION 28560-4
First edition
2014-12-15
Information and documentation —
RFID in libraries —
Part 4:
Encoding of data elements based on
rules from ISO/IEC 15962 in an RFID
tag with partitioned memory
Information et documentation — RFID dans les bibliothèques —
Partie 4: Encodage des éléments de données RFID fondé sur les règles
de l’ISO/CEI 15962 dans une étiquette de RFID avec la mémoire divisée
Reference number
©
ISO 2014
© ISO 2014
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
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Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Applicability and relationship with other systems . 4
4.1 General . 4
4.2 Independent standards-based components . 4
4.3 Integrated encoding/decoding software . 6
4.4 Legacy-based architecture . 8
5 Requirements . 9
5.1 Data elements . 9
5.2 RFID air interface: ISO/IEC 18000-63 for UHF . 9
5.3 RFID air interface: Other air interface protocols .10
5.4 Data protocol .10
5.5 RFID interrogators (RFID readers) .10
6 Data elements .10
6.1 General .10
6.2 Unique item identifier (UII) .12
6.3 Primary item identifier .15
6.4 Content parameter .15
6.5 Owner institution (ISIL) .16
6.6 Set information .16
6.7 Type of usage .16
6.8 Shelf location .16
6.9 ONIX media format .17
6.10 MARC media format .17
6.11 Supplier identifier .17
6.12 Order number .17
6.13 ILL borrowing institute .17
6.14 ILL transaction number .17
6.15 GS1 product identifier .17
6.16 Alternative unique item identifier .18
6.17 Local data .18
6.18 Title .18
6.19 Product identifier (local) .19
6.20 Media format (other) .19
6.21 Supply chain stage.19
6.22 Supplier invoice number .19
6.23 Alternative item number .19
6.24 Alternative owner institution .20
6.25 Subsidiary of an owner library .20
6.26 Alternative ILL borrowing institution.20
6.27 Other reserved data elements.20
7 Data encoding .20
7.1 Data protocol overview .20
7.2 ISO/IEC 15961-1 commands and responses .22
7.3 ISO/IEC 15962 encoding rules for this part of ISO 28560 .22
8 RFID tag requirements .34
8.1 Air interface protocol .34
8.2 Required air interface commands .35
8.3 Air interface conformance.36
8.4 Performance .36
9 Data integrity, security, and privacy issues .36
9.1 Data integrity .36
9.2 Item security .36
9.3 Privacy issues .40
10 Implementation and migration .40
Annex A (informative) Information about ISO 28560 RFID in libraries .41
Annex B (normative) Relevant ISO/IEC 15961-1 application commands .42
Annex C (normative) Locking procedure for MB 01 with encoding in MB 11 .45
Annex D (normative) Monomorphic-UII and URN Code 40 encoding .46
Annex E (informative) Encoding examples .50
Annex F (informative) Implementation and migration .54
Bibliography .56
iv © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation, Subcommittee
SC 4, Technical interoperability.
ISO 28560 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information and documentation — RFID
in libraries:
— Part 1: Data elements and general guidelines for implementation
— Part 2: Encoding of RFID data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC 15962
— Part 3: Fixed length encoding
— Part 4: Encoding of data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC 15962 in an RFID tag with partitioned
memory
Introduction
Libraries are implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) as item identification to replace bar
codes. RFID streamlines applications like user self-service, security, and materials handling. A standard
data model for encoding information on RFID tags could increase the cost-effectiveness of the technology
within libraries particularly through greater interoperability of RFID tags and equipment, and enhance
support for resource sharing between libraries.
A standard data model, taking into account the lessons learned from the national schemes and vendor
solutions was developed with ISO 28560-1, which defines the set of mandatory and optional data
elements. ISO 28560-2 and ISO 28560-3 define encoding rules for those libraries that choose to use High
Frequency RFID technology operating at 13,56 MHz.
This part of ISO 28560 defines encoding rules for those libraries that choose to use UHF RFID technology
operating at 860 MHz to 960 MHz, with the interrogators (readers) set to conform to local radio
regulations that specify only part of this spectrum. The UHF tags can function efficiently in any of the
radio regulated regions. This part of ISO 28560 uses encoding rules that are specified in ISO/IEC 15962,
as does ISO 28560-2. Some of the encoding rules are different because of the nature of the different RFID
technology, but a number of rules are similar if not identical.
vi © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 28560-4:2014(E)
Information and documentation — RFID in libraries —
Part 4:
Encoding of data elements based on rules from ISO/IEC
15962 in an RFID tag with partitioned memory
1 Scope
This part of ISO 28560 defines rules for ISO 28560-1 data elements to be encoded in radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags with a memory structure that is partitioned into four memory banks. This
primarily applies to ISO/IEC 18000-63 (previously known as ISO/IEC 18000-6 Type C) operating in the
UHF frequency, but not necessarily restricted to this technology.
The rules for encoding a subset of data elements taken from the total set of data elements defined in
ISO 28560-1 are based on ISO/IEC 15962, which uses an object identifier structure to identify data
elements. This part of ISO 28560 defines the rules for encoding a unique item identifier in a specific
memory bank, known as MB 01, taking into account different requirements for privacy. It also defines
the rules for encoding other relevant data in a separate memory bank, known as MB 11. Each of these
memory banks is addressable using different command set of the appropriate RFID technology.
As with other parts of ISO 28560, this part of ISO 28560 is appropriate for the needs of all types of
libraries (including academic, public, corporate, special, and school libraries).
This part of ISO 28560 provides essential standards-based information about RFID in libraries. A source
of additional information about implementation issues is provided in Annex A.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15961-1, Information technology — Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management:
Data protocol — Part 1: Application interface
ISO/IEC 15962, Information technology — Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management —
Data protocol: data encoding rules and logical memory functions
ISO/IEC 18000-63, Information technology — Radio frequency identification for item management —
Part 63: Parameters for air interface communications at 860 MHz to 960 MHz Type C
ISO/IEC 18046-1, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 1: Test methods for system performance
ISO/IEC 18046-2, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 2: Test methods for interrogator performance
ISO/IEC 18046-3, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device performance test
methods — Part 3: Test methods for tag performance
ISO/IEC 18047-6, Information technology — Radio frequency identification device conformance test
methods — Part 6: Test methods for air interface communications at 860 MHz to 960 MHz
ISO 28560-1, Information and documentation — RFID in libraries — Part 1: Data elements and general
guidelines for implementation
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
access method
component of the DSFID (3.8) that is responsible for declaring the ISO/IEC 15962 compaction and
encoding rules on an RFID tag
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional
data elements.
3.2
air interface protocol
rules of communication between an RFID interrogator and the RFID tag of a particular type, covering
frequency, modulation, bit encoding, and command sets
3.3
application command
instruction issued from the application to the ISO/IEC 15962 data protocol processor in order to initiate
an action or operation with the RFID tag(s) through the interrogator
3.4
application family identifier
AFI
mechanism used in the data protocol and the air interface protocol (3.2) to select a class of RFID tags
relevant to an application or aspect of an application, and to ignore further communications with other
classes of RFID tags with different identifiers
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 01, containing the data
elements comprising the UII.
3.5
arc
specific branch of an object identifier tree, with new arcs added as required to define a particular object
Note 1 to entry: The top three arcs of all object identifiers are compliant with ISO/IEC 9834-1 ensuring uniqueness.
3.6
data format
component of the DSFID (3.8) that is a mechanism used in the data protocol to identify how object
identifiers (3.12) are encoded on the RFID tag, and (where possible) identify a particular data dictionary
for the set of relevant object identifiers for that application
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional data
elements. The data format declares the Root-OID (3.14) in an efficient manner, so that a complete object identifier
can be reconstructed for external communications.
3.7
data protocol processor
implementation of the processes defined in ISO/IEC 15962, including data compaction, formatting,
support of the command/response unit, and an interface to the tag driver
2 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

3.8
data storage format identifier
DSFID
code that consists of, at least, the access method (3.1) and data format (3.6)
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the term is only relevant to Memory Bank 11, containing optional
data elements.
3.9
digital vandalism
unauthorized modification of data on an RFID tag that either renders it unusable or falsely represents
another identifier
3.10
Memory Bank
MB
designated name of a segmented memory structure (3.15)
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, the Memory Banks 00, 01, 10, and 11 are using binary notation.
3.11
metadata
type of data or information about data
Note 1 to entry: In the context of this part of ISO 28560, metadata can be the Relative-OID (3.13) in relation to the data,
the precursor in relation to the compacted and encoded bytes, or the AFI (3.4) and DSFID (3.8) in relation to the data.
3.12
object identifier
value (distinguishable from all other such values), which is associated with an object
3.13
Relative-OID
particular object identifier (3.12) that constitutes the remaining arcs (3.5) after the Root-OID (3.14)
3.14
Root-OID
particular object identifier (3.12) that constitutes the first, second, and subsequent common arcs (3.5) of
a set of object identifiers (hence, the common root)
3.15
segmented memory structure
memory storage that is separated into separate elements and requires multiple addressing elements for
access
Note 1 to entry: For this part of ISO 28560, this has the same meaning as partitioned memory.
3.16
tag driver
implementation of the process to transfer data between the data protocol processor and the RFID tag
3.17
unique item identifier
UII
encodable data that when combined with an object identifier prefix renders the combination unique
within the rules of the application domain
4 Applicability and relationship with other systems
4.1 General
The use of the ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface protocol brings with it a set of different standards which
can be deployed to support RFID in libraries. Three different device architectures are discussed below
from the library application to the RFID tag. It should be noted that with the development in UHF RFID,
the LMS/ILS is not the only end point (or start point for encoding) in an RFID system. Therefore, under
the heading of “library application”, the following also needs to be considered:
— the library management system/integrated library system;
— software linked to encoding devices used by book suppliers;
— portable devices, with on-board processing, which exchange data (as necessary) with the LMS/ILS
on a transaction or even batch mode basis;
— sortation systems that can operate somewhat autonomously from the LMS/ILS;
— software to support quality control devices;
— mobile phones and other user-centric portable devices.
Some of the architectures described below offer different perspectives on how to achieve interoperability.
The one described in 4.2 offers more opportunities for using generic modules, while the one described in
4.3 can be called the “traditional model” replicating structures used by libraries that have implemented
RFID using 13,56 MHz technology, while the one described in 4.4 can be considered a compromise
between the other two architectures. There is no requirement to adopt one of these architectures; in
fact, some might be more suited to some type of device (e.g. portable devices, RFID tunnel readers) or
some type of operator (e.g. a book supplier compared with a circulation library). Some of the choices
might depend on the interfaces supported by hardware devices and software components.
4.2 Independent standards-based components
Figure 1 shows an architecture where individual hardware and/or software modules communicate
between different layers.
4 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Figure 1 — Architecture using all standard components
Using the example of reading data from the tag (i.e. bottom up in the figure, the inverse applies for
encoding data).
a) The ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface protocol is used between the tag and the interrogator to transfer
encoded bits within commands and responses.
b) The interrogator supports the device interface standard (ISO/IEC 24791-5) and communicates to
upper layers using this protocol, typically to a stand-alone ISO/IEC 15962 software implementation.
c) In turn, after decoding the data on the tag, the ISO/IEC 15962 software simply communicates to an
ISO/TS 28560-4 software implementation:
— object identifiers and the de-compacted data, where these are encoded using standard
ISO/IEC 15962 compaction rules;
— object identifiers and the still compacted data bytes for data elements defined as application-
specific.
d) The device, shown in dotted lines, is capable of processing some front-line function. A typical
example is the self-check terminal, but could be any other device designed or configured for a
library application. The ISO 28560-4 software module can be integrated in the device or can directly
interface with it, based on the implementation and design requirements. This software decodes
the additional application-specific data elements and passes on all the data elements to specific
software in the library device (e.g. circulation control terminals, sortation systems, portable
devices) for processing.
e) The library device processes the data elements in a manner relevant to library applications, including
the LMS/ILS using a communication protocol implemented by the library, such as SIP 2.0.
4.3 Integrated encoding/decoding software
Figure 2 illustrates an architecture that has a more integrated software component but uses the standard
air interface protocol and the device interface protocol from the interrogator module.
6 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Figure 2 — Architecture with integrated data element software component
The software module that processes the data according to ISO/IEC 15962 rules is incorporated into
a software product that also deals with all the ISO/TS 28560-4 encoding rules. This means that the
interface between the software and any device with which it is associated or embedded communicates
ISO 28560-1 data elements to library application modules.
4.4 Legacy-based architecture
Figure 3 shows an architecture that is not dissimilar to that, which is common for RFID systems based
on 13,56 MHz technology.
Figure 3 — Legacy-based architecture
Using the same example of reading data from the tag, as in 4.2, the ISO/IEC 18000-63 air interface
protocol communicates directly with an interrogator integrated directly into the front-line library
device. This either embeds, or makes calls to, a software module that supports all the requirements of
ISO/TS 28560-4 including the encoding rules of ISO/IEC 15962.
The advantage of this architecture is that it might be familiar to system vendors. The disadvantage is that
the application interface of the interrogator is probably based on some proprietary protocol. In turn, this
means that some aspects of the ISO/IEC 28560-4 software might also require a customised interface.
8 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

5 Requirements
5.1 Data elements
The data elements shall be conformant with ISO 28560-1.
NOTE There is a degree of flexibility in using locally defined codes that enable enhancements and variations
to be implemented while still conforming with the basic set of data elements.
5.2 RFID air interface: ISO/IEC 18000-63 for UHF
5.2.1 General
The air interface for compliant RFID tags and interrogators is specified in ISO/IEC 18000-63. RFID
tags have what is known as a segmented memory structure, where four different memory banks are
supported and separately addressable. The memory banks are using the following binary notation:
— 00 for password;
— 01 for the unique item identifier;
— 10 for tag identification, which can include serialization;
— 11 for additional user data, which in the case of ISO/TS 28560-4, will include the optional data.
Memory is organized in a 16-bit word for commands to read and write the data, but the actual memory
structure is left to the chip manufacturer to decide on how this is implemented.
There are different national and regional radio regulations for the use of RFID within the UHF frequency
spectrum. It is essential to comply with the following regulations:
— To meet with international requirements, RFID tags should be able to operate between 860 MHz
and 960 MHz, but shall comply with the national or regional requirements.
— RFID interrogators, or readers, shall operate at the nationally or regionally prescribed frequency
within the 860 MHz to 960 MHz range.
5.2.2 Air interface conformance
The air interface conformance shall be tested in accordance with the procedures of ISO/IEC 18047-6.
5.2.3 Tag performance
Where there are requirements to test tag performance, these shall be done in accordance with
ISO/IEC 18046-3.
5.2.4 Interrogator performance
Where there are requirements to test interrogator (reader) performance, these shall be done in
accordance with ISO/IEC 18046-2.
5.2.5 System performance
Where there are requirements to test system performance, these shall be done in accordance with
ISO/IEC 18046-1.
5.3 RFID air interface: Other air interface protocols
Although the segmented memory structure is used for other air interface protocols, this part of
ISO 28560 currently provides no specific advice and guidelines on implementing with an air interface
protocol other than ISO/IEC 18000-63.
5.4 Data protocol
ISO/IEC 15961-1 specifies the application commands that are used to define the communication
requirements between the application and the RFID tag. The relevant commands are described in Annex B.
The process rules of ISO/IEC 15962 shall be used to encode and decode data from the RFID tag. In
particular, the following constraints shall apply:
— encoding in memory bank 00 is for passwords;
— encoding in memory bank 01 shall comply with the ISO/IEC 15962 rules for a Monomorphic-UII.
Encoding in MB 01 is mandatory with the rules as defined in 6.2;
— encoding in memory bank 11 shall comply with the No-directory access method, and be used for
encoding the optional data elements defined in ISO 28560-1;
— no alternative access method shall be supported until this part of ISO 28560 is revised;
— no encoding is possible in memory bank 10.
Memory bank 11 is defined as optional in ISO/IEC 18000-63, and therefore, not all RFID tags include this
memory bank. Increasingly, MB 11 is incorporated in RFID tag products, so should be used to support
the encoding rules defined in this part of ISO 28560.
5.5 RFID interrogators (RFID readers)
RFID interrogators shall support all memory banks so that tags with three or four memory banks and
different sized memory are all interoperable.
In order to achieve interoperability, RFID interrogators shall be based on open architecture RFID
standards defined by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31. Particular standards are specified in this part of ISO 28560.
This means that any one of the manufacturer’s reading/writing equipment shall be able to read or write
to any other manufacturer’s RFID tags, and that any manufacturer’s RFID tags shall be able to be read
and/or programmed by any other manufacturer’s reader/writer.
6 Data elements
6.1 General
The set of data elements that comprises the data dictionary for this part of ISO 28560 is fully described
in ISO 28560-1 and repeated and adapted for this part of ISO 28560 as outlined in Table 1. Only one data
element is mandatory, the primary item identifier. All others are optional, but can be selected to meet
the requirements of individual libraries, and/or for particular items.
Table 1 shows the Relative-OID value, the format for input data, and advice about locking the data
element as an encoded data set on the RFID tag. A maximum length of 255 characters should apply to all
data elements that have a variable length display format.
10 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

Table 1 — List of data elements
Name of the data
a
N Status Display format Lock
element
0 Unique item identifier Mandatory One of six formats Should be
(UII) locked
{Primary item identifier}
{Primary item identifier}.S
{Primary item identifier}.{set information}
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}.S
{Owner institution}.{Primary item identifier}.{set
information}
1 Primary item identifier Not Not
Variable length alphanumeric
explicitly applicable
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 International Reference
used (see
Version (IRV)
UII N 0)
2 Content parameter Optional Bit mapped code (see 6.4) Optional
b
3 Owner institution Optional Variable length field (maximum of 16 characters) Optional
(ISIL) based on ISO 15511
4 Set information Optional {Total in set/part number} structure Optional
(maximum ≤ 255)
5 Type of usage Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
6 Shelf location Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
7 ONIX media format Optional Two uppercase alphabetic characters Optional
8 MARC media format Optional Two lowercase alphabetic characters Optional
9 Supplier identifier Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
10 Order number Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
b
11 ILL borrowing Optional Variable length field (maximum of 16 characters) Not locked
institution (ISIL) based on ISO 15511
12 ILL borrowing Optional Variable length alphanumeric Not locked
transaction number Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
13 GS1 product identifier Optional Fixed length 13 numeric digit field Optional
14 Alternative unique Reserved —
item identifier for future —
use
15 Local data A Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
16 Local data B Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
17 Title Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
a
This column specifies the data element number (N) or the Relative-OID value, i.e. the number identifying the data
element, as defined in ISO 28560-1.
b
The ISIL, as used for Relative-OID values 3 and 11, is presented and displayed according to the characters defined in
ISO 15511.
Table 1 (continued)
Name of the data
a
N Status Display format Lock
element
18 Product identifier local Optional Variable length Alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
19 Media format (other) Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
20 Supply chain stage Optional Single octet (coded list) Optional
21 Supplier invoice num- Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
ber Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
22 Alternative item Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
identifier Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
23 Alternative owner Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
24 Subsidiary of an owner Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
25 Alternative ILL Optional Variable length alphanumeric Not locked
borrowing institution Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV
26 Local data C Optional Variable length alphanumeric Optional
Character set = ISO/IEC 646 IRV, or ISO/IEC 8859-1, or
UTF-8
27 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
28 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
29 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
30 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
31 Not defined Reserved — —
for future
use
a
This column specifies the data element number (N) or the Relative-OID value, i.e. the number identifying the data
element, as defined in ISO 28560-1.
b
The ISIL, as used for Relative-OID values 3 and 11, is presented and displayed according to the characters defined in
ISO 15511.
6.2 Unique item identifier (UII)
The unique item identifier (UII) is a mandatory data element to be encoded in Memory Bank 01 of
an RFID tag with a segmented memory structure. The UII shall be encoded using the rules defined
in ISO/IEC 15962 for a Monomorphic-UII, which declares the object identifier and encoding scheme
directly from the AFI.
NOTE The Relative-OID does not need to be encoded, nor is a DSFID or precursor required for MB 01.
Specifically, the encoding shall comply with the URN Code 40 encoding rules as defined in ISO/IEC 15962.
This enables this part of ISO 28560 to support three components (ISIL, primary item identifier, and set
information) resulting in six possible structures for the UII, one of which shall be selected for encoding
12 © ISO 2014 – All rights reserved

in a particular RFID tag. Because of the structure of the UII, the options can be intermixed within a
system. The structures are described in the following subclauses.
NOTE Including the ISIL (if it exists for the library) in the UII can result in privacy issues because the tag is
more uniquely identifiable. Encoding the ISIL as optional data in MB 11 is of lesser concern. Excluding the ISIL
from the UII might impact aspects of transactions for ILL items.
The URN Code 40 encoding rules require a ‘dot’ separator to be placed between the component parts of
the UII. To ensure that this is always the case, a ‘dot’ (also known as a ‘full stop’ or ‘period’, ISO/IEC 8859-
1 code point 2E ) shall not be part of either the primary item identifier or the ISIL for any of the
HEX
structures defined in the following subclauses.
NOTE Although beyond the scope of this part of ISO 28560, characters other than the ‘dot’ need to be used if
they currently appear in either the ISIL or the primary item identifier and are encoded in the UII. This is because
the presence of a ‘dot’ in the wrong place will result in a corrupted decode.
The UII should be locked to prevent various forms of digital vandalism and to ensure proof of ownership
by a particular library. The procedure for locking MB 01 is defined in Annex C.
MB 01 has a signal, encoded by air interface protocol rules, to indicate if encoding is present in MB 11 for
the optional data elements (see 7.3.4).
The Relative-OID value ‘0’ is created by the RFID decoding process from the information registered for the
AFI associated with the Monomorphic-UII. A library system may retain this Relative-OID as the data element
identifier, or map the constituent part(s) of the UII to data elements as defined in the following subclauses.
6.2.1 UII comprising of only the primary item identifier
The input format for this structure shall comprise a single component:
{Primary item identifier}
The format of the primary item identifier is variable length, and the alphanumeric characters can be
any from ISO/IEC 646 International Reference Version (also known as US-ASCII). Although the encoding
rules will support any length of primary item identifier, shorter codes will encode more efficiently,
requiring less memory and enabling faster transactions across the air interface.
After decoding, the Relative-OID may be retained as the value ‘0’ assigned by the RFID decoding process,
or mapped to Relative-OID ‘1’.
6.2.2 UII comprising owner institution + primary item identifier
The input format for this structure shall comprise two components with a ‘dot’ separator between them:
{Owner institution (ISIL)}.{Primary item identifier}
The input of the ISIL for the owner institution to the encoding process and the output from the decoding
process shall be as defined in 6.5, including the hyphens. Because it always precedes the ‘dot’ separator if
encoded in the UII, it is distinguishable from the primary item identifier, which is the second component.
The input of the primary item identifier is defined in 6.2.1.
After decoding, the Relative-OID may be
— retained as the value ‘0’ assigned by the RFID decoding process, retaining the ‘dot’ separator, or
— mapped to Relative-OID ‘3’ for the owner institution and Relative-OID ‘1’ for the primary item
identifier. In this case, the ‘dot’ separator is discarded.
6.2.3 Encoding set information
Because ISO/IEC 18000-63 requires different commands to read the different memory banks, there
are advantages in providing an optional structure in the UII to signal
...