RAIN RFID / EPC Gen2
Smart Cards & RFID · 8 specs
Direct Answer
RAIN RFID (ISO/IEC 18000-63 / GS1 EPC Gen2) is an Ultra-High Frequency (UHF, 860–960 MHz) wireless standard utilizing electromagnetic backscatter coupling. Enabling simultaneous inventory reading of hundreds of passive tags per second over distances up to 12 meters, it is the global standard for retail apparel, aviation baggage, and logistics supply chains.
Source: GS1 EPCglobal Gen2 / ISO/IEC 18000-63 / RAIN RFID Alliance · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Operating Frequency Band | 860–960 MHz (865–868 MHz EU / 902–928 MHz US) |
| Standard Specifications | GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 / ISO/IEC 18000-63 |
| Communication Mechanism | Passive Modulated Backscatter (Far-field EM) |
| Typical Read Range | 5 to 12 m (passive tags) |
| Inventory Read Speed | Up to 1,000 tags/sec |
| Forward Link Modulation | DSB-ASK, SSB-ASK, or PR-ASK (PIE encoding) |
| Return Link Modulation | FM0 or Miller Subcarrier (40 to 640 kbps) |
| Memory Banks | Reserved (Kill/Access passwords), EPC, TID (Factory ID), User Memory |
Far-Field Electromagnetic Backscatter
Unlike LF and HF RFID which rely on inductive near-field magnetic coupling, UHF RAIN RFID operates in the electromagnetic far field. The tag's antenna captures ambient RF energy from the reader's beam to power its microchip, then modulates its antenna impedance to reflect (backscatter) data back to the interrogator, enabling massive multi-meter read distances.
Anticollision and Gen2 Memory Banks
EPC Gen2 utilizes a slotted Dynamic Q-algorithm (ALOHA variant) to isolate and read hundreds of overlapping tags without packet collisions. The standardized memory architecture features 4 distinct banks: Bank 00 (Reserved), Bank 01 (Electronic Product Code / EPC up to 496 bits), Bank 10 (Unique Silicon Tag Identifier / TID 64–96 bits), and Bank 11 (User Memory).