Auto-ID (US) and Ubiquitous ID (Japan)
Steven Searle succinctly compares and contrasts the Auto-ID and Ubiquitous ID projects in The Auto-ID vs. the Ubiquitous ID vs. ?:
In fact, the Ubiquitous ID and the Auto-ID are very different in their technologies and their scope. The Ubiquitous ID scheme is a “meta code,” i.e., a code of existing and new codes, that gives a 128-bit number to both physical and non-physical things and is intended to operate across multiple network types. The Auto-ID scheme is a “new product code” that gives a 64/96-bit number to physical products and is intended to operate mainly via the Internet. Moreover, they use different scanning frequencies: the Ubiquitous IDs use a dual band, 2.45 GHz for RFID and 13.56 MHz for eTRON smart cards; while the Auto-IDs use 915 MHz for RFID. Here’s a chart of the main differences.
Note that the Auto-ID Center at MIT has evolved into something like a trade group, EPCglobal Inc.
