A method and apparatus are provided for efficiently encoding
source data in
radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. The encoded
source data may also provide additional functionality such as
data error detection and correction. A
source data encoding and decoding method for a RFID
system having a RFID
transponder comprises the steps of obtaining the source data, encoding to provide more efficient data encodation that may also include
data error detection and error correction, writing the encoded source data to a RFID
transponder, reading the encoded source data from the RFID
transponder, and decoding the encoded source data to recover the original source data. The encoding may utilize bar code symbology algorithms or a non-Full
ASCII enhanced functionality character set. A source
data encoding device and a decoding device for a RFID
system may comprise a memory, a processor for running a program stored in the memory, a bar code printer for printing a bar code, a RFID transponder
programmer for writing the data to the RFID transponder, a RFID interrogator for interrogating the RFID transponder, and a bar code reader to read a bar code. The data may be provided encoded or the device may
encode / decode the data using coding algorithms. The RFID transponder stores the encoded source data, that may utilize a non-Full
ASCII enhanced functionality character set, and the encoded data may be retrieved to recover the original source data.