Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard for connecting peripherals to a host. It was designed to allow peripherals to be connected using a single standardized interface and to improve plug and play capabilities by allowing peripherals to be connected or disconnected without having to reboot the computer or turn the device off. This bus can connect devices including mice, keyboards, gaming controllers, scanners, digital cameras, printers, digital media players, flash drives and external hard drives. USB has become the standard connection method for the majority of consumer electronic devices. To date, billions of these devices have been introduced into the consumer electronics market.
The USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (USB-IF) is a non-profit corporation founded by leading companies in the computer and electronics sectors. The organization was formed to provide a support group and forum for the advancement and adoption of USB technology. The Board of Directors is currently comprised of the following companies: Hewlett-Packard Company, Intel Corporation, LSI Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Corporation and ST-Ericsson.
USB 1.0 and 1.1
The USB 1.0 specification was introduced in 1994 with two data rates, Low-Speed (1.5 Mbps) and Full-Speed (12 Mbps). It was designed to replace the myriad of connectors at the back of PCs and simplify software configuration of communication devices. The 1.1 specification was released in 1998 and was the earliest revision to be widely adopted.
USB 2.0
The USB 2.0 specification was released in 2000 and was standardized by the USB-IF in 2001. Several companies led the initiative to develop a higher data transfer rate of 480 Mbps, about 40 times faster than the 1.1 specification. Also known as Hi-Speed USB, 2.0 expanded the range of external devices that could be used on a computer. And, offered backward compatibility with previous generations.
USB On-The-Go
Many USB devices are portable, and there is an increasing need for devices to communicate directly with each other without a computer. The On-The-Go Supplement makes it possible for peripherals to communicate directly with each other. On-The-Go features include:
- Limited host capability to communicate with selected USB peripherals
- A small connector appropriate for the mobile form
- Low power requirements for preserving battery life
- Ability to be either host or peripheral and to dynamically switch between the two.
Wireless USB
Wireless USB is a short-range, high-bandwidth wireless radio communication technology originally developed by the Wireless USB Promoter Group and subsequently managed by the USB-IF. Designed from the ground up to address challenges of wireless communications and personal networking, this standard combines the speed and security of wired technology and the ease-of-use of wireless technology. It can be used in devices including game controllers, printers, scanners, digital cameras, digital music players, hard disks and flash drives. It can also transfer parallel video streams.
It is capable of sending date at a rate up to 480 Mbps at a 3 meter distance and up to 110 Mbps up to 10 meters. It was designed for the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz frequency range. The Wireless architecture allows up to 127 devices to connect directly to a host. With the elimination of wires, a hub is not needed. An upcoming Wireless 1.1 specification will increase data transfer speed to 1.0 Gbps per second.
USB 3.0
In November 2008, the USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced the completion of the 3.0 specification. It delivers transfer rates up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0 through the utilization of a 5.0 Gbps data rate. Additionally, it has optimized power efficiency, sync-n-go technology that minimizes user wait-time and backward compatibility with USB 2.0. SuperSpeed USB devices interoperate with 2.0 platforms and SuperSpeed USB hosts support Hi-Speed legacy devices.
NEC Electronics recently announced the first USB 3.0 host controller (part number µPD720200). With its high-speed data transfer capability, the new SuperSpeed host controller will require only 70 seconds to transfer 25 GB of HD video content, the equivalent of a Blu-Ray disc. Transferring the same content would take upwards of 14 minutes with Hi-Speed USB.
Advances in USB technology will lead to a new generation of high-performance, consumer electronic products. For assistance with SuperSpeed product development, the SuperSpeed USB Platform Integration Lab (PIL) is now open for USB-IF members. The SuperSpeed USB PIL provides 3.0 developers with the opportunity to test host and device interoperability. For more information, visit the PIL testing page.
USB Connectors
USB connectors are designed for ease-of-use. Generally, the trident logo on the connector should be facing up when plugging into a port. The connectors are designed to be durable and easy to insert/remove. Different types of connectors server different functions. The Standard-A plug is frequently on cables permanently attached to devices, such as computer keyboards or mice. The Standard-B plug typically plugs into devices with removable cables, such as a printer. USB device connectors have evolved and become smaller as consumer electronic devices have also become smaller in size. The current standard connector for small devices such as mobile phones and cameras is the Micro-B connector.
USB logos
For a company to use a USB logo, its product must be compliant as demonstrated by passing the Compliance Test Program. Companies must also execute a Trademark License Agreement to be eligible for logo use. When a certified logo appears on a product, consumers know the product has passed the standards set by the USB-IF.
~Ben Anton, 2009
By: Ben Anton
Posts Tagged ‘Digital Cameras’
A History of the USB Standard
January 8th, 2010What is Bluetooth Technology?
November 15th, 2009
Bluetooth technology is a type of the wireless technology that eliminates the need for the number of inconvenient cables and devices that are used to connect the computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, handheld devices and new digital appliances. Bluetooth enables the users to connect to a wide variety of telecommunication and computing devices easily, without cables.
It makes rapid ad hoc connections, automatic unconscious connections between two or more digital devices. Bluetooth provides the opportunity of using the mobile data in different applications. Bluetooth makes wireless communication between the two devices in a localized area of a room of office or home very easily. Bluetooth technology uses radio-based links and all the connections between the devices and invisible and instantaneous.
By Bluetooth technology your laptop can send print request to a printer in your next room. Bluetooth is actually a standard for wireless communication between the devices in a relatively small area and it is therefore works fine in the personal area network (pan) using radio frequency.
Any two devices that follow the Bluetooth standard can communicate with each other. A number of the Bluetooth devices like digital camera, mobile phone and handheld pc can form a network. You can send emails to your mobile phones from your laptop without any physical connect between your laptop and your mobile phones.
Features of Bluetooth technology
• Bluetooth technology uses radio waves for communication in 2.4 GHz
• It supports multi point communication not just point to point.
• Bluetooth works in a small area of 10-15 meters.
• Bluetooth offers speed of 1-2 mbps.
• Bluetooth chipsets are less expensive though more expensive than IrDA.
How Bluetooth technology works
Bluetooth is a high speed wireless link technology that uses the radio waves. It is designed to connect the mobile phones, laptops, hand held devices and portable equipments with almost no work by the end users. Unlike infrared Bluetooth does not require line of sight between the connecting units. Bluetooth technology is a modified form of the current wireless LAN technology and it’s more acceptable for its relative small size and low cost.
The current circuits are contained on a circuit board of 0.9 cm square and a much smaller single chip version is in development and soon it will be in use. The cost of the Bluetooth device is expected to fall rapidly. Bluetooth chip has to be equipped in many devices. In Bluetooth technology, small and inexpensive transceivers have been placed in the digital devices. The radio waves operate at 2.45 GHZ band on the Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth supports the data speed up to 721 Kbps and 3 voice channels. The Bluetooth chip can either be built into the devices or it can be uses as an adapter. In computer it can be used with the USB port. Each Bluetooth device has a 48 bit address from the IEEE 802 standards and the Bluetooth connections can be either point to point or multi point. Bluetooth range is 10 meter but it can be extended up to 100 meters by increasing the power.
Bluetooth devices are protected from the external interference because they change their frequency up to 1600 times in a second. Bluetooth radio technology provides the bridge between the existing data network. Bluetooth guarantees security at the bit level and the authentication is controlled by the end user by using 128 bit key. An important face of the Bluetooth technology is that it instantly forms a network when two or more devices come closer in the range of each other.
Bluetooth technology benefits
Bluetooth technology is a convenient choice of communication in a wire free, short range environment. Bluetooth is a globally available standard for connecting the devices like mobile phones, digital cameras, laptops, mp3 players, cars, stereo headsets etc. Bluetooth enable devices do not need to install any drivers. The key benefits of the Bluetooth wireless technology are its built-in-security, low cost, easy of use, robustness, and ad hoc networking capabilities.
The Bluetooth wireless technology is available globally. Many manufactures from the different companies are busy to implement the technology in their products. Bluetooth technology operates in the 2.4 GHZ, one of the unlicensed, industrial and scientific radio bands. Bluetooth technology is a free of charge service but your mobile phones set should support the GSM and CDMA technology.
Today mobile phones have built in capabilities and Bluetooth functionalities in them. Bluetooth technology is available in the different range of the devices like mobile phones, automobiles, medical devices, industries and enterprises etc. Due to the key features of the Bluetooth technology like low power consumption, low cost and wireless features make it more popular. Bluetooth technology does not require any fixed infrastructure and it is very simple to install and setup.
No wires are required to connect the Bluetooth devices. You can connect to other Bluetooth enabled devices anytime if they come in your range. Bluetooth wireless technology is widely supported and is secure wireless standard today. Bluetooth devices has built-in security features such as 128 bit encryption and pin code authentication when Bluetooth devices identify themselves they use the pin code when they first time connect.
By: Bushra Bashir