USB Implementers Forum
{{short description|Organization that supports the USB standard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{infobox organization
| name = USB Implementers Forum
| logo = USB Implementers Forum logo.svg
| abbreviation = USB-IF
| status = 501(c)(6) professional association
| founded = {{start date and age|1995}}{{cite web|url=https://www.usb.org/members_landing|title=Members|website=USB.org|publisher=USB Implementers Forum, Inc.|access-date=13 Jul 2018}}
| tax_id = 93-1296452"[http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2015/931/296/2015-931296452-0d951081-9O.pdf Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax]". USB Implementers Forum. Guidestar. December 31, 2015.
| headquarters = Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.
| coordinates = {{coords|45.492060|-122.832878|display=inline, title}}
| employees_year = 2015
| volunteers_year = 2015
| revenue_year = 2015
| expenses_year = 2015
| leader_name = Jeff Ravencraft"[http://www.usb.org/about/ About]". USB Implementers Forum. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
| leader_title = President, Chief Operating Officer
| website = {{URL|http://www.usb.org/about}}
}}
USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (USB-IF) is a nonprofit organization created to promote and maintain USB (Universal Serial Bus), a set of specifications and transmission procedures for a type of cable connection that has since become used widely for electronic equipment. Its main activities are currently the promotion and marketing of USB, Wireless USB, USB On-The-Go, and the maintenance of standards and specifications for the related devices, as well as a compliance program.
The USB-IF was initiated in 1995 by the group of companies that was developing USB, which was made available first during 1996. The founding companies of USB-IF were Compaq, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NEC and Nortel. Notable current members include HP, NEC, Microsoft, Apple Inc., Intel, and Agere Systems.
The working committees within USB-IF are:
- Device Working Group
- Compliance Committee
- Marketing Committee
The USB-IF web caters to developers who may register freely for the developer web-forums and access documentation. To be part of a working group, however, a person has to work for a member company or register as a member. The developer forums regulate the development of the USB connector, of other USB hardware, and of USB software; they are not end-user forums.
In 2014, the USB-IF announced the availability of USB-C designs. USB-C connectors can transfer data with rates as much as 10 Gbit/s and provides as much as 100 watts of power.{{Cite web|url=http://www.usb.org/press/USB_Type-C_Specification_Announcement_Final.pdf|title=USB 3.0 Promoter Group Announces USB Type-C Connector Ready for Production|access-date=27 May 2017|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111952/http://www.usb.org/press/USB_Type-C_Specification_Announcement_Final.pdf|url-status=dead}}
In 2015, the seven-person board of directors, with Jeff Ravencraft as USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer, consisted of representatives of Apple Inc., HP Inc., Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Renesas Electronics, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments.
In 2020, USB-IF announced updated USB Device Class Definition for MIDI Devices, Version 2.0, for MIDI 2.0 devices.{{Cite web|title=USB-IF Publishes USB Device Class Specification for MIDI Devices v2.0|url=https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/business/usb-if-publishes-usb-device-class-specification-for-midi-devices-v2-0/article_df2b5ba9-390b-5136-854a-e2cdfd3955d1.html|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Valdosta Daily Times|language=en}}
Vendor ID issuance
A vendor identification is necessary for obtaining a certification of compliance from the USB-IF. The USB-IF is responsible for issuing USB vendor identification numbers to product manufacturers. The cost for issuing this number is US$6,000 per year. Additionally, the use of a trademarked USB logo to identify certified devices requires a license fee of US$3,500 for a 2-year term.[http://www.usb.org/developers/vendor/ How to get a vendor ID from the USB-IF] Some microcontroller manufacturers offer a free or low cost sublicense of their vendor ID for development/testing and limited production (generally less than 10,000 units). Vendors offering this free service include:
- Dream S.A.S.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dream.fr/pdf/General_Application_Notes/USB%20Vendor%20ID%20Sublicense.pdf |title=Dream S.A.S. USB Vendor ID Application |access-date=13 May 2011 |archive-date=16 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016221057/http://www.dream.fr/pdf/General_Application_Notes/USB%20Vendor%20ID%20Sublicense.pdf |url-status=dead }}
- Energy Micro[http://forum.energymicro.com/topic/59-how-can-i-obtain-a-usb-pid/ Energy Micro Application for USB PID Sublicense] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016113836/http://forum.energymicro.com/topic/59-how-can-i-obtain-a-usb-pid/ |date=16 October 2012 }}
- FTDI{{Cite web |url=http://www.ftdichip.com/Documents/technicalnotes/tn_100_usb_vid-pid_guidelines.pdf |title=FTDI USB Vendor ID Application |access-date=13 May 2011 |archive-date=13 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113173301/http://ftdichip.com/Documents/TechnicalNotes/TN_100_USB_VID-PID_Guidelines.pdf |url-status=dead }}
- Luminary Micro[http://www.luminarymicro.com/products/luminary_micro_usb_vid_sublicense.html Luminary Micro (now part of Texas Instruments) USB Vendor ID Application]
- Microchip[http://www.microchip.com/usblicensing/ Application for Sub-License to Microchip Universal Serial Bus Vendor ID]
- NXP[http://www.nxp.com/news/press-releases/2011/11/nxp-delivers-industry-first-arm-cortex-m0-microcontrollers-with-integrated-usb-drivers.html NXP to offer global USB Vendor ID program]
- Silicon Labs[http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/Pages/request-PID.aspx Silicon Labs USB Vendor ID Application]
- STMicroelectronics{{Cite web |url=https://my.st.com/public/STe2ecommunities/mcu/Lists/cortex_mx_stm32/Flat.aspx?RootFolder=/public/STe2ecommunities/mcu/Lists/cortex_mx_stm32/question%20for%20STOne%20or%20anyone%20from%20ST%20%28about%20USB%20and%20allocating%20PIDs%29¤tviews=1802 |title=STMicroelectronics USB Vendor ID Application |access-date=22 March 2013 |archive-date=11 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011091653/https://my.st.com/public/STe2ecommunities/mcu/Lists/cortex_mx_stm32/Flat.aspx?RootFolder=%2Fpublic%2FSTe2ecommunities%2Fmcu%2FLists%2Fcortex_mx_stm32%2Fquestion%20for%20STOne%20or%20anyone%20from%20ST%20%28about%20USB%20and%20allocating%20PIDs%29¤tviews=1802 |url-status=dead }}
- Texas Instruments[http://focus.ti.com/en/download/mcu/application_for_sublicense.pdf Texas Instruments USB Vendor ID Application]
Alternatively, many members of the open source community promote the use of USB VID 0xF055 (which looks when written like "FOSS") for open-source hardware projects. Although this VID is not registered to any company (as of October 2015), the USB-IF have not released any confirmation about reserving it for this particular purpose.[https://web.archive.org/web/20131022154839/http://hackaday.com/2013/10/22/usb-implementers-forum-says-no-to-open-source/ USB IMPLEMENTERS FORUM SAYS NO TO OPEN SOURCE]{{Cite web |last=By |date=2015-04-03 |title=USB PIDs For All |url=https://hackaday.com/2015/04/03/usb-pids-for-all/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=Hackaday |language=en-US}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.usb.org/}}
{{USB}}
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