USB Introduction
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standard for connecting computers and various devices, widely used across a range of equipment from personal computers to digital TVs and gaming consoles. In the early days, external devices used different transmission interfaces such as parallel ports, RS232, and PS/2, causing inconvenience. In order to standardize the connection method and enable hot-swapping, USB emerged.
The advantages of USB lie in its simplicity, versatility, and hot-swappability; it doesn't require specific drivers and supports various devices, from printers to smartphones. The continuous evolution of USB has improved transfer speeds, with the latest USB4 reaching a transfer rate of 40 Gbit/s. The latest USB Type-C connector is even more convenient, eliminating the need to consider the orientation of the plug.
In summary, USB is a widely adopted connectivity standard that provides convenience and efficiency for digital living. It plays a crucial role not only in personal use but also in business and entertainment domains.
USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF)
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) is a non-profit organization founded by leading companies in the technology industry, including Apple, HP Inc., Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Renesas Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, and others. The primary mission of the association is to promote and develop USB technology, ensuring that it continues to meet the evolving market demands and provides consumers with a high-quality connectivity experience.
The primary responsibilities of USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) include:
- Technical specification development: USB-IF is responsible for establishing standards and specifications for USB technology. These standards ensure interoperability between different devices, whether in terms of transmission speed or connection methods. This helps ensure the continuous advancement of USB technology to meet the demands of modern data requirements.
- Unified certification process: USB-IF is responsible for ensuring that products conforming to USB specifications can obtain USB certification. This means they have passed a series of tests to ensure their interoperability and performance in various environments. This helps consumers identify reliable USB devices.
- Technical promotion: USB-IF actively participates in educational and promotional activities to promote the use of USB technology. They organize seminars, workshops, and promotional events to introduce the latest USB technologies to the industry and consumers, explaining how to make full use of them.
USB-IF Association plays a crucial role in the development and standardization of USB technology. They ensure that USB technology continuously adapts to the evolving technological landscape while providing consumers with reliable USB connectivity experiences. For more information about USB-IF, you can refer to their official resources.USB Official website.
USB Certificaiton Process
(1) Apply for an membership
If you or your customer (brand company) wish to obtain USB certification, you must possess a USB VID (Vendor ID) and acquire an account and password on the official website for product registration. Please refer to the Vendor ID's application website.
(2) Testing samples and testing documents
Before conducting USB and USB PD certification tests, please prepare the following documents:
- Two sets of test samples
- USB product information sheet
- USB Cable/Connector product information sheet
- VIF (Vendor Information File): This file records the capabilities of your product. During testing, testing instruments need to import this file to compare the actual functionality of the product with measured values. This is a necessary document for testing, so please ensure that the latest version of VIF is prepared before submitting for testing. You can search and download the association's published VIF generator on the official website.
- If your product is an Embedded host and has special commands to enter Test mode, please provide those instructions before testing.
How to register a TID?
How to prepare VIF?
Please stay tuned...