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About Wireless USB
Imagine producing home entertainment components that consumers can set up and connect without plugging in any cables.
Imagine enabling users to transfer digital still photos and video to their personal computers or televisions wirelessly.
With Certified Wireless USB, the possibilities are endless.
Imagine producing home entertainment components that consumers can set up and connect without plugging in any cables.
Imagine enabling users to transfer digital still photos and video to their personal computers or televisions wirelessly.
With Certified Wireless USB, the possibilities are endless.
currently clutter up living rooms, offices, and the many other places where devices are commonly used together. Enter Certified Wireless USB, which brings the convenience, speed and security associated with wired USB to wireless applications.
Like its wired counterpart, Certified Wireless USB was developed by the USB-IF (www.usb.org). The key design goals articulated by the Wireless USB Promoter Group (comprised of Agere Systems, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft, NEC Electronics, Philips and Samsung) and used to guide the creation of the protocol's specification are as follows (see Chapter 1 of the Certified Wireless USB specification version 1.0 for more detail):
The UWB radio platform was envisioned as a universal carrier. As such, it allows multiple applications running on the same radio. It supports USB hosts, as well as stacks for Bluetooth, 1394 and WiNet (a PAL that adds TCP/IP services to the Ultra-wideband platform). This flexibility helps developers reduce the number of radios used in a product, thereby simplifying designs and holding down costs. All of these protocols will utilize a time division system to share the air.
FreeRange's USBConnex software solution supports Certified Wireless USB, thereby enabling the embedded development community to expand the number of products that facilitate a mobile lifestyle through this new type of personal and local area wireless networking technology. Whether you're designing consumer electronics, test and measurement equipment or some other device that can benefit from simple to use wireless connectivity, Certified Wireless USB offers the mobility and functionality so valued in a wide-range of operating environments.
The following diagram illustrates how consumers can use Certified Wireless USB in a range of common applications. Many others user scenarios exist and just as with wired USB, product manufacturers will find new uses for the technology over time.
Like its wired counterpart, Certified Wireless USB was developed by the USB-IF (www.usb.org). The key design goals articulated by the Wireless USB Promoter Group (comprised of Agere Systems, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Microsoft, NEC Electronics, Philips and Samsung) and used to guide the creation of the protocol's specification are as follows (see Chapter 1 of the Certified Wireless USB specification version 1.0 for more detail):
- Leverage existing USB infrastructure
- Preserve the smart host and simple device paradigm that defines wired USB
- Provide effective power management capabilities
- Provide security
- Ease of use
- Preserve users investment in existing equipment (i.e. wired USB hosts and peripherals)
The UWB radio platform was envisioned as a universal carrier. As such, it allows multiple applications running on the same radio. It supports USB hosts, as well as stacks for Bluetooth, 1394 and WiNet (a PAL that adds TCP/IP services to the Ultra-wideband platform). This flexibility helps developers reduce the number of radios used in a product, thereby simplifying designs and holding down costs. All of these protocols will utilize a time division system to share the air.
FreeRange's USBConnex software solution supports Certified Wireless USB, thereby enabling the embedded development community to expand the number of products that facilitate a mobile lifestyle through this new type of personal and local area wireless networking technology. Whether you're designing consumer electronics, test and measurement equipment or some other device that can benefit from simple to use wireless connectivity, Certified Wireless USB offers the mobility and functionality so valued in a wide-range of operating environments.
The following diagram illustrates how consumers can use Certified Wireless USB in a range of common applications. Many others user scenarios exist and just as with wired USB, product manufacturers will find new uses for the technology over time.
Certified Wireless USB Benefits
Speed
Up to 480 Mbps at 3 meters and 110 Mbps at 10 meters
Power Management
Ensures devices use the least amount of power required
Security
Encrypted data transmissions required
Ease of Use
Simple installation and set up
Backward Compatibility
Works seamlessly with wired USB
Coexistence
Coexists and shares resources with other protocols using the UWB radio platform
Logo Certification
Established standards, compliance testing and logo licenses all managed by the USB-IF
Up to 480 Mbps at 3 meters and 110 Mbps at 10 meters
Power Management
Ensures devices use the least amount of power required
Security
Encrypted data transmissions required
Ease of Use
Simple installation and set up
Backward Compatibility
Works seamlessly with wired USB
Coexistence
Coexists and shares resources with other protocols using the UWB radio platform
Logo Certification
Established standards, compliance testing and logo licenses all managed by the USB-IF
Product manufactures and consumers alike have long dreamed of eliminating the many cables that are used to connect the ever-growing number of devices found in both personal and business environments. This dream has become more viable in recent years, as new wireless technologies have been developed and become increasingly more capable and cost effective to implement.
While Bluetooth has successfully helped eliminate cables in select applications (e.g. headset to cell phone connectivity), its limitations have prevented it from replacing a significant percentage of the wires that
While Bluetooth has successfully helped eliminate cables in select applications (e.g. headset to cell phone connectivity), its limitations have prevented it from replacing a significant percentage of the wires that
For more information about FreeRange's Certified Wireless USB solutions, please contact our sales department at 949.244.4644 or sales@freerange.com.
Consumer Usage Models
Source: Rafael Kolic, "Wireless USB Brings Greater Convenience and Mobility to Devices," Technology@Intel Magazine, February/March 2004.
Source: Rafael Kolic, "Wireless USB Brings Greater Convenience and Mobility to Devices," Technology@Intel Magazine, February/March 2004.
Simplifying Device Connectivity
Technology