New Capabilities of Forthcoming Specification Will Significantly Extend
Use of Micro-USB connectors for Battery Charging
BEAVERTON, Ore. – August 9, 2011 – The USB 3.0 Promoter Group is announcing
that it is creating a new power delivery specification which will significantly extend
the capabilities and usages of cable bus power in USB applications. The new
specification will enable delivery of more power via the familiar USB connectors and
cables, and will coexist with the USB Battery Charging 1.2 specification and existing
USB bus-powered applications.
Key characteristics of the forthcoming USB Power Delivery solution include:
- Compatible with existing cables and connectors
- Enables voltage and current values to be negotiated over the USB power pins
- Enables higher voltage and current in order to deliver power up to 100W
- Switchable source of power delivery without changing cable direction
- Coexists with USB Battery Charging 1.2 and works equally well with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0
“Building on the rapidly increasing industry momentum for using USB bus power to
charge a broad range of mobile devices, the new USB Power Delivery specification
extends USB’s cable power delivery capabilities beyond simple battery charging,”
said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman. “For example, charging
the battery of a notebook PC, or simply powering that notebook PC while actively
using the USB data connection, would be possible. Conceivably, a notebook PC
could rely solely on a USB connection for its source of power.”
The USB Power Delivery specification is targeted for industry review during the final
quarter of this year. Further information regarding the specification and plans for a
pre-release industry review will be provided at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF),
September 13-15, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Early in 2012, the USB 3.0
Promoter Group intends to transition the final specification to the USB
Implementers Forum (USB-IF) for publication and establishment of the ecosystem
and associated compliance program.
About the USB 3.0 Promoter Group
The USB 3.0 Promoter Group, comprised of Hewlett-Packard Company, Intel
Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Renesas Electronics, ST-Ericsson and Texas
Instruments, developed the USB 3.0 specification that was released in November
2008. In addition to maintaining and enhancing this specification, the USB 3.0
Promoter Group develops specification addendums to extend or adapt its
specifications to support more platform types or use cases where adopting USB 3.0
technology will be beneficial in delivering a more ubiquitous, richer user experience.
About the USB-IF
The non-profit USB Implementers Forum, Inc. was formed to provide a support
organization and forum for the advancement and adoption of USB technology. The
USB-IF facilitates the development of high-quality compatible USB devices through
its logo and compliance program, and promotes the benefits of USB and the quality
of products that have passed compliance testing. Further information, including
postings of the most recent product and technology announcements, is available by
visiting the USB-IF website at www.usb.org.