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108-420: USB-C , or USB Type-C , is a 24-pin connector (not a protocol ) that supersedes previous USB connectors and can carry audio, video, and other data, to connect to monitors or external drives. It can also provide and receive power, to power, e.g., a laptop or a mobile phone. It is used not only by USB technology, but also by other protocols, including Thunderbolt , PCIe , HDMI , DisplayPort , and others. It

216-408: A hermaphroditic connector . These connectors includes mating with both male and female aspects, involving complementary paired identical parts each containing both protrusions and indentations. These mating surfaces are mounted into identical fittings that freely mate with any other, without regard for gender (provided that the size and type match). Sometimes both ends of a cable are terminated with

324-532: A plug (denoted P), designed to attach to a wire, cable or removable electrical assembly. This convention is currently defined in ASME Y14.44-2008, which supersedes IEEE 200-1975 , which in turn derives from the long-withdrawn MIL-STD-16 (from the 1950s), highlighting the heritage of this connector naming convention. IEEE 315-1975 works alongside ASME Y14.44-2008 to define jacks and plugs. The term jack occurs in several related terms: Crimped connectors are

432-508: A USB-C charge-through port to allow 500 mA device charging. The engineering specification states that an analog headset shall not use a USB-C plug instead of a 3.5 mm plug. In other words, headsets with a USB-C plug should always support digital audio (and optionally the accessory mode). Analog signals use the USB ;2.0 differential pairs (Dp and Dn for Right and Left) and the two side-band use pairs for Mic and GND. The presence of

540-414: A USB-C plug on the device end and a Standard-A plug on the host end. Legacy adapters with USB-C receptacles are "not defined or allowed" by the specification because they can create "many invalid and potentially unsafe" cable combinations (being any cable assembly with two A ends or two B ends). However, exactly three types of adapter with USB-C plugs are defined: 1. A Standard-A receptacle (for connecting

648-496: A USB3 Gen 1x2 connection with nominally 10 Gbit/s between two "SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbps" capable hosts. For a similar reason, the "USB 10Gbps" name is deprecated, as that is using only 2 of the 4 wire-pairs of a Gen 2 cable and thus synonymous with "USB 20Gbps" cables. The signal quality that the "Gen A" notation guarantees or requires is not uniform across all USB standards. See table for details. The USB Implementers Forum certifies valid cables so they can be marked accordingly with

756-483: A barrel, a spring, and a plunger. They are in applications such as the MagSafe connector where a quick disconnect is desired for safety. Because they rely on spring pressure, not friction, they can be more durable and less damaging than traditional pin and socket design, leading to their use in in-circuit testing . Crown spring connectors are commonly used for higher current flows and industrial applications. They have

864-445: A built-in hub that connects to the physical USB cable. USB device communication is based on pipes (logical channels). A pipe connects the host controller to a logical entity within a device, called an endpoint . Because pipes correspond to endpoints, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Each USB device can have up to 32 endpoints (16 in and 16 out ), though it is rare to have so many. Endpoints are defined and numbered by

972-423: A cable, and screw terminals are generally not very well protected from contact with persons or foreign conducting materials. Terminal blocks (also called terminal boards or strips ) provide a convenient means of connecting individual electrical wires without a splice or physically joining the ends. Since terminal blocks are readily available for a wide range of wire sizes and terminal quantity, they are one of

1080-553: A coating material with good conductivity, mechanical robustness and corrosion resistance helps to reduce the influence of passivating oxide layers and surface adsorbates, which limit metal-to-metal contact patches and contribute to contact resistance. For example, copper alloys have favorable mechanical properties for electrodes, but are hard to solder and prone to corrosion. Thus, copper pins are usually coated with gold to alleviate these pitfalls, especially for analog signals and high-reliability applications. Contact carriers that hold

1188-563: A connector specifically because it is not compatible with those from other sources, allowing control of what may be connected. No single connector has all the ideal properties for every application; the proliferation of types is a result of the diverse yet specific requirements of manufacturers. Electrical connectors essentially consist of two classes of materials: conductors and insulators. Properties important to conductor materials are contact resistance, conductivity , mechanical strength , formability , and resilience . Insulators must have

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1296-440: A connector with hyperboloid contacts, each female contact has several equally spaced longitudinal wires twisted into a hyperbolic shape. These wires are highly resilient to strain, but still somewhat elastic, hence they essentially function as linear springs. As the male pin is inserted, axial wires in the socket half are deflected, wrapping themselves around the pin to provide a number of contact points. The internal wires that form

1404-743: A cylindrical housing and circular contact interface geometries. This is in contrast to the rectangular design of some connectors, e.g. USB or blade connectors . They are commonly used for easier engagement and disengagement, tight environmental sealing, and rugged mechanical performance. They are widely used in military, aerospace, industrial machinery, and rail, where MIL-DTL-5015 and MIL-DTL-38999 are commonly specified. Fields such as sound engineering and radio communication also use circular connectors, such as XLR and BNC . AC power plugs are also commonly circular, for example, Schuko plugs and IEC 60309 . The M12 connector , specified in IEC 61076-2-101,

1512-443: A decrease in insulation resistance and increase in conductor resistance; this increase generates more heat, and the cycle repeats. Fretting (so-called dynamic corrosion ) is a common failure mode in electrical connectors that have not been specifically designed to prevent it, especially in those that are frequently mated and de-mated. Surface corrosion is a risk for many metal parts in connectors, and can cause contacts to form

1620-493: A different connection method – e.g. the solder tabs on a male phone connector , and the male phone connector itself. In this example, the solder tabs connected to the cable represent the permanent connection, whilst the male connector portion interfaces with a female socket forming a detachable connection. There are many ways of applying a connector to a cable or device. Some of these methods can be accomplished without specialized tools. Other methods, while requiring

1728-623: A display, through a single USB-C cable. USB-C devices may optionally provide or consume bus power currents of 1.5 A and 3.0 A (at 5 V) in addition to baseline bus power provision; power sources can either advertise increased USB current through the configuration channel or implement the full USB Power Delivery specification using both the BMC-coded configuration line and the legacy BFSK -coded V BUS line. All older USB connectors (all Type-A and Type-B) are designated legacy. Connecting legacy and modern, USB-C equipment requires either

1836-420: A few amperes are more reliably terminated with other means, though "hot tap" press-on connectors find some use in automotive applications for additions to existing wiring. A common example is the multi-conductor flat ribbon cable used in computer disk drives; to terminate each of the many (approximately 40) wires individually would be slow and error-prone, but an insulation displacement connector can terminate all

1944-426: A good electrical connection and complete the circuit. An alternative type of plug and socket connection uses hyperboloid contacts , which makes a more reliable electrical connection. When working with multi-pin connectors, it is helpful to have a pinout diagram to identify the wire or circuit node connected to each pin. Some connector styles may combine pin and socket connection types in a single unit, referred to as

2052-411: A high electrical resistance , withstand high temperatures, and be easy to manufacture for a precise fit Electrodes in connectors are usually made of copper alloys , due to their good conductivity and malleability . Alternatives include brass , phosphor bronze , and beryllium copper . The base electrode metal is often coated with another inert metal such as gold , nickel , or tin . The use of

2160-399: A high number of contact points, which provides a more electrically reliable connection than traditional pin and socket connectors. Whilst technically inaccurate, electrical connectors can be viewed as a type of adapter to convert between two connection methods, which are permanently connected at one end and (usually) detachable at the other end. By definition, each end of this "adapter" has

2268-418: A legacy cable assembly (a cable with any Type-A or Type-B plug on one end and a Type-C plug on the other) or, in very specific cases, a legacy adapter assembly. An older device can connect to a modern (USB-C) host by using a legacy cable, with a Standard-B, Mini-B, or Micro-B plug on the device end and a USB-C plug on the other. Similarly, a modern device can connect to a legacy host by using a legacy cable with

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2376-506: A legacy device (such as a flash drive—not a cable) to a modern host, and supporting up to USB 3.1). 2. A Micro-B receptacle (for connecting a modern device to a legacy host, and supporting up to USB 2.0).. 3. The Audio adapter accessory mode defined below, in the next section. A device with a USB-C port may support analog headsets through an audio adapter with a 3.5 mm jack, providing three analog audio channels (left and right output and microphone). The audio adapter may optionally include

2484-424: A male plug (typically pin contacts) and a female socket (typically receptacle contacts). Often, but not always, sockets are permanently fixed to a device as in a chassis connector (see above) , and plugs are attached to a cable. Plugs generally have one or more pins or prongs that are inserted into openings in the mating socket. The connection between the mating metal parts must be sufficiently tight to make

2592-418: A method for locking the connector into a receptacle. In some cases, this backshell provides a hermetic seal , or some degree of ingress protection , through the use of grommets , O-rings , or potting . Hybrid connectors allow the intermixing of many connector types, usually by way of a housing with inserts. These housings may also allow intermixing of electrical and non-electrical interfaces, examples of

2700-682: A new coding schema (128b/132b symbols, 10 Gbit/s; also known as Gen 2 ); for some time marketed as SuperSpeed+ ( SS+ ). The USB 3.2 specification added a second lane to the Enhanced SuperSpeed System besides other enhancements so that the SuperSpeedPlus USB system part implements the Gen 1×2 , Gen 2×1, and Gen 2×2 operation modes. However, the SuperSpeed USB part of the system still implements

2808-710: A notch to ensure proper orientation, while Mini-DIN plugs have a plastic projection that fits into a corresponding hole in the socket (they also have a notched metal skirt to provide secondary keying). Some connector housings are designed with locking mechanisms to prevent inadvertent disconnection or poor environmental sealing. Locking mechanism designs include locking levers of various sorts, jackscrews , screw-in shells, push-pull connector , and toggle or bayonet systems. Some connectors, particularly those with large numbers of contacts, require high forces to connect and disconnect. Locking levers and jackscrews and screw-in shells for such connectors frequently serve both to retain

2916-603: A physical interface and constitute part of the physical layer in the OSI model of networking. In addition to the classes mentioned above, connectors are characterised by their pinout , method of connection , materials, size, contact resistance , insulation , mechanical durability, ingress protection , lifetime (number of cycles), and ease of use. It is usually desirable for a connector to be easy to identify visually, rapid to assemble, inexpensive, and require only simple tooling. In some cases an equipment manufacturer might choose

3024-476: A plug may be inserted into a receptacle in either of two orientations. Electrically, USB-C plugs are not symmetric, as can be seen in the tables of pin layouts. Also, the two ends of the USB-C are electrically different, as can be seen in the table of cable wiring. The illusion of symmetry results from how devices respond to the cable. Software makes the plugs and cables behave as though they are symmetric. According to

3132-470: A preference for a specific role. Furthermore, Dual-Role equipment that implements USB Power Delivery may swap data and power roles independently using the Data Role Swap or Power Role Swap processes. This allows for charge-through hub or docking station applications such as a portable computer acting as a host to connect to peripherals but being powered by the dock, or a computer being powered by

3240-468: A special tool, can assemble connectors much faster and more reliably, and make repairs easier. The number of times a connector can connect and disconnect with its counterpart while meeting all its specifications is termed as mating cycles and is an indirect measure of connector lifespan. The material used for connector contact, plating type and thickness is a major factor that determines the mating cycles. Plug and socket connectors are usually made up of

3348-538: A standard to replace virtually all common ports on computers, mobile devices, peripherals, power supplies, and manifold other small electronics. In the current standard, the USB-C connector replaces the many various connectors for power (up to 240 W), displays (e.g. DisplayPort, HDMI), and many other uses, as well as all previous USB connectors. As of 2024, USB consists of four generations of specifications: USB 1. x , USB 2.0 , USB 3. x , and USB4 . USB4 enhances

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3456-578: A tethered connection (that is: no plug or receptacle at the peripheral end). There was no known miniature type A connector until USB 2.0 (revision 1.01) introduced one. USB 2.0 was released in April 2000, adding a higher maximum signaling rate of 480 Mbit/s (maximum theoretical data throughput 53 MByte/s ) named High Speed or High Bandwidth , in addition to the USB 1. x Full Speed signaling rate of 12 Mbit/s (maximum theoretical data throughput 1.2 MByte/s). Modifications to

3564-427: A thin surface layer that increases resistance, thus contributing to heat buildup and intermittent connections. However, remating or reseating a connector can alleviate the issue of surface corrosion, since each cycle scrapes a microscopic layer off the surface of the contact(s), exposing a fresh, unoxidised surface. Many connectors used for industrial and high-reliability applications are circular in cross section, with

3672-567: A tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two points. An adapter can be used to join dissimilar connectors. Most electrical connectors have a gender  – i.e. the male component, called a plug , connects to the female component, or socket . Thousands of configurations of connectors are manufactured for power , data , and audiovisual applications. Electrical connectors can be divided into four basic categories, differentiated by their function: In computing, electrical connectors are considered

3780-486: A type of solderless connection, using mechanical friction and uniform deformation to secure a connector to a pre-stripped wire (usually stranded). Crimping is used in splice connectors, crimped multipin plugs and sockets, and crimped coaxial connectors. Crimping usually requires a specialised crimping tool, but the connectors are quick and easy to install and are a common alternative to solder connections or insulation displacement connectors. Effective crimp connections deform

3888-574: Is extensible to support future protocols. The design for the USB-C connector was initially developed in 2012 by Intel , HP Inc. Microsoft and the USB Implementers Forum . The Type-C Specification 1.0 was published by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) on August 11, 2014. In July 2016, it was adopted by the IEC as "IEC 62680-1-3". The USB Type-C connector has 24 pins and is reversible. The designation "C" distinguishes it from

3996-508: Is full-duplex ; all earlier implementations, USB 1.0-2.0, are all half-duplex, arbitrated by the host. Low-power and high-power devices remain operational with this standard, but devices implementing SuperSpeed can provide increased current of between 150 mA and 900 mA, by discrete steps of 150 mA. USB 3.0 also introduced the USB Attached SCSI protocol (UASP) , which provides generally faster transfer speeds than

4104-489: Is a circular electrical plug/receptacle pair with 12mm OD mating threads, used in NMEA 2000 , DeviceNet , IO-Link , some kinds of Industrial Ethernet , etc. A disadvantage of the circular design is its inefficient use of panel space when used in arrays, when compared to rectangular connectors. Circular connectors commonly use backshells , which provide physical and electromagnetic protection, whilst sometimes also providing

4212-471: Is a connector that installs on the surface of a bulkhead or enclosure, and mates with its reciprocal, the plug . According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers , the stationary (more fixed) connector of a pair is classified as a jack (denoted J), usually attached to a piece of equipment as in a chassis-mount or panel-mount connector. The movable (less fixed) connector is classified as

4320-554: Is double the amount available to USB data. The USB SuperSpeed protocol is similar to DisplayPort and PCIe/Thunderbolt, in using packetized data transmitted over differential LVDS lanes with embedded clock using comparable bit rates, so these Alternate Modes are easier to implement in the chipset. Alternate Mode hosts and peripheral devices can be connected with either regular Full-Featured Type-C cables, or with converter cables or adapters: Electrical connector The connection may be removable (as for portable equipment), require

4428-402: Is made using two connectors: a receptacle and a plug . Pictures show only receptacles: The Universal Serial Bus was developed to simplify and improve the interface between personal computers and peripheral devices, such as cell phones, computer accessories, and monitors, when compared with previously existing standard or ad hoc proprietary interfaces. From the computer user's perspective,

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4536-430: Is often used in power connectors to protect equipment, e.g. connecting safety ground first. It is also employed for digital signals, as a method to sequence connections properly in hot swapping . Many connectors are keyed with some mechanical component (sometimes called a keyway ), which prevents mating in an incorrect orientation. This can be used to prevent mechanical damage to connectors, from being jammed in at

4644-409: Is opposite that of the connected equipment. Such equipment is said to have Dual-Role-Data (DRD) capability, which was known as USB On-The-Go in the previous specification. With USB-C, when two such devices are connected, the roles are first randomly assigned, but a swap can be commanded from either end, although there are optional path and role detection methods that would allow equipment to select

4752-467: Is the first USB transfer protocol standard that is applicable exclusively via USB-C. The USB-C standard simplifies usage by specifying cables having identical plugs on both ends, which can be inserted without concern about orientation. When connecting two devices, the user can plug either end of the cable into either device. The plugs are flat, but will work if inserted right-side-up or upside-down. The USB-C plugs have two-fold rotational symmetry because

4860-1057: Is working with its Alternate Mode partners to make sure that ports are properly labelled with respective logos. Other protocols like Ethernet have been proposed, although Thunderbolt 3 and later are also capable of 10 Gigabit Ethernet networking. All Thunderbolt 3 controllers support both Thunderbolt Alternate Mode and DisplayPort Alternate Mode. Because Thunderbolt can encapsulate DisplayPort data, every Thunderbolt controller can either output DisplayPort signals directly over DisplayPort Alternative Mode or encapsulated within Thunderbolt in Thunderbolt Alternate Mode. Low-cost peripherals mostly connect via DisplayPort Alternate Mode while some docking stations tunnel DisplayPort over Thunderbolt. DisplayPort Alternate Mode 2.0: DisplayPort 2.0 can run directly over USB-C alongside USB4. DisplayPort 2.0 can support 8K resolution at 60 Hz with HDR10 color and can use up to 80 Gbps, which

4968-913: The Alternate Modes : the Type-C connector is common to several technologies while mandating only a few of them. USB 3.2 , released in September 2017, fully replaced the USB 3.1 and USB 3.0 specifications. It preserves the former USB 3.1 SuperSpeed and SuperSpeed+ data transfer modes and introduces two additional data transfer modes by newly applying two-lane operations, with signalling rates of 10 Gbit/s (SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps; raw data rate: 1.212 GB/s) and 20 Gbit/s (SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbps; raw data rate: 2.422 GB/s). They are only applicable with Full-Featured USB-C Fabrics (connectors, cables, hubs, host, and peripheral device) at all connections. USB4 , released in 2019,

5076-431: The "Gen A" notation, each higher number increasing capabilities in terms of bandwidth. The user-facing names are based on the bandwidth a user can typically expect "USB 5Gbps", "USB 20Gbps", "USB 40Gbps" and so on. This bandwidth notation considers the various USB standards and how they use the cable. A Gen 1 / 5 Gbit/s cable supports that bandwidth on every one of its 4 wire pairs. So technically it could be used to establish

5184-611: The 1920s by Wilhelm Harold Frederick. In the 1950s, Francois Bonhomme popularised hyperboloid contacts with his "Hypertac" connector, which was later acquired by Smiths Group . During the following decades, the connectors steadily gained popularity, and are still used for medical, industrial, military, aerospace, and rail applications (particularly trains in Europe). Pogo pin or spring loaded connectors are commonly used in consumer and industrial products, where mechanical resilience and ease of use are priorities. The connector consists of

5292-525: The 20 V limit for 5 A cables has been deprecated in favor of 50 V. The combination of higher voltage support and 5 A current support is called EPR and allows for up to 240 W (48 V, 5 A) of power according to the USB PD specification. All Type-C cables except the minimal combination of USB 2.0 and only 3 A must contain E-Marker chips that identify the cable and its capabilities via

5400-495: The 5, 10, and 20 Gbit/s capabilities as SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps , SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps , and SuperSpeed USB 20 Gbps , respectively. In 2023, they were replaced again, removing "SuperSpeed" , with USB 5Gbps , USB 10Gbps , and USB 20Gbps . With new Packaging and Port logos. The USB4 specification was released on 29 August 2019 by the USB Implementers Forum. The USB4 2.0 specification

5508-545: The BOT (Bulk-Only-Transfer) protocol. USB 3.1 , released in July 2013 has two variants. The first one preserves USB 3.0's SuperSpeed architecture and protocol and its operation mode is newly named USB 3.1 Gen 1 , and the second version introduces a distinctively new SuperSpeedPlus architecture and protocol with a second operation mode named as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (marketed as SuperSpeed+ USB ). SuperSpeed+ doubles

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5616-835: The CC pins (CC2) is replaced by V CONN , to power optional electronics in the cable, and the other is used to actually carry the Configuration Channel (CC) signals. These signals are used to determine the orientation of the cable, as well as to carry USB Power Delivery communications. Although plugs have 24 pins, cables have only 18 wires. In the following table, the " No. " column shows the wire number. As of 2018, five system-defined Alternate Mode partner specifications exist. Additionally, vendors may support proprietary modes for use in dock solutions. Alternate Modes are optional; Type-C features and devices are not required to support any specific Alternate Mode. The USB Implementers Forum

5724-501: The SuperSpeed USB Developers Conference. USB 3.0 adds a new architecture and protocol named SuperSpeed , with associated backward-compatible plugs, receptacles, and cables. SuperSpeed plugs and receptacles are identified with a distinct logo and blue inserts in standard format receptacles. The SuperSpeed architecture provides for an operation mode at a rate of 5.0 Gbit/s, in addition to

5832-538: The USA. To deliver ensured signal stability in extreme environments, traditional pin and socket design may become inadequate. Hyperboloid contacts are designed to withstand more extreme physical demands, such as vibration and shock. They also require around 40% less insertion force  – as low as 0.3 newtons (1 oz f ) per contact,  – which extends the lifespan, and in some cases offers an alternative to zero insertion force connectors. In

5940-454: The USB 2.0 bus operating in parallel. The USB 3.0 specification defined a new architecture and protocol named SuperSpeed (aka SuperSpeed USB , marketed as SS ), which included a new lane for a new signal coding scheme (8b/10b symbols, 5 Gbit/s; later also known as Gen 1 ) providing full-duplex data transfers that physically required five additional wires and pins, while preserving

6048-799: The USB Implementers Forum. The 24-pin double-sided connector is slightly larger than the micro-B connector , with a USB-C receptacle measuring 8.4 millimetres (0.33 in) wide, 2.6 millimetres (0.10 in) high, and 6.65 millimetres (0.262 in) deep. Type-C cables can be split among various categories and subcategories. The first one is USB 2.0 or Full-Featured. Like the names imply, USB 2.0 Type-C cables have very limited wires and are only good for USB 2.0 communications and power delivery. They are also called charging cables colloquially. Conversely, Full-Featured cables need to have all wires populated and in general support Alt modes and are further distinguished by their speed rating. Full-Featured cables exist in 4 different speed grades. Their technical names use

6156-473: The USB PD protocol. This identification data includes information about product/vendor, cable connectors, USB signalling protocol (2.0, Gen speed rating , Gen 2), passive/active construction, use of V CONN power, available V BUS current, latency, RX/TX directionality, SOP controller mode, and hardware/firmware version. It also can include further vendor-defined messages (VDM) that detail support for Alt modes or vendor specific functionality outside of

6264-416: The USB interface improves ease of use in several ways: The USB standard also provides multiple benefits for hardware manufacturers and software developers, specifically in the relative ease of implementation: As with all standards, USB possesses multiple limitations to its design: For a product developer, using USB requires the implementation of a complex protocol and implies an "intelligent" controller in

6372-401: The USB specification have been made via engineering change notices (ECNs). The most important of these ECNs are included into the USB 2.0 specification package available from USB.org: The USB 3.0 specification was released on 12 November 2008, with its management transferring from USB 3.0 Promoter Group to the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and announced on 17 November 2008 at

6480-427: The USB standards. 60W or 100W or 240W (USB 10Gbps deprecated) USB 80Gbps (or asymm.) (USB 10Gbps deprecated) TB up to 2m (or asymm.) (asymm. optional) For any two pieces of equipment connecting over USB, one is a host (with a downstream-facing port, DFP) and the other is a peripheral device (with an upstream-facing port, UFP). Some products, such as mobile phones , can take either role, whichever

6588-547: The USB 2.0 architecture and protocols and therefore keeping the original four pins/wires for the USB 2.0 backward-compatibility resulting in 9 wires (with 9 or 10 pins at connector interfaces; ID-pin is not wired) in total. The USB 3.1 specification introduced an Enhanced SuperSpeed System – while preserving the SuperSpeed architecture and protocol ( SuperSpeed USB ) – with an additional SuperSpeedPlus architecture and protocol (aka SuperSpeedPlus USB ) adding

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6696-513: The audio accessory is signaled through the configuration channel and V CONN . An Alternate Mode dedicates some of the physical wires in a USB-C cable for direct device-to-host transmission using non-USB data protocols, such as DisplayPort or Thunderbolt. The four high-speed lanes, two side-band pins, and (for dock, detachable device and permanent-cable applications only) five additional pins can be used for Alternate Mode transmission. The modes are configured using vendor-defined messages (VDM) through

6804-418: The board. The connectors in the top row of the image are known as ring terminals and spade terminals (sometimes called fork or split ring terminals). Electrical contact is made by the flat surface of the ring or spade, while mechanically they are attached by passing a screw or bolt through them. The spade terminal form factor facilitates connections since the screw or bolt can be left partially screwed in as

6912-410: The cable and connector, and when this heat melts plastic dielectric, it can cause short circuits or "flared" (conical) insulation. Solder joints are also more prone to mechanical failure than crimped joints when subjected to vibration and compression. Since stripping insulation from wires is time-consuming, many connectors intended for rapid assembly use insulation-displacement connectors which cut

7020-691: The configuration channel. The USB Type-C specification 1.0 was published by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and was finalized in August 2014. It defines requirements for cables and connectors. Adoption as IEC specification: The receptacle features four power and four ground pins, two differential pairs (connected together on devices) for legacy USB 2.0 high-speed data, four shielded differential pairs for Enhanced SuperSpeed data (two transmit and two receive pairs), two Sideband Use (SBU) pins, and two Configuration Channel (CC) pins. The plug has only one USB 2.0 high-speed differential pair, and one of

7128-403: The connection and add strain relief. Metal solder buckets or solder cups are provided, which consist of a cylindrical cavity that an installer fills with solder before inserting the wire. When creating soldered connections, it is possible to melt the dielectric between pins or wires. This can cause problems because the thermal conductivity of metals causes heat to quickly distribute through

7236-458: The connector and/or cable from environmental or mechanical stress, or shield it from electromagnetic interference . Many types of backshells are available for different purposes, including various sizes, shapes, materials, and levels of protection. Backshells usually lock onto the cable with a clamp or moulded boot, and may be threaded for attachment to a mating receptacle. Backshells for military and aerospace use are regulated by SAE AS85049 within

7344-510: The connector when connected and to provide the force needed for connection and disconnection. Depending on application requirements, housings with locking mechanisms may be tested under various environmental simulations that include physical shock and vibration, water spray, dust, etc. to ensure the integrity of the electrical connection and housing seals. Backshells are a common accessory for industrial and high-reliability connectors, especially circular connectors . Backshells typically protect

7452-400: The connector's specific capabilities, such as Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 2.0, or USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. Based on the protocols supported by both host and peripheral devices, a USB-C connection normally provides much higher signalling and data rates than the superseded connectors. A device with a Type-C connector does not necessarily implement any USB transfer protocol, USB Power Delivery , or any of

7560-862: The data transfer and power delivery functionality with ... a connection-oriented, tunneling architecture designed to combine multiple protocols onto a single physical interface so that the total speed and performance of the USB4 Fabric can be dynamically shared. USB4 particularly supports the tunneling of the Thunderbolt 3 protocols, namely PCI Express (PCIe, load/store interface) and DisplayPort (display interface). USB4 also adds host-to-host interfaces. Each specification sub-version supports different signaling rates from 1.5 and 12 Mbit/s total in USB 1.0 to 80 Gbit/s (in each direction) in USB4. USB also provides power to peripheral devices;

7668-506: The development of USB in 1995: Compaq , DEC , IBM , Intel , Microsoft , NEC , and Nortel . The goal was to make it fundamentally easier to connect external devices to PCs by replacing the multitude of connectors at the back of PCs, addressing the usability issues of existing interfaces, and simplifying software configuration of all devices connected to USB, as well as permitting greater data transfer rates for external devices and plug and play features. Ajay Bhatt and his team worked on

7776-402: The device during initialization (the period after physical connection called "enumeration") and so are relatively permanent, whereas pipes may be opened and closed. There are two types of pipe: stream and message. When a host starts a data transfer, it sends a TOKEN packet containing an endpoint specified with a tuple of (device_address, endpoint_number) . If the transfer is from the host to

7884-452: The endpoint, the host sends an OUT packet (a specialization of a TOKEN packet) with the desired device address and endpoint number. If the data transfer is from the device to the host, the host sends an IN packet instead. If the destination endpoint is a uni-directional endpoint whose manufacturer's designated direction does not match the TOKEN packet (e.g. the manufacturer's designated direction

7992-432: The following ECNs: A USB system consists of a host with one or more downstream facing ports (DFP), and multiple peripherals, forming a tiered- star topology . Additional USB hubs may be included, allowing up to five tiers. A USB host may have multiple controllers, each with one or more ports. Up to 127 devices may be connected to a single host controller. USB devices are linked in series through hubs. The hub built into

8100-641: The function of a circuit – so connectors should affect the function of a circuit as little as possible. Insecure mounting of connectors (primarily chassis-mounted) can contribute significantly to the risk of failure, especially when subjected to extreme shock or vibration. Other causes of failure are connectors inadequately rated for the applied current and voltage, connectors with inadequate ingress protection, and threaded backshells that are worn or damaged. High temperatures can also cause failure in connectors, resulting in an "avalanche" of failures – ambient temperature increases, leading to

8208-448: The host controller is called the root hub . A USB device may consist of several logical sub-devices that are referred to as device functions . A composite device may provide several functions, for example, a webcam (video device function) with a built-in microphone (audio device function). An alternative to this is a compound device , in which the host assigns each logical device a distinct address and all logical devices connect to

8316-490: The hyperboloid structure are usually anchored at each end by bending the tip into a groove or notch in the housing. Whilst hyperboloid contacts may be the only option to make a reliable connection in some circumstances, they have the disadvantage of taking up greater volume in a connector, which can cause problems for high-density connectors. They are also significantly more expensive than traditional pin and socket contacts, which has limited their uptake since their invention in

8424-574: The insulation as the wire is inserted. These generally take the form of a fork-shaped opening in the terminal, into which the insulated wire is pressed, which cut through the insulation to contact the conductor. To make these connections reliably on a production line, special tools accurately control the forces applied during assembly. On small scales, these tools tend to cost more than tools for crimped connections. Insulation displacement connectors are usually used with small conductors for signal purposes and at low voltage. Power conductors carrying more than

8532-964: The latest versions of the standard extend the power delivery limits for battery charging and devices requiring up to 240 watts ( USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) ). Over the years, USB(-PD) has been adopted as the standard power supply and charging format for many mobile devices, such as mobile phones, reducing the need for proprietary chargers. USB was designed to standardize the connection of peripherals to personal computers, both to exchange data and to supply electric power. It has largely replaced interfaces such as serial ports and parallel ports and has become commonplace on various devices. Peripherals connected via USB include computer keyboards and mice, video cameras, printers, portable media players, mobile (portable) digital telephones, disk drives, and network adapters. USB connectors have been increasingly replacing other types of charging cables for portable devices. USB connector interfaces are classified into three types:

8640-498: The latter being pneumatic line connectors, and optical fiber connectors . Because hybrid connectors are modular in nature, they tend to simplify assembly, repair, and future modifications. They also allow the creation of composite cable assemblies that can reduce equipment installation time by reducing the number of individual cable and connector assemblies. Some connectors are designed such that certain pins make contact before others when inserted, and break first on disconnection. This

8748-614: The many various legacy Type-A (upstream) and Type-B (downstream) connectors found on hosts , hubs , and peripheral devices , and the modern Type-C ( USB-C ) connector, which replaces the many legacy connectors as the only applicable connector for USB4. The Type-A and Type-B connectors came in Standard, Mini, and Micro sizes. The standard format was the largest and was mainly used for desktop and larger peripheral equipment. The Mini-USB connectors (Mini-A, Mini-B, Mini-AB) were introduced for mobile devices. Still, they were quickly replaced by

8856-539: The maximum signaling rate to 10 Gbit/s (later marketed as SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps by the USB 3.2 specification), while reducing line encoding overhead to just 3% by changing the encoding scheme to 128b/132b . USB 3.2 , released in September 2017, preserves existing USB 3.1 SuperSpeed and SuperSpeedPlus architectures and protocols and their respective operation modes, but introduces two additional SuperSpeedPlus operation modes ( USB 3.2 Gen 1×2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 ) with

8964-519: The metal of the connector past its yield point so that the compressed wire causes tension in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of static friction . Due to the elastic element in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to vibration and thermal shock . Crimped contacts are permanent (i.e. the connectors and wire ends cannot be reused). Crimped plug-and-socket connectors can be classified as rear release or front release . This relates to

9072-425: The most flexible types of electrical connector available. One type of terminal block accepts wires that are prepared only by stripping a short length of insulation from the end. Another type, often called barrier strips , accepts wires that have ring or spade terminal lugs crimped onto the wires. Printed circuit board (PCB) mounted screw terminals let individual wires connect to a PCB through leads soldered to

9180-456: The new USB-C Fabric with signaling rates of 10 and 20 Gbit/s (raw data rates of 1212 and 2424 MB/s). The increase in bandwidth is a result of two-lane operation over existing wires that were originally intended for flip-flop capabilities of the USB-C connector. Starting with the USB 3.2 specification, USB-IF introduced a new naming scheme. To help companies with the branding of the different operation modes, USB-IF recommended branding

9288-452: The number of a host's ports. Introduced in 1996, USB was originally designed to standardize the connection of peripherals to computers, replacing various interfaces such as serial ports , parallel ports , game ports , and ADB ports. Early versions of USB became commonplace on a wide range of devices, such as keyboards, mice, cameras, printers, scanners, flash drives, smartphones, game consoles, and power banks. USB has since evolved into

9396-560: The official logos and users can distinguish them from non-compliant products. There have been simplifications in the logos. Previous logos and names also referenced specific USB protocols like SuperSpeed for the USB3 family of connections or USB4 directly. The current official names and logos have removed those references as most full-featured cables can be used for USB4 connections as well as USB3 connections. In order to achieve longer cable lengths, cable variants with active electronics to amplify

9504-537: The one-lane Gen 1×1 operation mode. Therefore, two-lane operations, namely USB 3.2 Gen 1× 2 (10 Gbit/s) and Gen 2× 2 (20 Gbit/s), are only possible with Full-Featured USB-C. As of 2023, they are somewhat rarely implemented; Intel, however, started to include them in its 11th-generation SoC processor models, but Apple never provided them. On the other hand, USB 3.2 Gen 1(×1) (5 Gbit/s) and Gen 2(×1) (10 Gbit/s) have been quite common for some years. Each USB connection

9612-528: The optional functionality as Thunderbolt 4 products. USB4 2.0 with 80 Gbit/s speeds was to be revealed in November 2022. Further technical details were to be released at two USB developer days scheduled for November 2022. The USB4 specification states that the following technologies shall be supported by USB4: Because of the previous confusing naming schemes, USB-IF decided to change it once again. As of 2 September 2022, marketing names follow

9720-504: The parts of a connector together are usually made of plastic, due to its insulating properties. Housings or backshells can be made of molded plastic and metal. Connector bodies for high-temperature use, such as thermocouples or associated with large incandescent lamps , may be made of fired ceramic material. The majority of connector failures result in intermittent connections or open contacts: Connectors are purely passive components – that is, they do not enhance

9828-458: The peripheral device. Developers of USB devices intended for public sale generally must obtain a USB ID, which requires that they pay a fee to the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). Developers of products that use the USB specification must sign an agreement with the USB-IF. Use of the USB logos on the product requires annual fees and membership in the organization. A group of seven companies began

9936-442: The same direction (as used for DisplayPort connections), but only in the symmetric combinations expected by classic USB connections. Passive cables have no such limitations. Every normal USB-C cable must support at least 3 amps of current and up to 20 volts for up to 60 watts of power according to the USB PD specification. Cables are also allowed to support up to 5 A (with 20 V limit up to 100 W of power). However,

10044-490: The same gender of connector, as in many Ethernet patch cables. In other applications the two ends are terminated differently, either with male and female of the same connector (as in an extension cord ), or with incompatible connectors, which is sometimes called an adapter cable . Plugs and sockets are widely used in various connector systems including blade connectors, breadboards , XLR connectors , car power outlets , banana connectors , and phone connectors . A jack

10152-423: The side of the connector where the pins are anchored: Many plug and socket connectors are attached to a wire or cable by soldering conductors to electrodes on the back of the connector. Soldered joints in connectors are robust and reliable if executed correctly, but are usually slower to make than crimped connections. When wires are to be soldered to the back of a connector, a backshell is often used to protect

10260-434: The signals also exist. The Type-C standard mostly mandates these active cables to behave similar to passive cables with vast backwards compatibility. But they are not mandated to support all possible features and typically have no forward compatibility to future standards. Optical cables are even allowed to further reduce the backwards compatibility. For example, an active cable may not be able to use all high speed wire-pairs in

10368-665: The spade terminal is removed or attached. Their sizes can be determined by the gauge of the conducting wire, and the interior and exterior diameters. USB#Mini and micro connectors Universal Serial Bus ( USB ) is an industry standard that allows data exchange and delivery of power between many types of electronics. It specifies its architecture, in particular its physical interface , and communication protocols for data transfer and power delivery to and from hosts , such as personal computers , to and from peripheral devices , e.g. displays, keyboards, and mass storage devices, and to and from intermediate hubs , which multiply

10476-829: The specifications, "Determination of this host-to-device relationship is accomplished through a Configuration Channel (CC) that is connected through the cable." The USB-C standard attempts to eliminate the need to have different cables for other communication technologies, such as Thunderbolt, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, Wifi and more. Over the past decade, companies all over have adopted the USB-C standard into their products. USB-C cables can contain circuit boards and processors giving them much more capability than simple circuit connections. USB-C cables interconnect hosts and peripheral devices, replacing various other electrical cables and connectors, including all earlier (legacy) USB connectors , HDMI connectors, DisplayPort ports, and 3.5 mm audio jacks . USB Type-C and USB-C are trademarks of

10584-489: The standard at Intel; the first integrated circuits supporting USB were produced by Intel in 1995. Released in January 1996, USB 1.0 specified signaling rates of 1.5 Mbit/s ( Low Bandwidth or Low Speed ) and 12 Mbit/s ( Full Speed ). It did not allow for extension cables, due to timing and power limitations. Few USB devices made it to the market until USB 1.1 was released in August 1998. USB 1.1

10692-481: The syntax "USB  x Gbps", where x is the speed of transfer in Gbit/s. Overview of the updated names and logos can be seen in the adjacent table. The operation modes USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and USB4 Gen 2×2 – or: USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 and USB4 Gen 2×1 – are not interchangeable or compatible; all participating controllers must operate with the same mode. This version incorporates

10800-415: The thinner Micro-USB connectors (Micro-A, Micro-B, Micro-AB). The Type-C connector, also known as USB-C, is not exclusive to USB, is the only current standard for USB, is required for USB4, and is required by other standards, including modern DisplayPort and Thunderbolt. It is reversible and can support various functionalities and protocols, including USB; some are mandatory, and many are optional, depending on

10908-489: The three existing operation modes. Its efficiency is dependent on a number of factors including physical symbol encoding and link-level overhead. At a 5 Gbit/s signaling rate with 8b/10b encoding , each byte needs 10 bits to transmit, so the raw throughput is 500 MB/s. When flow control, packet framing and protocol overhead are considered, it is realistic for about two thirds of the raw throughput, or 330 MB/s to transmit to an application. SuperSpeed's architecture

11016-419: The tip of a bolt clamping onto a stripped conductor. They can be used to join multiple conductors, to connect wires to a printed circuit board , or to terminate a cable into a plug or socket. The clamping screw may act in the longitudinal axis (parallel to the wire) or the transverse axis (perpendicular to the wire), or both. Some disadvantages are that connecting wires is more difficult than simply plugging in

11124-468: The type of hardware: host, peripheral device, or hub. USB specifications provide backward compatibility, usually resulting in decreased signaling rates, maximal power offered, and other capabilities. The USB 1.1 specification replaces USB 1.0. The USB 2.0 specification is backward-compatible with USB 1.0/1.1. The USB 3.2 specification replaces USB 3.1 (and USB 3.0) while including the USB 2.0 specification. USB4 "functionally replaces" USB 3.2 while retaining

11232-474: The various USB connectors it replaced, all termed either Type-A or Type-B. Whereas earlier USB cables had a host end A and a peripheral device end B , a USB-C cable connects either way; and for interoperation with older equipment, there are cables with a Type-C plug at one end and either a Type-A (host) or a Type-B (peripheral device) plug at the other. The designation "C" refers only to the connector's physical configuration, or form factor, not to be confused with

11340-581: The wires in a single action. Another very common use is so-called punch-down blocks used for terminating unshielded twisted pair wiring. Binding posts are a single-wire connection method, where stripped wire is screwed or clamped to a metal electrode. Such connectors are frequently used in electronic test equipment and audio. Many binding posts also accept a banana plug . Screw connections are frequently used for semi-permanent wiring and connections inside devices, due to their simple but reliable construction. The basic principle of all screw terminals involves

11448-435: The wrong angle or into the wrong connector, or to prevent incompatible or dangerous electrical connections, such as plugging an audio cable into a power outlet. Keying also prevents otherwise symmetrical connectors from being connected in the wrong orientation or polarity . Keying is particularly important for situations where there are many similar connectors, such as in signal electronics. For instance, XLR connectors have

11556-524: Was released on 1 September 2022 by the USB Implementers Forum. USB4 is based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol. It supports 40 Gbit/s throughput, is compatible with Thunderbolt 3, and backward compatible with USB 3.2 and USB 2.0. The architecture defines a method to share a single high-speed link with multiple end device types dynamically that best serves the transfer of data by type and application. During CES 2020 , USB-IF and Intel stated their intention to allow USB4 products that support all

11664-434: Was the earliest revision that was widely adopted and led to what Microsoft designated the " Legacy-free PC ". Neither USB 1.0 nor 1.1 specified a design for any connector smaller than the standard type A or type B. Though many designs for a miniaturized type B connector appeared on many peripherals, conformity to the USB 1. x standard was hampered by treating peripherals that had miniature connectors as though they had

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