Wireless USB is a short-range, high-bandwidth wireless radio communication protocol created by the Wireless USB Promoter Group.

Wireless USB is sometimes abbreviated as "WUSB", although the USB Implementers Forum discourages this practice and instead prefers to call the technology "Certified Wireless USB" to distinguish it from the competing UWB standard. Wireless USB is based on the (now defunct) WiMedia Alliance's UltraWideBand (UWB) common radio platform, which is capable of sending 480 Mbit/s at distances up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) and 110 Mbit/s at up to 10 metres (33 ft). It was designed to operate in the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz frequency range, although local regulatory policies may restrict the legal operating range for any given country.
Contents
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1 Uses 2 Wireless USB vs. 60 GHz 3 Development 4 Compatibility options for older hardware 5 Relation to ultra-wideband (UWB) 6 Comparison of digital RF systems 7 Competitors 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit]Uses Wireless USB is used in game controllers, printers, scanners, digital cameras, portable media players, hard disk drives and flash drives. Kensington released a Wireless USB universal docking station in August, 2008. It is also suitable for transferring parallel video streams, while utilizing the Wireless USB over Ultra-wideband bandwidth. [edit]Wireless

USB vs. 60 GHz

A few issues differentiate Wireless USB from the use of the 60 GHz band as promoted by the Wireless Gigabit Alliance:

Line of Sight: at 60 GHz, radio communication is blocked by any intervening object, which implies the need for open line of sight. Wireless USB is based on the Ultra-WideBand (UWB) platform, which operates in the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz frequency range, and thus can pass through intervening bodies. Mobility: the 60 GHz technology is appealing to the wireless video market because it is supposed to deliver [1] multi-gigabit-speed wireless communications. In order to support such heavy demands, the underlying MAC layer should be able to process this huge amount of data. For these requirements, the 60 GHzbased solutions will need higher power consumption, and bigger chips, which are less suitable for mobile units or devices.

[edit]Development

The Wireless USB Promoter Group was formed in February 2004 to define the Wireless USB protocol. The group consists of Agere Systems (now merged with LSI Corporation), Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, NEC Corporation, Philips and Samsung. In May 2005, the Wireless USB Promoter Group announced the completion of the Wireless USB specification. In June 2006, five companies showed the first multi-vendor interoperability demonstration of Wireless USB. A laptop with an Intel host adapter using an Alereon PHY was used to transfer high definition video from a Philips wireless semiconductor solution with a RealtekPHY, all using Microsoft Windows XP drivers developed for Wireless USB. In October 2006 the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the first complete Host Wire Adapter (HWA) and Device Wire Adapter (DWA) wireless USB solution from WiQuest Communications for both outdoor and indoor use. The first retail product was shipped by IOGEAR using Alereon, Intel and NEC silicon in mid2007. Around the same time, Belkin, Dell, Lenovo and D-Link began shipping products that incorporated WiQuest technology. These products included embedded cards in the notebook PCs or Hub/Adapter solutions for those PCs that do not currently include Wireless USB. In 2008, a new Wireless USB Docking Station from Kensington was made available through Dell. This product was unique as it was the first product on the market to support video and graphics over a USB connection, by using DisplayLink USB graphics technology. Kensington's Docking Station enables wireless connectivity between a notebook PC and an external monitor, speakers, and existing wired USB peripherals. Imation announced Q408 availability of a new external Wireless HDD. Both of these products are based on WiQuest technology. On March 16, 2009, the WiMedia Alliance announced it is entering into technology transfer agreements for the WiMedia Ultra-wideband (UWB) specifications. WiMedia will transfer all current and future specifications, including work on future high speed and power optimized implementations, to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), Wireless USB Promoter Group and the USB Implementers Forum. After the successful completion of the technology [2][3][4] transfer, marketing and related administrative items, the WiMedia Alliance will cease operations. In October 2009, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has dropped development of UWB as part of the alternative MAC/PHY, Bluetooth 3.0/High Speed solution. A small, but significant, number of former WiMedia members had not and would not sign up to the necessary agreements for the intellectual property transfer. The Bluetooth group is now turning its [5][6][7] attention from UWB to 60 GHz. On September 29, 2010, version 1.1 of the Wireless USB Specification was announced. It delivers several backwards-compatible improvements: UWB upper band support for frequencies 6 GHz and above, improved power management and consumption, and support for NFC and proximity based association. [edit]Compatibility
[8]

options for older hardware

The WUSB architecture allows up to 127 devices to connect directly to a host. Because there are no wires or ports, there is no longer a need for hubs. However, to facilitate migration from wired to wireless, WUSB introduced a new Device Wire Adapter (DWA) class. Sometimes referred to as a "WUSB hub", a DWA allows existing USB 2.0 devices to be used wirelessly with a WUSB host. WUSB host capability can be added to existing PCs through the use of a Host Wire Adapter (HWA). The HWA is a USB 2.0 device that attaches externally to a desktop or laptop's USB port or internally to a laptop's MiniCard interface. WUSB also supports dual-role devices (DRDs), which in addition to being a WUSB device, can function as a host with limited capabilities. For example, a digital camera could act as a device when connected to a computer and as a host when transferring pictures directly to a printer. [edit]Relation

to ultra-wideband (UWB)

A common source of confusion is about the relationship between WUSB, WiMedia, and UWB. The UWB and WUSB technologies are not the same, and the terms WUSB and UWB are not synonymous. UWB is a general term for a new type of radio communication using pulses of energy which spread emitted Radio Frequency energy over 500 MHz+ of spectrum or exceeding 20% fractional bandwidth within the frequency range of 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz as defined by the FCC ruling issued for UWB in Feb. 2002. UWB is not specific to WiMedia or any other company or group and there are in fact a number of groups and companies developing UWB technology [which?] totally unrelated to WiMedia. Some companies use UWB for ground penetrating radar, through wall radar and yet another company Pulse-LINK uses it as part of a whole home entertainment network using UWB for transmission over both wired and wireless media. WUSB is a protocol promulgated by the USB-IF that uses WiMedia's UWB radio platform. Other protocols that have announced their intention to use WiMedia's UWB radio platform include Bluetooth and the WiMedia Logical Link Control Protocol. [edit]Comparison

of digital RF systems
Wireless USB vs. 802.11a/b/g & Bluetooth
[9]

Specification

Wireless USB Specification Rev. 1.1

Bluetooth 4.0(proposed)

Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n)

WiFi (IEEE 802.11ac)

Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR

Frequency band

3.1 GHz 10.6 GHz

2.4 GHz

2.4 GHz and/or 5 GHz

5 GHz

2.4 GHz

Bandwidth

53-480 Mbit/s

1 Mbit/s

Max. 450 Mbit/s per band

Max. 6.93 Gbit/s per band

Max. 3 Mbit/s

Distance

310 m

unknown distance

100 m

unknown

1100 m depending on output

Modulation

MB-OFDM

MB-OFDM

DSSS, DBPSK, DQPSK,CCK, OFDM

OFDM

GFSK

Standardization

September 2010

June 2010

September 2009

prestandard

July 2007

[edit]Competitors Other forms of USB over wireless exist, such as those based on the competing direct sequence UWB technology by [10] Cable-Free USB. The same is also true for other radio frequency based wire replacement systems which can carry

USB. The result is that the name Certified Wireless USB was adopted to allow consumers to identify which products would be adherent to the standard and would support the correct protocol and data rates. [edit]See

also

Bluetooth DASH7 Wibree WirelessHD Wireless USB specification ZigBee IEEE 802.15.4 List of device bandwidths TransferJet

[edit]References

1. 2. 3. 4.

^ "Ecosystem". Wireless Gigabit Alliance. Retrieved 2011-12-02. ^ [1][dead link] ^ "WiMedia Tech Transfer". USB.org. 2009-03-16. Retrieved 2011-12-02. ^ "Incisor Wireless News: What to make of the Bluetooth SIG / WiMedia merger?". Incisor.tv. 2009-03-16. Retrieved 2011-12-02.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

^ Bluetooth group drops ultrawideband, eyes 60 GHz ^ Report: Ultrawideband dies by 2013 ^ "Incisor Magazine November 2009". Incisor.tv. Retrieved 2011-12-02. ^ http://www.usb.org/press/USB-IF_Press_Releases/WirelessUSB_1.1_TechBulletin_Spec_FINAL.pdf ^ Nikkei Electronics 2007/10/8

10. ^ "Pulse-LINK". Pulse-LINK. Retrieved 2011-12-02.

Introduction to Wireless USB

Typical Operation of USB Devices Over Wireless USB Installation of Wireless USB Device Drivers Mice, Keyboards, and Other Human Interface Devices Hard Drives, Flash Drives, and other USB Mass Storage Devices

Digital Cameras Printers Multi-Function Devices Web-Cams, Audio Devices, Speakers, Fax, and Other Isochronous Devices

Typical Operation of USB Devices Over Wireless USB

Wireless USB is a simple and secure method to add wireless technology to your cable-attached USB devices. These devices can include:

Mice Keyboards Printers Scanners Multi-Function Devices Cameras Hard Drives Other USB Devices

Installation of USB Device Drivers

Installation of USB device drivers over Wireless USB should be as simple as plugging the device directly to your computer. Some USB devices such as printers, scanners, and special purpose devices require the installation of device-specific drivers that are provided by the product vendor. Other USB devices such as mice, keyboards, flash drives, and hard drives use generic Class drivers that are preinstalled with Windows Vista and Windows XP. After completing the initial set up and pairing of your Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB Mini-card, and your Wireless USB Hub, plug your USB devices into the Wireless USB Hub and they should immediately be recognized by your computer. If product specific-drivers are required for your USB device you will receive a pop-up message indicating to insert the necessary media. Follow the instructions supplied with the USB product on how to perform the installation. If the product uses generic drivers that are already provided with Windows, a pop-up appears indicating that the drivers are loading, but the pop-up goes away automatically once the installation is completed.

Mice, Keyboards, and Other Human Interface Devices

Mice, keyboards, and other standard Human Interface Devices operate across Wireless USB with little difficulty. Joysticks also operate with very low latency. The devices can be plugged directly into the Wireless USB Hub, and receive power from the hub for normal operation. The Wireless USB Hub also provides power for optical mice and other functions requiring additional power.

Wireless USB has also been tested with wireless mice and keyboards such as those incorporating Bluetooth or other wireless technologies. For these types of products, it may be necessary to plug the Bluetooth receiver into the Wireless USB Hub. A key benefit if you use a portable computer with a Wireless Hub is that the keyboard and mouse can be kept plugged into a Wireless USB Hub at your desk. The keyboard and mouse will automatically become connected whenever you are within range of the Wireless USB Hub. No additional batteries are required for powering the Keyboard or Mouse since they are plugged into the Wireless USB Hub.

NOTE: A limitation of Wireless USB when using mice or keyboards is that the Wireless USB connection is not enabled until the drivers are loaded. This means that mice and keyboards cannot be used during the computer boot process. This limits you from entering the BIOS Setup Utility.

Hard Drives, Flash Drives, and Other USB Mass Storage Devices
One of the key benefits of Wireless USB over other wireless technologies such as Bluetooth is the throughput speed to operate USB mass storage devices such as hard drives, flash drives, and optical CD/DVD drives. Using the Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB embedded Mini-card combined with a Certified Wireless USB Hub, you should be able to achieve between 30-60 Mbps read/write performance. These speeds are suitable for playing DVD from optical drives and for playing High Definition (HD) video. A Certified Wireless USB Hub is a generic type of USB device. The throughput when operating a Certified Wireless USB Hub is partially restricted due to additional protocol overhead. The Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB Mini-card will operate at even higher throughput speeds with Native Wireless USB devices as they become available on the market. Powering the USB Mass Storage Device can be accomplished by several methods. If the Mass Storage Device is a lower power device, the device may be powered by a single USB port on the Wireless USB Hub. If the Mass Storage Device requires additional power, the device may have a second USB connector for supplying additional power. Some larger Mass Storage Devices and Optical Disk Drives may require a separate power supply. When a Mass Storage Device is plugged into a Wireless USB Hub, the Microsoft Windows Explorer window will appear. If auto-play is enabled and the Mass Storage Device is plugged into the Wireless USB Hub, you will receive the auto-play dialog box allowing you to select the type of operation you wish to perform. You will also receive the auto-play pop-ups when the Wireless USB Hub comes within range of the Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB Mini-card. Automatic file backup software, such as the type provided by USB disk drive manufacturers should operate correctly over Wireless USB. Set the backup schedule as you normally would and make certain the Wireless USB Hub is within range during the scheduled times.

Digital Cameras
When downloading images from Digital Cameras, Wireless USB normally follows the same procedure as a Flash Drive defined earlier. When the digital camera is connected to a Wireless USB Hub a Microsoft Windows Explorer or Auto-Play dialog box will appear. Many digital cameras are shipped with additional software drivers and tools that can be used for organizing photo albums. These drivers and applications should operate in the same manner as if the camera is plugged directly to the computer.

Printers
Printers that are plugged into a Wireless USB Hub should operate in the same manner as if they are plugged directly to the computer. All test and maintenance functions should work normally. Follow instructions from the printer manufacturer on how to install any applications or drivers associated with the printer.

NOTE: Plugging a printer into a Wireless USB Hub port or changing ports on the Wireless USB hub may result in installation of a new instance of the printer driver. It may be necessary to delete other instances of the printer driver in order to avoid confusion as to which instance of the driver is being used.

Multi-Function Devices
Multi-Function USB Devices include products such as combination printers, scanners, copiers, and certain fax machines or media ports (Flash, SDIO, or other mass storage devices). These devices are also known as All-in-One Devices. The Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB Mini-card combined with a Certified Wireless USB Hub should operate with these products with exception of the fax service. An All-in-One Device that includes a telephone port for providing fax service falls into the category of isochronous devices which are not currently supported by the software for Wireless USB. For more information in Isochronous Devices, see the following section.

Web-Cams, Audio Devices, Speakers, Fax, and Other Isochronous Devices

One category of products that are currently not supported by the software included with the Dell Wireless 400 Wireless USB are isochronous devices. These devices can include web-cams, audio devices, some speakers, and telephone-oriented devices such as fax machines. If you try to install a device that uses isochronous services for all or some of its communications, you will receive a pop-up message indicating

NOTE: If the isochronous portion of the device is only a portion of the overall device, such as the case of an All-in-One Printer, the other portions of the unit will continue to operate. Isochronous devices will be supported through a software update in the near future.