USB4 SPECIFICATION REVEALED

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2160P, 4K FLAT PANEL, 4K LED LCD, NEWS, USB4 USB4 SPECIFICATION REVEALED



A new USB specification update, called USB4, was announced Monday by the USB Promoter Group, bring compatibility with the Thunderbolt 3 specification, backward compatibility with earlier USB specifications and up to 40 Gbps bandwidth.

The new specification is said to compliment and build on the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures, allowing backward compatibility. The USB4 architecture is based on the Thunderbolt 3 protocol specification recently contributed by Intel.

The new specification effectively doubles the bandwidth of USB and enables multiple simultaneous data and display protocols. That means that consumers will be able to use existing USB-C cables but will need new 40 Gbps certified cables to leverage the full bandwidth of the new spec.

The USB4 specification is expected to be published later this year, and could possibly make it into consumer devices next year.

According to the statement announcing the specification, ?the new USB4 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.?

The promoter group said the USB Type-C connector has evolved into become the external display port of many host products, and that the USB4 specification ?provides the host the ability to optimally scale allocations for display data flow.?

The promoter group includes such major companies as Apple, HP, Intel, and Microsoft. Over 50 companies are involved in reviewing the USB4 specification.

USB4 introduces a new underlying protocol, compatibility with existing USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3 hosts and devices; and allows scaling to the best mutual capability of the devices being connected.

?The primary goal of USB is to deliver the best user experience combining data, display and power delivery over a user-friendly and robust cable and connector solution,? said Brad Saunders, USB Promoter Group Chairman. ?The USB4 solution specifically tailors bus operation to further enhance this experience by optimizing the blend of data and display over a single connection and enabling the further doubling of performance.?

Key characteristics of the USB4 solution include:

• Two-lane operation using existing USB Type-C cables;
• Up to 40 Gbps operation over 40 Gbps certified cables;
• Multiple data and display protocols to efficiently share total available bandwidth over the bus;
• Backward compatibility with USB 3.2, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3.

The promoter group said more than 50 companies are actively participating in the final stages of review of the draft specification.

?Coincident with the release of the USB4 specification, the release of an updated USB Type-C specification will be made to comprehend USB4 bus discovery, configuration and performance requirements,? the group added.

Branding and marketing guidelines will be established after the final specification is published.

Source: https://hdguru.com/usb4-specification-revealed/

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USB4 will double the speed of USB 3.2 by basically becoming Thunderbolt 3





Yesterday, the USB Promoter Group revealed the next evolution of its ubiquitous peripheral spec: USB4. The new specification, which is still a draft in the final stages of review, is based on Intel's Thunderbolt 3 protocol, delivering up to 40Gbps throughput over existing, Thunderbolt spec-certified Type-C cables. That's twice as fast as current USB 3.2 maximums. It's also backward compatible with existing USB 3.2, 2.0, and Thunderbolt 3 specs and devices.



This news comes hot on the heels of a bulk renaming of existing USB 3-based specs, so that USB 3.2 backward compatibility inherent in USB4 presumably covers the spec formerly known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 (which was once USB 3.0) and the spec once called USB 3.1 Gen 2 (which was once USB 3.1), as they're all just different USB 3.2 versions now.

It's a confusing mess, I know.

The still nascent USB4 spec may provide double the bandwidth of USB 3.2, but it actually just matches the speed of Intel's existing Thunderbolt 3 spec. Presumably, it will also deliver Thunderbolt's PCI Express protocol support, which can power such magic as external GPUs, in the right configuration. Basically, all the things that Thunderbolt 3 can do ? like dual 4K 60fps monitor support, 100W charging, etc. ? USB 4 should be able to.

Thunderbolt 3, 2, and 1 (down the middle, center) on Apple's Macbook Pro over the years. Previous implementations used the DisplayPort connector.

Considering how many phone OEMs are still just using what is effectively USB 2 over a Type-C connector, it could be quite a long wait until we see USB4 arrive in any handsets, but Chromebooks and other laptops should see the benefits sooner. The spec is expected to be finalized and published around the middle of this year, together with a compatibility update to the Type-C spec to accommodate it. Assuming OEMs don't start work on devices which include it until after that point, we're looking at a year or two wait.

It's a bit surprising that Intel would just up and license out its Thunderbolt tech to the USB Implementer's Forum/Promoter Group; presumably, it was making a good chunk of change licensing the tech to Apple and other OEMs. Still, Jason Ziller, General Manager of the Client Connectivity division at Intel, is unfazed. "By collaborating with the USB Promoter Group, we?re opening the doors for innovation across a wide range of devices and increasing compatibility to deliver better experiences to consumers."

The Verge was also told that the new USB4 spec will attempt to impose more strict requirements on the features different types of devices must support ? though there's still no actual enforcement mechanism. It's an open standard, after all.

USB peripherals and accessories will always be something of a wild west scene, given the risk inherent with incomplete or out of spec implementations in an open standard, but at least the still-risky future is looking a bit faster.

Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/0...thunderbolt-3/