USB 3.0 is a next-generation interface technology with higher transmission speeds and greater energy efficiency. With the continuous development of industry technology, USB 3.0 will lead a new era of industry transformation. So, how much do you know about USB 3.0? China Machine Vision Mall (www.china-vision.com.cn) will answer your questions below.
1. What is USB 3.0?
USB Ultra, also known as USB 3.0, is the next-generation popular plug-and-play universal serial bus serial communication standard. Managed by the USB Association (USB-IF), it inherits the advantages of USB 2.0 while addressing many of its limitations.
2. What is the bandwidth of USB 3.0?
In bulk transfer mode, the effective available bandwidth is approximately 440 MB/s. This is 10 times the available bandwidth of USB 2.0 and 5 times the available bandwidth of IEEE-1394b. Actual bandwidth is affected by both the USB 3.0 chipset and the motherboard chipset.
3. How does its architecture differ from USB 2.0?
USB 2.0 uses a host-oriented (also known as master-slave) architecture. Its communication method uses a half-duplex transmission mode, allowing data to flow unidirectionally only at any given time. USB 3.0 adds five more cables, bringing the total to nine cables in its connector and cabling system. It uses a full-duplex transmission mode, supporting simultaneous bidirectional data transmission; it is an improvement on the USB 2.0 transmission mode.
USB 3.0 uses a host-driven, asynchronous flow control mechanism, allowing devices to notify the host when data transfer is ready. Compared to USB 2.0's polling mechanism, this significantly reduces system overhead and CPU utilization. USB 3.0 also includes various protocol improvements, such as support for bulk streaming and a more efficient token/data/signal exchange sequence, improving system efficiency and reducing power consumption.
4. Are USB 3.0 devices currently available for purchase? Will most computers support USB 3.0 in the future?
Currently, numerous products have passed the Ultra-High Speed USB certification test, including motherboards, laptops and netbooks, add-on cards, and device-specific xHCI and physical layer (PHY) chips. Peripherals (cards, cables, motherboards, etc.) are readily available, and almost all major computer system manufacturers offer motherboards with USB 3.0. AMD and Intel are both releasing certified USB 3.0 chipsets, and it is predicted that by 2015, every personal computer will have USB 3.0.
5. Is USB 3.0 backward compatible with USB 2.0?
Although the USB 3.0 cable includes five new wires, it remains backward compatible with USB 2.0, allowing users to continue using their existing USB 2.0 peripherals on their USB 3.0 computers or USB 3.0 devices on their existing computers. The USB 3.0 Standard-A connector is backward compatible with USB 2.0, but it adds new signal pins to receive USB 3.0 signals. The new Standard-B and Micro-AB connectors are also backward compatible. USB 3.0 introduces new Micro-B and Micro-A plugs and connectors.
6. Does USB 3.0 offer any improvements in EMC (electromagnetic compatibility)?
All USB 3.0 devices must include a spread spectrum clock (SSC) to regulate signals and extend the power propagation bandwidth. The SSC is used to reduce electromagnetic radiation to meet radiation standards.
7. How to use it with Thunderbolt?
Thunderbolt is a new high-speed interface technology with a bandwidth of approximately 10 Gbit/s, combined with DisplayPort and PCI Express (PCIe) interfaces. It is currently unclear whether Thunderbolt will become the digital interface technology for industrial cameras in the future, but the use of USB 3.0 is rapidly expanding and will reach all user groups, making it one of the most important interfaces in the machine vision industry.
The development of USB 3.0 technology has spurred the advancement of other related technologies with higher bandwidth requirements, such as high-definition video technology, improving bandwidth for multi-device applications. Meanwhile, Point Grey of Canada has released the FL3 USB 3.0 series of industrial cameras, specifically designed for machine vision and computer vision applications. Looking at industry trends, USB 3.0 will quickly gain industry acceptance, heralding a new era of industry transformation. For more information, please visit: China Machine Vision Mall www.china-vision.com.cn Hotline: 4000-400-816.
