Hyde describes the I/O device design and PC host software needed to easily support the addition of I/O devices to personal computers using the Universal Serial Bus (USB). The book includes practical examples (both schematics and code), all of which are fully documented, and prototype boards are available for experimentation. The book is designed as a cookbook, making it easy to choose the right solution from the variety demonstrated here. Many of the I/O devices covered are implemented as human interface devices (HIDs). The operating system already contains all the software routines needed to support this class of device.

The book contains 15 chapters, an appendix, and an index of terms. Chapter 1 presents an overview of USB, a list of USB features, terminology related to USB, and an explanation of the impact of USB on PC host design.

Chapter 2 studies PC host requests on the USB from the bottom up, beginning with the signaling scheme on the wire; continuing with the packet structure, the sequences of packets that generate transactions, and the types of transactions; and ending with a set of tools that allow direct viewing, detection, and capture of bus packets.

Chapter 3 presents the PC’s response to the addition of a new, unknown I/O device to a running system. It details the enumeration process and notes the actions expected of an I/O device. The descriptor approach is used here, which makes the support of generic devices easier and reduces the amount of software needed.

Chapter 4 discusses runtime software on the PC host, using two example programs, the first of which extracts and displays all the descriptors from all of the devices currently attached via the USB bus. The second program searches for and displays information on the currently installed HIDs.

Chapter 5 details the development environment options for USB I/O devices. These include I/O device hardware, I/O device firmware, and PC host software. With the help of the cookbook solutions described, developers will be able to master the diverse skills needed for project development.

Chapter 6 presents the construction of the first USB I/O device, which writes to an 8-bit port and reads from an 8-bit port via USB. This initial example is expanded to support more ports and protocols. The complete design process is detailed, and four design solutions are presented.

Chapter 7 discusses migrating a DOS/ISA-based custom I/O design to a Windows/USB-based design. Hardware and software solutions that can be used for most applications are presented.

Chapter 8 covers bridging existing standard interfaces to USB. A bridge to an RS-232 modem is presented. This optimization produces a cheaper, high-performance, USB-based modem. Many other interfaces are bridged to USB.

Chapter 9 presents the control of some common digital interfaces. Design examples include an I2C controller, several digital thermometers, and a range of infrared controllers. Complete solutions are provided, and complete documentation is included on the CD-ROM.

Chapter 10 is devoted to real-world devices such as relays, motors, and line-powered lighting. Signal isolation, ground loops, and safety are also important topics here. The chapter also covers the interfacing of many other sensors and actuators in a USB environment.

Chapter 11 introduces time-dependent data. Support for sound in USB is introduced via the full implementation of high-quality audio output using speakers, and lower-quality, bidirectional audio using a telephone.

Chapter 12 covers digital video. Some new applications that are enabled by low-cost, USB-based digital video are presented, and several new security applications using biometrics (fingerprints and iris scans) are discussed.

Chapter 13 describes the design of a hub, while chapter 14 shows how easy it is to integrate the multiple diverse elements studied previously into a single device. The author shows how interface descriptors can be added to a device and how a PC host interacts with each independent interface.

Chapter 15 surveys further applications made possible by the USB technology. Three existing media currently supplying information to the home are considered (telephone line, coaxial cable, and satellite broadcast), and Hyde explains how this infrastructure can be used for computer-to-computer communications.

The appendix has been produced as a CD-ROM with an HTML file containing active links. The CD-ROM contains code examples, vendor datasheets, art libraries, and a survey of currently available USB components referred to in the book.

Readers will need some fundamental electronics and programming skills but need not be experts in these subjects. Examples throughout the book refer to an Intel-based computer running an operating system that supports USB (Windows 98). The PC host software examples use Visual Basic for portability, and the microcontroller examples are mainly in MCS51 assembler code, used by many manufacturers as the basis for their intelligent USB controllers. The text is combined well with figures, diagrams, and pictures of computer components. Each chapter ends with a review of the main topics.