Computex 2011:USB IF主席Jeff Ravencraft談USB 3.0

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USB 3.0在這兩年進展快速,許多主機板以及筆記型電腦紛紛導入USB 3.0介面,而USB IF今年也在Computex南港展區設立攤位,宣導USB 3.0、也就是SuperSpeed USB的認證重要。今天就由USB IF的主席Jeff Ravencraft親自聊聊USB 3.0的進展。

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USB 3.0 is gaining quite a bit of popularity in the past two years, and now we can find this handy port on lots of laptops and motherboards. We visited the USB IF booth at Computex this year and had a chat with the president of USB IF, Jeff Ravencraft on the future of USB 3.0.

More on the interview after the break.


Jeff提到,USB是PC史上最成功的通用介面,由於隨插即用,並且同時可以滿足數據與供電,深受消費者的喜好。USB IF的身份像是個貿易協會,協助組織成員以及非成員、但希望採用USB介面的廠商進行驗證與技術推廣,並且擁有嚴謹而開放的測試過程以及相關安全性規範。USB IF也會捍衛認證標籤的使用權,避免未通過認證的公司擅自使用或是仿製相似的商標貼在劣質產品混淆市場,並因此傷害通過USB IF的認證產品。

現在已經有超過100億的USB裝置在世面上流通,而且近年開始,每年少說有近30億個採用USB介面的裝置與終端被生產;此外在USB IF與歐盟合力推動下,未來銷往歐盟會員國的手機都需要採用micro USB介面充電,除了簡化充電介面,並可同時滿足數據傳輸之用,並且預估每年至少減少五萬頓的充電器設備廢棄物。

USB 3.0承襲USB的優點,並且具備向下相容性,供電也較以往提昇一倍,達到2A,使得充電速度加速一倍,但由於電源管理更為進化,可降低介面整體1/3的功耗;並且可以帶來近10倍的傳輸速度,是相當成熟且可用的介面標準。去年瑞薩(前NEC半導體部門)出貨近兩千萬個USB 3.0控制器晶片,而在去年底通過認證的Fresco Logic也在2010年底前達到一百萬顆控制器的出貨。
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Jeff told us that USB is by far the most successful universal plug in computing. USB IF is more like a professional organization. They help both members and non-members but wish to facilitate strict licensing and rigorous testing of USB products. They are also strict on the use of the certification label.

Apparently there are more than 10 billion USB devices on the market right now with 3 billion new yearly. More importantly, in the near future, all cell phones in the EU will need to have a micro USB port for charging to significantly reduce the waste generated from unwanted chargers.


2011年USB需求更快速增加,華碩光是Q1就已經出貨兩百萬張搭載USB 3.0的主機板(包括筆電),技嘉更預估在今年底前,會有750萬張以上搭載USB 3.0的主機板出貨。除了AMD已經通過USB IF認證外,Intel也允諾2012年春季的Ivy Bridge平台將會納入USB 3.0。

而USB 3.0未來除持續進行產品認證動作以外,Jeff也透露USB 3.0接下來會沿用現有的介面形式,但將傳輸速度提升到25Gb以上,持續提供基於低成本、高頻寬的通用介面技術。

至今已經有236項USB 3.0裝置通過USB IF的認證,並且在今年宣佈加入祥碩與鈺創兩家台灣廠商,以及AMD將USB 3.0整合至晶片組後,目前已經有六家控制相關廠商通過USB IF認證。Jeff強調,USB是一項開放的通用標準技術,任何廠商都可以在網路直接下載技術白皮書,除了USB IF成員可將產品送至全球六個Work Shop(其中台北站每六週舉辦一次。)直接進行相容驗證外,非成員終端產品都可送至各個通過認證的第三方實驗室進行驗證。

應該會有不少人會想向Jeff詢問關於Intel Thunderbolt介面對於USB 3.0的影響,Jeff則表示,他無法對於Intel的技術多加評論,但是他認為,USB 3.0是一項已經低成本、普及且開放的標準,並且USB IF積極推動完整的測試程序,使市面上通過認證的USB產品都能夠確保相容性、可靠性以及安全性,並且USB介面已經深入多數使用者的生活,這是USB介面最大的競爭優勢。
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USB 3.0 is much faster than the previous gen and is backward compatible. In 2011, there are more demands, as ASUS along has passed 2 million USB 3.0-equipped motherboards (including laptops), and Gigabyte will have more than 7.5 million motherboards coming out of the production line by the end of the year. So far AMD has been approved by USB IF, and Intel has promised to integrate USB 3.0 in their new Ivy Bridge due in spring 2012.

Jeff said that he cannot comment on Intel's Thunderbolt but he has faith that USB 3.0 will continue to populate the tech industry.


SuperSpeed USB from USB IF on Vimeo.