The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has announced the near-completion of two USB standards – the USB Power Delivery specification and SuperSpeed USB Inter-Chip (SSIC) specification – with manufacturers encouraged to begin developing new products.
The USB Power Delivery specification will enable increased power delivery via USB cables and connectors, expanding cable bus power capabilities in USB applications.
"The specification enables higher voltage and current to deliver power up to 100 Watts," explained the USB 3.0 Promoter Group in a statement. "It also enables a switchable source of power delivery without changing cable direction."
The main benefit of the new standard is the elimination of dedicated power supplies for USB products such as large external hard drives, along with the ability to charge a higher number of mobile devices via a USB/PC connection. The specification will be compatible with existing cables and connectors and will coexist with the USB Battery Charging 1.2 specification.
The SSIC specification, meanwhile, will define a chip-to-chip USB based interconnect optimised for low power mobile devices. It aims to combine high bandwidth and low power capabilities with the performance enhancements of SuperSpeed USB.
“The industry reviews for the USB Power Delivery and SSIC specifications have proven successful, and it is exciting to see these specifications come to fruition,” said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman.
