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| Abbreviation | USB-IF |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995[1] |
| 93-1296452[2] | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(6) professional association[2] |
| Headquarters | Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.[2] |
| Coordinates | 45°29′31″N 122°49′58″W / 45.492060°N 122.832878°W |
| Jeff Ravencraft[3] | |
Revenue (2015) | $4,789,113[2] |
| Expenses (2015) | $4,579,090[2] |
Employees (2015) | 0[2] |
Volunteers (2015) | 57[2] |
| Website | www |
The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) is a nonprofit organization created to promote and maintain USB (Universal Serial Bus), a set of specifications and transmission procedures for a type of cable connection that has since become used widely for electronic equipment. Its main activities are currently the promotion and marketing of USB, Wireless USB, USB On-The-Go, and the maintenance of standards and specifications for the related devices, as well as a compliance program.
The USB-IF was initiated in 1995[1] by the group of companies that was developing USB, which was made available first during 1996. The founding companies of USB-IF were Compaq, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NEC and Nortel. Notable current members include HP, NEC, Microsoft, Apple Inc., Intel, and Agere Systems.
The working committees within USB-IF are:
- Device Working Group
- Compliance Committee
- Marketing Committee
The USB-IF web caters to developers who may register freely for the developer web-forums and access documentation. To be part of a working group, however, a person has to work for a member company or register as a member. The developer forums regulate the development of the USB connector, of other USB hardware, and of USB software; they are not end-user forums.
In 2014, the USB-IF announced the availability of USB-C designs. USB-C connectors can transfer data with rates as much as 10 Gbit/s and provides as much as 100 watts of power.[4]
In 2015, the seven-person board of directors, with Jeff Ravencraft as USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer, consisted of representatives of Apple Inc., HP Inc., Intel Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Renesas Electronics, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments.[2]
In 2020, USB-IF announced updated USB Device Class Definition for MIDI Devices, Version 2.0, for MIDI 2.0 devices. According to The Valdosta Daily Times, "The standard represents an industry-wide effort by the USB-IF, MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA), and Association of Musical Electronics Industry (AMEI) to provide MIDI users with an expanded MIDI environment connected by USB." USB-IF President and COO Jeff Ravencraft said, "USB-IF is proud to support the MMA and AMEI by publishing an updated USB Device Class Specification for next-generation MIDI devices. USB has been an integral part of the MIDI environment over the past 20 years, and we look forward to seeing innovative new devices that are enabled by this updated specification."[5]
- ^ a b "Members". USB.org. USB Implementers Forum, Inc. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". USB Implementers Forum. Guidestar. December 31, 2015.
- ^ "About". USB Implementers Forum. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
- ^ "USB 3.0 Promoter Group Announces USB Type-C Connector Ready for Production" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
- ^ "USB-IF Publishes USB Device Class Specification for MIDI Devices v2.0". Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved 3 August 2020.