The USB 3.0 Promoter Group has announced development of a SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) enhancement that will add a much higher data rate, delivering up to twice the data through-put performance of existing SuperSpeed USB over enhanced, fully backward compatible USB connectors and cables. This supplement to the USB 3.0 specification is anticipated to be completed by the middle of this year.
Key characteristics of the higher-rate SuperSpeed USB solution include:
° New 10 Gbps USB data rate;
° Compatibility with existing cables and connectors;
° Improved data encoding for more efficient data transfer leading to higher through-put and improved I/O power efficiency;
° Compatibility with existing USB 3.0 software stacks and device class protocols
° Compatibility with both existing 5 Gbps and new 10 Gbps USB 3.0 hubs and devices, as well as USB 2.0 products.
The 10 Gbps SuperSpeed USB update is targeted for industry review during the first quarter of this year. More info regarding the specification and plans for pre-release industry reviews will be provided via the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) website at www.usb.org/developers/USB-Futures.pdf .
