Wireless USB 1.1 Enriches End-User Experience

The Wireless USB Promoter Group – comprised of companies HP, Intel Corporation, LSI Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Electronics Corporation, NXP Semiconductors, and Samsung Electronics – today announced that they are developing the Wireless USB 1.1 Specification. Building on the well-established Wireless USB 1.0 Specification, advancements include new options for first-time association of devices, improved power efficiency, and support for UWB frequencies above 6 Ghz.

Preparing for the demands of future implementations, the Wireless USB Promoter Group is defining new features to make Wireless USB even easier to use. Among the features is a new method for first-time device association – the process to securely connect hosts and devices. Wireless USB 1.1 will support the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities, which is a proximity-based approach that allows users to easily introduce devices to their PCs through touch-and-go action. The Wireless USB 1.1 specification will also include updates to enhance power efficiency for better battery life, as well as add UWB upper band support for frequencies 6 Ghz and above.

“The Wireless USB 1.1 Specification builds on the key features – speed, ease of use, and security – that have made the 1.0 specification so successful,” said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF president. “The Wireless USB Promoter Group will define new features that make a great specification even better to improve product offerings for manufacturers and ultimately enhance the end-user experience.”

The Wireless USB 1.1 Specification will be finalized in the first half of 2008. Products that have undergone and passed certification testing have the opportunity to license and use the Certified Wireless USB logo on certified products. To learn more about the Wireless USB specifications, visit http://www.usb.org/developers/wusb/.

About Wireless USB

Wireless USB is the first high-speed wireless personal interconnect technology combining the speed and security of wired Hi-Speed USB with the ease-of-use-of wireless technology. It is backward compatible with wired USB, allows users to connect up to 127 devices and currently delivers a bandwidth of up to 480Mb/s at 3 meters and 110Mb/s at 10 meters. Wireless USB is based on the WiMedia Alliance Ultra-wideband Common Radio Platform.

The Wireless USB Promoter Group, consisting of seven companies—HP, Intel Corporation, LSI Logic, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Corporation, NXP Semiconductors, and Samsung Electronics—defined the core Wireless USB specification with the support of more than 100 contributor members. The group has now transitioned the specification’s management to the USB-IF, the supporting governing body of USB specifications. If a company intends to build and ship a product based on the Wireless USB 1.0 specification and wants to obtain a license, it should execute a WUSB 1.0 adopter’s agreement. Download the adopter agreement at: http://www.usb.org/wusb/.