View source for PoweredUSB

{{Short description|Proprietary extension to the USB standard}}

{{About|a proprietary extension to the USB standard|general overview of power delivery over USB|USB#Power}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox technology standard
| title             = PoweredUSB
| long_name         = 
| image             = File:PoweredUSB_logo.jpg
| image_size        = 
| alt               = Two circular halos intersecting at one point with the organization's name and motto underneath
| caption           = Logo of the standard
| abbreviation      = <!--Not applicable-->
| native_name       = <!--Not applicable-->
| native_name_lang  = <!--Not applicable-->
| status            = Published
| year_started      = <!--{{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| first_published   = {{Start date|1998|1|28|df=y}}
| version           = 0.8g
| version_date      = {{date|2004|1|18|df=y}}
| preview           = 
| preview_date      = 
| organization      = www.PoweredUSB.org
| committee         = <!--Not applicable-->
| series            = <!--Not applicable-->
| editors           = 
| authors           = 
| base_standards    = 
| related_standards = [[USB]], viz. USB 1.1 and USB 2.0
| domain            = [[Power delivery]]
| license           = 
| copyright         = 
| website           = {{Official URL}}
}}

[[File:Powered USB.jpg|thumb|12&nbsp;V and 24&nbsp;V powered USB sockets, on an [[NCR Corporation|NCR]] cash register]]

'''PoweredUSB''', also known as '''Retail USB''', '''USB&nbsp;PlusPower''', '''USB&nbsp;+Power''', and '''USB Power Plus''',<ref>{{cite web |title=USB Power Plus Port information and differences with USB Type-A port |url=https://support.honeywellaidc.com/s/article/Does-Honeywell-has-a-cable-to-utilize-the-12Volt-on-a-USB-Power-Plus-port |website=Honeywell Support |access-date=26 August 2022}}</ref> is an addition to the [[Universal Serial Bus]] standard that allows for higher-power devices to obtain power through their USB host instead of requiring an independent [[power supply]] or external [[AC adapter]]. It is mostly used in [[Point of sale|point-of-sale]] equipment, such as receipt printers, touch screens and [[barcode reader]]s.

==History==
PoweredUSB, as a proprietary variant of USB, was developed and proposed by [[IBM]], Berg Electronics (now a subsidiary of [[Amphenol]]), [[NCR Corporation]], and [[Microsoft]] between 1998 and 1999, with the last revision (0.8g) issued in 2004. The specification is not endorsed by the [[USB Implementers Forum]] (USB-IF).<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is PoweredUSB? |url=http://www.poweredusb.org/whatispusb.html |publisher=www.PoweredUSB.org}}</ref><ref name="PoweredUSB in Retail">{{Cite web |title=PoweredUSB in Retail |url=http://www.poweredusb.org/usbstandards.html |publisher=www.PoweredUSB.org}}</ref> IBM, who owns [[patent]]s to PoweredUSB,<ref>{{cite patent |country=US |number=6086430 |status=patent}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=6334793|status=patent}}</ref> charges a licensing fee to manufacturers for its use.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PoweredUSB - FAQs and Answers |url=http://www.poweredusb.org/faqs.html |publisher=www.PoweredUSB.org}}</ref>

PoweredUSB was licensed by [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[Toshiba]], [[Epson]], [[Fujitsu]], [[Wincor-Nixdorf]], [[Siemens]], among others.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PoweredUSB - PoweredUSB Retail Products |url=http://www.poweredusb.org/retailprods.html |access-date=2022-12-29 |publisher=www.PoweredUSB.org}}</ref>

== Implementation ==
PoweredUSB uses a more complex connector than standard USB, maintaining the standard connector of USB 1.x and USB 2.0 interface for data communications and adding a second connector for power. Physically, it is essentially two connectors stacked such that the bottom connector accepts a standard USB plug and the top connector takes a power plug.

The implementation allows a choice of three different voltages, providing power at 5&nbsp;[[volt|V]] (30&nbsp;[[watt|W]]), 12&nbsp;V (72&nbsp;W), 24&nbsp;V (144&nbsp;W) as well as a custom voltage. Some implementations provide 19&nbsp;V or 25&nbsp;V.<!-- see German WP for details --> The connectors are able to operate at up to 6&nbsp;[[ampere|A]] (3&nbsp;A per pin) peak, but according to the specification, hosts are required to provide a minimum sustainable [[root mean square|rms]] current of 1.5&nbsp;A at 5&nbsp;V (7.5&nbsp;W) or 12&nbsp;V (18&nbsp;W), or 2.3&nbsp;A at 24&nbsp;V (55.2&nbsp;W), only.

For comparison, a standard USB 1.x and 2.0 hosts supplies 5&nbsp;V at up to 0.5&nbsp;A (2.5&nbsp;W).<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 Jan 2004 |title=PoweredUSB Electro-Mechanical Specification Version 0.8g |url=http://www.poweredusb.org/pdf/PoweredUSB_v08g.pdf |access-date={{date|{{date}}|DMY}} |publisher=www.PoweredUSB.org }}</ref> [[USB 3.0]] supplies 5&nbsp;V at up to 0.9&nbsp;A (4.5&nbsp;W)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universal Serial Bus Revision 3.0 Specification |url=http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/documents_archive/usb_30_spec_070113.zip |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519092924/http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/documents_archive/usb_30_spec_070113.zip |archive-date=19 May 2014 |access-date=19 May 2014}}</ref>{{rp|section 9.2.5.1 Power Budgeting}} whereas hosts conformant to the [[USB Battery Charging Specification]] can deliver up to 1.5&nbsp;A (7.5&nbsp;W).{{cn|date=December 2022}}

As each PoweredUSB plug provides one of three voltages, the plugs come keyed in three versions, so that they will only accept connections from devices requiring that version's voltage.<ref name="PoweredUSB in Retail" /> The connectors can be color-coded for different voltages: Gray ([[Pantone]] Cool Gray 1C) (sometimes also "nature" or yellow) for 5&nbsp;V, blue-green (Pantone Teal 3262C) for 12&nbsp;V, red (Pantone Red 032C) for 24&nbsp;V/25&nbsp;V and violet for 19&nbsp;V; alternatively, any voltages higher than 5&nbsp;V can be indicated by a black connector color.

The connectors, available from various manufacturers, provide an auto-locking facility to reduce the risk of accidental power failures. Special provisions for [[hot-plugging]] are recommended, but optional. The red 24 volt plugs should never be plugged in or removed with the unit powered on.

==Future==
In 2012, the USB-IF released the [[USB Power Delivery Specification]] (USB PD) as an optional part of the USB&nbsp;2.0 and 3.x specifications. It defines features similar to those addressed by PoweredUSB, but without requiring the use of proprietary connectors.{{Original research inline|date=December 2022}} Instead, the connectors defined in the USB&nbsp;2.0 and 3.0 standards are continued to be used; higher currents require PD-aware USB-cables, though. USB hosts compliant with this USB specification can be requested by USB devices to provide alternative voltages (9, 15 and 20&nbsp;V) and higher currents{{snd}} up to 3&nbsp;A at 5&nbsp;V (for a power consumption of up to 15&nbsp;W) and optionally up to 5&nbsp;A at either 12&nbsp;V (60&nbsp;W) or 20&nbsp;V (100&nbsp;W).<ref>{{cite web|last=Burgess|first=Rick|url=https://www.techspot.com/news/52321-usb-30-superspeed-update-to-eliminate-need-for-chargers.html|title=USB 3.0 SuperSpeed update to eliminate need for chargers|work=TechSpot|date=22 April 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[IBM Retail Store Solutions]], the business unit for POS software and hardware within IBM

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.poweredusb.org/}}
* [http://www.poweredusb.org/pdf/PoweredUSB_v08g.pdf PoweredUSB Electro-Mechanical Specification Version 0.8g]

{{USB}}
{{DC power delivery standards}}

[[Category:Power supplies]]
[[Category:USB]]
[[Category:IBM computer hardware]]