CDP, SDP, and DCP
The USBHub3+ can set each of its downstream ports to several power modes to support a range of devices.
The supported modes are part of BC1.2 USB charging specification:
Surprising applications for the USBHub3+
Sometimes we hear from customers who have used our programmable USB hubs for unusual applications. Maybe one of these examples will help solve your problem!
Power measurement with the USBHub3+ with HubTool or Brainstem API
How to monitor voltage and power with the GUI or Python
Among other properties, we can view:
- Per-port Voltage
- Per-port Current
- Input Voltage
- Input Current
Measuring voltage and current with HubTool
If you haven't already, install HubTool, which is part of the Brainstem Dev Kit.
Power on the hub and connect one of the host ports to your computer
Independently control VBus and data connections on each port of the USBHub3+
More control than just on and off
Enable and disable VBus, all Data, High Speed or Super Speed connections
In addition to turning ports on and off, the USBHub3+ can also independently enable and disable Voltage and Data:
- Vbus
- All Data
- High Speed data (480 Mbps)
- Super Speed data (5 Gbps)
We'll be working interactively using the Brainstem API in a Python console so you can see the results line-by-line.
Virtually plug and unplug your USB connections with the USBHub3+ and Python
Did you unplug it and plug it back in?
Turning ports on and off with Python
It shouldn't have to happen, but sometimes you need to plug and unplug a USB device. Maybe the device needs to power cycle, maybe you need to enable devices one-by-one so they enumerate correctly. Rather than having to physically unplug cables, you could use the Brainstem API to have the USBHub3+ disconnect and reconnect a port.
Driving Loads with High Power
One common task in designing and building automation systems is logic circuitry interfacing to high power loads. Read article.
Linearizing Sharp Ranger Data
An example of converting the non-linear voltage output of a Sharp analog infrared range finder into a usable distance measurement using only integer math. Read article.
SHARP INFRARED SENSORS: Avoid obstacles and sense motions
Comparison of effective ranges, sensitivity and angle of view for Sharp infrared (IR) ranger and range finders. Theory of operation of infrared range finders. Read article.
Back-EMF Motion Feedback
An article describing the use of voltage generated by a spinning motor to conclude the speed of the motor's rotation. Read Article.
Description of Pulse Width Modulation
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) refers to the concept of rapidly pulsing a digital signal on a wire. Amongst many other uses, it can be used to simulate a varying static voltage. PWM is commonly used for driving motors, heaters, LEDs or lights in varying intensities or speeds. Read Article