One of my favorite aspects of my job is meeting new and existing customers and learning about their projects and initiatives. I recently had the chance to meet face-to-face with a number of USB-minded developers and engineers at the USB Developer Days in San Diego. 
The event is sponsored by the USB Implementers Forum; the USB-IF facilitates the development of USB compatible devices and provides compliance standards and testing. If you are working in USB and don’t know about USB-IF events – you should definitely check them out.
There was a lot of buzz around the latest USB connector - the USB Type-C - at this recent USB Developer Days event. The Type-C is a reversible-plug connector that connects to both hosts and devices and is anticipated to eventually replace the myriad of connectors and cables on the market. 200 of the best and brightest USB engineers were in attendance and all seemed excited about the new connector. They were thrilled to learn that Total Phase, a trusted name in USB protocol analysis, has joined the USB Type-C family. With our affordable USB Power Delivery Analyzer engineers can monitor power delivery (PD) negotiation, visualize and decode PD packets and Injecting PD packets on CC1 or CC2 lines, among other things.
USB Power Delivery AnalyzerThe conversations around the USB PD analyzer were insightful if not predictive about the direction of the future of USB connectors. There are a growing number of industries that are now interested in this USB Type-C Power Delivery technology – not just USB device companies, but power adapter and DisplayPort companies too. It’s more than the monitoring of PD that is on the mind of developers, but also the monitoring of custom commands over the same CC lines, as well as being able to inject commands on those CC lines.There is speculation that the USB Type-C will replace the more proprietary charging cables and result in a single charging standard. If the excitement around the USB Type-C persists and those people with whom I spoke at USB Dev Days continue to develop as they have planned, I believe the speculation will result in reality. And am thrilled that Total Phase will be part of this new technology and help bring it to the marketplace. It’s a great time to be in USB!
Additional resources that you may find helpful include the following:
If you have questions about our USB Power Delivery Analyzer or other Total Phase products, feel free to email us at sales@totalphase.com, or if you already own one of our devices and have a technical question, please submit a request for technical support.