Mandate: Informational
Effective Date: March, 2015
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: August, 2016
USB Type-C Adapter Cables without raw cable are not required to test Cable Pull Out or Cable Flex tests.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: April, 2018
The USB-IF compliance program only allows stacked connector configurations for speeds of USB 3.2 Gen 1 and below.
The USB-IF does not certify legacy and USB Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 stacked connectors. In addition the USB-IF does not certify USB connectors that include proprietary connectors stacked above or below the USB connectors.
NOTE: The USB-IF does not certify USB Type-C Gen 1 connectors, stacked or unstacked.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: November, 2019
The USB-IF recognizes that automotive specific products are in some cases subject to more strenuous and rigorous testing standards. Until now the USB-IF has not allowed the certification of customized automotive specific connectors as these connectors were not able to complete the USB cable and connector compliance program. USB 2.0 Standard-A automotive specific connectors are now eligible for certification by following the below compliance requirements.
1. Confirm via email to techadmin@usb.org that the connector seeking certification will only be used in an automotive environment and no other environment.
2. Confirm via email to techadmin@usb.org that these connectors are USB 2.0 Standard-A connectors.
3. Confirm via email to techadmin@usb.org that your internal lab has an A2LA or equivalent accreditation.
4. Register the connector on https://cms.usb.org/register-product and say "Yes" to the automotive specific question. Select a test lab to perform USB Critical Dimensions tests. The connector must pass all Critical Dimension requirements.
5. Provide internal test results to the USB-IF authorized test lab you selected. The test results must clearly show that the connector has met the USB 2.0 cable and connector compliance program requirements for the following groups. A side by side comparison is preferred. If test performed by the vendor differ from the CabCon requirements the USB-IF will review each test case and accept or reject the test methodology.
a. Group 1 Durability
b. Group 2 Temperature Life
c. Group 3 Mixed Flowing Gas
d. Group 4 Insulation Resistance, Dielectric Withstanding Voltage, Thermal Shock and Humidity Temperature
e. Group 5 Solderability
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: February, 2021
With the introduction of USB Type-CŪ, the USB-IF will end all USB 3.x Micro-B and Micro-AB connector certifications after February 28th, 2021.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: May, 2021
It has been a long standing policy that chokes are not allowed in any non-USB-C cable assemblies. This update clarifies that chokes are only allowed in USB-C to USB-C cables. USB-C to Legacy cables that include chokes are not compliant.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: June, 2021
Effective Immediately 100 Watt USB Type-C to USB Type-C cables are replaced by 240W USB Type-C to USB Type-C cables as per Table 3-1, Note 1, of the USB Type-C Cable and Connector Specification Release 2.1, May 2021.
The USB-IF will no longer certify any 100W Cables on December 22nd, 2021.
Top Mandate: Informational
Effective Date: June, 2021
The USB-IF is creating a program for approving Vector Network Analyzer equipment (or equivalent) for USB-IF cable and connector signal quality testing.
This program will allow for the creation of an internal list of USB-IF approved Vector Network Analyzer equipment (or equivalent) for the use of USB-IF certification testing of the following USB Cable and Connector Test Groups:
USB Type-C Cables (USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A):
A-8: USB4 Gen3 Receptacle Signal Tests
B-2: USB2.0 and Low Speed Signal Tests of Type-C Cable and Adapter Assemblies
B-3: USB SuperSpeed Signal Tests of Type-C Cable and Adapter Assemblies
B-4: USB Type-C Cables Shielding Effectiveness
B-8: USB4 Gen3 Signal Tests
Standard USB 2.0 Cables (Any USB-A to USB-B):
Group-6: High Frequency Testing
Standard USB 3.2 Cables (Any USB-A to USB-B):
Group-B-4: High Speed Testing
Test equipment vendors seeking USB-IF approval will be sent the following USB cables. These cables must be tested fully against the applicable test groups in both orientations.
USB Type-C to USB Type-C (USB4 Gen3-40 Gbps)
USB Type-C to USB Type-C (USB3.2 Gen2-10 Gbps)
USB Type-C to USB Type-A (USB3.2 Gen2-10 Gbps)
USB Type-A to USB Type-B (USB3.2 Gen 2-10 Gbps)
Please submit the results to techadmin@usb.org. Your results will be compared to official USB-IF results. The USB-IF will then inform you of your correlation status and if additional correlation work is needed before approval.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: December, 2021
USB-IF certification testing of 240W(EPR) USB-CŪ cables is now available at authorized independent test labs. Please visit www.usb.org/labs for a list of approved labs. The introduction of the certification program 240W(EPR) cables also includes a new requirement not seen in previous cable certification programs. 240W cables are now required to use the USB-IF approved logo on the cable in the form of a sticker or on the overmold as per section 3.11.2 of the USB Type-C base specification. More importantly for certification testing, the cable must have the logo present at the time of certification testing. USB-IF authorized test labs are required to inspect the cable and ensure that the logo is present before submitting results to the USB-IF. If the logo is not present at the time of certification the cable will fail compliance testing.
To receive 240W logo, vendors are required to register the cable with the USB-IF first. Once registered, email admin@usb.org with the CMS ID of the cable. The USB-IF will ensure that the registration is correct and that your company has the appropriate, and up-to-date, TLA on file. Once confirmed, admin@usb.org will provide the logo.
In the situation where a cable fails to meet compliance requirements, test labs are required to submit the result to the USB-IF through the CMS system and also email admin@usb.org and techadmin@usb.org informing the USB-IF that the cable failed. An email will then be sent to the vendor company terminating the use of the logo on that specific cable registration. At which point it is the vendors responsibility to remove the logo from the cable.
Please also read compliance update ID 140 regarding the deprecation of 100W cables.
For questions regarding the requirements above please email techadmin@usb.org.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: March, 2022
Effective immediately the certification program for SuperSpeedUSB 10Gbps(USB 3.2 Gen 2) USB Type-C to USB Type-C cables is deprecated.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: March, 2022
USB-CŪ to USB-C Cable Logo Requirements
In order to pass through the USB-IF Compliance Program, all USB-CŪ to USB-C cables categories must be labelled with either a power capability of 60W or 240W by using the appropriate power icon and/or logo. The USB-IF now requires that all cables must be labeled with the 60W or 240W logo prior to compliance testing so that testing can confirm the intended display of such icons/logos. The policy now extends to all USB-C to USB-C cables. These markings must be checked before compliance testing can begin.
In addition to the power markings, in order to pass through the USB-IF Compliance Program, all cables except for High-Speed USB (USB 2.0) USB-C to USB-C cables, are required to be marked with the appropriate data rate they can support. An example, a USB 20Gbps USB-C ? USB-C cable that supports 20V at 3A must be marked with the Combined Performance and Power 20Gbps/60W logo.
A USB High-Speed USB-C to USB-C cable is required to have the power icon but can optionally add the USB 2.0 trident or appropriate High-Speed logo as well.
A USB-IF Trademark License Agreement is required for commercial use of the USB-IF logos. For more information on the USB-IF Logos, Logo Usage Guidelines, Marks Requirement Chart, and USB-IF Trademark License Agreement please visit https://www.usb.org/logo-license. The logo is required to be on the cable and will be verified by the test lab during testing. If the cable should fail then the cable is not authorized to bear the logos and cannot be sold in the marketplace. For questions or to request the logo artwork please email admin@usb.org.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: April, 2022
|
OLD TEXT: |
Descriptions and Procedures |
Requirements |
|
D+/D- Pair Attenuation |
EIA 364 ? 101 This test ensures the D+/D- pair of a cable assembly is able to provide adequate signal strength to the receiver in order to maintain a low error rate. |
= -1.02 dB @ 50 MHz = -1.43 dB @ 100 MHz = -2.40 dB @ 200 MHz = -4.35 dB @ 400 MHz |
|
CURRENT TEXT: |
Descriptions and Procedures |
Requirements |
|
D+/D- Pair Attenuation |
EIA 364 ? 101 This test ensures the D+/D- pair of a cable assembly is able to provide adequate signal strength to the receiver in order to maintain a low error rate. |
= -1.52 dB @ 50 MHz = -2.03 dB @ 100 MHz = -2.91 dB @ 200 MHz = -4.35 dB @ 400 MHz |
All USB Type-C cables seeking certification must now comply with the new requirements defined in the Current Text section in the above Table
Top Mandate: Informational
Effective Date: June, 2022
The USB-IF has recently released guidelines for our new power rating logo requirements for USB Type-C cables seeking USB-IF certification (https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/USB-IF_Cable%20Power%20Rating%20USB4%20Logo%20Announcement_FINAL.pdf). For cables seeking certification, cables may be submitted to the USB-IF Authorized Test Lab with either a temporary icon marking such as a sticker or a preproduction version that is either embossed in the cable overmold or a sticker. Therefore, the process for adding the official USB-IF permanent overmold/sticker marking logos may be done after the cable samples have passed compliance testing. No submission of additional materials to the USB-IF is required for moving from a temporary sticker to a permanent overmold logo or moving from a permeant sticker to an overmold logo at a later date.
Top Mandate: Informational
Effective Date: September, 2024
Currently the USB-IF is only certifying the following active cables:
- Cables that include USB 3.2 Redriver(s) (Column 1)
- Cables that include USB4 Redriver(s) (Column 4). Only Gen 2 and Gen 3
The USB-IF is not certifying Cables that include retimers at this time.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: March, 2021
- Mini-AB Receptacle
The Mini-AB receptacle has been replaced by the Micro-AB receptacle. - Mini-A Plug
The Mini-A plug has been replaced by the Micro-A plug - Mini-A Receptacle
There is no Micro-A equivalent to the Mini-A receptacle. The Micro-A plug is for use by peripherals dedicated to OTG devices.
Integrators are encouraged to transition their products to USB Type-C connector; however, use of the Mini-B connector is still permitted.
Although the Mini-B connector is still permitted to be used for the time being, the certification of the Mini-B connector, both receptacle and plug, is no longer available.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: December, 2007
New test is added to Group 8 of the Cable and Connector Class Document:
Cable assemblies that have a MicroUSB or MiniUSB plugs must have the ID pin's resistance to ground verified.
- The MicroUSB A-Plug must have its ID pin 4 grounded with <10 Ohms (Ra_PLUG_ID).
- The MicroUSB B-Plug or a MiniUSB B-plug must have a resistance to ground greater than 1MOhms (Rb_PLUG_ID) on the ID pin. Please note that Rb_PLUG_ID has been changed to 1 MOhms per an Engineering Change Notice (ECN).
In order to receive certification, cable assemblies that implement the MicroUSB or MiniUSB plugs must pass this test. Please see Section 4.2 of the Micro-USB Specification for details.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: December, 2007
USB connectors must contain the exact number of contacts as specified in the USB 2.0 Specification. More or fewer contacts are not permitted. No two contacts may be interconnected (joined, shorted or tied) together with the exception of pins 4 and 5 of the Micro A-plug.
Verification of these compliance rules is to be done in Test Group 7 for connectors. Cable assemblies are to have these rules verified in Test Group 8.
Standard A-series and B-series Connectors:
· Pin Count: 4
· No interconnected pins.
Mini A-series Connectors:
· PROHIBITED
Mini AB-receptacle Connectors:
· PROHIBITED
Mini B-series Connectors:
· Pin Count: 5
· No Interconnected pins.
Micro B-series Connectors:
· Pin Count: 5
· No Interconnected pins.
Micro AB-receptacle Connectors:
· Pin Count: 5
· No Interconnected pins.
Micro A-plug Connector:
· Pin Count: 5
· Pin 4 and Pin 5 may be interconnected with a resistance less than 10 Ohms. No other pins may be interconnected.
Interconnected pins may be verified by using an Ohm meter. The sequence for verifying the pins follows:
|
Pins |
Passing Result |
|
1 - 2 |
Open |
|
1 - 3 |
Open |
|
1 - 4 |
Open |
|
1 - 5 |
Open |
|
1 - Shell |
Open |
|
2 - 3 |
Open |
|
2 - 4 |
Open |
|
2 - 5 |
Open |
|
2 - Shell |
Open |
|
3 - 4 |
Open |
|
3 - 5 |
Open |
|
3 - Shell |
Open |
|
4 - 5 |
Micro A-plug < = 10 Ohms Micro B-plug >= 1 MOhms Mini B-plug >= 1 MOhms Mini and Micro receptacles = Open |
|
4 - Shell |
Open |
|
5 - Shell |
Open |
Top Mandate: Optional
Effective Date: December, 2008
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: December, 2009
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: October, 2010
SuperSpeed USB cable assemblies must use USB 3.0 connectors only .
- USB 3.0 cable assemblies that implement a USB 3.0 micro series plug: 1 meters maximum length.
- USB 3.0 cable assemblies that do not implement a USB 3.0 micro series plug: 3 meters maximum length.
Top Mandate: Required
Effective Date: May, 2013
Effective immediately, a SuperSpeed USB cable assembly that has at least one micro-USB plug is limited to 1 meter in length and must have a maximum differential insertion loss of 3.5dB.
Reference: "ECN 019 USB.0 MicroB Cable Loss Specification" which is included with the download of the USB 3.0 Specification.
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Engineering and Technical Services Group