
AN1886 - APPLICATION NOTE
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HID descriptor
Information about a USB device is stored in segments of its ROM (read-only memory).
These segments are called descriptors.
Host
A computer with a USB port, as opposed to a device plugged into it. The host computer
system where the USB Host Controller is installed. This includes the host hardware
platform (CPU, bus, etc.) and the operating system in use.
Host Controller
The host’s USB interface.
Hub
A USB device containing one or more USB ports. A USB device that provides additional
connections to the USB.
Interface descriptor
The class field of this descriptor defines this device as a HID class device.
Interrupt In pipe
The pipe used to transfer unrequested data from the device to the host.
Interrupt Out pipe
The pipe used to transfer low latency data from the host to the device.
Interrupt Request
(IRQ)
A hardware signal that allows a device to request attention from a host. The host
typically invokes an interrupt service routine to handle the condition that caused the
request.
Item
A component of A Report descriptor that represents a piece of information about the
device. The first part of an item, called the item tag, identifies the kind of information an
item provides. Also, referred to generically as Report items. Included are three
categories of items: Main, Global, and Local. Its tag defines each type of item. Also
referred to as Main item tag, Global item tag, and Local item tag.
Item parser
The part of the HID class driver that reads and interprets the items in the Report
descriptor.
Logical units
The value the device returns for Logical Minimum and Logical Maximum.
LSB
Least Significant Byte
Main item
An item that adds fields to a report. For example, Input, Output, and Feature items are
all data.
Message pipe
Another name for the Control pipe.
NAK
The value returned when a request has been sent to the device and the device is not
prepared to respond.
Output item
Adds one or more data fields to an output report. Output controls are a destination for
data from applications - for example, LEDs.
Packets
A USB unit of information: Multiple packets make up a transaction, multiple transactions
make up a transfer report.
Physical Descriptor
Determines which body part is used for a control or collection. Each Physical descriptor
consists of the following three fields: Designator, Qualifier and Effort.
Physical units
The logical value with a unit parameter applied to it.
Pipes
Pipes are different ways of transmitting data between a driver and a device. There are
different types of pipes depending on the type of encoding or requesting that you want
to do. For example, all devices have Control pipe by default. The Control pipe is used
for message-type data. A device may have one or more Interrupt pipes. An Interrupt In
pipe is used for stream-type data from the device and an optional Interrupt Out pipe
may be used for low latency data to the device. Other types of pipes include Bulk and
Isochronous.
Protocol
A report structure other than the structure defined by the report descriptor.
Protocols are used by keyboards and mouse to insure BIOS support.
Report
A data structure returned by the device to the host (or vice versa). Some devices may
have multiple report structures, each representing only a few items. For example, a
keyboard with an integrated pointing device could report key data independently of
pointing data on the same endpoint.