How To Use Winusb To Communicate With A Usb Device: March 9, 2010
How To Use Winusb To Communicate With A Usb Device: March 9, 2010
Abstract
Independent hardware vendors (IHVs) who manufacture USB devices must often
provide a way for applications to access the device’s features. Historically, this has
meant using the Windows® Driver Model (WDM) to implement a function driver for
the device and installing the driver in the device stack above system-supplied
protocol drivers. The Windows Driver Foundation (WDF) is now the preferred model
for USB drivers. It provides IHVs with three options for providing access to a USB
device:
Implementing a user-mode driver by using the WDF user-mode driver
framework (UMDF).
Implementing a kernel-mode driver by using the WDF kernel-mode driver
framework (KMDF).
Installing WinUsb.sys as the device’s function driver and providing an
application that accesses the device by using the WinUSB API.
This white paper provides guidelines for when to use each option and includes a
detailed walkthrough of how to install WinUsb.sys as a device’s function driver and
use the WinUSB API to communicate with the device.
This information applies for the following operating systems:
Windows 7
Windows Server® 2008
Windows Vista®
Windows XP
References and resources discussed here are listed at the end of this paper.
For the latest information, see:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/connect/usb/winusb_howto.mspx
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 2
Disclaimer: This is a preliminary document and may be changed substantially prior to final commercial
release of the software described herein.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the
issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market
conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot
guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.
This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS,
IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.
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Revision History
Date Change
March 9, 2010 Updated the INF sample in the section “How to Install WinUsb.sys as a
Function Driver.”
March 30, 2009 Added additional information for communicating with endpoints.
December 6, 2007 Added a section on DFU to the WinUSB FAQ.
Removed the note from Table 1 indicating that WinUSB does not
support WinUSB selective suspend on Windows XP.
August 30, 2007 Created
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 3
Contents
Introduction...................................................................................................................4
Summary of WinUSB, UMDF, and KMDF Capabilities....................................................5
Guidelines for Providing Access to USB Devices............................................................6
Introduction to WinUSB.................................................................................................6
WinUSB FAQ..................................................................................................................7
How to Install WinUsb.sys as a Function Driver.............................................................8
How to Use the WinUSB API........................................................................................12
Obtain a Handle to the Device and Initialize WinUSB..............................................12
Obtain the Device Path.......................................................................................13
Obtain a File Handle for the Device.....................................................................15
Initialize WinUSB.................................................................................................15
Configure the Device...............................................................................................15
Communicate with Endpoints.................................................................................17
Control Requests.................................................................................................17
WinUSB I/O Requests..........................................................................................19
WinUSB Write Requests......................................................................................19
Default WinUSB Write Behavior..........................................................................20
WinUSB Read Requests.......................................................................................20
Default WinUSB Read Behavior...........................................................................20
Pipe Policies........................................................................................................21
WinUSB Power Management..............................................................................23
Selective Suspend...............................................................................................23
Detecting Idle......................................................................................................23
Future Feature Considerations....................................................................................23
Summary.....................................................................................................................24
Resources....................................................................................................................24
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 4
Introduction
Independent hardware vendors (IHVs) who manufacture USB devices must typically
provide a way for applications to access the device’s features. Historically, this has
meant using the Windows® Driver Model (WDM) to implement a function driver for
the device and installing the driver in the device stack above system-supplied
protocol drivers such as Usbhub.sys or Usbccgp.sys. The function driver exposes a
device interface that applications use to obtain the device’s file handle. They can then
use the handle to communicate with the driver by calling Windows API functions such
as ReadFile and DeviceIoControl.
Drivers are the most flexible way to provide access to a USB device and allow the
device to be accessed by any application, including multiple concurrent applications.
However, drivers require a significant development effort, and some devices are
simple enough that they do not require the full support of a custom function driver.
For example, devices such as machine controllers or data loggers are typically
accessed only by a single application that was written specifically for the associated
device. In these cases, WinUSB provides a simpler alternative to implementing a
custom USB driver.
WinUSB was developed concurrently with the Windows Driver Foundation (WDF) and
is available for Windows XP and later versions of Windows. It includes a kernel-mode
driver, WinUsb.sys, which is an integral part of WDF user-mode driver framework
(UMDF) support for USB drivers. However, for USB devices that are accessed by only
a single application, vendors can often install WinUsb.sys as their device’s function
driver instead of implementing a custom driver. The application can then configure
the device and access its endpoints by using the WinUSB API.
For those USB devices that require the features of a custom function driver, the
preferred approach is WDF. The WDF programming model and device driver interface
(DDI) makes WDF USB drivers much easier to implement than equivalent WDM
drivers. You can implement WDF USB drivers in either of the following ways:
Use the user-mode driver framework (UMDF) to implement user-mode USB
drivers for most USB devices for Windows XP and later.
Use the kernel-mode driver framework (KMDF) to implement kernel-mode
USB drivers for any USB device for Windows 2000 and later.
This white paper describes how to choose the best way to provide applications with
access to a USB device and answers some common questions about WinUSB. The
bulk of the paper is a detailed walkthrough—including code samples—of how to
install WinUsb.sys as a USB device’s function driver and how to use the WinUSB API
to communicate with the device from an application.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 5
The examples in this paper are based on the OSR USB FX2 Learning Kit device, but you
can easily extend the procedures to other USB devices. Figure 1 is a simplified
diagram of the FX2 device and shows its key features.
USB
Chip
LED Panel
USB
Light Bar Socket
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 6
Introduction to WinUSB
WinUSB consists of two primary components:
WinUsb.sys is a kernel-mode driver that can be installed as either a filter or
function driver, above the protocol drivers in a USB device’s kernel-mode device
stack.
WinUsb.dll is a user-mode DLL that exposes the WinUSB API. Applications can
use this API to communicate with WinUsb.sys when it is installed as a device’s
function driver.
For devices that do not require a custom function driver, WinUsb.sys can be installed
in the device’s kernel-mode stack as the function driver. User-mode processes can
then communicate with WinUsb.sys through a set of device I/O control requests.
The WinUSB API—exposed by WinUSB.dll—simplifies this communication process.
Instead of constructing device I/O control requests to perform standard USB
operations—such as configuring the device, sending control requests, and
transferring data to or from the device—applications call equivalent WinUSB API
functions. Internally, WinUsb.dll uses the data that the application passes to the
WinUSB function to construct the appropriate device I/O control request and sends
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 7
the request to WinUsb.sys for processing. When the request is complete, the WinUSB
function passes any information returned by WinUsb.sys—such as data from a read
request—back to the calling process.
Using the WinUSB API to communicate with a device is much simpler than
implementing a driver but has the following corresponding limitations:
The WinUSB API lets only one application at a time communicate with the
device. If more than one application must be able to communicate concurrently
with a device, you must implement a function driver.
The WinUSB API does not support streaming data to or from isochronous
endpoints. Isochronous transfers require a kernel-mode function driver.
The WinUSB API does not support devices that already have kernel-mode
support. Examples of such devices include modems and network adaptors, which
are supported by the telephony API (TAPI) and NDIS, respectively.
For multifunction devices, you can use the device’s INF to specify either an in-
box kernel-mode driver or WinUsb.sys for each USB function separately.
However, you can specify only one of these options for a particular function, not
both.
WinUsb.sys is also a key part of the link between a UMDF function driver and the
associated device. WinUsb.sys is installed in the device’s kernel-mode stack as an
upper filter driver. An application communicates with the device’s UMDF function
driver to issue read, write, or device I/O control requests. The driver interacts with
the framework, which passes the request to WinUsb.sys, which processes the request
and passes it to the protocol drivers and ultimately to the device. Any response
returns by the reverse path. WinUsb.sys also serves as the device stack’s Plug and
Play and power owner (PPO).
WinUSB FAQ
This FAQ answers several common questions about WinUSB.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 8
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 9
[ClassInstall32]
Addreg=MyDeviceClassReg
[MyDeviceClassReg]
HKR,,,0,%ClassName%
HKR,,Icon,,-1
[Manufacturer]
%ProviderName% = MyDevice_WinUSB,NTx86,NTamd64,NTia64
[MyDevice_WinUSB.NTx86]
%USB\MyDevice.DeviceDesc% =USB_Install, USB\VID_0547&PID_1002
[MyDevice_WinUSB.NTamd64]
%USB\MyDevice.DeviceDesc% =USB_Install, USB\VID_0547&PID_1002
[MyDevice_WinUSB.NTia64]
%USB\MyDevice.DeviceDesc% =USB_Install, USB\VID_0547&PID_1002
; =================== Installation ===================
;[1]
[USB_Install]
Include=winusb.inf
Needs=WINUSB.NT
;[2]
[USB_Install.Services]
Include=winusb.inf
AddService=WinUSB,0x00000002,WinUSB_ServiceInstall
;[3]
[WinUSB_ServiceInstall]
DisplayName = %WinUSB_SvcDesc%
ServiceType = 1
StartType = 3
ErrorControl = 1
ServiceBinary = %12%\WinUSB.sys
;[4]
[USB_Install.Wdf]
KmdfService=WINUSB, WinUsb_Install
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 10
[WinUSB_Install]
KmdfLibraryVersion=1.5
;[5]
[USB_Install.HW]
AddReg=Dev_AddReg
[Dev_AddReg]
HKR,,DeviceInterfaceGUIDs,0x10000,"{b35924d6-3e16-4a9e-9782-
5524a4b79bac}"
;[6]
[USB_Install.CoInstallers]
AddReg=CoInstallers_AddReg
CopyFiles=CoInstallers_CopyFiles
[CoInstallers_AddReg]
HKR,,CoInstallers32,0x00010000,"WdfCoInstaller01005.dll,WdfCoInstaller
","WinUSBCoInstaller.dll"
[CoInstallers_CopyFiles]
WinUSBCoInstaller.dll
WdfCoInstaller01005.dll
[DestinationDirs]
CoInstallers_CopyFiles=11
[SourceDisksNames]
1 = %DISK_NAME%,,,\i386
2 = %DISK_NAME%,,,\amd64
3 = %DISK_NAME%,,,\ia64
[SourceDisksFiles.x86]
WinUSBCoInstaller.dll=1
WdfCoInstaller01005.dll=1
[SourceDisksFiles.amd64]
WinUSBCoInstaller.dll=2
WdfCoInstaller01005.dll=2
[SourceDisksFiles.ia64]
WinUSBCoInstaller.dll=3
WdfCoInstaller01005.dll=3
; =================== Strings ===================
[Strings]
ProviderName="MyWinUsbTest"
USB\MyDevice.DeviceDesc="Test using WinUSB only"
WinUSB_SvcDesc="WinUSB Test"
DISK_NAME="My Install Disk"
ClassName="MyDeviceClass"
This INF can be used for most USB devices, with some straightforward modifications.
Generally, you should change “USB_Install” in section names to an appropriate
DDInstall value. You should also make straightforward changes to the version,
manufacturer, and model sections, such as providing an appropriate manufacture’s
name, the name of your signed catalog file, the correct device class, and the vendor
identifier (VID) and product identifier (PID) for the device.
The device-specific values that should be changed are shown in the example in bold.
Values that might need to be changed, such as those that depend on version number,
are in italic.
Note: For more information on USB device classes, see “Supported USB Classes” in
the WDK.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 11
Apart from device-specific values and several issues that are noted in the following
list, you can use these sections and directives without modification to install WinUSB
for any USB device. The following notes correspond to the numbered comments in
the INF.
1. The Include and Needs directives in the USB_Install section are required for
installing WinUSB on Windows Vista systems. Windows XP systems ignore these
directives. These directives should not be modified.
2. The Include directive in the USB_Install.Services section includes the system-
supplied INF for WinUSB. This INF is installed by the WinUSB co-installer if it is not
already on the target system. The AddService directive specifies WinUsb.sys as
the device’s function driver. These directives should not be modified.
3. The WinUSB_ServiceInstall section contains the data for installing WinUsb.sys as
a service. This section should not be modified.
4. The KmdfService directive in the USB_Install.Wdf section installs WinUsb.sys as a
kernel-mode service. The referenced WinUSB_Install section specifies the KMDF
library version. This example is based on the Windows Vista version of the WDK
(build 6000), which includes KMDF version 1.5. Later versions of WinUSB might
require a later KMDF version.
5. USB_Install.HW is the key section in the INF. It specifies the device interface
globally unique identifier (GUID) for your device. The AddReg directive puts the
interface GUID in a standard registry value. When WinUsb.sys is loaded as the
device’s function driver, it reads the registry value and uses the specified GUID to
represent the device interface. You should replace the GUID in this example with
one that you create specifically for your device. If the protocols for the device
change, you should create a new device interface GUID.
6. The USB_Install.CoInstallers section, including the referenced AddReg and
CopyFiles sections, contains data and instructions to install the WinUSB and
KMDF co-installers and associate them with the device. Most USB devices can use
these sections and directives without modification.
7. The x86 and x64 versions of Windows have separate co-installers. This example
stores them on the installation disk in folders that are named i386 and amd64,
respectively. Figure 2 (on the following page) shows an example of what an IHV’s
driver package might contain.
Note: Each co-installer has free and checked versions. Use the free version to
install WinUSB on free builds of Windows, including all retail versions. Use the
checked version—which has the “_chk” suffix—to install WinUSB on checked
builds of Windows.
The INF typically also contains directives to install the associated application.
You install WinUsb.sys exactly like any other driver. The simplest approach is to plug
in the device and use the Add New Hardware Wizard or Device Manager to install the
driver by using the INF that is discussed in this section. For more details on INFs and
how to install device drivers, see ”Device and Driver Installation” in the WDK.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 12
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 13
// [1]
deviceInfo = SetupDiGetClassDevs(InterfaceGuid,
NULL, NULL,
DIGCF_PRESENT | DIGCF_DEVICEINTERFACE);
...//Error handling code omitted.
// [2]
interfaceData.cbSize = sizeof(SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DATA);
bResult = SetupDiEnumDeviceInterfaces(deviceInfo,
NULL,
InterfaceGuid,
0,
&interfaceData);
...//Error handling code omitted.
// [3]
SetupDiGetDeviceInterfaceDetail(deviceInfo,
&interfaceData,
NULL, 0,
&requiredLength,
NULL);
detailData = (PSP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA)
LocalAlloc(LMEM_FIXED, requiredLength);
if(NULL == detailData)
{
SetupDiDestroyDeviceInfoList(deviceInfo);
return FALSE;
}
detailData->cbSize = sizeof(SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA);
length = requiredLength;
bResult = SetupDiGetDeviceInterfaceDetail(deviceInfo,
&interfaceData,
detailData,
length,
&requiredLength,
NULL);
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 14
if(FALSE == bResult)
{
LocalFree(detailData);
return FALSE;
}
// [4]
hr = StringCchCopy(DevicePath,
BufLen,
detailData->DevicePath);
if(FAILED(hr))
{
SetupDiDestroyDeviceInfoList(deviceInfo);
LocalFree(detailData);
}
LocalFree(detailData);
return bResult;
}
The basic procedure is as follows:
1. Get a handle to the device information set by passing the device interface GUID
that you defined in the INF to SetupDiGetClassDevs. The function returns an
HDEVINFO handle.
2. Call SetupDiEnumDeviceInterfaces to enumerate the system’s device interfaces
and obtain information on your device interface. To do so:
Initialize a SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DATA structure by setting its cbSize
member to the size of the structure.
Pass the HDEVINFO handle from step 1, the device interface GUID, and a
reference to the initialized SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DATA structure to
SetupDiEnumDeviceInterfaces.
When the function returns, the SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DATA structure
contains basic data for the interface.
3. Call SetupDiGetDeviceInterfaceDetail to get detailed data for the device
interface. The information is returned in a SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA
structure.
Because the size of the SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA structure
varies, you must first obtain the correct buffer size by calling
SetupDiGetDeviceInterfaceDetail with the DeviceInterfaceDetailData
parameter set to NULL.
The function returns the correct buffer size in the requiredlength parameter.
Use that value to correctly allocate memory for a
SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA structure.
Call SetupDiGetDeviceInterfaceDetail again and pass it a reference to the
initialized structure. When the function returns, the structure contains
detailed information about the interface.
4. The device path is in the SP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA structure’s
DevicePath member.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 15
hDev = CreateFile(devicePath,
GENERIC_WRITE | GENERIC_READ,
FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_READ,
NULL,
OPEN_EXISTING,
FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED,
NULL);
Initialize WinUSB
The handle that was obtained in the preceding section is the file handle for the
device. However, the WinUSB API uses a WinUSB handle to identify the target device
instead of the file handle. To obtain a WinUSB handle, initialize WinUSB by passing
the file handle to WinUsb_Initialize. This function returns the WinUSB handle for the
device.
The following example initializes WinUSB with the file handle that the OpenDevice
utility function obtained, as discussed in the preceding section. It then stores the
corresponding WinUSB handle for later use in a privately defined global structure:
deviceHandle = OpenDevice(TRUE);
bResult = WinUsb_Initialize(deviceHandle, &usbHandle);
if(bResult)
{
devInfo.winUSBHandle = usbHandle;
}
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 16
deviceHandle = OpenDevice(TRUE);
bResult = WinUsb_Initialize(deviceHandle, &usbHandle);
//[1]
if(bResult)
{
devInfo.winUSBHandle = usbHandle;
length = sizeof(UCHAR);
bResult = WinUsb_QueryDeviceInformation(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
DEVICE_SPEED,
&length,
&speed);
}
//[2]
if(bResult)
{
devInfo.deviceSpeed = speed;
bResult = WinUsb_QueryInterfaceSettings(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
0,
&ifaceDescriptor);
}
if(bResult)
{
for(int i=0;i<ifaceDescriptor.bNumEndpoints;i++)
{
//[3]
bResult = WinUsb_QueryPipe(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
0,
(UCHAR) i,
&pipeInfo);
//[4]
if(pipeInfo.PipeType == UsbdPipeTypeBulk &&
USB_ENDPOINT_DIRECTION_IN(pipeInfo.PipeId))
{
devInfo.bulkInPipe = pipeInfo.PipeId;
}
else if(pipeInfo.PipeType == UsbdPipeTypeBulk &&
USB_ENDPOINT_DIRECTION_OUT(pipeInfo.PipeId))
{
devInfo.bulkOutPipe = pipeInfo.PipeId;
}
else if(pipeInfo.PipeType == UsbdPipeTypeInterrupt)
{
devInfo.interruptPipe = pipeInfo.PipeId;
}
else
{
bResult = FALSE;
break;
}
}
}
return bResult;
}
March 9, 2010
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How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 17
Control Requests
All USB devices have a control endpoint in addition to the endpoints that are
associated with interfaces. The primary purpose of the control endpoint is to provide
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 18
a default endpoint that applications can use to configure the device. However,
devices can also use the control endpoint for device-specific purposes. The Fx2 device
uses the control endpoint to control the light bar and seven-segment digital display.
Control commands consist of an 8-byte setup packet—which includes a request code
that specifies the particular request—and an optional data buffer. The request codes
and buffer formats are vendor defined. To issue a control request:
1. Allocate a buffer, if necessary.
2. Construct a setup packet.
3. Call WinUsb_ControlTransfer to send the request and buffer to the control
endpoint.
The applications SetBar function, which is shown in the following example, sends a
control request to the Fx2 device to control the lights on the light bar:
BOOL SetBar(HWND hWnd)
{
BOOL bResult;
ULONG bytesReturned;
WINUSB_SETUP_PACKET setupPacket;
UCHAR lightedBars = 0;
//[1]
numBars = 8;
for(int i = 0;i<numBars; i++)
{
if((int) SendMessage(hwndSetBarCheckBox[i], BM_GETCHECK, 0,0))
{
lightedBars += 1 << (UCHAR) i;
}
}
//[2]
setupPacket.RequestType = 0; //Host to Device
setupPacket.Request = SET_BARGRAPH_DISPLAY;
setupPacket.Index = 0;
setupPacket.Length = sizeof(UCHAR);
setupPacket.Value = 0;
//[3]
bResult = WinUsb_ControlTransfer(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
setupPacket,
&lightedBars,
sizeof(UCHAR),
&bytesReturned,
NULL);
return bResult;
}
The code to set the light bar is 0xD8, which is defined for convenience as
SET_BARGRAPH_DISPLAY. The procedure for issuing the request is as follows:
1. Load the data into the buffer. The device requires a 1-byte data buffer that
specifies which elements should be lit by setting the appropriate bits. The user
interface (UI) for the application includes a set of eight CheckBox controls that
are used to specify which elements of the light bar should be lit. The example
queries the user interface to determine which lights should be lit and sets the
appropriate bits in the buffer.
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 19
//[1]
SendMessage(hwndWriteEdit, EM_GETLINE, 0, (LPARAM) szBuffer);
//[2]
bResult = WinUsb_WritePipe(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
devInfo.bulkOutPipe,
szBuffer,
24,
&bytesWritten,
NULL);
return bResult;
}
To send a write request:
1. Create a buffer and fill it with the data that you want to write to the device. The
sample obtains a 12-character Unicode string from an Edit control on the
application’s UI.
The application is responsible for managing the size of the buffer appropriately.
As long as an application is not using RAW_IO, there is no limitation on buffer
March 9, 2010
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How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 20
size. WinUSB divides the buffer into appropriately sized chunks, if necessary. For
RAW_IO, the size of the buffer is limited by the controller. For read requests, the
buffer must be a multiple of the maximum packet size.
2. Write the buffer to the device by calling WinUsb_WritePipe. Pass the interface
handle, the PipeId value for the bulk-out pipe, and the buffer. In this case, the
interface handle is the WinUSB handle. The function returns the number of bytes
that are actually written to the device in the bytesWritten parameter.
The final parameter of WinUsb_WritePipe, Overlapped, is set to NULL to request
a synchronous operation. To perform an asynchronous write, Overlapped should
be a pointer to an OVERLAPPED structure.
bResult = WinUsb_ReadPipe(devInfo.winUSBHandle,
devInfo.bulkInPipe,
szBuffer,
24,
&bytesRead,
NULL);
return bResult;
}
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 21
Pipe Policies
WinUSB allows modifications to its default behavior through policies that can be
applied to a pipe (endpoint). Using policies can help IHVs tune WinUSB to best match
their device to its capabilities. Table 4 provides a list of the pipe policies that WinUSB
supports.
Table 4. WinUSB Pipe Policies
Policy number Policy name Default
0x01 SHORT_PACKET_TERMINATE Off
0x02 AUTO_CLEAR_STALL Off
0x03 PIPE_TRANSFER_TIMEOUT 5 seconds for control, 0 for others
0x04 IGNORE_SHORT_PACKETS Off
0x05 ALLOW_PARTIAL_READS On
0x06 AUTO_FLUSH Off
0x07 RAW_IO Off
0x09 RESET_PIPE_ON_RESUME Off
Table 5 provides information about when you should use each of the pipe policies
and describes the resulting behavior when each policy is enabled.
Table 5. Pipe Policy Behavior
Policy When to use Behavior
SHORT_PACKET_TERMINATE Use if your device requires If enabled, all writes to the
that OUT transfers be endpoint are terminated with a
terminated with a short short packet.
packet (most devices do not
require this).
This policy is valid only for
bulk and interrupt OUT
endpoints (setting this
policy on IN endpoints has
no effect).
AUTO_CLEAR_STALL Use if you want failed If enabled, when an IN transfer
transfers not to leave the fails and returns a status other
endpoint in a stalled state. than STATUS_CANCELLED or
This policy is valid only for STATUS_DEVICE_NOT_CONNECT
bulk and interrupt IN ED, WinUSB resets the endpoint
endpoints. before completing the failed
This policy is generally transfer.
useful only when you pend If disabled, subsequent transfers
multiple reads to the to the endpoint fail until the
endpoint when RAW_IO is endpoint is manually reset by
disabled. calling WinUsb_ResetPipe().
No significant performance
difference exists between
enabling or disabling this policy.
PIPE_TRANSFER_TIMEOUT Use if you have an endpoint If set to 0, transfers will pend
for which you expect indefinitely until they are
transfers to complete manually canceled or they are
within a specific time. completed normally.
If set to a nonzero value, a timer
starts when the request is sent
down to the core USB stack
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How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 22
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How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 23
Selective Suspend
Selective suspend can be disabled by any of several system or WinUSB settings. A
single setting cannot force WinUSB to enable selective suspend. The following Power
Policy settings affect the behavior of selective suspend:
AUTO_SUSPEND
When set to zero, does not selectively suspend the device.
SUSPEND_DELAY
Sets the time between the device becoming idle and WinUSB requesting the
device to selective suspend.
The following registry keys affect the behavior of selective suspend:
DeviceIdleEnabled
When set to zero, does not selectively suspend the device.
DeviceIdleIgnoreWakeEnable
When set to a nonzero value, suspends the device even if it does not support
RemoteWake.
UserSetDeviceIdleEnabled
When set to a nonzero value, enables a check box in the device Properties page
that allows the user to override the idle defaults.
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© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 24
DefaultIdleState
Sets the default value of the AUTO_SUSPEND power policy setting. This registry
key is used to enable or disable selective suspend when a handle is not open to
the device.
DefaultIdleTimeout
Sets the default state of the SUSPEND_DELAY power policy setting.
Detecting Idle
All writes and control transfers force the device into the D0 power state and reset the
idle timer. The IN endpoint queues are not power managed. Reads wake the device
when they are submitted. However, a device can become idle while a read request
pends.
Summary
By using WinUSB, IHVs provide a solid Windows driver solution for their USB
hardware devices. WinUSB supports Windows XP and later versions of Windows and
supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. Existing Windows 32-bit and
64-bit applications can be easily modified to take advantage of the WinUSB API.
WinUSB eliminates all driver-related issues and lets IHVs provide a Windows driver
solution for their USB devices in much less time and with a lot less effort than writing
their own Windows driver.
Resources
Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC):
Kernel-Mode Code Signing Walkthrough
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/drvsign/kmcs_walkthrough.mspx
Windows Driver Foundation (WDF)
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/wdf/default.mspx
Writing USB Drivers with WDF
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/wdf/USB_WDF.mspx
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Use WinUSB to Communicate with a USB Device - 25
MSDN:
CreateFile Function
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98294
Setup API
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98296
Microsoft Press:
Developing Drivers with the Windows Driver Foundation
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/10512.aspx
March 9, 2010
© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.