USB : Overview    USB Facts of Life  

A USB Endpoint is a little like an electrical terminal or a wiring junction for USB data in a USB peripheral device.

An Endpoint is a part of the hardware: usually a set of memory registers that can temporarily hold multiple bytes of data on their way in or out. A USB peripheral hardware device, like the PIC 18F4550 microcontroller, contains a limited number of Endpoints. Endpoints usually come in pairs, e.g. Endpoint 1 In and Endpoint 1 Out. The USB hardware does not have to be programmed to use all of its Endpoints.

One set of Endpoints that is special, which must always be turned on and always available, is the pair Endpoint 0 In and Endpoint 0 Out. These are used for the basic Control Transfers that communicate basic commands to all USB devices.

 


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