As is well known, most communications between current consumer devices and computers are based on a standard USB cable connection. The same is true of various kinds of industrial equipment. There’s no denying that transmitting data via a reliable USB cable is one of the most efficient and popular ways peripherals can communicate with home computers or big industrial data servers. But what if it was necessary to connect to a remote device located far beyond the USB cable reach? Or share one piece of equipment among multiple users? Is it ever possible? Let's talk about that.
The idea of sharing a USB port among multiple computers has long been applied by manufacturers of various USB to Ethernet adapters and USB hubs. With the help of such hardware solutions it’s possible to connect at once several devices to a single USB port of your computer.
The main downside of hardware products, however, is that lacking special USB pass-through technology, they are either limited by the length of the cable (USB hub) or become inefficient (USB over Ethernet connector). At the same time, in some cases physical connection to a USB port is just impossible or requires additional hubs that may cost much money.
Striving to make their devices exceptionally useful, manufacturers of USB connectors/hubs look for a simple way to expand the functionality of their solutions. Their ultimate goal is to provide hardware products able to share USB ports over Ethernet or Wi-Fi networks.
Here’s where Electronic Team Port Virtualization (EPV) Technology comes in.
EPV Technology makes it possible to virtualize USB devices and redirect them over TCP or UDP networks so that a remote client computer can easily access them. The connection in this case is done via a virtual USB port created in the client system. This way, EPV Technology lets any network computer access a remote USB device as if it was connected to the machine locally.
With the port virtualization technology integrated into the operating system of a USB to Ethernet adapter, the hardware solution becomes a full-featured tool for sharing USB device over Ethernet.
TITAN Electronics Inc.
FURUNO SYSTEMS CO.,LTD
