USB Mass Storage

This developer’s guide for designers and programmers of mass-storage devices that use the Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface provides developers with information on how to choose storage media, interface the media to a microcontroller or other CPU, and write device firmware to access the media and perform USB communications. Comparisons of popular storage-media options to help users choose a media type for a project are included, and the types described cover hard drives and flash-memory cards such as the MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, and CompactFlash card. Helpful tips on developing an embedded host that can access USB mass-storage devices are also covered.

Jan Axelson is the author of seven books about computers and electronics technology, including Embedded Ethernet and Internet Complete, Serial Port Complete, and USB Complete. Her articles have appeared in Circuit Cellar, EDN, Embedded Systems Programming, Nuts & Volts, and Popular Electronics. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.