usbpower

This is a try to develop a Win upper filter driver to patch USB support adding Port-Power control feature to powered USB HUBs which support it (very few). The target is to allow uhubctl https://github.com/mvp/uhubctl to work on Windows.

This is my first driver so it will take me some time. Here below and in HOWTO directory it is what I am researching.

Background

Power per port means real switch off +5V in the USB ports.

It is included in USB 2.0 specification as a must for powered hubs (hubs with power supply), not included in laters specifications, and included again in USB 3.2 specification for all USB-C connectors.

Unfortunately there is no support to use Power per port in Windows due to a design decission.

HOWTO

KEYS:

• = TODO (in progress, feel free to help creating an issue!
• = Done

KNOWLEDGE:

• howto-put-control-transfer-in-IOCTL
• howto-find-handle-for-an-IOCTL

FACTS

• In USB messages are send via MessagePipes to Endpoints
• Default Control Pipe to Endpoint Zero is owned and managed by USBD (USB Driver)
• We need USB Control Transfer to check and use power per port
• User space application calls IOCTLs to comunicate with Device Driver (or Device Driver Filter).
• There are no IOCTLs to send USB Control Transfer from user space (application)
• The most similar are IRP_MJ_DEVICE_CONTROL:
  • IOCTL_WRITE_REGISTERS, IOCTL_READ_REGISTERS, IOCTL_SEND_USB_REQUEST: all of them for imaging devices
  • IOCTL_USB_USER_REQUEST - USBUSER_PASS_THRU: in disuse and it looks like only allowed to admin users
• There is a IOCTL to send USB packets but it can be used only from kernel mode (driver) it is IOCTL_INTERNAL_USB_SUBMIT_URB

INFO drivers

• Getting Started Writing Windows Drivers: https://www.osr.com/getting-started-writing-windows-drivers/
• Writing WDF Drivers I: Core Concepts Lab Material: https://github.com/OSRDrivers/WDF-I
• Best Practices for Windows Driver Developers, in: http://insider.osr.com/2017/ntinsider_2017_01.pdf

INFO WDF from OSR

• Bye-Bye Co-Installers
• KMDF and UMDF Hints
• WDF File Object Callbacks and Properties Demystified
• The Basics About WDF Queues
• Driver Signing and Windows 10

INFO WDM (Windows Driver Model?):

I/O Control Operations: https://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/oney_wdm/ch09d.htm

Working with the Bus Driver: https://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/oney_wdm/ch11c.htm Control Transfers: https://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/oney_wdm/ch11b.htm

INFO USB:

What is libusb?: https://unboxnbeyond.wordpress.com/2014/03/15/what-is-libusb/

USB made simple: http://www.usbmadesimple.co.uk/

USB specifications docs: http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/

MS WDK FORUM: https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsdesktop/en-US/home?forum=wdk

WINDOWS API:

DeviceIoControl function: https://msdn.microsoft.com/es-es/library/windows/desktop/aa363216(v=vs.85).aspx

Calling DeviceIoControl: https://msdn.microsoft.com/es-es/library/windows/desktop/aa363147(v=vs.85).aspx

Defining I/O Control Codes: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/kernel/defining-i-o-control-codes

USB IOCTLs: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff537421(v=vs.85).aspx

Windows IOCTL Reference: http://www.ioctls.net/

IRP_MJ_DEVICE_CONTROL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/kernel/irp-mj-device-control

IOCTL_INTERNAL_USB_SUBMIT_URB (real USB Request Block (packet sent) but only form kernel mode (driver) no from user space: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/content/usbioctl/ni-usbioctl-ioctl_internal_usb_submit_urb

IOCTL_USB_USER_REQUEST control code: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff537344(v=vs.85).aspx

IOCTL_SEND_USB_REQUEST IOCTL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/content/usbscan/ni-usbscan-ioctl_send_usb_request

IOCTL_WRITE_REGISTERS IOCTL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/content/usbscan/ni-usbscan-ioctl_write_registers

IOCTL_READ_REGISTERS IOCTL: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/content/usbscan/ni-usbscan-ioctl_read_registers

usbscan.h header: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/ddi/content/usbscan/

EXAMPLES:

UsbDk direct and exclusive access to USB devices by detaching those from Windows:

• https://github.com/daynix/UsbDk

libusbK is a complete driver/library solution for vendor class usb device interfaces:

• https://sourceforge.net/projects/libusbk/

Simple URB (USB Request Block) Monitor:

• https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/335364/Simple-URB-USB-Request-Block-Monitor