idProduct

The idProduct is a field found within the USB (Universal Serial Bus) device descriptor. It serves as a unique identifier for a specific product manufactured by a particular vendor. When a USB device is connected to a host computer, the host reads the device descriptor to understand its capabilities and identity. The idProduct, along with the idVendor (which identifies the manufacturer), allows the host system to determine the exact model of the USB device.

This identification is crucial for several reasons. Operating systems use the idProduct and idVendor pair to match the device with the appropriate driver software. Without these identifiers, the system would not know how to communicate with the device or what functions it supports. Furthermore, applications can also utilize these IDs to recognize specific hardware and tailor their behavior accordingly. For example, a software application designed to control a particular model of webcam would look for its specific idProduct and idVendor to ensure it's interacting with the correct device.

The idProduct is typically a 16-bit hexadecimal number assigned by the product's manufacturer. While the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) manages the assignment of vendor IDs, manufacturers are responsible for assigning unique product IDs for each of their USB products. This decentralized approach allows for a vast number of unique products to be identified within the USB ecosystem. In summary, the idProduct is a fundamental component of USB device identification, enabling proper driver loading, device recognition, and application compatibility.