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 usb-relay-hid
 =============
 
-Software for USB-connected relays with HID interface
+The goal of this project is to provide open-source API for Chinese low-cost USB HID relays
+(search on eBay for "5V USB Relay Programmable Computer Control For Smart Home").
+
+![](http://vusb.wdfiles.com/local--files/project:driver-less-usb-relays-hid-interface/relay2.jpg)
+
+The big advantage of HID-based interface is that no kernel drivers and no simulated COM-ports are needed. It is easy to detect and address the connected devices.
+
+Unfortunatey, the vendors currently offer only API library for Windows, and only in binary form.
+
+The main project web page is on the [V-USB wiki](http://vusb.wikidot.com/project:driver-less-usb-relays-hid-interface "driver-less-usb-relays-hid-interface"). This is because the firmware of the device is based on [V-USB](http://www.obdev.at/products/vusb/index.html). V-USB enables amazingly simple and low-cost USB hardware solutions. This repository, however,  contains only the host side software.
+
+License
+-------
+
+We are not associated with the manufacturer(s) of these devices or author(s) of the original software offered by eBay sellers.
+
+Our intent is to make this software free; free even from restrictions associated with the GPL. Currently we reuse some code from other V-USB projects, which is dual-licensed: GPL + commercial. Until we remove this code, we cannot set any other license. 
+
+We could not find any copyright information in the software package offered by the eBay sellers. No source code was reused from this package, besides of the C API declaration (the .h file).
+
+Current state
+-------------
+
+A simple command-line utility for Linux (x86 or x64) and Windows.
+This is enough for our own usage.
+
+- Windows version builds with VC++ and WDK 7.1
+- Linux version builds with gcc and libusb v. 0.9. Tested on RH and Ubuntu.
+
+
+
+To do:
+-------
+
+ * Reconstruct the API library, which will be binary compatible with the original software package.
+ * Move the Linux variant to modern libusb (1.x)
+ * Make bindings for Python and Java
+ * Maybe, reconstruct the GUI utility