CopperLan is described in a way that implies ethernet as the primary physical link, but there are claims that USB, FireWire, and MIDI devices can also become CopperLan devices. It was pointed out that a MIDI device cannot directly talk CopperLan, but what about a USB Device? It seems possible that the firmware for a USB Device could be rewritten to speak CopperLan.
On a related note, the USB Specifications cover many common Classes of Devices, such that generic drivers can be installed. Custom Classes are also available, but these can be less useful because they require a new driver for every new manufacturer or new model of device released. Are there any plans to create a CopperLan Class for USB such that manufacturers could implement a common set of protocols over USB for CopperLan?
Note: I design hardware, both digital and analog, and develop firmware and software for clients in the music industry. I have designed several commercial USB products, including a few USB-MIDI Devices, and my experience suggests that there is an opportunity here even if it is a little early to define a 'final' CopperLan Class Specification.
Comment: OSC missed out on a serious opportunity by failing to create a USB-OSC Specification with the universal connectivity of USB-MIDI (but hopefully without the drastic failures of design that are prevalent in the USB-MIDI Specification). Of course, OSC is not focused on USB Devices, per se, and OSC also suffers from significant interoperability issues as astutely pointed out in the General CopperLan Q&A section. All the same, I see that a common USB Class Definition is part of an overall solution that facilitates ease of use for end customers to attach various devices and have them function with minimal configuration.