diff --git a/include/f32xbase/usb.h b/include/f32xbase/usb.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1864eb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/f32xbase/usb.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+ * include/f32xbase/usb.h - Common USB code for F32Xbase tools
+ *
+ * Written 2008-2010 by Werner Almesberger
+ * Copyright 2008-2010 Werner Almesberger
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ */
+
+
+#ifndef F32XBASE_USB_H
+#define F32XBASE_USB_H
+
+#include <usb.h>
+
+
+usb_dev_handle *open_usb(uint16_t default_vendor, uint16_t default_product);
+void parse_usb_id(const char *id);
+
+#endif /* !F32XBASE_USB_H */
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.common b/lib/Makefile.common
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f75e939
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/Makefile.common
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#
+# Makefile.common - Common rules and definitions for all the tools
+#
+# Written 2008 by Werner Almesberger
+# Copyright 2008 Werner Almesberger
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+
+
+INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local
+
+CFLAGS=-Wall
+LDFLAGS=-lusb
+
+.PHONY:		all install uninstall clean spotless
+
+all:		$(MAIN)
+
+$(MAIN):	$(MAIN).o $(OBJS)
+		$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(MAIN).o $(OBJS)
+
+install:	$(MAIN)
+		install $(MAIN) $(INSTALL_PREFIX)/bin/
+
+uninstall:
+		rm -f $(INSTALL_PREFIX)/bin/$(MAIN)
+
+clean:
+		rm -f $(MAIN).o $(OBJS)
+
+spotless:	clean
+		rm -f $(MAIN)
+
diff --git a/lib/usb.c b/lib/usb.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07475da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/usb.c
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/*
+ * lib/usb.c - Common USB code for F32Xbase tools
+ *
+ * Written 2008-2010 by Werner Almesberger
+ * Copyright 2008-2010 Werner Almesberger
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ */
+
+
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <usb.h>
+
+
+static uint16_t vendor = 0;
+static uint16_t product = 0;
+
+
+usb_dev_handle *open_usb(uint16_t default_vendor, uint16_t default_product)
+{
+	const struct usb_bus *bus;
+	struct usb_device *dev;
+
+	usb_init();
+	usb_find_busses();
+	usb_find_devices();
+
+	for (bus = usb_get_busses(); bus; bus = bus->next)
+		for (dev = bus->devices; dev; dev = dev->next) {
+			if (dev->descriptor.idVendor !=
+			    vendor ? vendor : default_vendor)
+				continue;
+			if (dev->descriptor.idProduct !=
+			    product ? product : default_product)
+				continue;
+			return usb_open(dev);
+		}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+
+static void bad_id(const char *id)
+{
+	fprintf(stderr, "\"%s\" is not a valid vendor:product ID\n", id);
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+
+void parse_usb_id(const char *id)
+{
+	unsigned long tmp;
+	char *end;
+
+	tmp = strtoul(id, &end, 16);
+	if (*end != ':')
+		bad_id(id);
+	if (tmp > 0xffff)
+		bad_id(id);
+	vendor = tmp;
+	tmp = strtoul(end+1, &end, 16);
+	if (*end)
+		bad_id(id);
+	if (tmp > 0xffff)
+		bad_id(id);
+	product = tmp;
+}