RS-232 Bus-Pin ESD Protection Exceeds
±15 kV Using Human-Body Model (HBM)
Meets or Exceeds the Requirements of
TIA/EIA-232-F and ITU v.28 Standards
Operates With 3-V to 5.5-V VCC Supply
Operates Up To 250 kbit/s
Five Drivers and Three Receivers
Low Standby Current . . . 1 μA Typical
External Capacitors . . . 4 × 0.1 μF
Accepts 5-V Logic Input With 3.3-V Supply
Always-Active Noninverting Receiver
Output (ROUT1B)
Alternative High-Speed Pin-Compatible
Device (1 Mbit/s)
− SNx5C3238
Applications
− Battery-Powered Systems, PDAs,
Notebooks, Subnotebooks, Laptops,
Palmtop PCs, Hand-Held Equipment,
Modems, and Printers

description/ordering information
The MAX3238 consists of five line drivers, three line receivers, and a dual charge-pump circuit with ±15-kV ESD
(HBM) protection pin to pin (serial-port connection pins, including GND). The device meets the requirements
of TIA/EIA-232-F and provides the electrical interface between notebook and subnotebook computer
applications. The charge pump and four small external capacitors allow operation from a single 3-V to 5.5-V
supply. In addition, the device includes an always-active noninverting output (ROUT1B), which allows
applications using the ring indicator to transmit data while the device is powered down. These devices operate
at data signaling rates up to 250 kbit/s and a maximum of 30-V/μs driver output slew rate.