
AutoShutdown
The MAX3228E/MAX3229E achieve a 1μA supply cur-
rent with Maxim’s AutoShutdown feature, which oper-
ates when FORCEON is low and
FORCEOFF
is high.
When these devices sense no valid signal levels on all
receiver inputs for 30μs, the on-board charge pump
and drivers are shut off, reducing V
CC
supply current to
1μA. This occurs if the RS-232 cable is disconnected or
the connected peripheral transmitters are turned off.
The device turns on again when a valid level is applied
to any RS-232 receiver input. As a result, the system
saves power without changes to the existing BIOS or
operating system.
Table 3 and Figure 2c summarize the MAX3228E/
MAX3229E operating modes. FORCEON and
FORCE-
OFF
override AutoShutdown. When neither control is
asserted, the IC selects between these states automati-
cally, based on receiver input levels. Figures 2a, 2b,
and 3a depict valid and invalid RS-232 receiver levels.
Figures 3a and 3b show the input levels and timing dia-
gram for AutoShutdown operation.
A system with AutoShutdown may need time to wake
up. Figure 4 shows a circuit that forces the transmitters
on for 100ms, allowing enough time for the other sys-
tem to realize that the MAX3228E/MAX3229E are
active. If the other system transmits valid RS-232 sig-
nals within that time, the RS-232 ports on both systems
remain enabled.
When shut down, the device’s charge pumps are off,
V+ is pulled to V
CC
, V- is pulled to ground, and the
transmitter outputs are high-impedance. The time
required to exit shutdown is typically 100μs (Figure 3b).
FORCEON and
FORCEOFF
In case FORCEON and
FORCEOFF
are inaccessible,
these pins have 60k
(typ) pullup resistors connected to
V
L
(Table 2). Therefore, if FORCEON and
FORCEOFF
are not connected, the MAX3228E and MAX3229E will
always be active. Pulling these pins to ground will draw
current from the V
L
supply. This current can be calculat-
ed from the voltage supplied at V
L
and the 60k
(typ)
pullup resistor.
V
L
Logic Supply Input
Unlike other RS-232 interface devices, where the
receiver outputs swing between 0 and V
CC
, the
M
±15kV ESD-Protected +2.5V to +5.5V
RS-232 Transceivers in UCSP
8
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 3. AutoShutdown Trip Levels
V-
V
CC
0
V+
0
V
CC
t
INVL
t
WU
INVALID
REGION
RECEIVER
INPUT
VOLTAGE
(V)
INVALID
OUTPUT
(V)
t
INVH
TRANSMITTERS ENABLED, INVALID HIGH
R
AUTOSHUTDOWN, TRANSMITTERS DISABLED,
1
μ
A SUPPLY CURRENT, INVALID LOW
TRANSMITTERS ENABLED, INVALID HIGH
a)
b)
-2.7V
-0.3V
+2.7V
+0.3V
0
INDETERMINATE
INDETERMINATE
Figure 4. AutoShutdown with Initial Turn-On to Wake Up a
Mouse or Another System
FORCEON
MASTER SHDN LINE
0.1
μ
F
1M
FORCEOFF
MAX3228E
MAX3229E
POWER-
MANAGEMENT
UNIT
PIN NAME
FORCEON
FORCEOFF
POWER-ON DEFAULT
High
High
MECHANISM
Internal pullup
Internal pullup
Table 2. Power-On Default States