MAX491ESD

The MAX491ESD from Maxim Integrated is a low-power transceiver designed for RS-485 and RS-422 communication systems. It integrates a single driver and a single receiver, operating from a standard 5V supply.

This transceiver supports data transmission rates of up to 2.5Mbps, making it suitable for various industrial and communication applications. It draws minimal supply current, ranging from 120µA to 500µA when unloaded or fully loaded with disabled drivers. Specific variants, like the MAX481, MAX483, and MAX487, offer a low-current shutdown mode consuming only 0.1µA.

Key features include short-circuit current limiting and thermal shutdown protection for the drivers, ensuring reliability. The receiver input incorporates a fail-safe mechanism that guarantees a logic-high output if the input is open-circuited. The MAX487 and MAX1487 models offer quarter-unit-load receiver input impedance, enabling up to 128 transceivers on a single bus.

The MAX491ESD is designed for half-duplex applications, while other parts in the series like the MAX488–MAX491 support full-duplex communications. Applications include low-power RS-485/RS-422 transceivers, level translators, and transceivers for EMI-sensitive environments.