News & Events
Intersil 3-Volt Transceiver Integrated Circuit Replaces 5-Volt Devices

— Device reduces power needs, improves transfer rates and extends battery life

IRVINE, CA., March 1, 2001 — Intersil (NASDAQ: ISIL), a leading developer of silicon technology for integrated communications applications, today announced a 3.0-volt (V), EIA/TIA-232 device specifically designed as a low-power, pin-for-pin, drop-in replacement in 5.0V-only applications. The device lowers power consumption, speeds time-to-market and reduces design costs by eliminating the need to design new, or modify existing, power supplies for higher-voltage applications.

The ICL3310 Transceiver integrated circuit (IC) is the latest addition to Intersil’s growing family of 3.0V devices. It supports mixed 3.0V and 5.0V applications where low operational power consumption, and even low standby power consumption, is critical, such as personal digital assistants, palmtops and notebook and laptop computers.

"Newer portable devices demand ever lower power requirements, and Intersil’s ICL3310 Transceiver IC is a viable, low power-source alternative for 5.0V EIA/TIA-232 interface products," said Davin Yuknis, director of Intersil’s Mixed Signal products. "Highly-resistive connections, such as those found between laptop PCs and peripheral devices create an electrostatic environment that will cripple an unprotected interface device. Intersil has responded to the market’s demand for interface circuits that ensure the success of the latest portable communications devices and other applications that employ EIA/TIA-232 devices."

Intersil’s 3.0V ICL3310 joins the company’s 3.0V and 5.0V low-voltage EIA/TIA-232 transmitters-receivers. The device delivers increased data communication speed and lower operational supply current drain, relieving battery drain and extending battery life. The new device is available with low level electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit protection as well as ±15-kilovolt (kV) ESD circuit protection, shielding the exposed EIA/TIA-232 pins from ESD damage. Transmitter-output and receiver-input protection levels are compliant with the IEC1000 standard for equipment entering the European markets.

Operating at a data rate of 250 kilobits-per-second (kbps), the ICL3310 converts TTL/CMOS signal levels both to and from serial EIA/TIA-232. This conversion is needed for the digital bus interface with the outside world. Onboard charge pumps and voltage inverters generate the necessary positive and negative voltage levels from 3.0V to 5.5V power supplies. This 3.0V product requires only 0.3 milliamps (mA) of supply current during normal operation and reduces standby supply current requirements. A manual, single pin power-down control feature simultaneously disables the receivers and transmitters and shuts down the on-chip power supply, increasing battery life.

Technical Information
The ICL3310 meets all of the EIA/TIA-232 and V.28/V.24 specifications. Suitable for portable applications where a single 3.0V to 5.5V power supply is available, the transceiver is fully compatible with mixed 3.0V and 5.0V and 5.0V-only applications. The transceiver IC offers a greatly reduced supply current of 0.3mA, even with Vcc — 5.5V. Highly efficient, on-chip charge pumps, coupled with a manual power-down function reduce the standby supply current to a 1mA trickle. Other features include onboard voltage converters, multiple drivers/receivers and regulated dual charge pumps.

Intersil offers a wide variety of ESD protected and non-ESD protected transmitter/receiver combinations to accommodate a wide spectrum of applications in both commercial and industrial temperature environments. The devices deliver increased data communications speeds and low operational supply current drain to extend battery life in portable devices. To learn more about Intersil’s interface solutions, call 1-888-INTERSIL (1-888-468-3775) ext. 8009, or visit Intersil’s Interface website at http://www.intersil.com/rs232.

Pricing and Availability
The ICL3310 is immediately available in industry standard, JEDEC, SOIC and SSOP package configurations. Pricing, based on one hundred piece quantities, is as follows:

Products are also available in Tape and Reel.

About Intersil
Intersil is a leading supplier of semiconductors, reference designs and software for wireless access and communications analog markets. Intersil applies analog, mixed-signal and radio frequency (RF) expertise to products that enable wireless access to broadband media; provide reliable power management for PCs, files servers and portable information appliances; and convert analog and digital signals in cellular and Internet infrastructure. For more information about Intersil, visit the company’s Internet homepage at www.intersil.com.

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