6
Rev. 2/5/01
SP431 High Speed, +3.3V Quad RS-422 Differential Line Driver
Copyright 2001 Sipex Corporation
DESCRIPTION
The
SP431
is a low-power quad differential line
driver designed for digital data transmission
meeting the specifications of the EIA standard
RS-422 serial protocol. The
SP431
features
Sipex's BiCMOS process allowing low power
operational characteristics of CMOS technol-
ogy while meeting all of the demands of the
RS-422 serial protocol up to 60Mbps under load
in harsh environments.
The RS-422 standard is ideal for multi-drop
applications and for long-distance communica-
tion. The RS-422 protocol allows up to 10
drivers to be connected to a data bus, making it
an ideal choice for multi-drop applications. Since
the cabling can be as long as 4,000 feet, RS-422
drivers are equipped with a wide common mode
output range to accommodate ground potential
differences. Because the RS-422 is a differential
interface, data is virtually immune to noise in
the transmission line.
The
SP431
accepts TTL or CMOS input levels
and translates these to RS-422 output levels. The
SP431
features active HIGH and active LOW
driver enable controls common to all four driver
channels see
Figure 8
. A logic HIGH on the
ENABLE pin (pin 4) or a logic LOW on the
ENABLE pin (pin 12) will enable the differential
driver outputs. A logic LOW on the ENABLE
pin (pin 4) and a logic HIGH on the ENABLE pin
(pin 12) will force the driver outputs into high
impedance (high-Z). Refer to the truth table in
Figure 8
.
Figure 7. Two-Wire Balanced System, RS-422
*R
T
ENABLE
ENABLE
DATA
DATA
OUTPUT
*R
is optional although highly
recommended to reduce reflection.
The RS-422 line driver outputs feature high
source and sink current capability. All drivers
are internally protected against short circuits on
their outputs. The driver outputs are short-circuit
limited to 150mA. The driver output skew times
are typically 0.5ns.
To minimize reflections, the multipoint bus
transmission line should be terminated at both
ends in its characteristic impedance, and stub
lengths off the main line should be kept as short
as possible.
Figure 8. Truth Table, Enable / Disable Function
Common to All Four RS-422 Drivers
E
L
B
A
N
E
E
L
B
A
N
E
t
u
p
n
-
n
o
n
e
u
t
O
N
v
g
t
n
u
p
g
t
n
e
p
t
u
v
n
u
O
W
O
L
H
G
I
H
e
c
t
o
d
Z
-
g
Z
-
g
H
G
I
H
e
c
t
o
d
W
O
L
W
O
L
H
G
I
H
e
c
t
o
d
W
O
L
H
G
I
H
H
G
I
H
W
O
L