MaxLinear Launches Family of Half-Duplex RS-485 Transceivers Designed for Peak Performance in Demanding Industrial Environments

• Only family in class to offer combination of ultra-low slew rate control for low EMI, IEC 61000-4-2 electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, and electrical fast transient (EFT)

MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL), a technology leader transforming global connectivity, announced today the launch of a new family of RS-485 serial transceivers specifically designed to ensure reliable communication in harsh industrial environments, offering ultra-low electromagnetic interference (EMI). The transceivers are rated for environments up to 125C and can reliably transmit data at distances over 1 kilometer to minimize unscheduled downtime and increase productivity. The transceivers are available immediately.

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MaxLinear launches family of half-duplex RS-485 transceivers designed for peak performance in demanding industrial environments (Graphic: Business Wire)

The new family again expands MaxLinear’s serial transceiver portfolio and builds on more than 40 years of designing leading industrial communications solutions. The new offering consists of four discrete chips within two families: The MxL8310x and the MxL8311x. The MxL8310x devices operate from a 5V power supply and MxL8311x devices operate from 3V to 5.5V power supply. The transceivers are suitable for bidirectional communication on balanced multi-point bus transmission lines and comply with both RS-485 and RS-422 EIA standards.

“This new line of RS-485 transceivers offers best in class features, including a unique combination of slew rate control for low EMI, IEC 61000-4-2 ESD protection, and EFT,” said James Lougheed, Vice President & GM, High Performance Analog at MaxLinear. “With the consolidation of suppliers in the industrial analog semiconductor market, and the growing desire for customers to have multiple vendors for supply assurance, we’re delivering on customers’ requests to expand our portfolio in this important backbone of the industrial market.”

Available in industry standard package and pinout, the new transceivers cover a broad range of applications within industrial connectivity and smart manufacturing, including factory automation, robotics, motor drives, building automation, security, HVAC and solar, textiles, point-of-sale, and many more. These new RS-485 transceivers add to MaxLinear’s growing portfolio of solutions for the expanding industrial communications market. According to MarketsandMarkets, the industrial communication market size is projected to reach $26.8 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period.

“These new transceivers can provide a huge upside for interface design and procurement engineers looking to de-risk their supply chains,” said Jon Alexander, Director of Marketing, Serial & Bridge Products at MaxLinear. “Our focus on reliability, robustness, and interoperability makes this family well suited for a broad range of applications in demanding environments.”

Key Features and Benefits

The new line of transceivers ensures that the backbone of intelligence in modern industrial systems, connectivity, becomes the strongest link in the communications system.

• High-tolerance Bus Pins: The bus pins are designed to tolerate IEC 61000-4-4 electrical fast transients (EFT), protecting the system from bursts of fast high voltage transients that are caused by switch contactors, relays, faulty power connections or other sources.
• Wide supply devices (3.3V to 5V): Ensures reliable operation under a wide range of applications and in systems where the power supply may drop. It also allows for single product qualification for use in both 3.3V and 5V systems.
• Low slew rate: Slew limited output drivers reduce EMI transmission to protect sensitive equipment nearby and reduce reflections caused by cables that are improperly terminated.
• Low Power Mode: Low power shutdown mode can extend the life of batteries in applications such as industrial notebooks, sensors, and solar-powered applications.
• EFT and ESD protection: The combination of integrated EFT and ESD protection, slew rate limiting drivers, and extended operating conditions (up to 125C), ensures this family of products is well suited for a broad range of applications.

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance, anticipated product performance and functionality of our products or products incorporating our products, and industry trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to MaxLinear’s serial transceiver products, including but not limited to, with respect to anticipated growth in the potential market opportunities, functionality, performance and the benefits of use of such products and statements by MaxLinear’s Vice President & GM, High Performance Analog and MaxLinear’s Director of Marketing, Serial & Bridge Products. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent these new and existing products will affect our future revenues or financial performance. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as “will be,” “will,” “expected,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar expressions and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: risks relating to the development, testing, and commercial introduction of new products and product functionalities; risks relating to our proposed merger with Silicon Motion and the risks related to increased indebtedness; the effect of intense and increasing competition; impacts of a global economic downturn and high inflation; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry; the political and economic conditions of the countries in which we conduct business and other factors related to our international operations; increased tariffs or imposition of other trade barriers; our ability to obtain or retain government authorization to export certain of our products or technology; risks related to international geopolitical conflicts; risks related to the loss of, or a significant reduction in orders from major customers; a decrease in the average selling prices of our products; failure to penetrate new applications and markets; development delays and consolidation trends in our industry; inability to make substantial research and development investments; a significant variance in our operating results and impact on volatility in our stock price, and our ability to sustain our current level of revenue, including the impact of excess inventory in the channel on our customers’ expected demand for certain of our products, and/or manage future growth effectively; claims of intellectual property infringement; our ability to protect our intellectual property; and a failure to manage our relationships with, or negative impacts from, third parties. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including risks and uncertainties arising from other factors affecting the business, operating results, and financial condition of MaxLinear, including those set forth in MaxLinear’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as applicable. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. MaxLinear is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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