35.2.2.7 Receive FIFO Overflow

When more characters are received than the receive FIFO can hold, the RXFOIF bit is set. The character causing the Overflow condition is discarded. The RUNOVF bit determines how the receive circuit responds to characters while the Overflow condition persists. When RUNOVF is set, the receive shifter stays synchronized to the incoming data stream by responding to Start, data, and Stop bits. However, all received bytes not already in the FIFO are discarded. When RUNOVF is cleared, the receive shifter ceases operation and Start, data, and Stop bits are ignored. The Receive Overflow condition is cleared by reading the UxRXB register and clearing the RXFOIF bit. If the UxRXB register is not read, thereby opening a space in the FIFO, the next character received will be discarded and cause another Overflow condition.

A receive overflow error will generate a summary UxEIF interrupt when the RXFOIE bit is set.