Patent · US Expired

Constant current circuit

US4327321A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 11, 1980
Grant dateApr 27, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 11, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05F3/262
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A constant current circuit is provided which is capable of feeding a constant current to a load connected in series with the source-drain path of a load drive MOSFET. The circuit employs a current mirror comprising first and second P channel MOSFETs, and first and second N channel MOSFETs connected in series with the first and second P channel MOSFETs, respectively. To avoid dependence on variations in power source voltage and/or threshold voltage characteristics of the MOSFETs, a resistor is inserted between the first P and N channel MOSFET's and the gate of the load drive MOSFET is coupled to both the junction of the resistor and first N channel MOSFET and to the gate of the second N channel MOSFET. Variations of this basic arrangement are also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.