Current source having voltage stabilizing element
US5546054A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 20, 1995 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 20, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05F3/262
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A current source including a current mirror circuit and an active load circuit which form a reference branch, for setting a reference current value, and a mirroring branch, defining an output current value, connected between supply and ground. A voltage stabilizing transistor is interposed between the current mirror circuit and the load circuit in the reference branch only, and is so biased as to maintain its gate terminal at a predetermined voltage. As such, the potential with respect to ground of the drain terminal of the reference branch load transistor is fixed, so that its drain-source voltage drop (and the current through it) is substantially independent of supply voltage. The current source may be used to advantage in an oscillator for generating the: clock signal of a nonvolatile memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.