Patent · US Expired

Low voltage supply bandgap reference circuit using PTAT and PTVBE current source

US6366071B1 · kind B1 · utility

24Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 2001
Grant dateApr 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05F3/30
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A bandgap reference circuit comprising two NMOS transistors, where the first NMOS transistor is driven by a PTAT current source and the second transistor is driven by a PTVBE current source. The PTAT current (IPTAT) and PTVBE current (IPTVBE) are summed in a resistive circuit RX to generate the bandgap or sub-bandgap reference voltage. The IPTAT and IPTVBE currents are generated simultaneously in separate current sources and each of these currents is then used to gate the first and second transistor, respectively. The magnitude of the bandgap or sub-bandgap reference voltage is determined by the ratio of RX and a resistive circuit in the PTVBE current source. By requiring only two transistors, in parallel, coupled to resistive circuit RX the supply voltage required for all circuits is lower than heretofore possible.

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