Patent · US Active

Voltage reference circuit

US7301321B1 · kind B1 · utility

35Cited by
3References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 2006
Grant dateNov 27, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 6, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S323/907
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A voltage reference circuit including a positive temperature coefficient current generator, a negative temperature coefficient current generator, and a first resistor is provided. In the positive temperature coefficient current generator, two transistors are operated in the weak inversion region, and a second resistor is connected in series between the gates of the two transistors. The second resistor employs the characteristic that a transistor operated in weak inversion region acts like a bipolar junction transistor to generate a positive temperature coefficient current. The negative temperature coefficient current generator generates a negative temperature coefficient current in response to a negative temperature coefficient voltage drop on a third resistor. The positive temperature coefficient current and the negative temperature coefficient current flow through the first resistor together, thus producing a stable reference voltage.

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