Back to results
US 10,520,972 B2Granted
Bandgap reference circuit
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJaw-Juinn Horng, Chin-Ho Chang, Yi-Wen Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bandgap reference (BGR) circuit is provided. The BGR circuit includes a first node, a second node, and a third node. A first resistive element is connected between the second node and the third node. The BGR circuit is operative to provide a reference voltage as an output. The BGR circuit further includes a current shunt path connected between the first node and the third node, the current shunt path being operable to regulate a voltage drop across the first resistive element.
Claims19
A circuit, comprising:
- a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit comprising a first node, a second node, a third node, and a first comparator, wherein the first comparator is operative to approximately equalize potentials of the first node and the second node, wherein a first resistive element is connected between the second node and the third node, and wherein the BGR circuit is operative to provide a reference voltage as an output;
- and
- a current shunt path connected between the first node and the third node, wherein the current shunt path is operable to regulate a voltage drop across the first resistive element, wherein the current shunt path comprises a second comparator and a second resistive element, and wherein a first end of the second resistive element is connected to the first node and a second end of the second resistive element is connected to a first input of the second comparator.
A circuit comprising:
- a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit comprising a first node, a second node, a third node, a fourth node, a first resistive element, and a first comparator, wherein the first resistive element is connected between the second node and the third node, and wherein:
- the first comparator is operative to approximately equalize a potential of the first node with the potential of the second node, and
- the BGR circuit is operable to provide a predetermined reference voltage at the fourth node;
- and
- a current shunt path operable to regulate an amount of a bias current of a first transistor of the BGR circuit, wherein the first transistor is operative to sink the bias current at the third node, wherein the third node is connected to the second node, wherein the current shunt path comprises a second comparator and a second resistive element, and wherein a first end of the second resistive element is connected to the first node and a second end of the second resistive element is connected to a first input of the second comparator.
2 more elements
A method for providing a reference voltage, the method comprising:
- providing a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit comprising a first node, a second node, a third node, a fourth node, a first resistive element, and a first comparator, wherein the first resistive element is connected between the second node and the third node, wherein the first comparator is operative to approximately equalize potentials of the first node and the second node, and wherein the BGR circuit is operable to provide a predetermined reference voltage output at the fourth node;
- injecting a first shunt current at the first node though a current shunt path;
- injecting a second shunt current at the third node through the current shunt path, wherein the current shunt path comprises a second comparator and a second resistive element, and wherein a first end of the second resistive element is connected to the first node and a second end of the second resistive element is connected to a first input of the second comparator;
- and
- regulating a bias current of a transistor of the BGR circuit by regulating at least one of the following:
- the first shunt current and the second shunt current.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.