Current reference apparatus
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsSiva G. Narendra, Stephen H. Tang, Zachary Keer, Vivek K. De
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A current reference, which may be fabricated on a die, as part of an integrated circuit, or in various other forms, is disclosed. The current reference includes two current sources, both of which provide a substantially temperature stable output current, which may use a differencing circuit to provide a reference output current having a magnitude approximately equal to the difference between the magnitudes of the two substantially temperature stable output currents.
Claims26
A current reference, comprising:
- a first current source providing a first substantially temperature stable output current having a first magnitude;
- a second current source providing a second substantially temperature stable output current having a second magnitude shifted by a predetermined amount from the magnitude of the first substantially temperature stable output current;
- and a differencing circuit providing a reference output current having a reference magnitude approximately equal to the difference between the second magnitude and a product of the first magnitude and a preselected scaling constant.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a first current source providing a first substantially temperature stable output current having a first magnitude;
- a second current source providing a second substantially temperature stable output current having a second magnitude shifted by a predetermined amount from the magnitude of the first substantially temperature stable output current;
- a differencing circuit providing a reference output current having a reference magnitude approximately equal to the difference between the second magnitude and a product of the first magnitude and a preselected scaling constant;
- and
- an output node in electrical communication with the differencing circuit and carrying the reference output current.
A current reference, comprising:
- a voltage source having a substantially temperature stable output voltage;
- a first semiconductor device operated in saturation mode and biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage, the first semiconductor device providing a first output current;
- and
- a second semiconductor device providing a second output current and coupled to the first semiconductor device so as to provide a reference current which is approximately equal to the difference between the first and second output currents, wherein the second semiconductor is operated in a saturation mode and biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a voltage source having a substantially temperature stable output voltage;
- a first semiconductor device operated in saturation mode and biased by the substantially stable output voltage, the first semiconductor device providing a first output current;
- a second semiconductor device providing a second output current and coupled to the first semiconductor device so as to provide a reference current which is approximately equal to the difference between the first and second output currents, wherein the second semiconductor is operated in a saturation mode and biased by the substantially stable output voltage;
- and
- an output node in electrical communication with the first and second semiconductor devices and carrying the reference output current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.