Bandgap reference circuit
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsJAW-JUINN HORNG, CHIN-HO CHANG, YI-WEN CHEN
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
A circuit, comprising:
- a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit comprising a first node, a second node, and a third 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.
A circuit comprising:
- a bandgap reference (BGR) circuit comprising a first node, a second node, a third node, and a fourth node, wherein the BGR circuit is operable to:
- approximately equalize a potential difference between the first node and the second node, and
- 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, and wherein the third node is connected to the second node.
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, and a fourth node, wherein the BGR circuit is operable to provide a 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;
- 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.