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US 2021/0232171 A1Published application
Systems and methods for initializing bandgap circuits
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorWei Lu Chu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor device may include a bandgap circuit that outputs a reference voltage. The semiconductor device may also include a startup circuit coupled to the bandgap circuit. The startup circuit may connect a voltage source to a node that corresponds to an output of the bandgap circuit in response to the bandgap circuit being initialized. The startup circuit may also disconnect the voltage source from the node in response to the reference voltage being greater than a threshold.
Claims20
A startup circuit, comprising:
- a first set of switches configured to couple a first voltage source to a first node;
- a second set of switches configured to couple a second voltage source to the first node;
- a third set of switches configured to control the second set of switches, wherein the third set of switches is configured to close based on a voltage output by a bandgap circuit;
- a resistor configured to couple to the first set of switches, wherein an end node of the resistor corresponds to a local voltage configured to control the first set of switches, wherein the first node is configured to receive a first voltage that corresponds to the first voltage source until the voltage output by the bandgap circuit exceeds a threshold associated with the third set of switches closing, wherein a set of gates for the second set of switches is configured to receive the first voltage in response to the third set of switches closing, wherein the second set of switches is configured to cause the first node to receive a second voltage that corresponds to the second voltage source in response to the second set of switches closing;
- and
- a switch configured to couple the second voltage source to a second node that is coupled to the voltage output by the bandgap circuit, wherein the switch is configured to close in response to the first node having the first voltage.
3 more elements
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a bandgap circuit configured to output a reference voltage;
- a startup circuit coupled to the bandgap circuit, wherein the startup circuit is configured to:
- connect a voltage source to a node that corresponds to an output of the bandgap circuit in response to the bandgap circuit being initialized;
- and
- disconnect the voltage source from the node in response to the reference voltage being greater than a threshold.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- coupling, via a circuit, a first voltage source to a first node via a first set of switches, wherein the first set of switches is configured to close based on a local voltage provided via a current mirror circuit and a resistor;
- coupling, via the circuit, a second voltage source to a second node in response to the first voltage source coupling to the first node, wherein the second node corresponds to a voltage output by a bandgap circuit, and wherein the first voltage source is configured to assist the bandgap circuit increase the voltage output;
- coupling, via the circuit, the first voltage source to a set of gates that corresponds to a second set of switches, wherein the first voltage source is configured to couple to the set of gates via a third set of switches, and wherein the third set of switches is configured to operate based on the voltage output;
- coupling, via the circuit, the second voltage source to the first node in response to the second set of switches closing, wherein the second set of switches is configured to close in response to the first voltage source being coupled to the set of gates;
- and
- disconnecting, via the circuit, the second voltage source from the second node in response to the second voltage source being coupled to the first node.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.