Constant current source circuit

Abstract

A constant current source circuit for an integrated device having a predetermined power supply voltage. The circuit includes a first current source responsive to the power supply voltage for supplying a first input current to the circuit, a resistor for controlling the level of the output current of the circuit, an output transistor coupled to the resistor for supplying the output current to the resistor and including an emitter having an emitter area, a stabilizing transistor coupled to the output transistor for supplying a fixed voltage to the output transistor in response to the first input current from the first current source, and a stabilizing circuit coupled between the stabilizing transistor and the output transistor for reducing variations in the output current of the circuit without substantially increasing the emitter area of the output transistor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.