# US 5,703,517 A · Power reduction in a temperature compensating transistor circuit

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- Number: US 5,703,517 A
- Document ID: US5703517A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/615,576
- Filed: 1996-03-12
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1993-05-25
- Assignees: Texas Insturments Incorporated
- Inventors: Theodore W. Houston
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703517A

## CPC

- H03K 19/00384: {in field effect transistor circuits}
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)

## Abstract

A circuit for providing parameter compensation to a drive transistor of logic circuit A. A regulating transistor circuit B is connected in series with the drive transistor in order to limit the current in the drive transistor. Bias circuitry C is also provided for supplying a bias voltage Vb to a gate of the regulating transistor circuit B, wherein the voltage is responsive to a predetermined parameter. The bias circuitry C comprises an element which is sensitive to the predetermined parameter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A circuit including a pre-inverter input signal and an inverter having an input, an output, and a drive transistor, said circuit comprising:
a regulating transistor connected in series with said drive transistor for limiting current in said drive transistor, said regulating transistor and said drive transistor being connected in series between a supply voltage and said output node with said regulating transistor connected between said drive transistor and said supply voltage; and
control circuitry connected to said pre-inverter input signal for supplying a voltage to a gate of said regulating transistor responsive to a predetermined current varying parameter, said control circuitry comprising an element sensitive to said predetermined current varying parameter.

### Claim 2

A delay circuit having first and second drive transistors each connected to and for supplying current to a node, comprising:
first and second regulating transistors connected in series with said first and second drive transistors, respectively, for limiting current in said first and second drive transistors;
rise time control circuitry connected to a gate of said first regulating transistor and for supplying a first voltage to said gate of said first regulating transistor responsive to a predetermined parameter, said rise time control circuitry comprising a first element sensitive to said predetermined parameter; and
fall time control circuitry connected to a gate of said second regulating transistor and for supplying a first voltage to said gate of said second regulating transistor responsive to said predetermined parameter, said fall time control circuitry comprising a second element sensitive to said predetermined parameter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The delay circuit of claim 2, wherein said predetermined parameter is temperature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The delay circuit of claim 2, wherein said first and second elements each comprise at least one diode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The delay circuit of claim 2, wherein said first and second elements each comprise a polysilicon resistor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The delay circuit of claim 2, wherein said sensitivity is reduced.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The delay circuit of claim 2, wherein said sensitivity is increased.

### Claim 8

An integrated circuit comprising:
a control circuit comprising an element sensitive to a predetermined parameter, said control circuit having a control circuit output;
a logic gate, said logic gate comprising:
an input;
an output;
a first drive transistor connected between said output and a first supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a second drive transistor connected between said output and a second supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a regulating transistor connected in series with said first drive transistor between said drive transistor and said first supply voltage and having a gate connected to said control circuit output.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8 wherein said predetermined parameter is temperature.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8 wherein said predetermined parameter is gate length.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8 wherein said predetermined parameter is threshold voltage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said control circuitry further comprises:
at least one transistor connected to said gate of said regulating transistor, wherein said element is connected to said gate of said regulating transistor and wherein said at least one transistor and said element are chosen such that a rise time of said output node is less sensitive to said predetermined parameter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said control circuitry further comprises:
at least one transistor connected to said gate of said regulating transistor, wherein said element is connected to said gate of said regulating transistor and wherein said at least one transistor and said element are chosen such that a rise time of said output node is more sensitive to said predetermined parameter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said control circuitry further comprises:
at least one transistor connected to said gate of said regulating transistor, wherein said element is connected to said gate of said regulating transistor and wherein said at least one transistor and said element are chosen to control the sensitivity of a fall time of said output node to said predetermined parameter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said element is a diode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said element is a plurality of diodes.

### Claim 17 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said element is a polysilicon resistor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8 wherein said logic gate comprises a NAND gate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said logic gate comprises a NOR gate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 8)

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said logic gate is an inverter.

### Claim 21

A system for regulating the performance of a logic gate as a function of at least one current varying parameter, said system comprising:
said logic gate which comprises:
an input;
an output; and
a drive transistor connected to said output;
a regulating transistor connected in series with said drive transistor between said drive transistor and a supply voltage; and
a bias circuit sensitive to said at least one current varying parameter, said bias circuit connected to a gate of said regulating transistor.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21 wherein said at least one current varying parameter is temperature.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21 wherein said at least one current varying parameter is gate length.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21 wherein said at least one current varying parameter is threshold voltage.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21 wherein said logic gate comprises a NAND gate.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein said logic gate comprises a NOR gate.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein said logic gate is an inverter.

### Claim 28

An integrated circuit comprising:
a control circuit comprising at least one diode sensitive to a predetermined parameter, said control circuit having a control circuit output;
a logic gate, said logic gate comprising:
an input;
an output;
a first drive transistor connected between said output and a first supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a second drive transistor connected between said output and a second supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a regulating transistor connected in series with said first drive transistor and having a gate connected to said control circuit output.

### Claim 29

An integrated circuit comprising:
a control circuit comprising a polysilicon resistor sensitive to a predetermined parameter, said control circuit having a control circuit output;
a logic gate, said logic gate comprising:
an input;
an output;
a first drive transistor connected between said output and a first supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a second drive transistor connected between said output and a second supply voltage and having a gate connected to said input; and
a regulating transistor connected in series with said first drive transistor and having a gate connected to said control circuit output.