Current reference apparatus and systems
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 independently, on a die, as part of an integrated circuit, or a system, or in various other forms, is disclosed. The current reference may include a voltage source having a substantially temperature stable output voltage, a first semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a first output current, and a second semiconductor device providing a second output current, wherein a reference current is provided approximately equal to the difference between the first and second output currents.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a voltage source to provide a substantially temperature stable output voltage;
- a first semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a first output current;
- and
- a second semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a second output current, the second semiconductor device to couple to the first semiconductor device to provide a reference current approximately equal to a difference between the first and the second output currents.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a voltage source to provide a substantially temperature stable output voltage;
- a first semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a first output current;
- and
- a second semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a second output current, the second semiconductor device to couple to the first semiconductor device to provide a reference current approximately equal to a difference between the first and the second output currents;
- and
- an output node in electrical communication with the first and second semiconductor devices to carry the reference current.
A system, comprising:
- a cellular telephone including a voltage source to provide a substantially temperature stable output voltage, a first semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a first output current, and a second semiconductor device biased by the substantially temperature stable output voltage to provide a second output current, the second semiconductor device to couple to the first semiconductor device to provide a reference current approximately equal to a difference between the first and the second output currents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.