Voltage generating circuit for improving stability of bandgap voltage generator

• US 10,423,188 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Chen, Jin-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Yusef A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, David A.
• Application Number:
  US16/029,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20190310676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/468 characterised by reference voltage circuitry, e.g. soft start, remote shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/24 wherein the transistors are of the field-effect type only G05F3/205, G05F3/26, G05F3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/242 with compensation for device parameters, e.g. channel width modulation, threshold voltage, processing, or external variations, e.g. temperature, loading, supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/26 Current mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/262 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters

Abstract

In a voltage generating circuit, a bandgap voltage generator has a first operational amplifier to receive a first voltage and a second voltage, and generate a bias voltage by comparing the first voltage and the second voltage, wherein the bandgap voltage generator generates a bandgap current according to the bias voltage and generates an output voltage according to the bandgap current. In a start-up circuit, a comparison circuit compares the first voltage or the second voltage with a reference voltage to generate a first comparison result, and generates a first current according to the first comparison result. A voltage regulator generates a second current according to the first current, and compares the second current with a reference current to generate a second comparison result, and adjusts a voltage value of the bias voltage according to the second comparison result.

Claims

1. A voltage generating circuit, comprising:

a bandgap voltage generator, having a first operational amplifier, the first operational amplifier receiving a first voltage and a second voltage, generating a bias voltage by comparing the first voltage and the second voltage, wherein the bandgap voltage generator generates a bandgap current according to the bias voltage and generates an output voltage according to the bandgap current; and

a start-up circuit, comprising;

a comparison circuit, comparing the first voltage or the second voltage with a reference voltage to generate a first comparison result, and generating a first current according to the first comparison result, wherein the reference voltage is generated according to the first current; and

a voltage regulator, coupled to the comparison circuit and the bandgap voltage generator, generating a second current according to the first current, comparing the second current and a reference current to generate a second comparison result, and adjusting voltage value of the bias voltage according to the second comparison result, wherein the voltage regulator comprises;

a first transistor, where a first end of the first transistor is coupled to a power voltage end, a control end of the first transistor receives the first comparison result, wherein the first transistor generates the second current according to the first current;

a second transistor, where a first end of the second transistor is coupled to a reference ground end, a second end of the second transistor receives the bias voltage;

a reference current source, coupled between the second end of the first transistor and the reference ground end, generating a reference current, and drawing the reference current from the first transistor; and

a buffer, coupled to the second end of the first transistor, receiving a current difference of the second current and the reference current, and generating the second comparison result according to the current difference,

wherein the reference current source comprises;

a third transistor, where a first end of the third transistor is coupled to the power voltage end, a control end of the third transistor is coupled to a first node,

wherein a second end of the third transistor generates a third current according to a voltage on the first node;

a fourth transistor, where a first end of the fourth transistor is coupled to the power voltage end, and a control end of the fourth end is coupled to the first node;

a fifth transistor, where a first end of the fifth transistor is coupled to the power voltage end, and a second end and a control end of the fifth transistor are coupled to the first node;

a sixth transistor, where a first end of the sixth transistor is coupled to the reference ground end, a second end and a control end of the sixth transistor are coupled to a second end of the fourth transistor;

a seventh transistor, where a second end of the seventh transistor is coupled to the second end of the fifth transistor, a control end of the seventh transistor is coupled to the control end of the sixth transistor; and

a first resistor, coupled between the first end of the seventh transistor and the reference ground end.

2. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein in a start-up time interval of the voltage generating circuit, the voltage regulator reduces voltage value of the bias voltage according to the second comparison result, and pulls up the bandgap current.

3. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator generates the second current according to the first comparison result, wherein the first current is in direct proportion to the second current.

4. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the bandgap voltage generator further comprises:

a first transistor, where a first end of the first transistor is coupled to a power voltage end, a second end of the first transistor is coupled to a negative input end of the first operational amplifier, and the first transistor is controlled by the bias voltage;

a second transistor, where a first end of the second transistor is coupled to the power voltage end, a second end of the second transistor is coupled to a positive input end of the first operational amplifier, and the second transistor is controlled by the bias voltage;

a third transistor, where a first end of the third transistor is coupled to the power voltage end, a second end of the third transistor receives the output voltage, and the third transistor is controlled by the bias voltage;

a first resistor, coupled between a negative input end of the first operational amplifier and a reference ground end;

a second resistor, where a first end of second resistor is coupled to the positive input end of the first operational amplifier;

a third resistor, coupled between the positive input end of the first operational amplifier and the reference ground end;

a fourth resistor, coupled between a second end of the third transistor and the reference ground end;

a fourth transistor, where a first end of the fourth transistor is coupled to the negative input end of the first operational amplifier, the second end and the control end of the fourth transistor are coupled to the reference ground end; and

a fifth transistor, where a first end of the fifth transistor is coupled to the second end of the second resistor, a second end and a control end of the fifth transistor are coupled to the reference ground end.

5. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 4, wherein the first transistor generates the bandgap current by the bias voltage, and the fourth transistor and the fifth transistor respectively generate the first voltage and the second voltage according to the bandgap current.

6. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the comparison circuit comprises:

a second operational amplifier, where a negative input end of the second operational amplifier is coupled to a negative input end or a positive input end of the first operational amplifier, a positive input end of the second operational amplifier receives the reference voltage, and an output end of the second operational amplifier generates the first comparison result;

a load, serial connected between the positive input end of the second operational amplifier and a reference ground end, receiving the first current to generate the reference voltage; and

a first transistor, where a first end of the first transistor is coupled to a power voltage end, a second end of the first transistor is coupled to the positive input end of the second operational amplifier, a control end of the first transistor receives the first comparison result, wherein the first transistor generates the first current according to the first comparison result.

7. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the buffer is a Schmitt trigger inverter.

8. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the reference current source further comprises:

a current mirror circuit, coupled between the second end of the third transistor and the reference ground end to receive the third current, and generating the reference current according to the third current.

9. The voltage generating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the reference current source further comprises:

an eighth transistor, where a second end and a control end of the eighth transistor are coupled to the first node;

a ninth transistor, where a first end of the ninth transistor is coupled to the second end of the fourth transistor, a second end of the ninth transistor is coupled to a first end of the eighth transistor, and a control end of the eight transistor is coupled to the first node.