Band gap voltage regulator circuit including a merged reference voltage source and error amplifier

• US 4,064,448 A
• Filed: 11/22/1976
• Issued: 12/20/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
• Inventors: Eatock, Fred L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US05/743,735
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 323/1, 323/4, 323/9, 323/22 R, 323/22 T, 307/296, 307/297
• US Class Current: 323/281
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/30 Regulators using the difference between the base-emitter voltages of two bipolar transistors operating at different current densities G05F3/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved circuit for a band gap voltage regulator is provided with a merged reference voltage source and error amplifier wherein the circuit operates simultaneously as a generator of the internal reference voltage as well as the small signal error amplifier for comparing a fraction of the output voltage to the reference voltage.

Claims

1. In a band gap voltage regulator wherein an internal reference voltage source and error amplifier are merged the improved circuit which comprises:

a first resistor;

a second resistor;

a first transistor;

a second transistor, the base of said second transistor being electrically connected to the collector of said first transistor and to the base of said first transistor, the emitter of said second transistor being electrically connected to the emitter of said first transistor through sid first resistor;

a third transistor whose emitter is electrically connected to the collector of said second transistor; and

a forth transistor whose emitter is electrically connected to the base of said third transistor and whose emitter is electrically connected through said second resistor to the collector of said first transistor.

2. A band gap voltage regulator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the reference voltage to said internal reference voltage function is derived at the base of said fourth transistor and wherein the input for said error amplifier function is impressed at the base of said fourth transistor and the error amplifier output is taken from the collector of said third transistor.

3. A band gap voltage regulator in accordance with claim 2 in combination with a third resistor inserted between said base of said second transistor and said base of said first transistor.