Bandgap voltage reference and method with further temperature correction

• US 4,939,442 A
• Filed: 03/30/1989
• Issued: 07/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Schmidt, Thomas A., Carvajal, Fernando D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEHA JR, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US07/330,660
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 323/231, 323/313, 323/314, 323/907, 323/274, 323/281
• US Class Current: 323/281
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/907 Temperature compensation of semiconductor

Abstract

A voltage reference circuit (26) provides a stable output reference voltage over a wide temperature range. A high temperature curvature correction circuit (36) is enabled at a first predetermined temperature to adjust the output voltage accordingly. A low temperature curvature correction circuit (38) is enabled at temperatures below a second predetermined temperature to similarly affect a output voltage. The preferred embodiment, the high and low curvature correction circuits (36, 38) are operable to vary the current through one or more resistors in a bandgap circuit (26) or other reference circuit.

Claims

1. A circuit for generating a stable reference voltage over a wide temperature range, comprising:

a voltage generator for providing a relatively stable output voltage within a known temperature range, said generator including (i) first and second mismatched bipolar transistors, the emitters of said first and second bipolar transistors tied together, (ii) a first resistor connected between the bases of said first and second bipolar transistors, and (iii) a second resistor in series with said first resistor and passing said first current, said generator providing said relatively stable output voltage from current determined by said first resistor; and

circuitry for adjusting said output voltage responsive to a predetermined temperature to maintain a stable output voltage, said circuitry providing current at through said second resistor and parallel said first resistor for temperatures outside of said known temperature range.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said voltage generator comprises a bandgap voltage reference.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said adjusting circuitry comprises:

a circuit for generating a temperature dependent voltage; and

a circuit for generating a current responsive to said temperature dependent voltage.

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein said circuit for generating a voltage comprises a resistor.

5. The circuit of claim 3 wherein said circuit for generating a current comprises a transistor.

6. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said voltage generator includes one or more resistors through which a current is driven.

7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said adjusting circuitry comprises circuitry to adjust the current through one or more of said resistors such that the voltage across the resistors is varied.

8. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said adjusting circuitry comprises first adjusting circuitry to adjust the output voltage in response to a first temperature and second adjusting circuitry to adjust the output voltage in response to a second temperature.

9. The method of generating a stable output voltage reference comprising the steps of:

generating a relatively stable output voltage over a known temperature range by the use of emitter tied mismatched bipolar transistors with bases connected by a first resistor and with said relatively stable output voltage determined by a first current through said first resistor;

detecting a predetermined temperature; and

adjusting said output voltage in response to said temperature detection in order to provide a stable voltage reference by drawing a second current through a second resistor, said second resistor in series with said first resistor and said second resistor passing said first current.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said detection step comprises:

generating a temperature dependent voltage; and

detecting a predetermined voltage level.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said adjusting step comprises the step of enabling a transistor responsive to detecting said predetermined voltage level.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of generating a relatively stable output voltage comprises the step of drawing current through one or more resistors.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said adjusting step further comprises the step of adjusting the amount of current through one or more of said resistors.