Fast start-up low-voltage bandgap voltage reference circuit

• US 6,906,581 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Original Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Inventors: Lee, Chao-Cheng, Kang, Tzung-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Terry D.
• Application Number:
  US10/424,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20030201822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 327/513, 327/539, 327/538, 327/540, 327/541, 327/542, 327/543, 327/315, 327/537, 323/313
• US Class Current: 327/539
• 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

A fast start-up low-voltage bandgap voltage reference circuit is disclosed. The bandgap voltage reference circuit includes: a first current generator, which is implemented by a self-bias unit and a current mirror for generating a first reference current with positive temperature coefficient; a second current generator, which is connected to a point with negative temperature coefficient in the first current generator to generate a second reference current with negative temperature coefficient; and a resistor for converting the first reference current and the second reference current into a low-voltage bandgap voltage independent of temperature. Because the bandgap voltage reference circuit of the invention uses the resistor to convert the first reference current and the second reference current into voltage, the circuit can provide low-voltage bandgap voltage.

Claims

1. A bandgap voltage reference circuit, said circuit comprising:

a first current generator for generating a first reference current with positive temperature coefficient, said first current generator having a self-bias circuit, and a node which outputs a node voltage with negative temperature coefficient;

a second current generator having a voltage-controlled current source receiving said node voltage for generating a second reference current with negative temperature coefficient according to the node voltage; and

an output resistor accepting both the first reference current and the second reference current for outputting a bandgap voltage according to the first reference current and the second reference current;

wherein the self-bias circuit further comprises;

a first transistor having a first gate and a first drain;

a second transistor having a second drain and a second gate, the second gate being coupled to the first gate;

a first amplifier having a first input end, a second input end and an output end, said output end being coupled to both gates of the first and the second transistors, the first input end and the second input end being coupled to the drains of the first and the second transistors respectively;

a third transistor having a third emitter thereof coupled to the first input end of the first amplifier;

a first resistor coupled to the second input end of the first amplifier; and

a fourth transistor having a fourth emitter thereof coupled to the first resistor, wherein the node is coupled to the fourth emitter of the fourth transistor.

2. The bandgap voltage reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the first current generator comprises a first current mirror which includes a fifth transistor, said fifth transistor having a fifth drain a fifth gate, said fifth gate being connected to both gates of the first and the second transistors, said fifth drain outputting the first reference current.

3. The bandgap voltage reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage-controlled current source comprises:

a second resistor;

a second amplifier having an output end, a first input end and a second input end, said first input end being connected to the node, the second input end being connected the second resistor; and

a sixth transistor having a sixth gate and a sixth drain, said sixth gate being connected to the output end of the second amplifier, the sixth drain being connected to the second input end of the second amplifier.

4. The bandgap voltage reference circuit of claim 3, wherein the second current generator comprises a second current mirror which comprises a seventh transistor, said seventh transistor having a seventh gate connected to the sixth gate of the sixth transistor and a seventh drain for outputting the second reference current.

5. The bandgap voltage reference circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

an eighth transistor having an eighth gate thereof connected to both the gates of the first and second transistors;

a ninth transistor having an ninth drain thereof connected to the eighth gate of the eighth transistor; and

a starting circuit connected to the eighth and the ninth transistors for controlling the ninth transistor according to a current received from the eighth transistor.

6. A circuit for generating a bandgap voltage, said circuit comprising:

a bandgap reference circuit for generating a first reference current with positive temperature coefficient, wherein the bandgap reference circuit includes a node for outputting a node voltage with negative temperature coefficient;

a voltage-controlled current source coupled to the node for producing a second reference current with negative temperature coefficient according the node voltage;

a current mirror coupled to the voltage-controlled current source for outputting the second reference current;

an output resistor, said output resistor accepting both the first reference current and the second reference current for outputting the bandgap voltage according to the first and second reference currents;

a first transistor having a first gate thereof coupled to the band gap reference circuit;

a second transistor having a second drain thereof coupled to the first gate of the first transistor; and

a starting circuit coupled to the first and the second transistors for controlling the second transistor according to a current received from the first transistor.

7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein the bandgap reference circuit further comprises:

a third transistor having a third gate and a third drain;

a fourth transistor having a fourth drain and a fourth gate, the fourth gate being connected to the third gate;

a first amplifier having a first input end, a second input end an output end, said output end being connected to both said gates of the third and the fourth transistors, the first input end and the second input end being connected to the drains of the third and the fourth transistors respectively;

a fifth transistor having a fifth emitter thereof connected to the first input end of the first amplifier;

a first resistor connected to the second input end of the first amplifier;

a sixth transistor having a sixth emitter thereof connected to the first resistor; and

a seventh transistor having a seventh drain and a seventh gate, said seventh gate being connected to both gates of the third and the fourth transistors, said seventh drain outputting the first reference current.

8. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the node is connected to the sixth emitter of the fourth transistor.

9. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the node is connected to the second input end of the first amplifier.

10. The circuit of claim 7, wherein the voltage-controlled current source comprises:

a second resistor;

a second amplifier having an output end, a first input end and a second input end, said first input end being connected to the node, the second input end being connected the second resistor; and

an eighth transistor having an eighth gate and an eighth drain, said eighth gate being connected to the output end of the second amplifier, the sixth drain being connected to the second input end of the second amplifier.

11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein the current mirror comprises a ninth transistor, said ninth transistor having a ninth gate connected to the eighth gate of the eighth transistor and a ninth drain for outputting the second reference current.

12. The circuit of claim 6, wherein the starting unit comprises a power-on reset circuit.

13. A circuit for generating a bandgap voltage, said circuit comprising:

a first current generator for generating a first reference current with positive temperature coefficient, wherein the first current generator includes a node for outputting a node voltage with negative temperature coefficient;

a voltage-controlled current source coupled to the node for producing a second reference current with negative temperature coefficient according the node voltage;

an output resistor, said output resistor accepting both the first reference current and the second reference current for outputting the bandgap voltage according to the first and second reference currents;

a first transistor having a first gate thereof coupled to the first current generator;

a second transistor having a second drain thereof coupled to the first gate of the first transistor; and

a starting circuit coupled to the first and the second transistors for controlling the second transistor according to a current received from the first transistor.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the first current generator is a bandgap reference circuit.