Patent ID: 11921534
Assignee: FERROELECTRIC MEMORY GMBH
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 13:
14. A startup circuit for providing a startup voltage to a bandgap reference circuit that provides a predefined bandgap reference voltage, the startup circuit comprising:
a comparator circuit comprising a feedback terminal, a target voltage terminal, and a comparison output terminal, wherein the comparator circuit is configured to provide a comparison voltage at the comparison output terminal that indicates a feedback voltage value received from the bandgap reference circuit at the feedback terminal compared with a target voltage value received at the target voltage terminal,
wherein the target voltage value represents a startup condition of the bandgap reference circuit that provides a stable on-state of the bandgap reference circuit, wherein the target voltage value is less than the predefined bandgap reference voltage; and
a switch circuit connected between the comparator circuit and the bandgap reference circuit, the switch circuit comprising:
a switching input terminal connected to the comparison output terminal; and
a bandgap voltage output terminal connected to the bandgap reference circuit, wherein the switch circuit is configured to selectively provide the startup voltage at the bandgap voltage output terminal based on a comparison voltage value of the comparison voltage, wherein the switch circuit is configured to:
increase a value of the startup voltage in the case that the comparison voltage value indicates the feedback voltage value is less than the target voltage value; and
stop providing the startup voltage in the case that the comparison voltage value indicates the feedback voltage value is equal to or greater than the target voltage value; and

a supply terminal configured to receive a supply voltage, wherein the switch circuit is configured to control an electrical behavior of an electrically conductive path between the supply terminal and the bandgap voltage output terminal as a function of the feedback voltage value,
wherein the switch circuit is configured, in a first state, to connect the electrically conductive path between the supply terminal and the bandgap voltage output terminal, and, in a second state, to disconnect the electrically conductive path between the supply terminal and the bandgap voltage output terminal,
wherein the switch circuit is configured to switch into the first state in response to an enabling signal indicative of an enablement of the operation of the bandgap reference circuit, and
wherein the switch circuit is further configured to switch into the second state in the case that the comparison voltage value indicates the feedback voltage value is equal to or greater than the target voltage value.