Patent ID: 6498528
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: G05F

Abstract:
A reference voltage generation circuit comprising:a reference voltage generation section having a current mirror and configured to generate a reference voltage; and a start-up section for restarting said reference voltage generation section; said reference voltage generation section further having: a first transistor connected to a first branch of said current mirror; a resistor serially connected to said first transistor; and a second transistor connected to a second branch of said current mirror; wherein said first transistor has a gate coupled to said second branch and said second transistor has a gate coupled to a connecting node between said first transistor and said resistor, said reference voltage derived from said first branch, said start-up section including: an input transistor configured to receive at its gate a voltage at said connecting node in said reference voltage generation section; an inverter for reversing a drain voltage of said input transistor; an output transistor for supplying a start-up current to said second branch in said reference voltage generation section in order to restart said reference voltage generation section in response to an output voltage from said inverter; and a current limit transistor serially connected to said input transistor in order to receive from said second branch in said reference voltage generation section a reduced gate-source voltage upon completion of restarting said reference voltage generation section for limiting a flow of current in said input transistor.