Patent ID: 7755419
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: G05F

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit device, comprising: a self-biased reference circuit that provides a reference value to the integrated circuit device, the reference circuit being disposed between a first power supply node and a second power supply node that receives a power supply voltage of about zero volts, the reference circuit including a first current mirror coupled to the first power supply node and comprising a pair of first transistors of a first conductivity type; and a second current mirror coupled between the first current mirror and the second power supply node and comprising a pair of second transistors of a second conductivity type, the pair of second transistors having different threshold voltage values from one another; a start-up circuit comprising; an activation device coupled between the first power supply node and the self-biased reference circuit that is enabled in response to a potential established by the reference current transistor, wherein a current drawn by the reference current transistor is compared to a current supplied by the current supply transistor to determine when the activation device is enabled.