Patent ID: 7944195

Claim:
A device, comprising: a start-up start unit configured to allow current to flow in a reference voltage generation circuit to initiate a start-up process in an initial stage of the start-up process in response to a start-up start signal; a reference current generation unit configured to decrease a variable voltage depending on whether or not the reference voltage generation circuit is started up and generate a start-up reference current corresponding to the variable voltage; and a start-up controller configured to detect a current flowing in the reference voltage generation circuit, compare the detected current with the start-up reference current, and output a compared result as the start-up start signal, wherein the start-up start unit comprises a first transistor having a drain and a source connected between a control voltage to initiate the start-up process of the reference voltage generation circuit, wherein a reference voltage and a gate are connected to receive the start-up start signal, and wherein the reference current generation unit comprises: a second transistor having a source and a drain connected between a supply voltage and a load voltage, and a gate connected to the load voltage, the start-up reference current flowing in the second transistor; and a third transistor having a source and a drain connected between the load voltage and the start-up start signal, and a gate connected to the detected current, wherein the variable voltage comprises a difference between voltages across the source and the drain of the second transistor.