Patent ID: 7524108

Claim:
A thermal sensing circuit comprising: a bandgap voltage reference generator circuit that generates at least a first bandgap reference voltage; a thermal sensing element that generates the base-to-emitter voltage; a first comparator that compares the base-to-emitter voltage to the at least first bandgap reference voltage, and generates a comparator output; and a control circuit that generates an indicator signal in response to the comparator output, wherein the bandgap voltage reference generator circuit further comprises: a reference voltage generator unit comprising: a first output current source circuit; a first resistor coupled to the first output current source circuit; a first voltage reference output node disposed between the first resistor and the first output current source circuit, wherein the first voltage reference output node generates a first reference voltage; a second resistor coupled to a negative voltage supply; and a second voltage reference output node disposed between the second resistor and at least one of: a second output current source circuit coupled to a positive voltage supply, and the first resistor, wherein the second voltage reference output node generates a second reference voltage.