Patent ID: 8598862

Claim:
A self-biased reference circuit device, said device comprising: a first cascode current mirror operable to generate first and second bias voltages in response to a first current and to generate a second current in response to the first and second bias voltages; a second cascode current mirror operable to generate a third bias voltage in response to the second current, to generate a fourth bias voltage in response to a third current, and to generate the first current in response to the third and fourth bias voltages; and a startup circuit comprising a first switch in a first start-up branch and a second switch in a second start-up branch, wherein the first switch is operable to communicatively couple the first and fourth bias voltages during startup and wherein the second switch is operable to communicatively couple the third bias voltage and an inner drain-source connection in the output stage of the first cascode current mirror during startup, where, enabled by said first start-up branch, said second switch ensures current flow in said second start-up branch.