Patent ID: 6958590

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling an output current that is delivered to a load, the apparatus comprising: a first transistor circuit that is coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the first transistor circuit has a control terminal that is coupled to a third node; a sense resistor circuit that is coupled between the second node and the load, wherein the sense resistor circuit is arranged to generate a first voltage drop in response to the output current; a reference resistor circuit that is coupled between the second node and a fourth node, wherein the reference resistor circuit is arranged to generate a second voltage drop in response to a reference current; a first amplifier circuit that has an input that is coupled to the load, another input that is coupled to the fourth node, and an output that is coupled to third node, wherein the first amplifier circuit is arranged to cooperate with the first transistor circuit to control the output current such that the first voltage drop is approximately equal to the second voltage drop; and a temperature compensated reference current generator circuit that is coupled to the fourth node, wherein the temperature compensated reference current generator circuit is arranged to dynamically adjust the reference current such that the output current is stabilized with respect to an operating temperature of the apparatus.