Patent ID: 7019584

Claim:
A circuit comprising: a bandgap reference circuit including: a differential amplifier having a first amplifier input, a second amplifier input, and an amplifier output; a first transistor coupled to the first amplifier input; and a second transistor coupled to the second amplifier input; a first output stage coupled to the amplifier output; wherein the first output stage includes a first device and a second device, wherein a node common to the first device and the second device comprises a first output stage output; a second output stage coupled to the first output stage output, wherein the second output stage includes a feedback node coupled to at least one of the first amplifier input and the second amplifier input; and a start-up circuit configured to prevent the bandgap reference circuit from settling into an intermediate voltage state, the start-up circuit comprising: a current source; and a transistor coupled between the first amplifier input and the current source, wherein the transistor includes a gate configured to receive a voltage derived from the feedback node, and wherein the transistor is configured to push current from the current source into the first amplifier input when the voltage derived from the feedback node is indicative of the intermediate voltage state.