Voltage regulator having a constant current controlled, constant voltage reference device

Claim 2

A voltage regulator circuit responsive to an unregulated voltage developed between first and second conductors to provide a regulated voltage between a third conductor and the second conductor, the voltage regulator circuit including: a first reference device having a first electrode connected to the second conductor and a second electrode; first electron control means having a control electrode connected to the second electrode of said first reference device, a first electrode and a second electrode; second electron control means having a first electrode connected to the first conductor, a control electrode directly connected to said second electrode of said first electron control means, a second electrode connected directly to said second electrode of said first reference device, and a third electrode connected directly to said second electrode of said first electron control means; and circuit means connecting said first electrode of said first electron control means to the third conductor.

Claim 3

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes: third electron control means having a control electrode connected to said first electrode of said first electron control means, a first electrode connected directly to the third conductor, and a second electrode connected directly to said first conductor; and first resistive means connected directly between said control electrode of said third electron control means and said third conductor.

Claim 4

A voltage regulator circuit responsive to an unregulated voltage developed between first and second conductors to provide a regulated voltage between a third conductor and the second conductor, the voltage regulator circuit including: a first reference device having a first electrode connected to the second conductor and a second electrode; first electron control means having a control electrode connected to the second electrode of said first reference device, a first electrode and a second electrode; second electron control means having a first electrode connected to the first conductor, a control electrode connected to said second electrode of said first electron control means, and a second electrode connected to said second electrode of said first reference device; circuit means connecting said first electrode of said first electron control means to the third conductor; and a starting circuit having fourth electron control means having a first electrode connected to said second electrode of said second electron control means, a second electrode connected to the first conductor, a control electrode, a second reference device having a first electrode connected to said second conductor, a second electrode connected to said control electrode of said fourth electron control means, second resistive means connected between said first conductor and said control electrode of said fourth electron control means.

Claim 5

A voltage regulator circuit responsive to an unregulated voltage developed between first and second conductors to provide a regulated voltage between a third conductor and the second conductor, the voltage regulator circuit including: a first reference device having a first electrode connected to the second conductor and a second electrode; first electron control means having a control electrode connected to the second electrode of said first reference device, a first electrode and a second electrode; second electron control means having a first electrode connected to the first conductor, a control electrode connected to said second electrode of said first electron control means, and a second electrode connected to said second electrode of said first reference device; circuit means connecting said first electrode of said first electron control means to the third conductor; and a starting circuit having fourth electron control means having a first electrode connected to said second electrode of said second electron control means, a second electrode connected to the first conductor, a control electrode, a second reference device having a first electrode connected to said second conductor, a second electrode connected to said control electrode of said fourth electron control means, second resistive means connected between said first conductor and said control electrode of said fourth electron control means.

Claim 6

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 3 wherein each of said electron control means include bipolar transistors having emitter, base and collector electrodes respectively forming said first, control and second electrodes and each of said reference devices includes a zener diode.

Claim 7

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 4 wherein said bipolar transistor included by said second electron control means has a low beta.

Claim 8

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 5 wherein said bipolar transistor means included by said second electron control means has two collector electrodes, one of which is connected to the base thereof.

Claim 9

A voltage regulator circuit providing a regulated voltage between first and second terminals in response to an unregulated voltage applied between first and third terminals including in combination: first zener diode means having a first electrode connected to the first terminal and a second electrode; first resistive means connecting the second electrode of said first zener diode means to the third terminal; first transistor means having a base electrode connected to the second electrode of said first zener diode means, a second electrode connected to the third terminal and a first electrode at which a starting current is developed; second transistor means having a first electrode connected to the third terminal, a second electrode connected to the first electrode of the first transistor means, and a base electrode; third transistor means having a first electrode, a base electrode connected to said second electrode of said second transistor means, a second electrode connected to said base electrode of said second transistor means; second zener diode means having a first electrode connected to said base of said third transistor means and a second electrode connected to the first terminal; and circuit means connecting said first electrode of said third transistor means to the second terminal.

Claim 10

A voltage regulator circuit providing a regulated voltage between first and second terminals in response to an unregulated voltage applied between first and third terminals including in combination: first zener diode means having a first electrode connected to the first terminal and a second electrode; first resistive means connecting the second electrode of said first zener diode means to the third terminal; first transistor means having a base electrode connected to the second electrode of said first zener diode means, a second electrode connected to the third terminal and a first electrode at which a starting current is developed; second transistor means having a first electrode connected to the third terminal, a second electrode connected to the first electrode of the first transistor means, and a base electrode; third transistor means having a first electrode, a base electrode connected to said second electrode of said second transistor means, a second electrode connected to said base electrode of said second transistor means; second zener diode means having a first electrode connected to said base of said third transistor means and a second electrode connected to the first terminal; and circuit means connecting said first electrode of said third transistor means to the second terminal.

Claim 11

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 7 wherein said circuit means includes: pass transistor means having a base electrode connected to said first electrode of said third transistor means, a first electrode connected to the second terminal, and a second electrode connected to the third terminal.

Claim 12

The voltage regulator circuit of claim 8 further including second resistive means connected between the second terminal and said base electrode of said pass transistor means.

Claim 13

In a voltage regulator circuit for use in an integrated circuit which provides a regulated voltage between first and second conductors in response to an unregulated voltage between first and third conductors comprising first reference means having a first electrode connected to the first cOnductor and a second electrode, and first electron control means having a control electrode connected to the second electrode of the first reference means, a first electrode coupled to the second conductor and a second electrode, wherein the improvement comprises: second electron control means having a low beta and a control electrode connected to the second electrode of the first electron control means, a first electrode connected to the third conductor and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the first reference means and to the control electrode of the first reference means and to the control electrode of the first electron control means; third electron control means having a first electrode connected to the second conductor, a control electrode connected to a first electrode of the first electron control means and a second electrode connected to the third conductor; and first resistive means connected between said control electrode of said third electron control means and the second conductor.

Claim 14

In a voltage regulator circuit for use in an integrated circuit which provides a regulated voltage between first and second conductors in response to an unregulated voltage between first and third conductors comprising first reference means having a first electrode connected to the first cOnductor and a second electrode, and first electron control means having a control electrode connected to the second electrode of the first reference means, a first electrode coupled to the second conductor and a second electrode, wherein the improvement comprises: second electron control means having a low beta and a control electrode connected to the second electrode of the first electron control means, a first electrode connected to the third conductor and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the first reference means and to the control electrode of the first reference means and to the control electrode of the first electron control means; third electron control means having a first electrode connected to the second conductor, a control electrode connected to a first electrode of the first electron control means and a second electrode connected to the third conductor; and first resistive means connected between said control electrode of said third electron control means and the second conductor.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 10 further including a starting circuit having: fourth electron control means with a first electrode connected to the second electrode of the first reference means and a second electrode connected to the third conductor and a control electrode coupled to the third conductor; and second reference means having a first electrode connected to said control electrode of said fourth electron control means and a second electrode connected to the first conductor.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 11 further including second resistive means connected between said control electrode of said fourth electron control means and the third conductor.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 12 wherein said electron control means are semiconductor transistors and said reference means are zener diodes.