V' be 'voltage voltage source temperature compensation network

Claim 2

A current regulator which supplies a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures, comprising: a source of temperature dependent voltage, said temperature dependent voltage being proportional to the voltage established across a semiconductor P-N junction structure in the conductive state; first resistance means coupled in parallel with said source of temperature dependent voltage for drawing current equal to the voltage applied thereacross divided by the resistance of said first resistance means; and serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means coupled in parallel with said source of temperature dependent voltage and said first resistance means such that the potential across said serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means equals the potential across said source of temperature dependent voltage, the current in said serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means thereby having a temPerature coefficient which is proportional to the negative of the temperature coefficient of current in said first resistance means for substantially compensating for said temperature coefficient of current in said first resistance means over a substantial range of operating temperature.

Claim 3

A current regulator according to claim 1 wherein: a load impedance requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperature is serially coupled between a source of operating potential and a junction of said source of temperature dependent voltage, said first resistance means, and said serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means.

Claim 4

A current regulator according to claim 1 wherein: a load impedance requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperature is serially coupled between a junction of said source of temperature dependent voltage, said first resistance means, and said serially coupled second P-N junction structure and second resistance means and a point of reference potential.

Claim 5

A current regulator according to claim 1 wherein: said source of temperature dependent voltage is a second P-N junction structure biased so as to be in a state of conduction.

Claim 6

A current regulator which supplies a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperature comprising: a first transistor, the emitter of which is coupled to a point of reference potential and the collector of which is coupled to a source of direct current voltage; a second transistor, the emitter of which is coupled to the base of said first transistor, the base of which is coupled to the collector of said first transistor, and the collector of which is coupled to said source of direct current voltage; first resistance means serially coupled between the junction of the base of said first transistor and emitter of said second transistor and a point of reference potential for allowing operating current to flow between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said point of reference potential in response to the base to emitter potential drop across said first transistor; and serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means coupled in parallel with said first resistance means, the ratio of the resistance of said first resistance means to the resistance of said second resistance means being selected for allowing current flow through said serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means to increase with increasing temperature in such a manner as to substantially compensate for decreasing current through said first resistance means in response to the decreasing base to emitter voltage across said first transistor with increasing temperature and thereby allow substantially constant current to flow in the main current conducting path of said second transistor over a substantial range of temperature.

Claim 7

A current regulator which supplies a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperature comprising: a first transistor, the emitter of which is coupled to a point of reference potential and the collector of which is coupled to a source of direct current voltage; a second transistor, the emitter of which is coupled to the base of said first transistor, the base of which is coupled to the collector of said first transistor, and the collector of which is coupled to said source of direct current voltage; first resistance means serially coupled between the junction of the base of said first transistor and emitter of said second transistor and a point of reference potential for allowing operating current to flow between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said point of reference potential in response to the base to emitter potential drop across said first transistor; and serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means coupled in parallel with said first resistance means, the ratio of the resistance of said first resistance means to the resistance of said second resistance means being selected for allowing current flow through said serially coupled P-N junction structure and second resistance means to increase with increasing temperature in such a manner as to substantially compensate for decreasing current through said first resistance means in response to the decreasing base to emitter voltage across said first transistor with increasing temperature and thereby allow substantially constant current to flow in the main current conducting path of said second transistor over a substantial range of temperature.

Claim 8

A current regulator which supplies a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 5 wherein: said P-N junction structure is of the same material as said first and second transistors and is poled for conduction between the base of said first transistor and a point of reference potential in the same manner as the base-emiiter junction of said first transistor.

Claim 9

A current regulator which supplies a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 6 wherein: a load impedance requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled in the main current conducting path of said second transistor.

Claim 10

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a constant current ratio amplifier for supplying an output current in a substantially constant ratio to a given input current coupled to said source of direct current voltage; a first transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the output terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential; a second transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the input terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said second transistor being coupled to the main current conducting path of said first transistor; sensing means serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said point of reference potential, the control electrode of said first transistor being coupled to the junction of a terminal of the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said sensing means for controlling the conduction of said first transistor; and resistance means serially coupled to a P-N junction structure of the same material as said first and second transistors, said serially coupled resistance means and P-N junction structure being serially coupled between a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said first transistor for conducting a current with a temperature coefficient which is inversely proportional to the temperature coefficient of current produced in said sensing means by voltage variations across the base-emitter junction of said first transistor, and thereby compensating for that temperature coefficient of current so that the sum of the two inversely proportional currents is substantially independent of temperature over a substantial range of operating temperatures.

Claim 11

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a constant current ratio amplifier for supplying an output current in a substantially constant ratio to a given input current coupled to said source of direct current voltage; a first transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the output terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential; a second transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the input terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said second transistor being coupled to the main current conducting path of said first transistor; sensing means serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said point of reference potential, the control electrode of said first transistor being coupled to the junction of a terminal of the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said sensing means for controlling the conduction of said first transistor; and resistance means serially coupled to a P-N junction structure of the same material as said first and second transistors, said serially coupled resistance means and P-N junction structure being serially coupled between a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said first transistor for conducting a current with a temperature coefficient which is inversely proportional to the temperature coefficient of current produced in said sensing means by voltage variations across the base-emitter junction of said first transistor, and thereby compensating for that temperature coefficient of current so that the sum of the two inversely proportional currents is substantially independent of temperature over a substantial range of operating temperatures.

Claim 12

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 8 wherein: said first and second transistors are of the same conductivity type.

Claim 13

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 9 wherein: a load circuit requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said input terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier.

Claim 14

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 9 wherein: a load circuit requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said first transistor and said output terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier.

Claim 15

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 9 wherein: a load circuit requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and said constant current ratio amplifier.

Claim 16

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 9 wherein said constant current ratio amplifier comprises: fourth and fifth transistors, the emitter of said fourth transistor being coupled to the base of said fifth transistor, the collector of said fifth transistor being coupled to the base of said fourth transistor and the emitter of said fifth transistor being coupled to said source of direct current voltage through first resistance means, the collector of said fourth transistor supplying said output current and the junction of the collector of said fifth transistor and the base of said fourth transistor being the point at which said input current is applied; and at least first serially coupled diode and resistance means having a value equal to that of said first first resistance means coupled between the base of said fifth transistor and said source of direct current voltage, said diode being poled for conduction in the same manner as the base-emitter junction of said fifth transistor.

Claim 17

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a constant current ratio amplifier for supplying an output current in a substantially constant ratio to a given input current coupled to said source of direct current voltage; a first transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the output terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential; a second transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the input terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said second transistor being coupled to the main current conducting path of said first transistor; sensing means serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said source of reference potential, the control electrode of said first transistor being coupled to the junction of a terminal of the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said sensing means for controlling the conduction of said first transistor; and a third transistor, the control electrode of which is coupled to the junction of the control electrode of said first transistor and the main current conducting path of said second transistor and the main current conducting path of said third transistor being coupled at its collector electrode to the collector electrode of said second transistor and the emitter of said third transistor being coupled through resistive means to a point of reference potential for compensating for the effects of the temperature coefficient of voltage between the control electrode and emitter of said first transistor on the collector current of said second transistor.

Claim 18

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a constant current ratio amplifier for supplying an output current in a substantially constant ratio to a given input current coupled to said source of direct current voltage; a first transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the output terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential; a second transistor, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between the input terminal of said constant current ratio amplifier and a point of reference potential and the control electrode of said second transistor being coupled to the main current conducting path of said first transistor; sensing means serially coupled between the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said source of reference potential, the control electrode of said first transistor being coupled to the junction of a terminal of the main current conducting path of said second transistor and said sensing means for controlling the conduction of said first transistor; and a third transistor, the control electrode of which is coupled to the junction of the control electrode of said first transistor and the main current conducting path of said second transistor and the main current conducting path of said third transistor being coupled at its collector electrode to the collector electrode of said second transistor and the emitter of said third transistor being coupled through resistive means to a point of reference potential for compensating for the effects of the temperature coefficient of voltage between the control electrode and emitter of said first transistor on the collector current of said second transistor.

Claim 19

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 14 wherein said constant current ratio amplifier comprises: fourth and fifth transistors, the emitter of said fourth transistor being coupled to the base of said fifth transistor, the collector of said fifth transistor being coupled to the base of said fourth transistor and the emitter of said fifth transistor being coupled to said source of direct current voltage through first resistance means, the collector of said fourth transistor supplying said output current and the junction of the collector of said fifth transistor and the base of said fourth transistor being the point at which said input current is applied; and at least first serially coupled diode and resistance means having a value equal to that of said first resistance means coupled between the base of said fifth transistor and said source of direct current voltage, said diode being poled for conduction in the same manner as the base-emitter junction of said fifth transistor.

Claim 20

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 15 wherein: said first, second and third transistors are of the same polarity type and said fourth and fifth transistors are of a polarity type opposite said first, second and third transistors.

Claim 21

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 16 wherein: a load circuit requiring A substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between the main current conducting paths of said second and fifth transistors.

Claim 22

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 16 wherein: a load circuit requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between the main current conducting paths of said first and fourth transistors.

Claim 23

A circuit for temperature compensation of a substantially constant current amplifier over a substantial range of operating temperatures according to claim 16 wherein: a load circuit requiring a substantially constant current over a substantial range of operating temperatures is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a junction of said first resistance means and said serially coupled diode and resistance means.