Reference voltage generators and methods including supplementary current generation, and integrated circuits including the same

Abstract

Reference voltage regulators and methods for integrated circuit output driver systems generate an initial supplementary current for the integrated circuit output driver system at the reference voltage for a predetermined time period in response to an output enable signal. Preferably, sufficient initial supplementary current is generated to compensate for an initial drop in the reference voltage that is generated by a reference voltage generator upon initial activation of the output driver system. Reference voltage generators according to embodiments of the invention may be included in an integrated circuit output driver system that is responsive to a reference voltage and to an output enable signal, and that varies in current drive capability in response to a current drive control signal. These embodiments of reference voltage regulators include a reference voltage generator that generates the reference voltage for the integrated circuit output driver system. A supplementary current generator generates an initial supplementary current for the integrated circuit output driver system at the reference voltage for a predetermined time period in response to the output enable signal. In some embodiments, the supplementary current generator generates a fixed initial supplementary current for the integrated circuit output driver system. In other embodiments, the supplementary current generator generates a variable initial supplementary current for the integrated circuit output driver system at the reference voltage for the predetermined time period in response to the output enable signal, and that varies in response to the current drive control signal.