A programmable voltage generator has software-programmable registers that
may be decoded to generate control bits that turn on select transistors
that control a variable resistor network. An external power voltage is
input to a regulator transistor, which has a channel resistance
controlled by a gate voltage. The channel resistance of the regulator
transistor produces a regulated voltage as an output. An op amp compares
a reference voltage to a feedback voltage to generate the gate voltage.
The feedback voltage is taken from a tap within the variable resistor
network. The variable resistor network has select transistors that select
one resistor between the regulated voltage and an upper node, and that
select one resistor between a lower node and ground. Switches select a
tap within a series of resistors between the upper and lower nodes. Y
(fine) control bits select the tap while X (coarse) control bits enable
select transistors.