Patent ID: 7218162

Claim:
A semiconductor integrated circuit that operates with a power-supply voltage and comprises an output circuit, the output circuit comprising: a driving circuit that receives an input signal and that generates a driving signal and an inverted drive signal, the driving circuit including an CMOS gate that operates with a driving circuit operating voltage that is lower than the power-supply voltage and outputs the driving signal; an output stage having an output terminal that outputs an output signal, the output stage including a first and a second N-channel MOS transistor, the first N-channel MOS transistor having a drain thereof that receives an output stage operating voltage that is lower than the driving circuit operating voltage, a source thereof connected to the output terminal, and a gate thereof that receives the driving signal, the second N-channel MOS transistor having a source thereof connected to a ground, a drain thereof connected to the output terminal, and a gate thereof that receives the inverted driving signal; an output stage operating voltage source that supplies the output stage operating voltage, the output stage operating voltage source including a third N-channel MOS transistor having a first positive threshold voltage, the third N-channel MOS transistor further having a drain thereof that receives the power-supply voltage, a gate thereof that receives a reference voltage, and a source thereof that outputs the output stage operating voltage; and a driving circuit operating voltage source that supplies the driving circuit operating voltage, the driving circuit operating voltage source including a fourth N-channel MOS transistor having a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage, the fourth N-channel MOS transistor further having a drain thereof that receives the power-supply voltage, a gate thereof that receives the reference voltage, and a source thereof that outputs the driving circuit power supply voltage.