Patent ID: 8649477

Claim:
A level shifter comprising: an input terminal to which an input voltage is applied; a first capacitor; a first transistor having a source electrode and a drain electrode that are provided between the input terminal and one of electrodes of the first capacitor, and a gate electrode connected to the other of the electrodes of the first capacitor; a second transistor having a source electrode and a drain electrode that are provided between the input terminal and the other electrode of the first capacitor; a signal generating unit configured to generate a signal for switching the second transistor between conduction and non-conduction and supply the signal to the gate electrode of the second transistor; and an output terminal for outputting, in a period when the input voltage is provided to the input terminal, a voltage at the other electrode of the first capacitor which is level-shifted as an output voltage, wherein the signal generating unit further includes: a control terminal to which a control signal for generating the output voltage is applied; a reset terminal to which a reset signal for resetting a circuit state is applied; a second capacitor connected between the ate electrode of the second transistor and the one electrode of the first capacitor; a third transistor having a gate electrode connected to the reset terminal, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the control terminal, and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode connected to the ate electrode of the second transistor; a fourth transistor having a gate electrode connected to the one electrode of the first capacitor, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the gate electrode of the second transistor, and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode connected to a reference terminal; and a fifth transistor having a gate electrode connected to the reset terminal, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the one electrode of the first capacitor, and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode connected to the reference terminal.