Patent ID: 7088126

Claim:
An output circuit comprising: a source follower constituted by a n-channel MOS transistor, having a drain connected to a power source and a source connected to an output terminal, and applying an output voltage to a load through the output terminal when a gate is charged according to an inputted turn-on signal; a voltage detector determining if the output voltage is at a first voltage level substantially the same as a voltage level of the power source or at a second voltage level lower than the first voltage level; a first discharge circuit discharging the gate of the source follower according to an inputted turn-off signal when the output voltage is at the first voltage level, and stopping discharging the gate of the source follower when the output voltage decreases from the first voltage level to the second voltage level; and a second discharge circuit discharging the gate of the source follower more gradually than the first discharge circuit does according to the turn-off signal when the output voltage decreases from the first voltage level to the second voltage level.