Patent ID: 7006068

Claim:
A sampling level converter circuit comprising: a switch element inserted in a charging path of an output node, wherein the switch element inserted in the charging path of the output node is turned on in a setup time-interval based on a sampling control signal supplied thereto, thereby precharging the output node to a voltage of a higher-potential power-supply; a switch element inserted in a discharging path of the output node; and means for sampling an input signal voltage; wherein the discharging path of the output node is held in an off state based upon the sampling control signal in the setup time-interval; the switch element inserted in the discharging path of the output node is turned on and off in accordance with a logic value of the input signal voltage sampled in the setup time-interval, in an output time-interval specified by the sampling control signal; when the switch element inserted in the discharging path is turned on, the discharging path is set in an on state, thereby discharging the precharged output node; and when the switch element inserted in the discharging path is turned off, no discharging of the precharged output node takes place.