Patent ID: 7782116

Claim:
A voltage level translator comprising: a pass transistor having a control input and two ports or contacts each connected to circuits that transfer signals to each other via the pass transistor when the pass transistor is on, and wherein the signals may be of different voltages; two cross coupled transistors each having a control input connected to one of the ports of the pass transistor and with outputs from each of the cross coupled transistors connected together to form a first output, wherein the cross coupling is configured to transfer the higher of the port voltages to the first output; a control circuit having a control output, the control circuit powered by a power voltage, the control circuit connected to the first output; an inverter with an input and an output, wherein the first output is transferred via the control circuit to the inverter input; and wherein the inverter output is connected to the control input of the pass transistor; and, when the power voltage to the control circuit is at or near zero volts, the inverter output is maintained low holding the pass transistor is off regardless of the value or transitions of the port voltages.