Patent ID: 7358950

Claim:
A low-voltage signal generator provided in a signal processing integrated circuit including integrated therein circuits requiring high-amplitude logic signals and circuits operable with low-amplitude logic signals, comprising all within the integrated circuit: a first logic operation circuit which performs a logic operation using a high-amplitude logic signal; a transmission system having a load capacitance, wherein the low-voltage signal generator transforms a high-amplitude logic signal to a low-amplitude logic signal having a lower amplitude than the high-amplitude logic signal; and transistors forming a gate circuit, wherein: each transistor belongs to either a low level output group or a high level output group; and each transistor belonging to the low level output group is fed at a gate thereof with the high-amplitude logic signal and at an input end thereof with any one of a low-amplitude logic signal which remains at a low level throughout a period in which the high-amplitude logic signal is applied to the gate, a low level potential from a low level source for use to produce the low-amplitude logic signal, and a low level potential from a high level source for use to produce the high-amplitude logic signal, and outputs a low level potential of a low-amplitude logic signal through an output end thereof; and each transistor belonging to the high level output group is fed at a gate thereof with the high-amplitude logic signal and at an input end thereof with either one of a low-amplitude logic signal which remains at a high level throughout the period and a high level potential from the low level source, and outputs a high level potential of a low-amplitude logic signal through an output end thereof.