Patent ID: 8531230

Claim:
An input circuit comprising: a ground terminal to which a ground potential is applied; an input terminal to which an input signal with a potential which varies between the ground potential and a first power supply potential is supplied; a first inverter having an input connected with a first node; a first path control circuit provided between said input terminal and said first node and configured to control an electrical connection between said input terminal and said first node based on the potential of the input signal; and a second path control circuit provided between said ground terminal and said first node and configured to control an electrical connection between said ground terminal and said first node based on the potential of the input signal, wherein said first inverter outputs a second power supply potential which is lower than the first power supply potential, when the potential of said first node is lower than a first inversion potential, and outputs the ground potential when the potential of said first node is higher than the first inversion potential, wherein a target inversion potential is higher than the first inversion potential, wherein said first path control circuit blocks off the electrical connection between said input terminal and said first node when the potential of the input signal is lower than the target inversion potential, and electrically connects said input terminal and said first node, when the potential of the input signal is higher than the target inversion potential, and wherein said second path control circuit electrically connects said ground terminal and said first node when the potential of the input signal is lower than the second inversion potential which is lower than the target inversion potential, and blocks off the electrical connection between said ground terminal and said first node when the potential of the input signal is higher than the second inversion potential.