Patent ID: 8629707

Claim:
An AC coupled level shifter, comprising: a first capacitively configured transistor including a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal for receiving an input signal from circuitry of a first voltage domain; an inverting circuit including an input terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first capacitively configured transistor and including an output terminal, the inverting circuit being of a second voltage domain; a second capacitively configured transistor including a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switching transistor including a control electrode coupled to the output terminal of the inverting circuit, a first current electrode, and a second current electrode, wherein the first switching transistor and the second capacitively configured transistor are coupled in series between the second terminal of the first capacitively configured transistor and a first power supply terminal for providing a current path between the second terminal of the first capacitively configured transistor and the first power supply terminal through the first and second current electrodes of the first switching transistor and the first and second terminals of the second capacitively configured transistor; a third capacitively configured transistor including a first terminal and a second terminal; and a second switching transistor including a control electrode coupled to the output terminal of the inverting circuit, a first current electrode, and a second current electrode, wherein the second switching transistor and the third capacitively configured transistor are coupled in series between the second terminal of the first capacitively configured transistor and a second power supply terminal for providing a current path between the second terminal of the first capacitively configured transistor and the second power supply terminal through the first and second current electrodes of the second switching transistor and the first and second terminals of the third capacitively configured transistor.