Level translator with a voltage shifting element

摘要

A level translator includes a latch, a pair of transistors responsive to a switching input voltage and operating in a complementary manner and a pair of zener diodes operating as level shifters. The Zener diodes are coupled between the pair of transistors and the latch. An output transistor is coupled to the latch and produces an output voltage that is level translated with respect to the input voltage. A second embodiment of the invention includes a level translator that produces a first voltage at selectively one of first and second levels and a second voltage at selectively one of third and fourth levels. The first, second, third and fourth levels are different from each other such that in total four different levels are produced. The first and second voltages are coupled to control gates of a pair of transistors operating as a transmission gate.