Arithmetic circuit with two different voltage levels

摘要

An arithmetic circuit comprising a plurality of arithmetic element rows each of which contains a given number of arithmetic elements wherein arithmetic elements contained in the first of said plural arithmetic element rows each receive an external signal, arithmetic elements contained in the remaining other arithmetic element rows each receive an output from arithmetic elements contained in its preceding arithmetic element row, and arithmetic elements contained in the last of said plural arithmetic element rows each provide an arithmetic operation result, wherein: said arithmetic elements contained in the last arithmetic element row are driven by a high voltage from a high-voltage source; said arithmetic elements contained in the remaining other arithmetic element rows except the last arithmetic element row are driven by a low voltage from a low-voltage source; a level shifter driven by a high-voltage from said high-voltage source is placed between an arithmetic element of the last arithmetic element row and another of its preceding arithmetic element row so that a low-voltage output signal from said arithmetic element of said preceding arithmetic element row is converted into an output signal having the same voltage as a high voltage from said high-voltage source. <IMAGE>