Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal composition which enables a significant reduction in crystallization temperature as compared with addition of a homologue while having a similar skeleton structure, which has an excellent compatibility, and which enables an increase in the absolute value of negative dielectric anisotropy (??). The liquid crystal composition contains two or more compounds which each have two to four ring structures between two side chains. At least one of the ring structures is a 2,3-difluorobenzene skeleton. The two side chains are bonded to different ring structures. The positions of the 2,3-difluorobenzene skeletons are different from each other, and the number of the ring structures are the same as each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and a ferroelectric liquid crystal display element. The present invention provides a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and a ferroelectric liquid crystal display element using this ferroelectric liquid crystal. The ferroelectric liquid crystal composition of the present invention contains at least one liquid crystal compound and has a chiral smectic C phase, and when the ferroelectric liquid crystal composition is sandwiched between substrates, a layer normal direction of the chiral smectic C phase is 80° to 90° with respect to the substrate surface. According to the ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and the ferroelectric liquid crystal display element of the present invention, since an alignment restoring ability is excellent, the present invention is useful for application in which a pressing force is repeatedly applied.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition having a chiral smectic C-phase is disposed as a liquid crystal composition layer between a first substrate and a second substrate arranged between two polarizing plates of which the planes of polarization are orthogonal to each other. The substrates are provided with vertically oriented films, respectively, and at least one of them is provided with orientation treatment that can form a pretilt angle in a certain direction. The C-director of the liquid crystal molecule is oriented in the certain direction at a portion being in contact with the substrate provided with the orientation treatment and is twisted by at least 180° between the first substrate and the second substrate. At least one of the substrates is provided with a pair of electrode structures generating electric fields approximately parallel to each other.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition which can suppress dependency of a driving voltage on a temperature by decreasing the driving voltage. To a low-molecular liquid crystal compound, a chiral compound, and a specific acrylate and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound as polymerizable acrylate compounds are added, to prepare a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition. By subjecting the polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition to ultraviolet exposure while maintaining a desired alignment state to form a polymer chain in a liquid crystal phase, a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal display device containing a low-molecular liquid crystal in a stabilized alignment state is obtained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition which can suppress dependency of a driving voltage on a temperature by decreasing the driving voltage. To a low-molecular liquid crystal compound, a chiral compound, and a specific acrylate and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound as polymerizable acrylate compounds are added, to prepare a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition. By subjecting the polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition to ultraviolet exposure while maintaining a desired alignment state to form a polymer chain in a liquid crystal phase, a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal display device containing a low-molecular liquid crystal in a stabilized alignment state is obtained.

Abstract: An ATM switching apparatus applicable to a short cell including an ATM-SW outputting a cell from an output path corresponding to a cell identifier, an interface unit, a demultiplexer, and a multiplexer. The interface unit sets, when a cell storing a plurality of short cells is inputted, the cell identifier so that the cell is transmitted from ATM-SW to the demultiplexer, and outputs the cell toward the ATM-SW. The demultiplexer receives the cell and produces a plurality of partial fill cells, and outputs them, while setting an identifier of each partial fill cell, the partial fill cell is outputted. The multiplexer receives a plurality of the partial fill cells, produces a cell storing a plurality of the short cells in accordance with the identifiers and outputs the cell to the ATM-SW.

Abstract: An ATM switching apparatus applicable to a short cell including an ATM-SW outputting a cell from an output path corresponding to a cell identifier, an interface unit, a demultiplexer, and a multiplexer. The interface unit sets, when a cell storing a plurality of short cells is inputted, the cell identifier so that the cell is transmitted from ATM-SW to the demultiplexer, and outputs the cell toward the ATM-SW. The demultiplexer receives the cell and produces a plurality of partial fill cells, and outputs them, while setting an identifier of each partial fill cell, the partial fill cell is outputted. The multiplexer receives a plurality of the partial fill cells, produces a cell storing a plurality of the short cells in accordance with the identifiers and outputs the cell to the ATM-SW.

Abstract: A first header converting section outputs, when partial fill cells are inputted to the first header converting section the partial fill cells, while converting a VPI of each of the partial fill cells into a value that is a unit of a multiplexing process at a short cell multiplexing section and converting a VCI of each of the partial fill cells into a value to be a CID which is to be stored in a short cell at the short cell multiplexing section. The short cell multiplexing section receives a plurality of the partial fill cells from the first header converting section to multiplex a plurality of the short cells within the partial fill cells for every VPI of the partial fill cells, and produces an AAL Type 2 cell in which the VCIs of the partial fill cells are stored as CIDs and the VPIs of the partial fill cells are stored as VCIs.

Abstract: An ATM switching apparatus applicable to a short cell comprises an ATM-SW outputting a cell from an output path corresponding to a identifier of the cell, an interface unit, a demultiplexer, and a multiplexer connected to the ATM-SW. The interface unit sets, when a cell storing a plurality of short cells are inputted, the identifier of the cell so that the cell is transmitted from ATM-SW to the demultiplexer, and outputts the cell toward the ATM-SW. The demultiplexer receives the cell outputted from the interface unit through the ATM-SW, produces a plurality of partial fill cells, and outputs the partial fill cells, while setting an identifier of each partial fill cell so that the partial fill is outputted to the multiplexer. The multiplexier receives a plurality of the partial fill cells outputted from the demultiplexer through the ATM-SW, produces a cell storing a plurality of the short cells in accordance with the identifiers of the partial fill cells, and outputs the cell to the ATM-SW.

Abstract: There is provided a demand control apparatus which is less attenuated in the wall and which can be installed even after the completion of construction of a new house. The present invention comprises a demand control unit for converting a restriction signal for restricting an electric current flowing to a circuit breaker so as not to exceed a target current value into a radio signal composed of a predetermined format and then transmitting the same, and a control unit for performing a modification in a way to reduce power consumption of the air conditioner when the restriction signal from the demand control unit is judged to be effective to coincide with the format.

Abstract: A compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group having from 2 to 16 carbon atoms; rings A, B, C, and D each represents a 1,4-phenylene group or a 1,4-phenylene group having one or two halogen atoms; Y represents a single bond, ##STR2## m and n each represents 0 or 1; p represents 0, 1, or 2; q represents 0 or an integer of from 1 to 6; and C* and C** each represents an asymmetric carbon atom in an (S)- or (R)-configuration, and a liquid crystal composition containing the compound of formula (I). The compound of formula (I) is a chiral liquid crystal compound exhibiting large spontaneous polarization, a long helical pitch, an SC* phase in a broad temperature range including room temperature, satisfactory orientation, and a high rate of response.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrate, at least one of them being transparent, and a light-control layer supported therebetween, wherein said light-control layer comprises a liquid crystal material showing positive dielectric anisotropy and a transparent solid substance, said liquid crystal material forming a continuous phase, and said transparent solid substance existing in said continuous phase in the form of dispersed particles or a three-dimensional network. The device exhibits a clear threshold voltage, a high fast response time and a highly contrast display with a low applied voltage.

Abstract: A 2,5-disubstituted pyrizine derivative and a 2,5-disubstituted pyrimidine derivative of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each independently represents a straight-chain or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms;X represents a halogen atom; and ##STR2## represents a pyrazine-2,5-diyl or a pyrimidine-2,5-diyl group; each useful as an electrooptical display material are disclosed. Further a liquid crystal composition comprising said compounds as well as a ferroelectric display device wherein said liquid crystal composition is used are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optically active compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl, alkoxyl, or alkoxyalkanoyloxy group which has 1 to 18 carbon atoms and may be substituted with fluorine, chlorine, or cyano group; R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms; ##STR2## m is 0 or 1; Y represents a single bond, --CH.sub.2 O--, or --COO--; Z represents a single bond or --COO--; and C* and C** each independently represents an asymmetric carbon atom of the (R) and (S) configuration, an intermediate therefor being represented by the following general formula (II): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1, and C* and C** each independently represents an asymmetric carbon atom of the (R) or (S) configuration, a process for producing the intermediate, and a liquid-crystal compound using the optically active compound.