Abstract: There are provided at least two liquid crystal panels 10, 20 including the liquid crystals developing a memory effect, the liquid crystal developing a memory effect on a no-viewer side has a selective reflection wavelength set at 615 nm to 665 nm, the liquid crystal developing a memory effect on a viewer side has a selective reflection wavelength set at 490 nm to 540 nm, and a color filter 40 having a certain transmission property is provided between the liquid crystal developing a memory effect on the viewer side and the liquid crystal developing a memory effect on the no-viewer side.

Abstract: An optically compensated birefringence mode liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other, a liquid crystal material layer between the first and second substrates, the liquid crystal material layer having a splay state when a voltage is not applied and having a bend state when a transition voltage is applied, a first compensation film on an outer surface of the first substrate, a first polarizing plate on the first compensation film, a second compensation film on an outer surface of the second substrate, and a second polarizing plate on the second compensation film, wherein the liquid crystal material layer in the splay state has a first retardation value (R1) satisfying according to:

Abstract: Liquid crystal devices are formed by a layer of a liquid crystal material enclosed between two cell walls, both carrying electrode structures, and one or both walls treated to align molecules of the liquid crystal material. Most alignment treatment give alignment and surface pretilt with a strong azimuthal and zenithal anchoring energy to contacting liquid crystal molecules. The invention reduces at least one of the azimuthal zenithal or translational anchoring energy to improve switching characteristics and optical performance by allowing movement of liquid crystal molecules at or close to the cell wall. The reduction of anchoring energy may be achieved by an oligomer or short chain polymer which is either spread on the surface or added to the liquid crystal material. The size of oligomer or short chain polymer is low enough that it does not appreciably phase separate from the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises: a layer of a chiral liquid crystal material disposed between first and second substrates; and means for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer. A first region of the liquid crystal layer is an active region for display and a second region of the liquid crystal layer is a nucleation region for generating a desired liquid crystal state in the first region when a voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. The ratio of the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer to the pitch p of the liquid crystal material has a first value (d/p)A in the first region of the liquid crystal layer and has a second value (d/p)N different from the first value in the second region of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A device and method of manufacturing a single layer multi-state ultra-fast cholesteric liquid crystal includes two optically transparent states with a liquid crystal arranged therebetween, and changing the optical states of the liquid crystal ranging from one state to any combination of broadband reflection, tunable narrow band reflection, light scattering, and transparency in accordance with a voltage applied to the device. A surfactant can be added to reduce the response time and a dichroic dye may be added to include the property of light absorption and reduce the bandwidth. The device can provide any and all of the aforementioned optical states for infrared light, visible light, and ultra-violet light. The desired outputs can be formed according to need, so that predetermined optical states can operate with either no voltage or a particular voltage or voltage range.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display which carries out matrix driving of a chiral nematic liquid crystal composition, which is capable of displaying an image theron continuously after an electric field applied thereto is turned off, by applying an electric field to the liquid crystal composition through a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes which face and cross each other with the liquid crystal composition in-between. The nematic liquid crystal which is the main element of the liquid crystal composition mainly contains a liquid crystalline ester compound, a liquid crystalline stilbene compound, a liquid crystalline terphenyl compound or a liquid crystalline tolane compound.

Abstract: Helical arrays comprising structurally different chiral non-racemic molecules or molecular entities that control the helical sense of the helical array provide a method for temperature measurement with a unique characteristic in that the temperature dependent chiral biases of the competing structurally different chiral non-racemic entities control the helical sense population since these biases differ in their temperature dependence. By varying the composition of the chiral non-racemic entities, the temperature at which the helical sense population is equal and how the helical sense population varies as a function of temperature can be controlled. In this way, competing structurally different non-racemic chiral groups can be varied in their composition so that a helical array can be formed under their effect and be sensitive to temperature over a wide temperature range.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cholesteric liquid crystal display that includes a homogeneous alignment surface effective to provide increased brightness, low focal conic reflectance and/or reflected light treat is to a significant degree circularly polarized. The homogeneous alignment surface substantially homogeneously aligns the liquid crystal director adjacent thereto. The homogeneous alignment surface may be disposed on one or both sides of a cell of the display. In the case of a cell in which the homogeneous alignment surface is disposed on only one side, the substrate with the inhomogeneous alignment surface may be upstream or downstream of the substrate with the homogeneous alignment surface relative to a direction of incident light. Also included especially in the case of a cell that has the homogeneous alignment surface on both sides is the use of a polarizer to provide very good brightness and low focal conic reflectance.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a portable device is defined for storing and managing data accessed by a user. The portable device includes a microprocessor, memory, a display for text or graphics, and a QWERTY keyboard. The QWERTY keyboard is split into a left subset and a right subset that are complementary halves to a full or partial QWERTY key set. The preferred embodiment arranges the left keyboard subset in a sweeping arc centered about the lower left corner of the device and the right keyboard subset in a complementary sweeping arc about the right lower corner of the device. The left and right halves are spatially positioned with the left complementary subset to the left of the display, and the right complementary subset to the right of the display. The resulting device improves the ergonomics and usability of a portable handheld communication device.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cholesteric liquid crystal display that includes a homogeneous alignment surface effective to provide increased brightness, low focal conic reflectance and/or reflected light that is to a significant degree circularly polarized. The homogeneous alignment surface substantially homogeneously aligns the liquid crystal director adjacent thereto. The homogeneous alignment surface may be disposed on one or both sides of a cell of the display. In the case of a cell in which the homogeneous alignment surface is disposed on only one side, the substrate with the inhomogeneous alignment surface may be upstream or downstream of the substrate with the homogeneous alignment surface relative to a direction of incident light. Also included especially in the case of a cell that has the homogeneous alignment surface on both sides is the use of a polarizer to provide very good brightness and low focal conic reflectance.

Abstract: Disclosed are various reverse-mode direct-view liquid crystal displays employing a liquid crystal having a characteristic wavelength in the non-visible spectrum, including reflective, transmissive and reflective-transmissive mode displays. In accordance with the principles disclosed, a direct-view liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a front substantially transparent substrate, a rear substrate, and a controllable cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) disposed between the front and rear substrates and having a characteristic wavelength to reflect non-visible spectrum; the portions of the controllable CLC can selectively exhibit a planar state or a focal-conic state, the portions of the CLC in the planar state appearing dark, and the portions of the CLC in the focal-conic state appearing bright, to an observer of the LCD.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for document imaging is disclosed. The apparatus uses a flatbed scanner with a selectively opaque/transparent liquid crystal platen. The platen is divided into controllable segments defined by an electrode pattern formed within the platen itself. These segments can each be selectively made transmissive or opaque by applying appropriate voltages to the segment electrodes. An advantage of the invention is that it can operate without a platen cover, since the area of the platen not covered by the original can be made opaque. The opaque part of the platen directs imaging light back into the system, shielding a user's eyes and helping to create a white background if the platen is imaged.

Abstract: A bright, and contrasty reflective display can be performed without using polarizer films, and display switching can be performed fast. A ferroelectric liquid crystal is sandwiched between substrates, and electrodes are formed face to face with each other in a direction parallel to the substrates. The ferroelectric liquid crystal, when no electric field is applied to it, goes into a planer state in which a helical axis becomes perpendicular to or almost perpendicular to the substrates, selectively reflecting light of specific wavelengths in a visible region. A driving circuit applies an electric field between the electrodes in a direction perpendicular to or almost perpendicular to the helical axis of the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the planer state.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition which contains a liquid crystal tolan compound, a liquid crystal ester compound, a liquid crystal phenylcyclohexane compound and at least one chiral agent. A reflective type liquid crystal display has the liquid crystal composition and a columnar structure between substrates with ITO electrodes thereon.

Abstract: A series of drive schemes are used to apply a single phase of at least one voltage pulse to drive a display with a bistable cholesteric liquid crystal material to a gray scale reflectance. Each drive scheme takes into consideration the initial texture of the cholesteric material and the range of voltages that may be applied between maximum and minimum reflectance of the material. Application of the single phase can be implemented by either time modulation or amplitude modulation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is composed of (1) an LCD element having (i) a glass substrate on which a flat portion including pixel electrodes and a flat portion including switching elements, wires, and the like are laminated with interlayer insulating films therebetween, each interlayer insulating film being an organic film with an optical transmittance of not less than 95 percent with respect to light with a peak wavelength and (ii) a liquid crystal layer made of liquid crystal whose refractive index anisotropy &Dgr;n(450) with respect to light with a wavelength of 450 nm and whose refractive index anisotropy &Dgr;n(650) with respect to light with a wavelength of 650 nm satisfy a condition that a difference &Dgr;n(450)−&Dgr;n(650) between them is set so as to be in a range of 0 to 0.01, and (2) a phase difference plate whose refractive index anisotropy is negative (na=nc>nb) and whose index ellipsoids are inclined substantially throughout the phase difference plate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is constructed such that a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between an upper substrate, which is provided with upper transparent electrodes for forming pixels, and a lower substrate, which is provided with lower transparent electrodes disposed so as to intersect with the upper transparent electrodes. The liquid crystal panel includes a half reflection layer having a reflection function and a transmission function which is formed on the inner surface of the lower substrate as a lower layer of the lower transparent electrodes; an upper retardation film, an upper polarizing plate, and a light diffusing plate which are laminated on the upper substrate; and a lower retardation film and a lower polarizing plate, which are laminated on the surface of the lower substrate. Due to such a construction, the half reflection type liquid crystal display device is capable of providing an image display of high brightness and high contrast.

Abstract: A new liquid crystalline light modulating cell and material are characterized by liquid crystalline light modulating material of liquid crystal and polymer, the liquid crystal being a chiral nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and including chiral material in an amount effective to form focal conic and twisted planar textures, the polymer being distributed in phase separated domains in the liquid crystal cell in an amount that permits the liquid crystal to change textures upon the application of a field and ruggedizes the structure. In still another embodiment, the material exhibits stability at zero field in a colored, light reflecting state, a light scattering state and multiple stable reflecting state therebetween, as well as being optically clear in the presence of a field. In yet another embodiment, the application of mechanical force to the cell changes the material from an optically clear state to a light reflecting state.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprises plural pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix form, a common electrodes facing the pixel electrodes, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and plural switches to drive the respective pixel electrodes. A reflectivity or transmittance of the liquid crystal varies according to a first state where a direction of a normal to each of the liquid crystal is the same, a second state where the above direction of the normal is at random, and a third state where a spiral structure of the liquid crystal is untied, and has a hysteresis characteristics with respect to an applied voltage including an insensitive voltage region where a reflectivity or transmission state is not determined by the applied voltage. The device has an operation such that the applied voltage is brought into the insensitive voltage region, after a display signal is written into the pixel electrode, to hold the display state.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes cell wall structure and a chiral nematic liquid crystal material. The cell wall structure and the liquid crystal cooperate to form focal conic and twisted planar textures that are stable in the absence of a field. A device applies an electric field to the liquid crystal for transforming at least a portion of the material to at least one of the focal conic and twisted planar textures. The liquid crystal material has a pitch length effective to reflect radiation having a wavelength in both the visible and the infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum at intensity that is sufficient for viewing by an observer. One liquid crystal material may be disposed in a single region or two liquid crystal materials may be used, each in separate regions. One aspect of the invention is directed to a photolithography method for patterning a substrate of the display. The display may also have multicolor capabilities by including at least two materials that reflect visible light.

Abstract: A composite material includes a cholesteric liquid crystal; a polymer which is distributed in phase-separated domains and provides an effective form-retention property for the composite material; and an additional material which is dissolved in the cholesteric liquid crystal and maintains a cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal and bistability of a focal conic state and a planar state of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A new liquid crystalline light modulating cell and material are characterized by liquid crystalline light modulating material of liquid crystal and polymer, the liquid crystal being a chiral nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and including chiral material in an amount effective to form focal conic and twisted planar textures, the polymer being distributed in phase separated domains in the liquid crystal cell in an amount that stabilizes the focal conic and twisted planar textures in the absence of a field and permits the liquid crystal to change textures upon the application of a field. In one embodiment, the material is light scattering in a field-OFF condition and optically clear in a field-ON condition, while in another embodiment, the material is optically clear in a field-OFF condition and light scattering in a field-ON condition.

Abstract: A flat-panel liquid crystal display. The display includes a flat sheet of bistable chiral nematic liquid crystal material activated by a drive circuit that individually controls the display state of multiple picture elements at a refresh rate 1000 scan lines per second. The driver circuitry activates the liquid crystal domains into homeotropic states over a relatively long activation period and then, during a short (.about.1 msec.) selection period, either keeps the domains in a homeotropic state or initiate a transition to the transient twisted planar state. The drivers then activate the domains in an evolution phase to provide either focal conic or twisted planar end states across the two-dimensional array of picture elements.

Abstract: A composite material includes a cholesteric liquid crystal; a polymer which is distributed in phase-separated domains and provides an effective form-retention property for the composite material; and an additional material which is dissolved in the cholesteric liquid crystal and maintains a cholesteric phase of the liquid crystal and bistability of a focal conic state and a planar state of the liquid crystal.

Abstract: A new liquid crystalline light modulating cell and material are characterized by liquid crystalline light modulating material of liquid crystal and polymer, the liquid crystal being a chiral nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and including chiral material in an amount effective to form focal conic and twisted planar textures, the polymer being distributed in phase separated domains in the liquid crystal cell in an amount that stabilizes the focal conic and twisted planar textures in the absence of a field and permits the liquid crystal to change textures upon the application of a field. In one embodiment, the material is light scattering in a field-OFF condition and optically clear in a field-ON condition, while in another embodiment, the material is optically clear in a field-OFF condition and light scattering in a field-ON condition.

Abstract: A new liquid crystalline light modulating cell and material are characterized by liquid crystalline light modulating material of liquid crystal and polymer, the liquid crystal being a chiral nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and including chiral material in an amount effective to form focal conic and twisted planar textures, the polymer being distributed in phase separated domains in the liquid crystal cell in an amount that stabilizes the focal conic and twisted planar textures in the absence of a field and permits the liquid crystal to change textures upon the application of a field. In one embodiment, the material is light scattering in a field-OFF condition and optically clear in a field-ON condition, while in another embodiment, the material is optically clear in a field-OFF condition and light scattering in a field-ON condition.

Abstract: In a liquid crystalline optical device, a light modulating layer composed of a liquid crystal and a high polymer resin is sandwiched between two substrates having electrode layers, at least one of the substrates being transparent. The polymer is a compound which is obtained by photopolymerization of a prepolymer containing a (meth)acryloyl compound having a stilbene skeleton, or a (meth)acryloyl compound including dioxane group or dioxolane group. The liquid crystalline optical device can be driven with a lower applied voltage and exhibits a reduced hysteresis.

Abstract: Surfactant-containing multistable cholesteric liquid crystal displays exhibit ultra fast response times with both video speed and gray scale capability.

Abstract: An electro-optical liquid crystal device comprises a pair of glass substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the substrates, a transparent electrode arrangement formed on inside surfaces of the substrates in order to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer to modulate the optical characteristics of the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer consists of a number of liquid crystal capsules dispersed in a carrier which includes a dielectric material having a high dielectric constant. The dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer is adjusted by selecting the amount of the dielectric material contained in the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: The present invention describes a self-responding laminated body in which an isotropic solution, wherein a polysaccharide derivative, dissolved in water, aggregates to demonstrate cloudy scattering due to a rise in temperature resulting in a decrease in optical transmittance, is sealed in a cell, of which at least a portion is transparent, that enables the aqueous solution to be viewed directly; wherein, the isotropic aqueous solution is a solution in which 100 parts by weight of a polysaccharide derivative, having a weight average molecular weight of roughly 10,000 to roughly 200,000, is dissolved in roughly 110 to roughly 2,000 parts by weight of a water-based medium composed of an amount of water that is roughly 25 to roughly 450 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the polysaccharide derivative, and an amphipathic substance.