Abstract: In a driving method of an optical switch element for controlling a quantity of transmission light between opposed electrodes by interposing a transparent, high dielectric material between the opposed electrodes and applying a positive or negative voltage between the opposed electrodes, the improvement wherein a period in which the opposed electrodes are substantially short-circuited is disposed in order to make it possible to either reduce or eliminate stored charge.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of base plates and a ferroelectric chiral smectic liquid crystal disposed between the base plates. The pair of base plates being secured to each other to leave a spacing which is small enough to release the spiral structure of the ferroelectric chiral smectic liquid crystal due to the wall effect of the base plates. Fibrous spacers having a diameter d (.mu.m) and an average length l satisfying the relationship of 3.ltoreq.l/d.ltoreq.100 are disposed together with the ferroelectric chiral smectic liquid crystal.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel including at least one transparent plate formed of plastic material including a barrier coating layer for reducing permeability of the resin plate to air and/or water vapor is provided. A transparent electrode is formed on the inner surface of the transparent plate. Transparent resin plates are desirable as they are optically clear for producing a clear display, light weight and sufficiently flexible to impart impact resistance to the display panel.

Abstract: A transmissive type liquid crystal display panel includes a liquid crystal cell including a liquid crystal material layer, a pair of polarizers between which the liquid crystal layer is disposed, for polarizing incident light, and an optical system disposed on a front surface of the display cell, for refracting light transmitted through the liquid crystal cell in an oblique direction having a good contrast image to an observer.

Abstract: In a segment display type multi-color liquid crystal display device, the area of the display surface of the display device except the areas of segment electrodes is formed so as to present a color identical or similar to a color presented by the segment electrodes in an unselected state. Selected segments can be clearly recognized.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the production of an orientation layer on a plane surface of a plate, and a liquid crystal substrate plate produced thereby. By the process of evaporation from a source, orientation layers are deposited on the plane surfaces of a plurality of liquid crystal substrate plates used for application in liquid crystal displays. To obtain a uniform orientation of the optic axis of the liquid crystal with regard to the azimuthal alignment by means of the preferred direction caused by the orientation layer on the surface, the plates are moved in a direction crosswise to the evaporation direction during the evaporation process. The field of the particle stream emanating from the source is limited by an aperture in an aperture screen which is introduced between the source and the plates. The plates pass completely through the particle stream during the course of the evaporation operation. The finished plates include an approximately 5 nm thick orientation layer.

Abstract: A method of addressing a matrix addressed ferroelectric liquid crystal cell is described that uses parallel entry of balanced bipolar data pulses on one set of electrodes to co-operate with serial entry of unipolar strobe pulses on the other set of electrodes. Data entry is preceded with blanking (erasing) pulses applied to the strobe lines. The polarity of the strobing and blanking pulses is periodically reversed to maintain charge balance in the long term.

Abstract: A dot matrix display panel with a thin film transistor and the manufacturing method therefor, the panel being so constructed that a gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer are provided as one laminated film substantially equal in the size thereto on an insulating substrate having a gate electrode and in a region of the substrate except for the peripheral portion thereof, and a source electrode and a drain electrode come into contact with the semiconductor layer in a region covering the gate electrode and gate insulating layer so as to constitute a thin film transistor array substrate, so that a display medium is sandwiched between the array substrate and the substrate having a transparent electrode.

Abstract: A device for testing a battery, particularly a small, portable battery, comprising a flexible, transparent substrate on which is deposited a narrow band of a black light absorbing material. A conductive material, which may taper outwardly in opposite directions from a central point to a pair of outer terminals, is then deposited atop the substrate on the same side of the substrate as the absorber layer or on the opposite side of the substrate as the absorber layer. A layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal material is then deposited on the substrate on the opposite side from the black absorber layer or over the absorber layer. The conductive material is an epoxy cement-based conductor, preferably silver, printed or painted directly on to the substrate. An indicator scale is located along sections of the conductive material.

Abstract: A device for testing a battery, particularly a small, portable battery, comprising a flexible, transparent substrate on which is deposited a narrow band of a black light absorbing material. A conductive material, which tapers outwardly in opposite directions from a central point to a pair of outer terminals, is then deposited atop the substrate on the same side of the substrate as the absorber layer. A layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal material is then deposited on the substrate on the opposite side from the black absorber layer. The conductive material is an epoxy cement-based conductor, preferably silver, printed or painted directly on to the substrate. An indicator scale is located along sections of the tapered conductive material. To test a dry cell battery, the terminal ends of the conductive material are placed in contact with the battery terminals, causing a current to flow which heats the conductive material, the heat generated being the most intense at the central point and radiating outwardly.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling the glare shield of a reflecting mirror of a vehicle, wherein the reflecting mirror is provided with on the upper half and lower half portions respectively first and second electro-optic elements whose transmittance of light being variable, and when a first photo detecting circuit determines that incident light on the reflecting mirror detected by an incident light detector is the direct sunlight, a first control circuit applies a voltage to the first electro-optic element to cause the upper half portion of the reflecting mirror to become a glare shield condition, and when a second photo detecting circuit determines that the incident light detected by an incident light detector is light of a headlight of a following vehicle, a second control circuit applies the voltage to the second electro-optic element to cause the lower half portion of the reflecting mirror to become the glare shield condition.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus in which an image to be displayed is written in the liquid crystal cell by irradiating it with a laser beam and in which the image thus written is enlarged and projected on a screen by optical projection means and wherein the invention the amount of energy supplied to a spot in the liquid crystal cell in which an image is to be produced is increased when writing is not and will not be done in immediately preceding and succeeding spots so that the image writing in the liquid crystal cell can be completed within a shorter time.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device wherein a nematic liquid crystal having a positive dielectric anisotropy and added with a chiral material is sealed between a pair of upper and lower substrates so as to constitute a helical structure twisted within a range between 96.degree. and 108.degree. along a direction of thickness thereof, absorption axes of a pair of polarizing plates disposed on the upper and lower substrates constitute an angle between 63.degree. and 73.degree., and a product .DELTA.n.multidot.d of a thickness d (.mu.m) and an optical anisotropy .DELTA.n of a liquid crystal layer falls within a range from 0.69 .mu.m to 0.79 .mu.m.

Abstract: The invention covers a liquid-crystal cell having two transparent substrates 1 and 2 arranged at a distance from each other and forming between them a cell space 3 which is filled with liquid-crystal substance 8. Polarizers 5 are arranged on the sides of said substrates facing away from each other while electrodes 6 and 7 are arranged on the sides thereof facing each other. A substrate-side boundary surface of the cell space 3, along which surface the liquid-crystal surface 8 borders, is formed with a plurality of depressions 12 which substantially adjoin each other and, cover the entire boundary surface. Each depression 12 has places of different depth distributed over the extent of its surface, these depths producing light colors which correspond to the total thickness of the liquid-crystal layer 8 present at the respective places. The light colors have at least substantially the entire color spectrum in the region of the surface of a depression 12.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon spatial light modulator that includes a unique three electrode structure that is used to create a two-dimensional electric field distribution in liquid crystal material. This modulator allows for the use of very thin photoconductor layers and a middle electrode in the form of a grating structure to provide control of the field shape while also providing for high spatial resolution.

Abstract: A liquid crystal color display panel using a mosaic color filter and a twisted nematic liquid crystal layer arranged between a pair of linear polarizers and driven by a mosaic array of dot electrodes. An auxiliary glass plate quite thin in thickness is bonded onto the mosaic color filter built on the inner surface of a transparent plate, and the mosaic array of dot electrodes is formed on the inner surface of the auxiliary glass plate. With this structure, the liquid crystal layer and the mosaic color filter are separated only by the extremely thin auxiliary glass plate, and, therefore, a color disregistration due to parallax is minimized. The fragile auxiliary glass plate is reinforced by the strong back transparent plate.

Abstract: There is disclosed a structure of a matrix display unit having a matrix display panel with mutually perpendicular groups of signal and scaning electrodes and a wiring board mounting thereon a driver circuit having output terminals disposed on two marginal edges of the wiring board. At least one of the marginal edges is bent closely toward the matrix display panel. Terminal electrodes of one of the groups of the matrix electrodes are electrically connected to the bent marginal edge in confronting relation through an electrically conductive anisotropic member, terminal electrodes of the other group of the matrix electrodes are electrically connected to the other marginal edge through a bent electrically conductive anisotropy member or a flexible wiring sheet.

Abstract: A rearview mirror system comprises an electrically controlled optical transmission plate disposed over a reflecting surface. The optical transmission plate is selectively operable to any of a number of different states of opaqueness between a maximum light transmission and a maximum opaqueness. The opaqueness of the optical transmission plate is controlled by an electronic circuit which includes two sensors, one for sensing the brightness of incident light from the field of view and the other for sensing ambient light. The control operates to cause the light which is incident on the reflecting surface to be closed loop regulated to a desired degree of brightness which is also correlated with ambient light conditions. A manually operable adjustment is also provided for the observer to set a desired brightness characteristic.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus has first and second liquid crystal substrates opposing each other. Segment electrodes are formed on the inner surface of the first substrate. Common electrodes are formed on the inner surface of the second substrate. Seal members seal a liquid crystal composition in a predetermined region between the segment electrodes and the common electrodes. Light shutters are formed by these electrodes and the liquid crystal composition sealed therebetween. In order to reduce influence of a hysteresis effect in the liquid crystal composition when a high frequency electric field is applied, the liquid crystal composition has a dielectric scattering phenomenon in which its dielectric anisotropy in response a low frequency electric field is larger than the absolute value of its dielectric anisotropy in response a high frequency electric field.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is disclosed, which comprises first and second transparent substrates facing each other, a liquid crystal sealed between the transparent substrates, a plurality of display electrodes formed on the inner surface of the first transparent substrate, thin film transistors also formed on the first transparent substrate inner surface and each connected to each display electrode, and a transparent common electrode formed on the inner surface of the second transparent substrate, and in which the thin film transistors are selectively controlled to selectively drive the display electrodes for display. The resistance of semiconductor layers of the thin film transistors is reduced by external light to result in deterioration of the contrast of display. According to the invention, an opaque metal layer is formed between each thin film transistor and the first transparent substrate, and an insulating film is provided between the opaque metal layer and thin film transistor.