Abstract: A keypad is configured for use with a portable unit having a display unit positioned in a first viewing orientation, such that the keypad's viewing orientation is rotably adjustable in cooperation with the orientation of the display, when the display unit is positioned in a second viewing orientation.

Abstract: Disclosed are a power supply circuit which can cope with a multipotential level design and is suitable for generating potentials for driving a liquid crystal, and a liquid crystal device and an electronic instrument which use the power supply circuit. A first step-up circuit in the power supply circuit generates a first stepped-up potential level obtained by stepping up a power-supply level with a ground level taken as a reference. A regulator circuit generates a center potential obtained by regulating the first stepped-up potential level by referring to a reference potential level with the ground level taken as a reference. A second step-up circuit generates a second stepped-up potential level obtained by stepping up the center potential with the ground level taken as a reference.

Abstract: A display method can achieve both a substantially high definition image display and high speed dynamic image display. The image displaying method of an image displaying apparatus having a display portion consisting of a plurality of pixels takes each of a predetermined number of pixels as one block unit and forms one screen image for display by combining a region for displaying the same information on a plurality of pixels in one block unit during one scanning period and a region for permitting display of respectively different information on the plurality of pixels in the one block unit.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a first substrate, first and second driving electrodes arranged on the first substrate, a second substrate arranged in an opposing relation to the first substrate and a third driving electrode arranged on the second substrate. A transparent dielectric liquid is filled between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of migratory particles are dispersed in the transparent dielectric liquid. A barrier is disposed on a surface of the third driving electrode arranged on the second substrate and is situated in an opposing relation to a boundary between the first driving electrode and the second driving electrode.

Abstract: In an active-matrix display device and a method for driving the active-matrix display device, a fifth transistor is connected between a power line and a drain terminal of a first transistor so that a power-supply voltage, namely the fixed voltage required for the compensation of the threshold voltage, is supplied by the power line via a fifth transistor and not by a signal line. Thus, a sufficient length of time for the threshold voltage compensation period can be maintained, and a second transistor of each pixel can accurately be compensated for threshold voltage irregularities.

Abstract: A display panel driving apparatus capable of displaying images of good quality with a limited dither pattern. Each of pixel cells arranged on each display line in a plurality of adjacent display lines is forced to emit light at a different luminance level based on a weighting coefficient assigned to each of the display lines, wherein a weighting coefficient is assigned to each of the display lines such that an offset of luminance difference between pixel cells arranged on each of display lines adjacent to each other is held within a predetermined range across all the adjacent display lines in the display panel.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for operating a backlighted dot matrix type LCD for displayed outputs from a programmable environmental control device, such as a programmable thermostat. The LCD is operated so that viewer elements of a displayed data item are non-opaque when a room where the LCD is located is darkened and the surrounding display elements are partially or completely opaque. Selected elements can also change from opaque to non-opaque to display an active condition.

Abstract: An optical apparatus. The optical apparatus is applied to an object surface, comprising a frame, a light emitting device and an optical sensor. The frame is disposed in the optical apparatus, having a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening. The light emitting device is disposed in the first compartment, wherein light emitted from the light emitting device passes through the first opening and is reflected by the object surface outside the frame. The optical sensor is disposed in the second compartment to receive light reflected from the object surface passing through the second opening.

Abstract: An input device includes a touch panel which recognizes a press on each touch area and outputs press information and a controller which receives the press information output from the touch panel and transmits corresponding data to a main apparatus. The controller registers pressed regions of the touch panel and regions surrounding the pressed regions as touch areas in a touch area registration process performed prior to execution of data input operation. Upon receiving particular press information, the controller switches the kind of data to be input by pressing the touch areas and annunciates switching of the kind of input data by producing an audible message.

Abstract: A computer keyboard provides for one or more of processing, interfacing, input/output control with respect to the computer and/or one or more devices coupled to the keyboard, and/or for control of one or more devices coupled to the keyboard. The keyboard comprises at least one processor, and may also include one or more busses and/or other devices, that, individually in cooperation, perform such functions. In one embodiment, the processor receives telephony signals from the computer and provides telephony signals to the computer, performing the processing necessary to support telephony functions such as conversion of audio signals. Audio signals from computer sound cards and other audio signal sources may be mixed with telephony signals in keyboards according to the invention. Displays and associated input devices incorporated by the keyboard are provided to control telephony and other keyboard processor functions.

Abstract: In a vertical retrace interval, a pre-charge potential or a signal potential is applied to each polarity for AC driving liquid crystal at least once each, so as to maintain fluctuations in pixel potential between the positive polarity side and the negative polarity side uniform, and minimum required potentials are supplied to the data signal line, thereby suppressing decrease in image quality without significantly increasing power consumption.

Abstract: Power management for an interface device that is manipulated by a user and in communication with a host computer and provides forces to the user. The device includes a sensor and an actuator. One embodiment provides first power from the host computer over a serial interface and second power from a power adapter. Another embodiment provides first power from the host computer and second power from a power storage device on the interface device that supplies power to the actuator. Another embodiment provides a power adapter supplying a portion of the first power to the sensor and a portion to the actuator, and a power storage device on the interface device provides second power to the actuator.

Abstract: In a hold-type display device, such as a liquid crystal display device, so-called blurring which appears on a profile of a displayed animated image can be suppressed without degrading the brightness of the image. An image based on video data to be inputted to a display device is displayed for every frame period and, thereafter, the image is masked with a blanking image. Here, the ratio between an image display period of the video data and a blanking image display period in one frame period is adjusted, based on the number of pixel rows selected in a pixel array in response to a scanning clock for respective periods, the frequency of the scanning clock, and shortening of a horizontal period of display signal inputting to every pixel row with respect to a horizontal scanning period of the video data, whereby the image can be efficiently cancelled using the blanking image.

Abstract: An optical trackball is disclosed that is easy to operate without been worried about the contamination on the contacting shifts of encoders inside the trackball. When a distal motion from a user to rotate an operating ball having an uneven surface on the trackball, an image-detecting module will detect the varying of the reflected image from an illuminated portion of the uneven surface, causing the correspondingly moving of the cursor on the computer display.

Abstract: A flexible and efficient apparatus and method of scanning switch matrix usable in user interface devices, e.g., a keypad or the like, having a number of switching elements, e.g., push buttons and/or switches, up to a twice the product of the number of rows and the number of columns. Each row and columns of the switch matrix are capable of being driven and being monitored during a scanning of the switch matrix for a presence of a closure of a switching element. The switch matrix device and the scanning method also allows integration of one or more switches in the switch matrix without the need for additional detection mechanisms dedicated to the switches.

Abstract: There is disclosed an enhanced text entry system which uses word-level analysis to correct inaccuracies automatically in user keystroke entries on reduced-size or virtual keyboards. A method and system are defined which determine one or more alternate textual interpretations of each sequence of inputs detected within a designated auto-correcting region. The actual interaction locations for the keystrokes may occur outside the boundaries of the specific keyboard key regions associated with the actual characters of the word interpretations proposed or offered for selection, where the distance from each interaction location to each corresponding intended character may in general increase with the expected frequency of the intended word in the language or in a particular context. Likewise, in a virtual keyboard system, the keys actuated may differ from the keys actually associated with the letters of the word interpretations.

Abstract: A color filter cross-talk compensator is provided for a multi-color reflective display system having a controllable display cell with multiple adjacent color filters that transmit generally different components with overlaps between them, ambient light being transmitted into the display cell and reflected back through it. The color filter cross-talk compensator receives image data that correspond to a display image to be rendered and generates cross-talk compensated color component drive signals that are delivered to the display cell (e.g. L.C.D). The cross-talk compensated color component drive signals compensate for the overlapping color components transmitted by the color filters for the different color components. A color filter cross-talk compensation method is also provided.

Abstract: A TFT substrate having formed thereon source bus lines and a source GS substrate having formed thereon source output wirings are respectively provided with a panel side auxiliary line and a driver side auxiliary line, each being provided so as to cross the source bus lines and the source output wirings via an insulating film, and in a substrate connection part, not only the source lines and source output lines but also the panel side auxiliary line and the driver side auxiliary line formed on respective substrates. With this structure, a wiring connection inferior between the wiring substrates to be connected can be fixed with ease while suppressing generation of secondary inferior.

Abstract: A method of driving a plasma display panel including a plurality of scanning electrodes covered with a dielectric layer, and a plurality of sustaining electrodes covered with a dielectric layer, including the steps of (a) applying scanning pulses in time-division to the scanning electrodes in an addressing period in which a cell or cells emitting light is(are) selected, and applying sustaining pulses to the sustaining electrodes in a sustaining period for generating preliminary discharge and preliminary erasing discharge before the cell or cells emitting light is(are) selected, and (b) applying a serrate pulse to the scanning or sustaining electrodes when the preliminary erasing discharge is generated, the serrate pulse having an inclination smaller than 10 V/?s, wherein a period of time until the generation of the preliminary erasing discharge from the termination of the preliminary discharge is set shorter than 3T where T indicates a decay time constant of priming particles.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display device preventing a deterioration of picture quality. More specifically, in the method and apparatus, a difference between modulated data and normal input data is calculated, and the normal input data are modulated by using the difference data calculated.