Abstract: A joystick actuator includes a fixed housing, a joystick member which is manually movable relative to the housing in at least one direction and which incorporates a light transmitter, a detection circuit within the housing incorporating at least two position sensing light detectors for receiving light of varying intensity from the light transmitter as the joystick member is moved in the at least one direction and a further light detector between the two position sensing light detectors. The actuator also includes parts in the detection circuit for making use of the output signal of the further light detector to linearize or substantially linearize the output signals of the position sensing light detectors. The detection circuit is arranged to provide an electrical output signal dependent on the light received by the light detectors and indicative of the position or rate of movement of the joystick member.

Abstract: A semiconductor display device correcting system includes a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of a picture signal supplied from the outside and a nonvolatile memory for storing data for gamma correction. The data for gamma correction is prepared for each semiconductor display device, so that excellent gradation display can be made.

Abstract: In order to adjust a contrast of a display unit of the image display device, the image display device includes a temperature sensor, a controller, and a storage unit. The storage unit stores data representing the relationships between control voltages and the temperatures under the control voltages for optimizing the contrast of the image. The controller, to which detected temperatures by the temperature sensor are input, controls an input time interval of the detected temperatures while it adjusts a contrast of an image on a display unit. The controller acquires the detected temperatures at each first time interval for a predetermined period of time subsequent to the start of supplying power to the display unit, and supplies the display unit with the control voltages corresponding to temperatures, equivalent to the acquired temperatures, and which are represented by the data stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A coordinate-position detecting device comprising a white board as a coordinate-position entry area, and three reflecting members each for recursively reflecting light from two optical units. The angle between the write-in surface of the white board and the reflecting surface of the reflecting member at the bottom is an obtuse angle. Further, of angles obtained by dividing the above angle by a horizontal surface, the angle between the horizontal surface and the reflecting surface is an acute angle.

Abstract: The multiple output DC/DC voltage converter is needed to generate voltages used in LCD. The multiple output DC/DC voltage converter generates a main supply voltage and at least two more auxiliary supply voltages. The main supply voltage is used as the data supply voltage which requires a significant amount of the power in the LCD and the auxiliary supply voltages are used as the gate on voltage and the gate off voltage. The data supply voltage is provided to the gray voltage generator and used in generating the gray voltage. The gate on voltage and the gate off voltage are provided to the gate driver.

Abstract: A portable computer having a touch pad as the pointing device adopts a touch pad input control function in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The portable computer system is provided with an input device interface for receiving pointing data generated in the touch pad and for detecting a quantity of time elapsing between occurrence of the pointing data. When the quantity of time exceeds a preset value, the input device interface disables input of the pointing data from the touch pad. The input operation of the pointing data is resumed when pointing data corresponding to a predetermined pattern is inputted. Preferably, the predetermined pattern corresponds to a closed curve which disregards the area and curvature of the closed curve. According to the principles of the present invention, unnecessary pointing operations which occur during inadvertent touches of the touch pad can be effectively prevented.

Abstract: A dimensional light-emitting element array device is provided. The device comprises a light-emitting element array in which a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting thyristors are arranged in X-Y matrix of N rows×M columns; a plurality of row lines to each thereof an anode of the thyristor on a corresponding row of the matrix is connected; one clock line to which all the row lines are connected; a plurality of row address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding row and a 0th column of the matrix is connected; and a plurality of column address lines to each thereof a gate of the thyristor on a corresponding column of 1st-Mth columns of the matrix is connected.

Abstract: A picture frame that can be used to exhibit regular objects such as photographs or other art works, as well as electronic images, including still and moving images. The frame includes a base, and a border forming a window through which a display area is visible. Electronic displays are attached to the base and/or the border, and a control circuit generates signals for the displays to display various images. The displays can be either color LCD devices or light emitting polymer devices. Imaging data for the displays is stored in an internal or replaceable memory.

Abstract: In a conventional plasma display panel drive method, making the sustaining discharge pulse bipolar with respect to the data electrode potential prevents stable discharge in the leading sustaining discharge pulse, thereby complicating continuation to second and subsequent sustaining discharges. The plasma display panel drive method of this invention makes the potential of the leading sustaining discharge pulse a negative polarity to the data electrode potential, and moreover, makes the high-potential side of second and subsequent sustaining discharge pulses positive polarity to the data electrode potential, and makes the low-potential side negative polarity with respect to the data electrode potential.

Abstract: An apparatus and method useful in a test and measurement instrument for simultaneously adjusting both contrast and brightness via a single knob employs a family of modified gamma curves each having multiple breakpoints for mapping multiple-byte pixel intensity words into a multi-bit pixel intensity display control word. A single user-operable intensity control accomplishes selection of a particular gamma curve of the family of gamma curves, and causes the simultaneous adjustment of both contrast and brightness.

Abstract: A display device includes a light guiding fixed electrode portion formed of a transparent material for guiding light incident from an exterior to the surface portion having a transparent conductive layer and then emitting the light, a flexible conductive light shielding plate arranged to face the transparent conductive layer of the light guiding fixed electrode portion and having one end fixed to pass the emitted light therethrough, and an electrostatic force generating circuit for applying a potential difference between the conductive light shielding plate and the transparent conductive layer to generate electrostatic force between the transparent conductive layer and the conductive light shielding plate, wherein the conductive light shielding plate is displaced according to the electrostatic force with one end thereof set as an axis to shield the surface portion of the light guiding fixed electrode portion when the potential difference is applied between the conductive light shielding plate and the transpar

Abstract: In a coordinate detection period, a first electrode drive circuit sequentially selects source electrodes Sn of the TFT LCD panel to connect the same to an x-signal current amplifying circuit, and to apply an AC voltage to the non-selected electrodes. The x-signal current amplifying circuit detects a detection current flowing through the selected electrode, the magnitude of which corresponds to a distance to a finger (or a conductor pen), to obtain an x-coordinate detection voltage. A second electrode drive circuit and a y-signal current amplifying circuit operate in similar fashion to obtain a y-coordinate detection voltage. A coordinate detection circuit then obtains the x- and y-coordinate values of the designated position based on the x-coordinate detection voltage and the y-coordinate detection voltage, thus enabling pointing by a codeless pen and a finger.

Abstract: A method for generating a font for display on an interlaced monitor which is relatively free of the distorting effects of interlacing. The method operates by obtaining an original bitmap for a character in the font which is larger than a desired size for the font. This original bitmap is subjected to a weighted filtering to produce a filtered bitmap. The filtered bitmap is reduced to a desired font size by dividing the filtered bitmap into a plurality of tiles. Each tile is subjected to an unweighted filtering to produce an average value, which is rounded to produce a value for a corresponding pixel in a reduced bitmap. Next, the reduced bitmap is quantized to form a bitmap for display by setting all values which exceed an upper quantization limit to the upper quantization limit, and if necessary, setting all values which are below a lower quantization limit to the lower quantization limit.

Abstract: A hit-test system and methodology for use in a computer-based system having a display for searching a display pixel map in successively-increasing distances from a selected pixel location associated with a current cursor position in accordance with a predetermined search topology defined by pixel offset values. The pixel offset values may be determined a priori and stored in memory in, for example, a look-up table, may be determined algorithmically, or any combination thereof. The hit text system determines whether each queried pixel location in the display pixel map contains a color or other attribute indicative of a display element. Preferably, a maximum search distance which defines a range of pixel locations likely to include a display element of interest to the user while avoiding causing the user to select an undesired display element. The selected pixel location may be represented by a cursor positioned with a pointing device such as a mouse, light pen, keyboard controls, touch pad, etc.

Abstract: An image display apparatus having a storage/display element for receiving writing light indicative of an image obtained from an original, storing the image and displaying the stored image, includes a light detecting mechanism for detecting light which has an influence on writing, and a determining circuit for determining an image storage operation condition for the storage/display element according to an amount of light detected by the light detecting mechanism.

Abstract: A pointer remotely points a display screen of a large screen display device. The display screen is picked up by a monitor camera. An image processing unit extracts a feature of the pointer used for pointing based on the resulting image signal to identify the position of the pointing point and the pointer based on the feature. A computer generates information on an object to be displayed at a position pointed by the pointer. The generated information is displayed on a display device (CRT display device or large screen display device) assigned to the pointer. Even when a plurality of pointers are used, the information on the object to be displayed pointed by the pointer is properly displayed.

Abstract: An electroluminescence device having a transistor substrate comprising drain electrode pads, each being connected to a drain of a thin film transistor, and capacitors connected to the respective drain electrode pads, and an electroluminescence substrate comprising pairs of electrodes and electroluminescence members each provided between a pair of electrodes, arranged along a plurality of rows and columns, wherein the thin film transistor substrate and the electroluminescence substrate are placed opposite to each other so that the drain electrode pads and the electroluminescence members are opposed to each other, and wherein each drain electrode pad and one electrode of a pair of electrodes are connected through an adhesive electric connection member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a plurality of addressable elements consist of driving and selectively enabling one or more addressable elements arranged as an M.times.N array using two drivers. A first and a second driver are used to drive first and second signals at slightly different frequencies on a first and a second display conductor. A plurality of pixels, coupled between the first and second display conductors, is addressed according to a pixel location in which the first signal is approximately in phase with the second signal. The pixel scan rate is proportional to the difference between the first and second signal frequencies. The first and second conductors may contain a plurality of delay elements and tap-off points. Conducting lines may be terminated by their characteristic impedance to prevent any reflection of the traveling signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of controlling the brightness level of an LCD display. The brightness of a display having two light bulbs may be controlled by illuminating only one bulb to provide a relatively low brightness level or by illuminating both bulbs to provide a relatively high brightness level. This method and apparatus may be particularly useful in AC/DC powered devices, as a single bulb may be lit when the device is operating on DC power to conserve battery power, and both bulbs may be lit when the device is operating on AC power to provide enhanced brightness.

Abstract: A display apparatus and display method are provided for a display panel having pixels arranged in a matrix form for displaying an image on a effective display area. Horizontal electrodes and vertical electrodes in the display panel are scanned for selectively illuminating said pixels by using a time sharing drive method in which one field period is divided into plural sub-fields weighted according to a sustaining period. As a result, an effective display area is divided into plural areas, no scanning for selecting a light emitting pixel is executed in a non-display area, and the number of sub-fields is increased in an area in which display in multiple gradations is required in a display area to obtain sufficient gradation. Instead of increasing the number of the sub-fields, the total sustaining period per one field is increased to obtain sufficient brightness.