Abstract: A circuit and method for controlling the brightness of a display screen implemented using a flat panel field emission display (FED) screen. Within the FED screen, a matrix of rows and columns is provided and emitters are situated within each row-column intersection. Rows are activated sequentially and separate gray scale information is presented to the columns. When the proper voltage is applied across the cathode and anode of the emitters, they release electrons toward a phosphor spot, e.g., red, green, blue, causing an illumination point. The present invention includes brightness control circuitry positioned across the row drivers for altering row on-time of the applied voltage to the rows causing a uniform change in brightness cross the FED screen. The applied voltage is pulse width modulated to alter the brightness of the FED screen.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display comprises data electrodes and strobe electrodes which are connected to data and signal generators. The strobe signal generator supplies strobe signals sequentially to groups of more than one strobe electrode. For instance, the strobe electrodes may be strobed in pairs with the strobe signals being supplied simultaneously to the electrodes of each pair. The data signal generator supplies any of a plurality of different data signals to each of the data electrodes in synchronism with the strobe signals. The data signals are such that all combinations of optical states for the pixels which are connected to the same data electrode and which are strobed simultaneously can be achieved.

Abstract: A dual view display is described which displays two images, but wherein each image is visible to the exclusion of the other when the display is viewed from particular angles. A sheetlike picture inset bearing interleaved sections of the two images is situated between two transparent frame members having an accordion-folded or "zig-zag" configuration. The frame members are thus each formed of an array of planar sections wherein each planar section is at an angle to adjacent planar sections, and wherein every other planar section is parallel to a common view plane. When the display is viewed from a line of sight normal to one of the two viewing planes, the viewer sees only a single image, whereas image sections from both images are visible if the viewer sees the display from intermediate lines of sight.

Abstract: A matrix substrate comprises a plurality of pixel electrodes arrayed in a matrix pattern, a plurality of switching elements connected to the pixel electrodes, a plurality of signal lines for supplying video signals to the plurality of switching elements, a plurality of scanning lines for supplying scanning signals to the plurality of switching elements, a horizontal driving circuit for supplying the video signals to the plurality of signal lines, and a vertical driving circuit for supplying the scanning signals to the plurality of scanning lines, wherein the horizontal driving circuit is comprised of a dynamic type circuit and the vertical driving circuit is comprised of a static type circuit.

Abstract: A low power gate driver circuit of a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) recycles an electric charge. The electric charge is recycled by discharging the electric charge which is stored in a capacitor of a gate line to a capacitor of another gate line, thereby reducing the consumption of power.

Abstract: A picture output apparatus capable of carrying out picture output at a high speed is provided. In the picture output apparatus adapted for converting picture data of a first form, which is not permitted to undergo picture output, inputted along with a picture output instruction into picture data of a second form which is permitted to undergo picture output, wherein this apparatus comprises a configuration to convert picture data of the first form inputted without the picture output instruction into picture data of the second form to hold it as predictive picture data of the second form with respect to picture data of the first form predicted to be inputted along with the picture output instruction later. In the case where the picture data of the first form inputted along with the picture output instruction and the previously inputted picture data of the first form are the same, since the picture data of the second form already exists, it is possible to carry out picture output without conversion processing.

Abstract: A pixel for use in a visual matrix display including a frame having front and rear surfaces and defining an aperture; a light source oriented in the aperture; a first retroreflective surface borne by the frame and positioned adjacent to the aperture; a flap borne by the front surface and moveable along a given path of travel between a first position wherein the pixel is nonoperational, and the flap is disposed in covering relation relative to the light source, and a second operational position, wherein the flap has a second retroreflective surface which is exposed when the flap is in the second position; means borne by the frame for moving the flap along the given path of travel; and means for energizing the light source when the flap is in one of the given positions along the path of travel.

Abstract: An improved liquid crystal display apparatus for low power consumption is provided, within each of the regions surrounded by a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of signal electrodes, with a display data holding circuit connected to the corresponding scanning electrodes and signal electrodes, for fetching and storing a display data from the signal electrode in response to a scanning signal; a switching device connected to the display data holding circuit, its switching operation being controlled by the holding circuit; and a display electrode connected to the switching device.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting digital video pixels from YVU format to RGB format includes first, second and third registers each of which is coupled to computer memory by a data bus. The computer memory has a plurality of tables and a plurality of YVU pixels stored therein. A controller is coupled to the registers and to the computer memory by the data bus. The controller converts pixels in YVU format to RGB format by performing a plurality of table look-up operations on the YVU pixels.

Abstract: A mechanism for providing selective engagement of spring members to a user manipulatable object in a force feedback interface device. A moveable member included in a force feedback mechanism is moveable in a degree of freedom to transmit forces to the user manipulatable object, such as a joystick handle. A spring member can be selectively coupled and decoupled between a grounded member and the moveable member. The spring member provides a spring force on the moveable member that biases the joystick handle to a desired position, such as the center of the degree of freedom. A dynamic calibration procedure reduces inaccuracies when sensing the position of the user manipulandum by only reading new range limits when the actuator is not outputting a force in the direction of that limit.

Abstract: A multi-planar volumetric display system and method of operation generate volumetric three-dimensional images using a multi-surface optical device including a plurality of individual optical elements arranged in an array; an image projector for selectively projecting images on respective optical elements to generate a first volumetric three-dimensional image viewable in the multi-surface optical device; and a floating-image generator for projecting the first volumetric three-dimensional image to generate a second volumetric three-dimensional image viewable as floating in space at a location separate from the multi-surface optical device. The optical elements includes liquid crystal elements having a controllable variable translucency.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for adjusting the performance of a display by adjusting a gray ramp to look like a neutral gray ramp, finding the white points of the display, and obtaining nonlinearity reference values for different colors each through adjusting the brightness of two pictures until the pictures disappear in background. The system and method according to the present invention requires no extra instruments or devices, and provides instructions on the display for easy operation with mouse or any input devices, thereby can be used by users without specialized knowledge to provide performance best fit users' requirements and application environment.

Abstract: In Deformed Helix Ferro-electric liquid crystal display devices (DHFLCDs) the memory effect in video applications is interrupted by adapting the data voltages of matrix displays based on MIMs or TFTs, dependent on the data in a previous frame, so that the polarization within a cell always switches to a fixed value (zero). In other types of displays (based on diodes) or for less rapid applications, the polarization can also be readily set at this value.

Abstract: Improvements in accurately sensing a user manipulandum of a force feedback device. A force feedback device, coupled to a host computer, includes an actuator for outputting forces on a manipulandum and a sensor for detecting a position of the manipulandum. In one feature, a raw sensor value representing manipulandum position is adjusted based on compliance between sensor and manipulandum, where the adjustment can be based on a compliance constant and an output force. In another feature, a range of motion of the manipulandum is dynamically calibrated from startup. One boundary value of an assigned initial range is set equal to a received sensor value if the sensor value is outside the initial range, and the other boundary value is adjusted to maintain the size of the initial range unless the other boundary value has already been sensed outside the initial range.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is disclosed in which adjacent pixels having the same gray level are supplied with different magnitudes of data voltages, thereby increasing the viewing angle of the LCD. A voltage producing circuit produces two groups of gray voltages in which the magnitude of the gray voltages in the two groups are different for the same gray level. The two sets of gray voltages are delivered to the pixels by data drivers connected to left and right data lines. The pixels are arranged in matrix form and data lines are arranged along the columns. For each column, two data lines are assigned, one on the left and the other on the right. The left data lines are connected to one data driver and the right data lines are connected to another data driver. The pixels are connected so that if a pixel is connected to the left data line, then the row and column adjacent pixels are connected to the right data line.

Abstract: An active-matrix image display device which includes n shift registers, analog switches for sampling video input signals and a data-signal-line driving circuit to which n series of clock signals and n.times.m series of video input signals are input, and controls the analog switches according to the result of a logic operation of output pulses from successive l stages in the shift registers. A scanning circuit without using shift registers. Here, n is an integer not smaller than one, m and l are integers not smaller than two. With the image display device, sampling of video signals is surely executed without increasing the number of shift registers. It is thus possible to reduce the size and weight of the image display device and to decrease the defect rate thereof. Moreover, the scanning circuit achieves a higher yield compared with a conventional scanning circuit using a shift register.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moving pixel data from one area of a frame buffer to another in block fashion are provided. In one embodiment of the invention, pixel data is decomposed into its RGB component and each RGB component is stored into the frame buffer in a particular memory bank. The pixel data is moved by moving all the components of the data stored in a memory bank before moving the components in other memory banks.

Abstract: In a display device in which each group of plural drive elements takes charge of the drive of plural picture elements (pixels) and the display luminance changes as the number of sustaining pulses changes that are supplied to a plasma display panel, a constant emission luminance characteristic is maintained by increasing the number of sustaining pulses for a larger load when the display load factor is large, and decreasing the number of sustaining pulses for a smaller load when the display load factor is small. When displaying a multi-tone image by a subfield drive method, a display area detect circuit allows the display of an image with constant luminance characteristic despite the variation of the display load factor, and prevents the deterioration of tone characteristic due to the subfield drive method, and further, a half tone display circuit allows the decrease of the bit number thereby simplifying the configuration of the display area detect circuit.

Abstract: Driving circuit for plasma display device and a gray scale implementing method therefor are provided. The method includes the steps of (1) dividing total horizontal lines of one frame into X.times.Y subframes according to a relative luminance ratio, (2) dividing each frame into X subfields and allotting Y different subframes to each subfield, and (3) supplying corresponding gray scale data while sequentially erasing each X.times.Y horizontal lines during one horizontal period from the first horizontal electrode lines to the last Nth horizontal electrode lines, included in Y different subframes allotted to each subfield by repeatedly driving X subfields and scanning the same, thereby implementing a display picture of 2.sup.X.multidot.Y gray scales. At least two scanning and sustaining drivers are provided, and one frame is divided into one or more subfields by the drivers, different subframes are allotted to each subfield and then X subfields are repeatedly driven.

Abstract: Displayed picture points are re-locatable in response to manual operation of an interface device such as a stylus or a mouse etc. The interface device is activated, by being placed into pressure or by clicking, and an identified picture point is subsequently moved in response to manual operation of the interface device. In response to said picture point being moved, other picture points are also moved by a displacement which differs from the displacement of the identified picture point and which varies in proportion to the original distance of the other picture point from the identified picture point.