Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device comprising matrix picture elements each formed at intersecting points of scanning lines and data lines between which a bistable optical modulation material represented by a ferroelectric liquid crsytal is interposed. The driving method comprises an erasure step of applying a voltage signal orienting the optical modulation material to the first stable state between the scanning and data lines, at all or a part of the matrix picture elements, and a writing step of sequentially applying a scanning selection signal to the scanning lines and applying an information orientation signal orienting the optical modulation material to the second stable state to the data lines in phase with the scanning selection signal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided with a main body including a key-control section, a connecting section rotatably provided with respect to the main body and an input display section which is rotatably connected to the connecting section and enables pen-input. The information processing apparatus is capable of taking three positions: a stored position, a key-input position and a pen-input position. The center of rotation of the input display section and the connecting section is set at the back of the input display section. The connecting section serves as a stopper for controlling the rotating movement of the connecting section, and enables the rotatable range of the input display section to be controlled within 180.degree. without requiring a special mechanism. Thus, the input display section can be prevented from contacting the key-control section of the main body by over-rotating in the pen-input position.

Abstract: A positioning controller having a receiving side for receiving light from a light source is disclosed. The receiving side includes an axis extending perpendicularly therefrom, and a vertical plane and a horizontal plane intersecting at the axis. The positioning controller includes three sensors. The reference sensor is positioned between the other two sensors, and is masked to receive light within a predetermined range of acute angles measured from the axis. One of the other two sensors is a vertical angle sensor that is masked to receive a larger quantity of light from a first side of the horizontal plane and from a second side of the horizontal plane. The third sensor is a horizontal angle sensor that is masked to receive a larger quantity of light from a first side of the vertical plane than from a second side of the vertical plane.

Abstract: A system for correcting an output device for the effects reflected ambient illumination comprises an output device, a calibration memory, a reflectivity memory, a system memory, a processor, an input device, a video card, a color display memory, and a reflection device of known reflectivity. The color display memory stores a first graphical interface and a second graphical interface. The first graphical interface displays a range of intensities of outputs that the display device can generate. The second graphical interface displays a range of hues that the display device can generate. The reflection device defines an aperture. The reflection device is compared to the first graphical interface and the second graphical interface by viewing the interfaces through the aperture. The present invention includes a method for compensating an output device for reflected ambient illumination.

Abstract: A driving method for an optical modulation device comprising matrix picture elements each formed at intersecting points of scanning lines and data lines between which a bistable optical modulation material represented by a ferroelectric liquid crystal is interposed. The driving method comprises an erasure step of applying a voltage signal orienting the optical modulation material to the first stable state between the scanning and data lines, at all or a part of the matrix picture elements, and a writing step of sequentially applying a scanning selection signal to the scanning lines and applying an information orientation signal orienting the optical modulation material to the second stable state to the data lines in phase with the scanning selection signal.

Abstract: A flat-panel display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, the pixels in each row forming one horizontal pixel array, first to eighth driver sections arranged in series to divide pixels in each horizontal pixel array into eight pixel blocks, for driving the pixel blocks, respectively, first and second data supply buses each connected to at least one of the driver sections, and a liquid crystal controller for distributing pixel data sequentially supplied from outside to the first and second data supply buses.

Abstract: A driver for the TFT liquid crystal display panel is provided which can accommodate chip dispersion, and drift of temperature and supplied voltages. A reference voltage generated by a reference voltage generator is input by a control circuit to a display cell equivalent circuit driven by a buffer amplifier equivalent circuit and a control circuit, and its response is output from a TFT emulator circuit. Then, a difference detecting circuit compares the output and the reference voltage from the reference voltage generator, and outputs an output signal corresponding to its difference to a compensating circuit. The compensating circuit compensates analog video signals generated in the previous stage with such output. The compensated analog video signals are output to a TFT liquid crystal display panel through a sample hold circuit and a buffer amplifier.

Abstract: A system for correcting an output device for the effects of reflected ambient illumination comprises a reflection device of known reflectivity. The color display memory stores a first graphical interface and a second graphical interface. The first graphical interface displays a range of intensities of outputs that the display device can generate. The second graphical interface displays a range of hues that the display device can generate. The reflection device has a target surface which defines an aperture. The ambient light reflecting from the target surface is compared to the first graphical interface and to the second graphical interface by viewing the interfaces through the aperture.

Abstract: An improved ergonomic computer mouse is provided. The ergonomic mouse allows for the operator's hand to remain in a relaxed position in as near a state of repose as possible while operating the mouse. The shape of the mouse reduces several of the known high risk postures during mouse use.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display for a laser marker for attaining a higher marking speed, characterized in that a liquid crystal display screen (10) is divided into a first zone (10a) where a sub-scanning is first performed and a second zone (10b) where a sub-scanning is performed following the first zone (10a) sub-scanning, that switching of display is performed independently for each of the first and second zones (10a, 10b), and predetermined voltages are applied, respectively, to row and column electrodes after those row and column electrodes are grounded, whereby display switching processing can be performed independently for each of the first and second zones. Completion of the sub-scanning of the first zone (10a) is detected by a position detecting means, and when such a detection is done, switching of display in the first zone (10a) is independently performed.

Abstract: An interactive display is disclosed which comprises a housing to receive an induced field activated display sheet which has a plurality of image producing elements responsive to an induced field. The housing has a transparent cover panel and a base panel. The cover panel and the base panel of the display housing comprise a plurality of means for creating a plurality of induced fields for selectively activating the image producing elements of the induced field activated display sheet. By selectively activating the induced field means, selective image producing elements of the induced field activated display sheet will be activated to produce a desired image on the induced field activated display sheet thereby creating a display. If desired the induced field activated display sheet can be removed from the display housing to be used as a printed document.

Abstract: An icon positioning device with a keypad, telephone circuit, speaker and microphone is used as part of an interface system to a computer and a telephone network. The icon positioning device is used to control a position of an icon on the computer's display. The keypad on the positioning device is used to enter information into the computer and to control communication over a telephone network. In addition, the computer displays icons that are representative of the keys composing the positioning device's keypad. When one of the keys is activated, the corresponding icon on the computer's display changes appearance. Thus, the positioning device serves as a multi-featured control apparatus, as a pointing device, and as a telephone.

Abstract: A computer system includes a pair of display devices, such as cathode ray tubes (CRT's) or liquid crystal displays (LCD's) for providing a visible display to a user of the computer system. The computer system includes a video display controller (VDC) providing for simultaneous display of different images on the pair of display devices. The VDC includes a display data processing circuit (DDPC) which is variably configurable to provide decoding of data words from a first bit-word format as received from a display first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory to a second bit-word format as required by a particular one of the pair of display devices. The DDPC is variably configurable to allow the pair of display devices to each receive driving signals providing the simultaneous differing images, and which driving signals originate with the bit-words allocated to each particular one of the pair of display devices.

Abstract: A system for compensating the output of an output device to eliminate reflected ambient illumination comprises a display device, a calibration memory, a reflectivity memory, a memory, a processor, an input device, a video card, and an achromatic card that serves as a standard for comparison to the output of the output device. The reflectivity memory stores the reflectivity characteristics of the output device. The calibration memory stores the optical characteristics of the output device. The memory stores the reflectivity characteristics of the achromatic card, data, and program instruction steps of the system. The output of the output device is adjusted to match the ambient illumination reflected from the achromatic card. The processor then determines the tristimulus values of the ambient illumination through the known tristimulus values of the output generated by the output device, the reflectivity characteristics of the achromatic card, and the reflectivity characteristics of the output device.

Abstract: An improved interface control advantageously may be operated by one hand. A thumbpiece is slidably disposed within a longitudinal arm member which moves in an arcuate path. Placing his or her thumb in the thumbpiece, a user controls the horizontal positioning of a cursor by moving the arm member along the arcuate path. Vertical positioning of the cursor is controlled by sliding the thumbpiece along the length of the arm member. Trigger functions are implemented by exerting a downward force on the thumbpiece. Since the downward force used to implement the trigger function is orthogonal to motions used to control positioning of the cursor irrespective of the particular positions of the arm member and thumbpiece, the disclosed interface control prevents a user from inadvertently altering the positioning of the cursor during implementation of the trigger function.

Abstract: A computing interface system includes a mouse with a keypad, and a computer display that displays a group of icons that have a one-to-one correspondence to the keys composing the mouse's keypad. The icons have the same relative positioning as the keys composing the mouse's keypad. This arrangement permits the user to enter digits into the computer without repeatedly shifting his or her gaze back and forth between the keypad and display.

Abstract: A plasma addressed liquid display device includes a liquid crystal chamber having row-shaped signal electrodes, and a plasma chamber having column-shaped discharge channels and overlapped on the liquid crystal chamber. A scanning circuit sequentially applies a selective pulse to a cathode within a pair of plasma electrodes so as to excite gas atoms filled into the discharge channels from the ground state to the metastable state, so that the line sequential scanning operation is carried out. A drive circuit sequentially applies a data pulse to each of the signal electrodes in synchronism with this line sequential scanning operation, so that a desirable image display is performed. The operations of the scanning circuit and the drive circuit are so controlled as to satisfy a predetermined time sequential relationship t.sub.1 <t.sub.2 <t.sub.3. It should be noted that t.sub.1 indicates a time instant when the release of the applied selective pulse is complete, t.sub.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes first and second transparent substrates spaced from one another and having facing surfaces with a liquid crystal material between the facing surfaces. A transparent electrode overlays the facing surface of one substrate. The facing surface of the other substrate supports: (a) a matrix of pixel electrodes (b) a plurality of data lines extending in a first direction, (c) a plurality of select lines extending in a second direction and crossing the data lines at crossover points, (d) a plurality of solid state switching devices for electrically connecting the data lines to the pixel electrodes. The pixel electrodes lay in a first plane while the data lines and the select lines lay in at least one other plane spaced from the first plane. A conductive transparent shield extends between the first plane and the other plane.

Abstract: Depending on whether the display mode specified by a CPU is the graphics mode or the text mode, the access mode of an image memory is switched. In the text mode, a random access is executed in a single read cycle with the timing synchronizing a video clock to alternate the reading of character codes and attributes with the reading of character fonts on a character basis. This makes shorter the time that the image memory is occupied for screen refreshing, thereby making so much longer the drawing time of the CPU. Furthermore, because an entire display controller functions as a video clock synchronizing circuit, the function of synchronizing the circuits is not necessary, which results in simplified control.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for displaying different levels of grey on a matrix screen including pixels arranged along R rows and M columns of images having Q.sub.S levels of grey and obtained by addition to each pixel during the writing of image data line-by-line, during Sub-times (lines or frames, S being at least 2), of a succession of discrete luminance levels selected from among N such that any grey hue included between 0 and Q.sub.S-1 may be defined by the addition of S said luminance levels. The invention also relates to a system for implementing such method. Particular utility for the present invention is found in the area of displaying data on micropoint screens.