Abstract: An electronic display device that allows the hierarchy or system to which the display screen belongs to be easily identified, without narrowing the display area of a plurality of screens constituting a director structure. In the display device, a plurality of key input screens form a director structure in association with each other. The directory structure includes first to fourth hierarchy levels. Respective key input screens are located at any of the hierarchy. Upon depression of a transition key in a basic screen belonging to the first hierarchy, the display screen is switched to one of key input screens belonging to the second hierarchy. The display device changes the display color according to the hierarchy to which the key input screen belongs in providing a display of a key input screen.

Abstract: An input device and an electronic apparatus using such an input device capable of providing visual amusement at the time of operating thereof and allowing the down sizing and thinning are provided. The input device has a reversible chromatic layer exhibiting color change in response to temperature change, and a sheet-type input portion laminated on the reversible chromatic layer and activates ON operation upon being pressed.

Abstract: Combination of a message board and computer equipment for conveniently writing and/or maintaining notes while working on or near a computer. The message board can be written and rewritten upon, used to post paper notes or photographs, or both. The message board is attached to the perimeter or side of the computer monitor or case, or used in conjunction with the keyboard or mouse. The message board can be made of traditional materials, or erasable and malleable metals or plastics, such as acrylic.

Abstract: High resolution projected digital images are produced by projecting in quick succession slightly different and slightly displaced low resolution images which are digitally derived from an image having several times more pixels than any single image the projector can project. The result is that the viewer perceives a single image with substantially higher resolution.

Abstract: Apparatus for a touch sensitive panel or input screen for a hand held computing device that provides increased active or key area for the input screen. Four wires, each connected to one of the electrodes, are divided into smaller two-wire and one-wire units, with two of the four wires being connected to a signal processor from opposed locations on a boundary of the input screen. Replacing a conventional four-wire unit with this arrangement, the active or key area on the input screen can be increased by as much as 10-14 percent on a typical hand held device, or one or more dimensions of the device housing can be reduced. The four wire connection may be replaced by a three wire connection.

Abstract: A method of determining a type of touch plane operator input device comprises sensing the impedance across first and second terminals of a touch plane operator input device to distinguish the touch plane operator input device as being one of at least two different types of touch plane operator input devices. A method of processing an input from a touch plane operator input device comprises determining a first location of a first touch on the touch plane operator input device; determining a second location of a second touch on the touch plane operator input device; comparing the first and second locations to obtain an indication of an amount of difference between the first and second locations; and determining whether the indication of the amount of difference exceeds a predetermined amount. These steps are performed by discrete logic circuitry that provides an event notification to a microprocessor when the indication of the amount of difference exceeds the predetermined amount.

Abstract: An electronic device provided with a multilayer display panel (60), in which during information display by any display panel layer (1 or 2) of the multilayer display panel (60), display driving means (40) maintains all the display segments of the other display panel layer (1 or 2) to be off, allowing simple display control.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a display assembly including two superposed, respectively top (52) and bottom (54), display devices, the top display device (52) including a double structure formed of a display cell (56) arranged above an optical valve (58), said double structure being arranged so that said cell (56) and said valve (58) are transparent in a first state to make the bottom display device (54) visible, and so that the cell (56) displays an item of data and so that the valve (58) is opaque and at least partially masks the bottom display device (54) in a second state, control means supplying a control voltage to cause the display cell (56) and the optical valve (58) to pass from the first state to the second state and vice versa, characterised in that the display cell (56) is of the reflective type in the switched state, and in that the optical valve (58) is formed of a cell having an absorbent state in the switched state.

Abstract: A position-coding pattern (3) which extends across a surface and codes a plurality of positions (7a, 7b) on the surface is described. The coding in a first dimension is based on the use of a first and a second string of symbols, each containing a predetermined number of symbols and each having the characteristic that if a specific number of symbols is taken from the first string of symbols, the location of these symbols in the string of symbols is unambiguously determined. By means of displacements between these strings of symbols, a large number of positions can be coded in the first dimension. A third string of symbols of the same type is used for the coding in a second dimension.

Abstract: A third-axis input device of a mouse comprises a hollow roller stage mounted on a base of the mouse and a hollow roller pivotally arranged on the mouse's roller stage. The roller projects from the cover of the mouse. The roller has a closed lateral surface and an open lateral surface, defining an accommodation space therein. A ring is formed on an inner side of the closed lateral surface and extends within the accommodation space. The ring has a plurality of equally spaced apart tooth-shaped strips formed on a surface thereof to function as an encoder wheel. The encoder wheel is mounted with respect to an optical means having a case, a circuit board connected to the primary circuit board of the mouse, and an infrared transceiver.

Abstract: A method for driving a plasma display panel having front and rear substrates opposed to and facing each other, X and Y electrode lines between the front and rear substrates, parallel to each other, and address electrode lines orthogonal to the X and Y electrode lines, defining corresponding pixels at intersections. A scan pulse is sequentially applied to the respective Y electrode lines at a predetermined time difference and the corresponding display data signals are simultaneously applied to the respective address electrode lines to produce wall charges at pixels where a discharge display discharge is to take place and pulses for a display discharge are alternately applied to the X and Y electrode lines to cause a display discharge at the pixels where the wall charges have been produced.

Abstract: A horizontal driver in a LCD driver includes a D/A converter having a PROM decoder block and an NROM decoder block for driving a LCD panel in a dot reversible driving scheme. Each data line receives alternately a gray-scale signal having a positive polarity generated by a PROM decoder and a gray-scale signal having a negative polarity generated by an NROM decoder, and an odd-numbered data line and an even-numbered data line receive gray-scale signals having opposite polarities. The order of the decoders is matched by a switching block with the order of the data lines by switching the display data and the gray-scale signals.

Abstract: A keyboard, which comprises a main keyboard unit, and an auxiliary keyboard unit having a multimedia key function, through which various functions, which can be realized by using a computer, and execution of application programs, which can be executed by using the computer, are directly achieved by a key operation as multimedia functions. The auxiliary keyboard unit is detachable from the main keyboard unit.

Abstract: The electronic picture book of the present invention includes a plurality of pages graphically depicting or telling a story. The book further includes an LCD screen and a speaker to provide a reader with animation sequences and sounds that relate to the graphical pictures on the pages. A set of buttons is provided to trigger the animation sequences and sounds. While reading the book, each page indicates a button to depress. The reader, depressing the correct button, is then provided with animation sequences and sounds indicative to the graphic representations on the page.

Abstract: A display device having a first substrate with row electrodes and a second substrate with column electrodes define pixels of a light-modulating cell. An electro-optical layer is capable of assuming a plurality of states with at least two states of which are stable in the absence of an electric field. The display device further has drive means for driving the row electrodes with selection signals and for driving the column electrodes with data signals in conformity with an image to be displayed. The first and second substrates are spaced such that the light-modulating cell has a thickness at least two times the pitch P of the electro-optical material. In the operating state, the drive means sequentially provide groups of p row electrodes (p>1) with mutually orthogonal signals during a selection period.