Patents Examined by Marshall M. Curtis
  • Patent number: 4958151
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit for arithmetic operation and display control connected to a power source (46) and a liquid crystal display device (45), and energized by the power source, including an arithmetic operation circuit (42) for performing a designated artithmetic operation, wherein the result of the arithmetic operation is displayed by the display device, a boosting circuit (43) receives and boosts the voltage from the power source (46), a drive circuit (44) is powered by the boosting circuit (43) to drive the liquid crystal display device (45), and a control circuit (41) causes interruption of the driving of the display device when the arithmetic operation circuit (42) is carrying out the arithmetic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tosbac Computer System Company Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ushiki, Tetsuaki Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 4855727
    Abstract: An electrochromic display device comprises a pair of first and second, opposed insulative substrates, a layer of electrochromic substance sandwiched between the substrates, a transparent display electrode on the first substrate, and a counter electrode on the second substrate. A dielectric layer analogous in pattern to the display electrode is formed on the counter electrode to improve the device's life time and eliminate interference between adjacent display electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Soji Tsuchiya, Yoshimasa Ito, Sadashi Higuchi, Akio Yamashita
  • Patent number: 4835532
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a computer controlled imaging system involving a digital image processing and display system which has the ability to compose and construct a display scene from a library of images with sufficient processing speed to permit real-time or near real time analysis of the images by a human operator or a hardware/software equivalent thereof. An unique method of mapping a digital input image to a viewing plane in both linear and perspective modes is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Karl M. Fant
  • Patent number: 4818983
    Abstract: An optical image generator includes a spatial light modulator and a display device. The spatial light modulator contains a material whose optical property can be changed corresponding to a change in the image pattern of an electronic charge emitted from a photocathode, so that the image pattern can be written into the material. The display device contains a two-dimensional light emitting diode (LED) or a liquid crystal display of matrix type which is arranged against the photocathode of the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hara, Yoshiji Suzuki, Naohisa Mukouzaka
  • Patent number: 4818979
    Abstract: A scanning display signal generating system for a plurality of planes includes a first look up table addressed by a first set of the planes, and a second look up table addressed by a second set of planes. A logic unit receives the outputs of the tables and provides a display signal which is a selected logical combination of the outputs. A function control unit provides a control signal to the logic unit to select the desired logical combination. A large number of planes are thus displayed using small LUT memory components, providing display values in real time to the scanner. The output of one look up table may be provided as a control signal to the logic unit. In one embodiment the first look up table is addressed by text planes, and an output therefrom provides the control signal for suppressing the output of the second look up table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Assignee: Prime Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald C. Manson
  • Patent number: 4816811
    Abstract: A resilient and deformable touch screen that is adapted to be overlaid on the surface of a CRT screen is formed from a semi-rigid plastic frame attached to a flexible plastic pouch filled with a soft resilient material which adheres to the surface of the pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignees: American Telephone and Telegraph Company, AT&T Technologies, Inc., AT&T Information Systems Inc., AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Eric L. Bogatin, Xina S. Quan, Thomas A. Schwartz, Wesley P. Townsend
  • Patent number: 4814756
    Abstract: A system for displaying alphanumeric and graphic information on a raster scanned display device, for example, in a teletext system, includes a memory which is updated to change the display. Dynamic changes in the displayed image are provided by assigning a base address to each of one or more zones in the memory and altering the base addresses as required under local or remote control. Alphanumeric and graphic data may be combined on a single displayed page by means of identification data associated with each row or line of data to be displayed. The required capacity of the memory associated with the display device is substantially reduced by assigning a control code to data which is to be repetitively displayed, for example, spaces at the end of a line or fields of uniform color. Selected elements are thus displayed a predetermined number of times without the need for a corresponding number of memory locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gerard Chauvel
  • Patent number: 4812828
    Abstract: A video display processor (VDP) is connectable to an input control device such as a light pen and a mouse. The VDP comprises a counter circuit which is composed of an X counter and a Y counter. When a mouse mode is selected, X and Y pulse signals are supplied to the X and Y counters so that the contents of the X and Y counters represent the amount of movement of the mouse. When a central processing unit (CPU) connected to the VDP reads the contents of the X and Y counters in this mouse mode, the X and Y counters are reset. When a light pen mode is selected, the X and Y counters effect a count operation of a clock signal generated in the VDP in synchronism with the display of image on a screen so that the contents of the X and Y counters represents X-Y coordinates of a display element which is currently displayed on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignees: ASCII Corporation, Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nishi, Takatoshi Ishii, Ryozo Yamashita, Shigemitsu Yamaoka, Takatoshi Okumura
  • Patent number: 4806918
    Abstract: A graphics tablet is presented which has an x-y grid of wire traces embedded on it. Drive wires are coupled to the trace wires in both the x-direction and the y-direction. When a stylus is placed in contact with the graphics tablet, the location of a sector of the graphics tablet where the stylus contacts the graphics tablet may be determined by sequentially placing a signal on each drive wire and measuring the strength of the signal received by the stylus. The closer the stylus is to a particular trace, the stronger the signal which is received by the stylus from the drive wire coupled to that trace. The identity of a plurality of drive wires in the x-direction and a plurality of wires in the y-direction with the strongest received signal can be used to determine a unique address for the location of the sector of the graphics tablet where the stylus contacts the graphics tablet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: W. Mike Berke, Thomas Malzbender
  • Patent number: 4806921
    Abstract: A rasterizer, particularly suited for generating patterns for semiconductor masks and the like is described. An 8.times.8 array uses RAS, CAS and WE signals in addition to the memory address for accessing the array. A state machine is used to convert the pattern data (e.g., type of object orientation, etc.) into accessing data with the WE generator being driven through a ROM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: ATEQ Corporation
    Inventors: Allan L. Goodman, Morris H. Green, Matthew J. Jolley, Robin L. Teitzel, John L. Wipfli
  • Patent number: 4806924
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an advertising information display system comprising a device for starting the display of the advertising information on certain elements of the display panels; a computer device receiving information from the output of the various infrared radiation pick-ups emitting logic signals towards the display monitoring and control device associated with each panel to cause the displacement of the message on the display panel elements in accordance with the movements of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Inventors: Daniel Giraud, Regis Dufrenne, Jean Charron
  • Patent number: 4806922
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprising a plurality of modules wherein each module includes a nematic curvilinearly aligned phases liquid crystal material. The modules are positioned adjacent to one another to effect a homogeneous display. Each module may include electrode means supported on a substrate. The substrate may include a flexible extension thereof on which conductive paths may be formed. The extension of the substrate is sufficiently flexible to permit the interconnection of the electrode means via the conductive paths to a circuit means for applying an electric field to the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Taliq Corporation
    Inventors: Charles W. McLaughlin, James L. Fergason, Robert Paker
  • Patent number: 4804948
    Abstract: A video display control system displays a video image composed of a plurality of display elements on a screen of a video display unit. The system comprises a memory (VRAM) for storing a plurality of color codes each representing at least one display element and a video display controller (VDP). The VDP comprises a mode register for selecting one of normal display and transparency processing modes, display processing circuit for reading the color codes from the VRAM, a backdrop color register for storing a color code such as one representing a backdrop color, a detection circuit for detecting a predetermined color code from the color codes read by the display processing circuit, and a selector controlled by an output of the detection circuit. In the normal display mode, the selector outputs all color codes read by the display processing circuit to the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignees: ASCII Corp., Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nishi, Takatoshi Ishii, Ryozo Yamashita, Shigemitsu Yamaoka, Takatoshi Okumura
  • Patent number: 4804951
    Abstract: An active matrix-type display device including a plurality of field effect transistors arranged in a matrix, a plurality of gate lines, an apparatus for combining the gate lines in a set of combinations each containing two or more gate lines and for changing the set of combinations, and a driver for sequentially driving the combinations of gate lines so that the gate lines contained in a combination are driven simultaneously and all the gate lines are scanned in one vertical scanning period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Yamashita, Masahiko Enari, Mitsutoshi Kuno, Atsushi Mizutome, Hideo Kanno
  • Patent number: 4804953
    Abstract: Redundancy is provided in the data and gate lines of the liquid crystal display device for improved reliability and greater fabrication yield. The data lines in particular are preferably fabricated in a multilayer structure with two conductive layers sandwiching a narrow insulating strip. The presence of the insulating strip permits the upper conductive line to be formed without step jumps which can exhibit a tendency for poor electrical connection. The upper and lower conductive layers of the data line are in contact for the length of the lower data line, contact being made on either side of the narrower insulating strip. Similar redundancy, without the necessity of providing an intermediary insulating layer is also provided for the gate lines. The redundancy provided in the present invention is particularly suitable for fabrication methods employed in thin film FET driven LCD devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Donald E. Castleberry
  • Patent number: 4803475
    Abstract: An image display apparatus including a display memory which is accessed by a central processing unit for controlling input/output traffic of image information and by an image display device such as CRT in a time division multiplex mode. There are further provided a circuit for detecting a time deviation between a signal (Ac) representing a period during which the central processing unit can access the display memory and a signal (ALE) denoting an initiation of a machine cycle, and a circuit for controlling the wait condition in the central processing unit in accordance with the detected time deviation, so that the access of the central processing unit to the display memory is always synchronized with the access of the image display device to the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Matsueda
  • Patent number: 4801932
    Abstract: A display apparatus using a light-transmitting ceramic having an electrooptic effect. A voltage application head has at least a pair of electrodes which contact the light-transmitting ceramic. The head is driven by a head driver so as to scan across a surface of the light-transmitting ceramic. Electrodes may be formed also on the surface of the light-transmitting ceramic. A bright and dark pattern caused by double refraction in the light-transmitting ceramic is seen through a polarizing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoneharu Takubo, Yasutaka Horibe, Nobue Yamanishi, Eiji Fujii, Hideyuki Okinaka
  • Patent number: 4800381
    Abstract: An electromagnetic indicator device which has a plurality of triangle-shaped vanes, asymmetrical in relation to the rotation axis, which are arranged on a plate in the form of a matrix. A polarization magnet is applied to the vane in the vincinity of the rotation axis. The movement of the rotably supported vanes from a first position to a second position is effected, as appropriate, by a permanently associated electromagnet fixed behind the plate. A network of bearing brackets is fixed on the plate, whereby each four bearing brackets form the corner points of a square.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Inventors: Johannes Joseph, Maximilian Bleicher, Walter Greiner
  • Patent number: 4800380
    Abstract: A page mode memory controller for a multi-plane color video display providing three bits/pixel corresponding to three page partitioning in each of sixteen 64K dynamic RAMs is described. The three bits/pixel are routed to a color lookup table to provide a choice of eight colors from a palette of 64 colors. Graphic display information is combined with alphanumeric video information on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The combined graphic/alphanumeric information is then converted from a digital signal to an analog signal. Page mode reads access three color planes for video display cycles using a counter for the two least significant memory column address bits. To create the displayed image, vectors are drawn three times, once at each plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Convergent Technologies
    Inventors: Richard W. Lowenthal, Larke E. Reeber, Drew S. Hoffman, Michael Ramsay
  • Patent number: 4800375
    Abstract: A four color repetitive sequence matrix array for flat panel displays is formed by establishing a repetitive sequence with pixels of four different colors arranged in the rows of the matrix. The sequence commences with a different color in each row, thereby establishing a second repetitive sequence in the matrix columns. These row and column sequences establish a pattern of 16 pixels with sets of four rows and four columns that is repetitive throughout the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Louis D. Silverstein, Robert W. Monty