Abstract: A solid state rotary entry control system for controlling appliances such as microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines, television sets and other appliances, the control system incorporating a first rotary entry means utilizing the angular displacement of a rotary switch to increment and decrement data, such as desired time, temperature or other data into a microprocessor based appliance control, the control system also incorporating a second rotary entry means for selecting, for example, a desired power level, such as a desired microwave oven magnetron power level, and also providing a power level bar graph display indicative of the power level selected by the user thereof.

Abstract: In addition to the normal weight display, a display for a balance has a number of other areas in each of which a word indicative of an operation which has been or may be carried out is displayed. The words to be displayed are arranged on an exchangeable card which may be inserted into the balance. Light from each particular area of the card is transmitted or blocked by application of control signals to a liquid crystal which is interposed between the card and the operator's view. The control signals are applied in accordance with the program being carried out and with signals derived from operator controlled keys. The display may be used to direct the operator, since only the operations possible at any particular time are visible. The cards may be imprinted in any language or type of letters, without requiring any change in the remainder of the balance or display.

Abstract: The screen of a display terminal has touch strips extending adjacent horizontal and vertical edges. The touch strips have electrical outputs dependent on the position along the strips at which they are touched. Using microprocessor control the touch strips can be made to manipulate a displayed image and control the rate or level or other terminal functions. By selecting an appropriate programming mode the touch strips can be made to present a series of programmable or soft keys. Also the touch strips can be used to provide a menu selection, scrolling and cursor generation and movement for word processing. The use of two touch strips requires less complex circuitry than a known transparent input overlay for the display screen. Moreover, it is a cleaner technique resulting in reduced image attenuation and distortion.

Abstract: A display management system for one or more large plasma gas panel displays (11) is organized to split the display management operations between a host processor (20), a system microprocessor (21) and a picoprocessor (27). The picoprocessor (27) is the heart of a common internal bus (31) plasma display adapter (22). The program for the display is downloaded from the host processor (20) to the system microprocessor (21). The microprocessor generates op codes and initializes display parameters. The plasma display adapter provides control for the plasma panel interface, serialization of character generator data, translates display position addresses for absolute cartesian coordinates to panel address, and computes the boundaries of display panel write and erase operations. Interaction between the system microprocessor and the plasma display adapter is minimized by a code list contained in the microprocessor memory and fetched by direct memory access.

Abstract: Image display equipment has a memory element for storing a selected combinatorial function of a cursor pattern and image field existing at an addressed cursor position, and has a controllable selector for displaying, at the cursor field, either the image field or the combined cursor field and image pattern. A single display memory can store the image field, the cursor pattern, and the selected combination of cursor pattern and image field. Selection logic addresses the stored combination pattern in lieu of the image field to provide the desired cursor display at the addressed cursor position.

Abstract: A display management system for one or more large plasma gas panel displays (11) is organized to split the display mangement operations between a host processor (20), a system microprocessor (21) and a picoprocessor (27). The picoprocessor (27) is the heart of a common internal bus (31) plasma display adapter (22). The program for the display is downloaded from the host processor (20) to the system microprocessor (21). The microprocessor generates op codes and initializes display parameters. The plasma display adapter provides control for the plasma panel interface, serialization of character generator data, translates display position addresses for absolute cartesian coordinates to panel address, and computes the boundaries of display panel write and erase operations. Interaction between the system microprocessor and the plasma display adapter is minimized by a code list contained in the microprocessor memory and fetched by direct memory access.

Abstract: A pointing device comprises a mouse tablet having a regular repetitive pattern of field sensitive pixels on the surface thereof, and a mouse including coupling elements movable across the mouse tablet, wherein the coupling elements establish position-dependent field coupling with the pixels. Analysis of the coupling yields mouse motion and direction of motion. In one embodiment, the pixels are deployed in rows and columns and a pair of coupling elements are provided for sensing motion and direction of motion in each axis. The coupling elements are elongated to be non-responsive in the axis of non-interest, and are spaced apart to provide phase-shifted output from which direction of motion can be determined. In another embodiment, ferrous pixel strips are provided in one axis and non-ferrous pixel strips are provided in the other axis, with the coupling elements for the respective axis being adapted to field couple with the pixels of interest.

Abstract: A dual mode raster scanned character display system has a text mode of operation in which characters having a first matrix size are displayed on a CRT screen and a high resolution mode of operation in which display information is bit mapped on the CRT screen. Programmable font characters are stored in a memory and are accessed by controller characters generated in response to display requests supplied by an associated information source, such as a computer or a keyboard. Each controller character includes a special screen attribute multi-bit portion which is used to modify the font characters when coupled to a video signal generator unit to display reverse video, provide underline or strike through, specify one of two fixed intensities, suppress the character or provide a software function, such as CURSOR. In text mode, each character block has a fixed size appropriate to alphanumeric character generation, i.e.

Abstract: A display management system for one or more large plasma gas panel displays (11) is organized to split the display management operations between a host processor (20), a system microprocessor (21) and a picoprocessor (27). The picoprocessor (27) is the heart of a common internal bus (31) plasma display adapter (22). The program for the display is downloaded from the host processor (20) to the system microprocessor (21). The microprocessor generates op codes and initializes display parameters. The plasma display adapter provides control for the plasma panel interface, serialization of character generator data, translates display position addresses for absolute cartesian coordinates to panel address, and computes the boundaries of display panel write and erase operations. Interaction between the system microprocessor and the plasma display adapter is minimized by a code list contained in the microprocessor memory and fetched by direct memory access.

Abstract: A method of electronically moving portions of several different images on a CRT screen includes the steps of: storing a first image in one section of an image memory, and storing a second image in a different section of the image memory; storing control bits in a control memory which define high and low priority viewports on the screen and correlate portions of the first and second images to the high and low priority viewports respectively; displaying, in response to the stored control bits, the entire portion of the image in the high priority viewport and only the non-overlapping portion of the image in the low priority viewport by transferring the image portions from the image memory to the screen with no frame buffer therebetween; modifying at least some of the stored control bits to change the priorities of the high and low priority viewports to low and high respectively; and repeating the displaying step, in response to the modified control bits, to display the entire portion of the image in the new high

Abstract: A plurality of memory sections is provided each storing binary data to be employed for refreshing picture elements of a thin-film EL matrix display panel on successive frame time periods constituting an integration time period. The number of frame time periods in an integration time period corresponds to the number of different shades to be displayed on the panel. The binary data stored in each of the memory sections differs. Thus, when the binary data in the memory sections are read out on successive frame time periods, some of the picture elements on the panel are refreshed more than others during the integration time period. Accordingly, the eye of the viewer receives more light from some picture elements than others during each integration time period which results in the relative brightness levels and, therefore, the shades of the picture elements to vary.

Abstract: In a video display apparatus which includes a video random access memory storing data of characters and graphics to be displayed on a cathode-ray tube display unit of raster scan type and in which display data corresponding to display positions on the cathode-ray tube display unit are read out from the video random access memory and are then subjected to parallel-serial conversion to provide a video signal applied to the cathode-ray tube display unit, the display data are read out from the video random access memory utilizing the page read function so that an inexpensive dynamic random access memory can be used as the video random access memory.

Abstract: Alphanumeric CRT display has normal/reverse video attribute. In reverse video, the character dots are made wider than in normal video, to equalize the apparent width of the dots in the two modes.

Abstract: A flat panel display in which photoresistive dividers on a first substrate are coupled to the leads of an optical display on a second substrate, such as an electroluminescent panel, by means of elastomeric connectors for coupling the photoresistor conductive leads to corresponding leads of the optical display means.

Abstract: A multi-character multi-segment electrically addressable display panel. Character segments are defined at each of a number of adjacent locations by the overlap of two sets of electrodes. The electrodes of one set are each associated with a location and a group of one or more segments. The electrodes of the other set extend across each location and are associated with no more than one segment in each segment group. The panel is addressed using isogonal signals, e.g. pseudo-random binary sequence coded signals. The panel medium may be of dyed or undyed cholesteric-to-nematic phase change effect liquid crystal material, of low threshold or wide temperature range liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A desired character mainly composed of standard width dots selected from a matrix of orthogonally disposed rows and columns is displayed on a screen during scanning of the screen in horizontal and vertical directions. The display is smoothed by a circuit responsive to data stored in a memory. The smoothing involves the selected addition or removal, to or from particular portions of the character, of a small dot having a width one-third of the standard dot width.

Abstract: A display panel includes a pair of substrates arranged face to face with each other with a predetermined gap therebetween, at least a pair of electrodes each provided on a corresponding one of facing surfaces of the substrates, and a display substance provided between the electrodes. A picture element is made up of a pair of facing portions of the electrodes and a portion of the display substance situated between the facing portions. At least one of the electrodes is made up of a multiplicity of picture element electrodes formed of a transparent conductive film and juxtaposed to each other and a contact metal member for substantially making an electrical connection of a plurality of ones of the picture element electrodes. The contact metal member is made up of a first layer made of chromium or a chromium alloy and a second layer formed on the first layer and made of nickel or gold.

Abstract: A road map display system comprises a map memory for storing map image data, a sensor for detecting the travelling distance and travelling direction and outputting a signal representative of the angular offset between the direction of travel and an axis of a map coordinate system, an arithmetic means for calculating the map coordinates of a point halfway between the vehicle position and the destination, a coordinate transforming means which transforms the map image data to a display coordinate system, the origin of which lies halfway between the vehicle and the destination and the y-axis of which lies parallel to the direction of travel, a display memory in which the map data and symbols representing the destination and the position and the direction of travel of the vehicle are stored in terms of the display coordinate system, and a display means displaying the information stored in the display memory on the display screen.

Abstract: A document processing method is disclosed wherein blank forms are read by an image input device, and the format thereof is stored in a memory. Additional information for filling in the form is input in the same manner, and the information is electronically overlaid using a control device for the memory, so that a completed form is stored in the memory for output by a printing device. With the invention, once the blank form is input to the device, further blank forms are unnecessary.

Abstract: A system for electronically displaying portions of several different images on a CRT screen comprises: a memory for storing a complete first image as several pixels in one section of the memory and a complete second image as several other pixels in another section of the memory such that the total number of stored pixels is substantially larger than the number of pixels on the screen; a logic circuit for reading a sequence of the pixels at non-contiguous locations in the first and second images and for transferring them, in the sequence in which they are read, to the screen for display with no frame buffer therebetween; the logic circuit for reading including a module for forming non-contiguous addresses for the pixels in the sequence in which they are read with the address of one word of pixels being formed during the time interval that a previously addressed word of pixels is being displayed on the screen.