Abstract: A device, which sits on a finger or the fingertip and allows communication with computer systems by finger-pointing to monitor images. Embedded into a body (10) are electronic elements, e.g., (11) and (9). Pointing with the finger to a certain image displayed on a monitor's screen causes the electronic elements to return a signal to the controlling software application through hardware interface electronic. The software application recognizes which of the displayed images has been selected by finger-pointing. The software application than starts corresponding actions.

Abstract: This invention provides a driving apparatus for a liquid-crystal display, comprising a dot-matrix liquid-crystal display with column electrodes and row electrodes, a control circuit for, in enlarging and displaying the display data, producing a display control signal containing a plurality of pulses during the latch period of a latch signal that latches the display data, a column-electrode driving section for latching the display data in a latch circuit in response to the display control signal from the control circuit, and based on the latched display data, causing a driving circuit to drive the column electrodes of the liquid-crystal display, and a row-electrode driving section for simultaneously driving a plurality of adjacent row electrodes of the liquid-crystal display in response to the display control signal from the control circuit.

Abstract: Displacement between an actual designation position designated by a detection pen and a detection coordinates is corrected. A correction calculation section includes a plurality of processing mode determination modules, a propagation delay correction module, an inward displacement correction module, a waveform distortion correction module, and a periodical fluctuation correction module. The processing mode determination module determines a correction module according to a detection coordinate value input. Each of the correction modules includes a correction formula or a lookup table inherent to each area. According to the correction formula or the lookup table, input detection coordinate value is corrected to thereby correct the displacement between the actual designation position and the detection coordinate value.

Abstract: Image quality is improved in an rms-responding, passive matrix display system (10) by correcting for voltages induced onto row addressing electrodes (22) by voltage transitions on column electrodes (24). Net crosstalk voltages sensed at nodes (88N and 88P) between a row driver (72) and voltage sources (70N and 70P) correspond to the voltage induced on a row electrode plane (136). A correction voltage corresponding to the net crosstalk voltage on the row plane is applied to the voltage sources to correct the rms pixel voltages for the crosstalk.

Abstract: Pixel electrodes and thin film transistors are arranged in a matrix in a display device, while polymer dispersion liquid crystals are interposed between an opposite electrode and the pixel electrodes on an electrode substrate. A signal is written into each pixel electrode by a pair of drive ICs for outputting signals in positive and negative polarities respectively with respect to an electrical potential at the opposite electrode. Two transistors are provided at each pixel electrode or an analog switch is provided at a signal output terminal of each drive IC so that signals of positive and negative polarities are not simultaneously written into an identical pixel electrode. When no voltage is applied to the pixel electrode, the incident light is reflected so as to be dispersed by the liquid crystal, and when a voltage is applied to the pixel electrode, the state of the liquid crystal is made light-permeable.

Abstract: A three-electrode surface-discharge alternating-current plasma display panel (AC PDP) has maintenance discharge electrodes that are in parallel with one another and addressing electrodes that are orthogonal to the maintenance discharge electrodes. The maintenance discharge electrodes are connected to one another, and the maintenance discharge electrodes are independent of one another and correspond to display lines that form a screen of the PDP. Wall charges are accumulated to serve as memory media. Display data are written to the screen in separate two periods, i.e., an addressing period in which wall charges are accumulated according to the display data, to prepare for maintenance discharge (sustain discharge) and a maintenance discharge period in which the maintenance discharge is repeated to emit light. The maintenance discharge in the maintenance discharge period is carried out on every other display line and the accumulation of wall charges in the addressing period is carried out on every display line.

Abstract: An output circuit used in a common driver for a flat panel electronic display device includes "n" two-input OR circuits of a CMOS circuit structure, where "n" is a positive integer corresponding to the number of a row electrodes of a flat panel display. One input of each of the OR circuits is connected to a corresponding bit of an n-bit shifter register, and an output of the OR circuits is connected to a corresponding one of the row electrodes of the flat panel display so as to drive the corresponding electrode. A control signal is connected directly to the other input of the first OR circuit and a first one of "n-1" cascaded non-inverting buffers. Outputs of these cascaded non-inverting buffers are connected to the other input of the remaining OR circuits, respectively.

Abstract: A combined mouse and track ball are contained within an ergonomically designed housing or shell. The shell is curved to fit comfortably within the palm of the hand of an operator so that the forefinger and thumb are opposed to each other in a prehensile position. A single shell is operable by a left-handed or right-handed operator to change the mode of operation between use in a track ball mode and use in a mouse mode.

Abstract: A plasma addressed liquid crystal display (10) uses a liquid crystal material (18) having a low .DELTA..epsilon., .epsilon..sub..perp., and .DELTA.n, resulting in reduced sensitivity to cross talk, reduced operating voltage, and improved resistance to the deleterious electrochemical effects of direct current biases. Liquid crystal layers of low .DELTA..epsilon., .epsilon..sub..perp., and .DELTA.n materials exhibit lower capacitance, which increases the threshold voltage and reduces the saturation voltage to achieve reduced sensitivity to crosstalk and a lower operating voltage.

Abstract: A flat-panel display device 500, 600 with an active array of parallel longitudinal row backlights 520, 620 disposed in a first plane is disclosed. The row backlights sequentially emit a row of light for a fixed-duration row-interval of time t in successive row periods of duration p. Each row is illuminated once in each frame. The flat panel display device also has an array of longitudinal parallel liquid-crystal column shutters 531, 631 disposed in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The column shutters are oriented orthogonally to the row backlights so as to define pixels at each intersection of a column shutter and a row backlight. A driver 590, 690 is provided for causing the column shutters to make, at most, one transition from the "off" state to the "on" state or vice-versa every row period.

Abstract: A pivotable trackball-type computer command pointing device for entering commands into a computer has a housing and a ball retained within the housing for generating electrical signals translatable into commands for the computer. A coupling assembly removably attaches to the computer, preferably the keyboard. A knuckle joint assembly pivotally connects the housing to the coupling assembly and includes a pivot blade pivotally received in an elongated recess of a hinge pocket plate to define an axis of rotation within the housing about which the housing is rotatable. Opposing button members each carry actuation teeth which engage a corresponding row of teeth formed in a coupling frame held stationary with respect to the computer by the coupling assembly. When the button members are moved together, the actuation teeth disengage the rows of teeth to permit the housing to be selectively angularly oriented by the user.

Abstract: To expand display data for a low-resolution matrix display apparatus to display data for a high-resolution matrix display apparatus without causing a reduction in the speed of processing and without requiring clocks of different frequencies. This is accomplished by providing intermediate value generating circuits for generating intermediate values of a plurality of adjacent display data according to an expansion ratio in a driver circuit of a matrix display apparatus and by also applying the outputs of the intermediate value generating circuits to the matrix display panel. Thus, the display data is expanded by the driver.

Abstract: A hand-held controller for an electronic gaming system wherein each of one or more players can control two gaming objects at the same time. A joystick-like thumb operated directional switch, mounted in a housing, is used to select or control the movement of a primary object and an optical detection/pointing system, carried in the same housing, is used to select or control the movement a secondary object.

Abstract: The indication display unit according to the present invention is constructed such that an image indicated by an indicator disposed within the dashboard is projected towards and reflected on a prism provided at the lower portion of the windshield so that the driver can observe the image behind the prism as the virtual image thereof, and is characterized in that the prism can be shifted namely between the first and the second positions thereof, wherein when the prism is located in the first position, the indicated image projected from the indicator is reflected on the surface of the prism and directed to the driver's visual point, whereas in the second position thereof, the prism has been completely shifted away from the driver's visual field by position shifting elements, and the indicated image projected from the indicator is thereby reflected on the inner surface of the windshield and directed to the driver's visual point.

Abstract: When the driving process of a floppy disk drive is operated, the back light is turned off to conserve energy according to a control process. The back light is also controlled when the disk drive is driven at intervals with short stop periods to light only after a determined interval of time elapses to prevent blinking of the back light while the disk drive is driven.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for positioning a cursor on a video display having a horizontal blank time and a vertical blank time, where the cursor is addressed by a match position representing the cursor hot point relative to the origin of a pixel matrix, including cursor position registers for providing (x,y) cursor positioning coordinates; adders for adding to the (x,y) coordinates values representing the horizontal and vertical blank times respectively; and subtracting circuits for subtracting from the result values representing the horizontal and vertical match positions to provide the actual screen position at which the cursor is displayed. Accordingly, partial blanking and variable cursor hot points are supported in a manner transparent to the cursor positioning software.

Abstract: A reproduction speed controller for controlling reproduction speed of a video signal having first field image signal and second field image signal including main memory having a storage capacity of two field image signal, sub memory having a storage capacity of at least one field image signal, write unit for writing an input video signal into the main memory and the sub memory in synchronism with a write reference signal which corresponds to a frequency of the input video signal, read unit for selectively read out the written video signal from the main memory and the sub memory in synchronism with a read reference signal having a fixed frequency, passing detection unit for generating a passing detection signal on the basis of the frequency difference between the write reference signal and the read reference signal when the frequency of the write reference signal is lower than the frequency of the read reference signal, and control unit for controlling the write unit and the read unit in response to the passin

Abstract: A flat-panel display device 500, 600 with an active array of parallel longitudinal row backlights 520, 620 disposed in a first plane is disclosed. The row backlights sequentially emit a row of light for a fixed-duration row-interval of time t in successive row periods of duration p. Each row is illuminated once in each frame. The flat panel display device also has an array of longitudinal parallel liquid-crystal column shutters 531, 631 disposed in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The column shutters are oriented orthogonally to the row backlights so as to define pixels at each intersection of a column shutter and a row backlight. A driver 590, 690 is provided for causing the column shutters to make, at most, one transition from the "off" state to the "on" state or vice-versa every row period.

Abstract: A three-dimensional display for characterizing red, green and blue components of a video signal combines the three components to form two pairs of combination signals, one pair combining the green and blue components and the other pair combining the green and red components. The two pairs of combination signals are input alternately to the inputs of a vector display device to provide a symmetrical display about an axis of symmetry where one half characterizes the blue component, the other half characterizes the red component, and both halves characterize the green component. A diamond-shaped graticule is displayed for each half of the symmetrical display to define a color gamut region for the red, green and blue components.