Abstract: A method for driving a liquid crystal device to record an image on the liquid crystal device is provided. The liquid crystal device has: a pair of electrodes; and a liquid crystal layer of cholestric liquid crystal sandwiched between the pair of electrodes. The method includes: applying a voltage V1 higher than a threshold value of a phase change to the homeotropic phase to make the liquid crystal layer to be in a homeotoropic phase; applying selectively two voltages V2H and V2L higher than the voltage V1 to each portion of the liquid crystal layer; and applying a voltage V3 under a condition of such a magnification and application time that a portion to which the voltage V2H has been applied changes to a planar phase and a portion to which the voltage V2L has been applied changes to a focal conic phase.

Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a voltage applying unit, a light irradiation unit and a resistance control unit. The voltage applying unit forms a voltage applying circuit together with a pair of electrode layers of a photo-addressing type display element. The voltage applying unit applies a voltage between the pair of electrode layers. The light irradiation unit irradiates the photo-addressing type display element with addressing light. The resistance control unit controls a resistance to a current which flows in a direction to reduce a potential difference between the pair of electrode layers to be larger than that during a period in which the voltage applying unit is applying the voltage.

Abstract: A laminated body comprises: a particle dispersion layer comprising a first material and particles dispersed in the first material, the first material being changed from a gel state to a sol state upon increase in temperature; and a coated layer comprising a second material, the second material is changed from a gel state to a sol state upon increase in temperature, is changed from a gel state to a sol state upon decrease in temperature, and shows a hysteresis behavior in sol-gel change upon change in temperature, wherein the particle dispersion layer in a sol state and the coated layer in a gel state are laminated in contact with each other, and in a state where each of the particle dispersion layer and the coated layer contains a solvent, a maximum temperature T1 where the first material maintains a gel state is less than a maximum temperature T2 where the second material maintains a gel state upon increase in temperature (T1<T2).

Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a voltage applying unit, a light irradiation unit and a resistance control unit. The voltage applying unit forms a voltage applying circuit together with a pair of electrode layers of a photo-addressing type display element. The voltage applying unit applies a voltage between the pair of electrode layers. The light irradiation unit irradiates the photo-addressing type display element with addressing light. The resistance control unit controls a resistance to a current which flows in a direction to reduce a potential difference between the pair of electrode layers to be larger than that during a period in which the voltage applying unit is applying the voltage.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal layer in which an additive containing an aliphatic organic compound including at least one carbon-carbon double bond is added to a cholesteric liquid crystal in an amount of approximately 3 wt % or more and approximately 10 wt % or less.

Abstract: A writing device for writing an image to a display medium, the writing device applies a voltage between a pair of electroconductive layers and irradiates light onto a photosensitive layer. The light irradiates onto a region of the photosensitive layer that overlaps a region of the display layer where liquid crystal of a first display layer undergoes transition to the light-reflecting state, and applies a voltage between the pair of electroconductive layers for a time period such that a voltage equal to or larger than a second threshold voltage is applied to a region of the display layer unit where the liquid crystal of the first display layer is to undergo transition to the light-reflecting state, and a voltage smaller than the second threshold voltage is applied to a region of the display layer unit overlapped by a region of the photosensitive layer to which no light is irradiated.

Abstract: A recording device that includes an obtainment unit that obtains image information representing an image; and a voltage application unit that applies a voltage with a frequency according to the image information obtained by the obtainment unit, to a pair of electrodes equipped with a display medium, the display medium having a multi-layered liquid-crystal phase provided between the pair of electrodes, the multi-layered liquid-crystal phase having a first layer capable of assuming a specific alignment when the applied voltage is greater than or equal to a pre-set first voltage threshold, and a second layer capable of assuming a specific alignment when the applied voltage is greater than or equal to a second voltage threshold. An application of a voltage to the pair of electrodes effecting a first voltage component and a second voltage component applied to the first layer and the second layer, respectively.

Abstract: The invention discloses a liquid crystal display element including: a pair of display substrates each having a support and an electrode provided on one surface of the support; and a display layer provided between the electrodes of the pair of display substrates, wherein the display layer contains gelatin and liquid crystal drops or microcapsules; and the liquid crystal drops or microcapsules are densely arrayed in a monolayer, and a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display element, including: applying to a surface of one of the display substrates which surface has the electrode, a coating solution in which liquid crystal drops or microcapsules are dispersed in a solution containing gelatin and a solvent, thereby forming a coating layer; and evaporating the solvent in the coating layer at a temperature not less than the freezing point of the gelatin to provide a display layer between the electrodes of the display substrates.

Abstract: A recording device includes a first voltage application unit that applies a first voltage to a display layer; a second voltage application unit that applies a second voltage; a first irradiation unit that irradiates to the display layer first light synchronized with the application of the second voltage; a second irradiation unit that irradiates to the display layer a second light after the application of the second voltage is terminated, the second light having a third intensity if the second light is irradiated at an area corresponding to the first tone in the second liquid crystal layer, the second light not being irradiated if the second light is irradiated at an area corresponding to the second tone in the second liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A display medium comprises: a pair of electrodes to which a voltage is applied; a cholesteric liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of electrodes, wherein an alignment state of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer changes depending on a strength of an electric field generated upon application of a voltage to the pair of electrodes; and an intervening layer provided in an area between a part of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and one of the pair of electrodes such that a strength of an electric field generated in the part of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer upon application of a voltage to the pair of electrodes is different from a strength of an electric field generated in another part of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A medium writing apparatus obtains information to be written onto a recording medium, converts the information into a suitable writable format, and then writes the converted information onto the recording medium. An ID obtaining section obtains a medium ID from the recording medium, or through an input by the user. The medium ID and information indicating the place of the written information are sent to a server, and then stored as index information correlating them with each other. When the information written onto the recording medium is to be used at a later timing, the medium ID is identified, and the index information is obtained from the server. Therefore, the original information can be obtained so as to be easily reprocessed or reused.

Abstract: A writing device includes: a voltage application unit that applies a voltage to a display medium including a first display layer, second display layer and a photoconductive layer; a first obtaining unit that obtains image data showing an original image; a controller that controls the voltage application unit and the irradiating unit to cause the display medium to show an overlapped image including the obtained original image and an overwritten image overwritten on the original image, the overwritten image including a point corresponding to the location shown by the location information stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A recording device includes a first voltage application unit that applies a first voltage to a display layer; a second voltage application unit that applies a second voltage; a first irradiation unit that irradiates to the display layer first light synchronized with the application of the second voltage; a second irradiation unit that irradiates to the display layer a second light after the application of the second voltage is terminated, the second light having a third intensity if the second light is irradiated at an area corresponding to the first tone in the second liquid crystal layer, the second light not being irradiated if the second light is irradiated at an area corresponding to the second tone in the second liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: Sequentially performed are (1) an entire liquid crystal layer is initialized into a focal conic state, (2) an image is written onto the liquid crystal device by scanning with selecting exposure or non-exposure while applying a voltage that does not exceed a threshold value for a state change from the focal conic state to a homeotropic state during the non-exposure but exceeds the threshold value during the exposure and that causes the focal conic state and the homeotropic state to be bi-stable after the exposure, and (3) the application of the voltage is stopped to change a state of a portion, of which the state has changed to the homeotropic state, to the planer state. In (2), an electric field energy applied to an exposure portion of the liquid crystal layer is controlled to gradually increase from a start to an end of the series of scanning actions.

Abstract: A recording device includes: a voltage application unit that applies a voltage exceeding a first threshold value to a display medium; a photosensitive layer in which an impedance changes depending on an irradiated light; and a light irradiation unit that irradiates light of a first intensity that changes the impedance of the display medium at the approximately same time as when the voltage is applied by the voltage application unit and, and when the voltage is no longer applied by the voltage application unit, irradiates light that has a second intensity lower than the first intensity and that damps the residual voltage to the second threshold value or below within a length of time equal to or less than the third threshold value.

Abstract: A writing device includes: a display medium including: a first display layer; a second display layer stacked on the first display layer; a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer sandwiching the first display layer and the second display layer; and a photosensitive layer located between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; a voltage-applying unit that applies a bias voltage to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, a frequency of the bias voltage differing between a case in which a state of the first display layer and a state of the second display layer are changed simultaneously, and a case in which a state of the first display layer and a state of the second display layer are changed separately; and a light outputting unit that irradiates light to the display medium.

Abstract: A writing apparatus includes: a voltage application unit that applies a voltage to a display medium whose display changes according to an irradiation of light and an applied voltage; an optical output unit that irradiates light toward the display medium; and a controller that (i) receives a position signal that has been output from an apparatus upon contact with an input device, the position signal indicating a position of the contact with the input device, (ii) specifies, based on the received position signal, a position on the display medium at which a display is to be changed, and (iii) controls the optical output unit so that light is irradiated toward the specified position on the display medium for a predetermined time period.

Abstract: An optical recording display medium comprises: a display layer whose display changes according to an applied voltage; a photoconductive layer that is provided opposing the display layer and changes a voltage applied to the display layer according to irradiated light; and a selective transmission layer that is provided on a light path to where light irradiated toward the photoconductive layer arrives at the photoconductive layer, and whose transmissivity with respect to the irradiated light increases as an intensity of the irradiated light increases.

Abstract: A recording device that includes an obtainment unit that obtains image information representing an image; and a voltage application unit that applies a voltage with a frequency according to the image information obtained by the obtainment unit, to a pair of electrodes equipped with a display medium, the display medium having a multi-layered liquid-crystal phase provided between the pair of electrodes, the multi-layered liquid-crystal phase having a first layer capable of assuming a specific alignment when the applied voltage is greater than or equal to a pre-set first voltage threshold, and a second layer capable of assuming a specific alignment when the applied voltage is greater than or equal to a second voltage threshold. An application of a voltage to the pair of electrodes effecting a first voltage component and a second voltage component applied to the first layer and the second layer, respectively.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid crystal layer in which an additive containing an aliphatic organic compound including at least one carbon-carbon double bond is added to a cholesteric liquid crystal in an amount of approximately 3 wt % or more and approximately 10 wt % or less.