Abstract: A method and circuits for multiplex driving of a liquid crystal element employing a ferroelectric liquid crystal therein. The method includes the step of applying a voltage pulse having an amplitude and a pulse width which exceeds a saturation voltage during a first half of a selecting term or a non-selecting term just before the selecting term to place the liquid crystal element in an "ON" or "OFF" state. The method also includes the step of applying the voltage pulse having a opposite polarity with respect to said voltage pulse and having an amplitude and a pulse width smaller than the threshhold voltage or exceeding the saturation voltage so that it is selected in order to maintain or to change the "ON" or "OFF" state. Further, it includes the step of rendering the average of a DC component which is applied to the liquid crystal element to zero by the method for applying a voltage pulse.

Abstract: A method and circuits for multiplex driving of a multielement liquid crystal display device having a ferroelectric liquid crystal therein. The method includes the step of applying at least one selecting electric field pulse having an amplitude which exceeds a threshold value of optical response of the ferroelectric liquid crystal to each element during a selecting term. It further includes the step of applying at least one non-selecting electric field pulse having an amplitude which is no greater than threshold value to each element at a time other than the selecting term. The optical response of the ferroelectric liquid crystal is determined in accordance with waveforms of the selecting and non-selecting pulses. According to the invention the duration of the non-selecting pulses is much smaller than the time between selecting terms. The width of the non-selecting pulses is minimized.