Abstract: A method for driving a plasma display panel having at least first electrodes and second electrodes which cause discharge in cells is provided. The method includes applying a first pulse and a second pulse to the second electrode in an address preparation period. The method also includes applying a scan pulse to the second pulse to the second electrode in an address period. The method includes the first pulse having a voltage changing with time in a positive direction and the second pulse having a voltage changing with time in a negative direction and the scan pulse having a negative voltage which is lower than the attained voltage of the second pulse.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a shared contact for connection between a source/drain region and a gate electrode. After formation of a gate electrode via a gate insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, a top surface of the substrate is covered with a cover film. After removal of the cover film from at least one of sidewall surface of the gate electrode and a part of the top surface of the substrate adjacent to the sidewall surface, a semiconductor layer is epitaxially grown on a top surface of an exposed substrate to electrically connect the substrate and the at least one sidewall surface of the gate electrode. Then, a source/drain region is formed in a top surface part of the substrate or the semiconductor layer using the gate electrode as a mask.

Abstract: A method for driving a plasma display panel having at least three electrodes. The method includes applying a first pulse having a voltage changing with time in a positive direction and a second pulse having a voltage changing with time in a negative direction to a second main electrode in an address preparation period. The method also includes applying a scan pulse to the second main electrode in an address period. The method also includes at least one of the first and second pulses in the address preparation period has a stepwise waveform whose voltage rise or fall stepwise.

Abstract: A method for driving an AC type surface-discharge display device having cells arranged in a matrix. Each cell has at least three electrodes including a pair of main electrodes and on every line of the matrix and an address electrode on every column of the matrix. The method includes conducting an address preparation period including applying a first charge adjusting voltage, monotonously rising or falling, to a gap between the main electrodes. The method also includes applying a charge adjusting voltage, monotonously rising or falling, to a gap between a scan electrode and the address electrode.

Abstract: A method for driving an AC type surface-discharge display device which has cells arranged in a matrix. Each of the cells has at least three electrodes including a pair of main electrodes on every line of the matrix and an address electrode on every column of the matrix. The method includes providing an address preparation period applying a charge producing pulse and applying a charge adjusting pulse. The charge adjusting pulse has a waveform monotonously falling from a reference potential and a negative polarity and is applied to the second main electrode used as a scan electrode and generates feeble electric discharges between the first and second main electrodes. The feeble electric discharges are accompanied by a decrease of the wall voltage formed by the charge producing pulse.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an isolation region, a semiconductor element region defined by the isolation region, and having a channel forming portion and a recessed portion, the recessed portion being formed between the isolation region and the channel forming portion, and an epitaxial semiconductor portion formed in the recessed portion, wherein the semiconductor element region has a wall portion between the isolation region and the epitaxial semiconductor portion.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate which has an element region in which a diffusion layer for a source or a drain is formed, and a trench for a capacitor, a capacitor dielectric film which is formed on inner surfaces of the trench, a storage electrode which is formed in the trench provide with the capacitor dielectric film, and which has an upper surface lying at a level higher than an upper surface of the diffusion layer, and a conductive connecting part which connects the storage electrode to the diffusion layer and contacts the upper surfaces of the storage electrode and diffusion layer.

Abstract: A plasma display device having display electrode pairs and providing improved luminance and light emission efficiency of display discharges with reduced variations of the luminance and light emission efficiency thereof resulting from variations of a display load. A discharge is generated by applying an offset drive voltage that is higher than a sustain voltage applied to the display electrode pair, and applying the sustain voltage for a constant period after dropping the applied voltage from an offset drive voltage to the sustain voltage after generating the display discharge. The drive output state is set to a low impedance state at least during a time period from the start of applying the offset drive voltage until the applied voltage drops to the sustain voltage.

Abstract: A method for driving a gas electric discharge device which has a first electrode and a second electrode and is constructed such that a wall voltage is capable of being produced between the first and second electrodes. The method includes applying a voltage monotonously rising from a first set value to a second set value, between the first and second electrodes, thereby to generate a plurality of gas electric discharges so as to decrease the wall voltage for charge adjustment during the voltage rise.

Abstract: A method for driving a gas electric discharge device which has a first electrode and a second electrode and is constructed such that a wall voltage is capable of being produced between the first and second electrodes. The method includes applying a voltage monotonously rising from a first set value to a second set value, between the first and second electrodes, thereby to generate a plurality of gas electric discharges so as to decrease the wall voltage for charge adjustment during the voltage rise.

Abstract: A method and device for driving a plasma display panel is provided in which a drop of an increasing voltage rate due to discharge is prevented, and a reset period is shortened. In driving a plasma display panel by applying an increasing voltage to cells of a display screen during a reset period for equalizing charge of the cells, an increasing voltage signal is supplied to an impedance conversion circuit in which an output impedance is lower than an input impedance, and the output signal of the impedance conversion circuit is supplied to the cells.

Abstract: When performing the line-sequential addressing for setting the state of each of the cells arranged in rows and columns that constitute a display screen, discharge is generated that has intensity in accordance with display data corresponding to each of all cells belonging to the selected row for each selection of the row. Thus, the priming effect in the following discharge is generated.

Abstract: A method and a device for driving a plasma display panel is provided in which luminance and light emission efficiency in display discharge is improved, and a variation of the luminance and the light emission efficiency due to a variation of a display load is reduced. The driving step of one pulse for generating display discharge one time includes the steps of generating display discharge by applying an offset drive voltage Vso that is higher than the sustain voltage Vs to the display electrode pair, and applying the sustain voltage Vs for a constant period after dropping the applied voltage from the offset drive voltage Vso to the sustain voltage Vs after generating the display discharge. The drive output state is set to the low impedance state at least during the period T1 from the application start of the offset drive voltage until the applied voltage drops to the sustain voltage.

Abstract: When performing the line-sequential addressing for setting the state of each of the cells arranged in rows and columns that constitute a display screen, discharge is generated that has intensity in accordance with display data corresponding to each of all cells belonging to the selected row for each selection of the row. Thus, the priming effect in the following discharge is generated.

Abstract: A method for driving a gas electric discharge device which has a first electrode and a second electrode and is constructed such that a wall voltage is capable of being produced between the first and second electrodes. The method includes applying a voltage monotonously rising from a first set value to a second set value, between the first and second electrodes, thereby to generate a plurality of gas electric discharges so as to decrease the wall voltage for charge adjustment during the voltage rise.

Abstract: A method for driving a gas electric discharge device which has a first electrode and a second electrode and is constructed such that a wall voltage is capable of being produced between the first and second electrodes. The method includes applying a voltage monotonously rising from a first set value to a second set value, between the first and second electrodes, thereby to generate a plurality of gas electric discharges so as to decrease the wall voltage for charge adjustment during the voltage rise.

Abstract: A method and device for driving a plasma display panel is provided in which a drop of an increasing voltage rate due to discharge is prevented, and a reset period is shortened. In driving a plasma display panel by applying an increasing voltage to cells of a display screen during a reset period for equalizing charge of the cells, an increasing voltage signal is supplied to an impedance conversion circuit in which an output impedance is lower than an input impedance, and the output signal of the impedance conversion circuit is supplied to the cells.

Abstract: A keyboard includes a plurality of keys, wherein each key has an elongated shape elongated in a first direction and selectively establishes two different electrical contacts as a result of being pressed appropriately. The plurality of keys are aligned along a second direction different from the first direction. A length in the first direction of each key is longer than a width in the second direction of the key and shorter than twice the width and carries two different key letters present on a front surface thereof at respective ends of the key. Each key establishes one electric contact if a first end of the key is pressed and establishes another electric contact if a second end of the key is pressed. The front surface of each key is parallelogram-shaped and the plurality of keys are arranged so that the key letters present on the keys are arranged in a standard arrangement.

Abstract: A visible light corresponding to an input key is generated from a visible light generating unit as a display source, thereby allowing an aerial image as a mirage of an input operating unit to appear by an aerial image forming unit using a pair of parabola mirrors or the like. When touching the aerial image by a finger, its reflected light is detected by a photodetecting unit. A controller discriminates an operating position from a driving timing of the visible light generating unit and outputs a switch signal to the outside.

Abstract: A chair having keyboard halves arranged in the armrests. The keys in the keyboard halves can be operated by left and right hands, respectively. The keyboard provided in the chair can be used as a supplemental keyboard in a keyboard system comprising a main keyboard for inputting data to an information processing apparatus. The main keyboard has full keys and the supplemental keyboard has keys identical to at least a part of the keys of the main keyboard for inputting data to the information processing apparatus parallel to the main keyboard. An operator can alternatively use the main and the supplemental keyboard depending on body position.