Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided having transistors disposed within via holes having elongated (e.g., rectangular or oval) contact areas. The use of via holes having elongated contact areas allows an opaque mask defining an aperture for light transmission to be lengthened, thereby increasing the overall area of the aperture. The increase in the area of the aperture may increase the amount of light that can pass through the aperture.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) having a plurality of pixels is provided. In one embodiment, the pixels of the LCD each include common and pixel electrodes formed on an insulating layer, and a liquid crystal layer responsive to electric fields generated by the electrodes. The plurality of pixels may include two or more sets of pixels each configured to transmit light of a different color, and the pixel electrodes of one set of pixels may be configured differently from those of another set. In other embodiments, the sizes of the pixels may differ. Various additional devices and methods are also provided.

Abstract: Present techniques involve methods and systems of inversion patterns for pixels in a display. Inversion techniques involve driving image signals having a first polarity to data lines of a pixel matrix during a first time period and driving image signals having an opposite polarity to the data lines during a second time period. In some embodiments, the pixels may be configured to have electrodes having only two finger electrodes, thus widening the distance between electrodes and decreasing the susceptibility for crosstalk between pixels. In some embodiments, horizontal cross-talk of electromagnetic fields between pixels may be further reduced by configuring the data line driving scheme such that voltage polarity is flipped for the pixels along every two, three, or more data line columns. Furthermore, a Z inversion pattern may be employed to reduce the occurrence of undesirable display artifacts.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hand held cleaning unit for use with an automated pool cleaning unit. The pool cleaning unit includes a housing, a pump mechanism for creating a vacuum pressure, intake vents in communication with the pump. The pool cleaning unit includes the housing having an external port and the pump in fluid communication with the external port. The hand held cleaning unit includes a body. The body has a port and the conduit connects the body port with the housing external port. The intake vents opening and closing in response to activation of the hand held cleaning unit. As desired, the hand held unit is activated closing the intake vents and directing the vacuum pressure through the hand held unit instead of the automated cleaning unit. The hand held unit in fluid communication with the pump mechanism.

Abstract: In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Abstract: Devices and methods related to high-contrast liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are provided. For example, such an electronic device may include an LCD with two liquid crystal alignment layers not symmetric to one another and upper and lower polarizing layers respectively above and below the alignment layers. Light transmittance through the plurality of pixels may increase monotonically with gray scale voltage. The display may operate using a gray scale level 0 voltage higher than a minimum gray scale level 0 voltage capability of the display. Additionally or alternatively, liquid crystal molecular alignment axes of the two alignment layers may be offset from one another by an angle other than a multiple of 180 degrees. Additionally or alternatively, a first polarizing axis of the upper polarizing layer or a second polarizing axis of the lower polarizing layer, or both, may be neither parallel nor perpendicular to one of the liquid crystal molecular alignment axes.

Abstract: Compact sub-assemblies of flexible circuits and drivers are provided. The sub-assemblies can occupy less space in an electronic device than conventional sub-assemblies. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the flexible circuits can be attached to or wires can be disposed on portions of the substrate that previously were unoccupied in conventional sub-assemblies. In one or more embodiments, the sub-assemblies of the present invention also can have wires disposed underneath the driver or vary the width of the wires. In one or more embodiments, the sub-assemblies of the present invention also can have composite wires that occupy less space than wires of conventional sub-assemblies, while still maintaining similar energy flux.

Abstract: Compact sub-assemblies of flexible circuits and drivers are provided. The sub-assemblies can occupy less space in an electronic device than conventional sub-assemblies. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the flexible circuits can be attached to or wires can be disposed on portions of the substrate that previously were unoccupied in conventional sub-assemblies. In one or more embodiments, the sub-assemblies of the present invention also can have wires disposed underneath the driver or vary the width of the wires. In one or more embodiments, the sub-assemblies of the present invention also can have composite wires that occupy less space than wires of conventional sub-assemblies, while still maintaining similar energy flux.

Abstract: A mechanical hitch control system for a vehicle includes a draft force sensing member, a mechanical hitch control unit, a hitch valve actuator, and a cable transmitting a draft force signal to the hitch control unit. A draft cam is coupled to the draft force sensing and setting members. A position cam is coupled to the position setting member and to a hitch position sensing member. A draft pickup cam is coupled to the draft cam and pivotally mounted on the hitch position setting member. At least one of the cams is operatively engagable with the hitch valve actuator. The cams are enclosed by housing with an opening covered by a removable side plate. The cams and levers are coupled to input members which are inserted through the side plate. The assembled cams, levers and input members are then installed into the housing through the opening.

Abstract: The invention presents techniques for making the operation of an automated external defibrillator easier to understand for an operator. The automated external defibrillator includes defibrillation electrodes packaged in a sealed, easy-to-open pouch. Visual cues such as instructive pictures show the operator how to open the pouch, retrieve the defibrillation electrodes and correctly position the electrodes on a patient's chest.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided having a discontinuous electrode. In certain embodiments, finger- or slit-like extensions of the discontinuous electrode may be shaped to reduce or eliminate disclinations of liquid crystals within a pixel aperture used to transmit light, where the liquid crystals are oriented in response to an electric field generated using the discontinuous electrode. Similarly, in other embodiments, the different portions of the discontinuous electrode may be lengthened to extend under an opaque mask or may not be linked at one end to reduce or eliminate the disclinations.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided having a discontinuous electrode. In certain embodiments, different portions (such as finger- or slit-like extensions) of the discontinuous electrode may be at different depths relative to one another and/or may be of different widths relative to one another. Similarly, in other embodiments, the different portions of the discontinuous electrode may be spaced apart in a non-uniform manner.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) having a plurality of pixels is provided. In one embodiment, the pixels of the LCD each include common and pixel electrodes formed on an insulating layer, and a liquid crystal layer responsive to electric fields generated by the electrodes. The plurality of pixels may include two or more sets of pixels each configured to transmit light of a different color, and the pixel electrodes of one set of pixels may be configured differently from those of another set. In other embodiments, the sizes of the pixels may differ. Various additional devices and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided having transistors disposed within via holes having elongated (e.g., rectangular or oval) contact areas. The use of via holes having elongated contact areas allows an opaque mask defining an aperture for light transmission to be lengthened, thereby increasing the overall area of the aperture. The increase in the area of the aperture may increase the amount of light that can pass through the aperture.

Abstract: A display panel is provided having a first substrate including an electrode configured to generate an electric field and a second substrate including a black mask. The black mask includes an aperture configured to enable light to be transmitted through the aperture, wherein the aperture is at least substantially rectangular and includes corners that are not substantially chamfered. The display panel also includes liquid crystal disposed between the first and second substrates and configured to facilitate passage of light through the display panel in response to the electric field.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to single-domain electrode configurations that may be implemented in the unit pixels of a LCD device, such as a fringe field switching (FFS) LCD, to provide a “pseudo-multi-domain” effect, wherein the benefits of both conventional single-domain and multi-domain pixel configuration devices are retained. In accordance with aspects of the present technique, single-domain unit pixels are angled or tilted in differing directions with respect to a vertical axis of the LCD panel (e.g., y-axis) to provide an alternating and/or periodic arrangement of different-angled pixel electrodes along each scanning line, data line, or a combination of both scanning and data lines. In this manner, the transmittance rates of conventional single-domain LCD panels may be retained while providing for improved viewing angle and color shift properties typical of conventional multi-domain LCD panels.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides for a variety of multi-domain pixel configurations that may be implemented in the unit pixels of an LCD display device, such as a fringe field switching LCD display panel. An LCD display device utilizing one or more of the presently disclosed techniques disclosed herein may exhibit improved display properties, such as viewing angle, color shift, and transmittance properties, relative to those exhibited by conventional multi-domain designs.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for minimizing parasitic losses associated with a liquid crystal display (LCD) of a device. A frame buffer may be used in conjunction with a driver circuitry integrated circuit. The frame buffer may store a set of display values for the LCD so that the display values corresponding to a plurality of frames may be transmitted together from a processor in a burst. Once the values are transmitted, the processor may idle or hibernate. Alternatively, only the changes to an image may be transmitted from the processor to the driver circuitry. The remaining pixel values may be drawn based on values previously stored in the frame buffer. Furthermore, the driver circuitry may be used to step up the received display rate values to a level that allows for inversion of the polarity of pixels in the LCD using frame inversion.

Abstract: A mechanical hitch control system for a vehicle includes a draft force sensing member, a mechanical hitch control unit, a hitch valve actuator, and a cable transmitting a draft force signal to the hitch control unit. A draft cam is coupled to the draft force sensing and setting members. A position cam is coupled to the position setting member and to a hitch position sensing member. A draft pickup cam is coupled to the draft cam and pivotally mounted on the hitch position setting member. At least one of the cams is operatively engagable with the hitch valve actuator. The cams are enclosed by housing with an opening covered by a removable side plate. The cams and levers are coupled to input members which are inserted through the side plate. The assembled cams, levers and input members are then installed into the housing through the opening.