Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of electrode plates and a liquid crystal composition disposed between the electrode plates. One of the electrode plates comprises a light-transmissive substrate, a plurality of electrodes including principal electrodes and auxiliary electrodes supported on the light-transmissive substrate, a plurality of color filters disposed on the light-transmissive substrate and an insulating layer disposed on the color filters. Each auxiliary electrode is disposed between an associated principal electrode and the light-transmissive substrate so as to be electrically connected with at least a part of the associated principal electrode, and the auxiliary electrodes are disposed with spacings therebetween which are filled with the color filters and the insulating layer.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is constituted by a pair of oppositely disposed substrates each provided with an alignment control layer, and a liquid crystal layer comprising a liquid crystal material and disposed between the substrates with a spacer member. In the device, the spacer member has an electrical conductivity larger than that of the liquid crystal material. Further, the liquid crystal layer containing the spacer member has a first resistance in a direction of a normal to the substrates in a prescribed temperature range substantially lower than a second resistance of a corresponding liquid crystal layer, in the identical direction, consisting only of the liquid crystal material and having the identical plane area and thickness. The liquid crystal device is effective in providing an improved drive margin in a wide temperature range while suppressing a DC offset voltage component applied to the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A power device including a magneto and a rectification circuit for rectifying an output of the magneto is provided which is capable of adjusting an output of the magneto without any specific control circuit. A field adjusting excitation coil is arranged on a side of a stator of the magneto so as to generate a field adjusting magnetic flux when it is excited, resulting in a magnet field of the magneto being varied by means of the magnetic flux. The field adjusting excitation coil is connected to an intermediate portion of a current flow circuit for a load current, to thereby be excited by the load current, so that a magnet field of a rotor of the magneto is varied depending on the load current, leading to adjustment of an output of the magneto.

Abstract: A capacitor lower electrode is formed so as to be connected to a main surface of a silicon substrate. The capacitor lower electrode includes a plug portion, a bottom wall portion, and a vertical wall portion. An insulation layer for suppressing crystallization of the vertical wall portion is formed between the bottom wall portion and the vertical wall portion. A capacitor upper electrode is formed on the capacitor lower electrode with a capacitor dielectric layer therebetween.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is constituted from a display panel including scanning electrodes and data electrodes intersecting the scanning electrodes so as to form a matrix of pixels each comprising at least two sub-pixels at an intersection of the scanning electrodes and the data electrodes; a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the scanning electrodes and the data electrodes and capable of assuming an antiferroelectric first stable state under application of no voltage and a ferroelectric second stable state and a ferroelectric third stable state under application of voltages corresponding to polarities of the applied voltages; polarizing means for discriminating the first stable state of the liquid crystal as a dark state, and the second and third stable states of the liquid crystal as bright states; and drive means for applying voltages to the scanning electrodes and the data electrodes so as to place the liquid crystal in the second stable state at a sub-pixel of the sub-pixels and in t

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel having pixels formed at each intersection of scanning electrodes and data electrodes, and a driver for driving the display panel so that a period of each pixel placed in a prescribed display state is determined within a frame period depending on given gradation data. The driver divides one frame period into a first plurality of equivalent blocks of which a second plurality, smaller in number than the first plurality, of mutually non-neighboring blocks are allotted to a partial rewriting for selecting scanning electrodes corresponding to pixels to change display states. The remaining blocks other than the second plurality of blocks are allotted to an entire picture scanning for selecting all the scanning electrodes.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal apparatus comprising a liquid crystal cell having a ferroelectric liquid crystal carried between electrode substrates, means for producing a voltage signal for writing the information by applying an electric field via the electrode substrate and driving the ferroelectric liquid crystal, wherein voltage signal producing means determines the voltage signal value with reference to the drive status of a ferroelectric liquid crystal before writing, in writing the information.

Abstract: A generating apparatus for feeding a current to a battery using a magneto as a power supply is disclosed which is capable of varying a magnetic field acting on generating coils to widely control characteristics of the magneto. A rectifying/switch circuit is arranged between the magneto and a load, which incorporates the battery. The rectifying/switch circuit includes diodes and switch elements. The diodes are 2n (n.gtoreq.2) in number and are bridge-connected to each other. The switch elements are connected to the diodes by reverse parallel connection. A switch control unit applies an AC control voltage of a predetermined phase from the battery through the rectifying/switch circuit to the generating coils, so that a phase of the AC control voltage may be varied to widely vary characteristics of the magneto.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is constituted by a pair of oppositely disposed electrode plates having thereon a group of scanning lines and a group of data lines, respectively, and a liquid crystal disposed between the pair of electrode plates so as to form a pixel at each intersection of the scanning lines and data lines. The display device is driven by sequentially selecting the scanning lines, and applying data signals to the data lines for the selected scanning lines. During the drive, the data signals applied to the data lines for pixels on a selected scanning line are determined while comprising image data for the pixels on the selected scanning line and image data for corresponding pixels on a subsequently selected scanning lines.

Abstract: An optical modulation device comprises scanning electrodes and signal electrodes disposed opposite to and intersecting with the signal electrodes, and an optical modulation material disposed between the electrodes, a pixel being formed at each intersection of the electrodes and showing a contrast depending on the polarity of a voltage applied thereto.

Abstract: A display apparatus is constituted by a display device including a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data lines intersecting the scanning lines, and a pixel formed at each intersection of the scanning lines and data lines and showing plural display states depending on signals applied to an associated scanning line and an associated data line. The display device is driven by applying a selection signal to the scanning lines and applying to the data lines data signals for causing prescribed display states at the pixels in association with the selection signal. Further, at least one scanning line in a nonselected state is supplied with a dummy signal for temporarily changing display states of pixels on the at least one scanning line, whereby flickering on the display device is suppressed. The display apparatus is also applicable to gradational display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes: a ferroelectric liquid crystal device comprising an electrode matrix including a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines intersecting with the scanning lines, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the scanning lines and data lines, and a driver for sequentially applying a scanning signal to the scanning lines for selecting a particular scanning line, and for applying data signals for the pixels on the selected scanning line to the data lines. Each of the data signals has a plurality of pulses including a pulse in a controlled phase and a pulse in an auxiliary phase, and the scanning signal for the selected scanning line has a compensation pulse for compensating the pulse in the auxiliary phase of a data signal for a pixel on the selected scanning line.

Abstract: A liquid crystal apparatus includes: a ferroelectric liquid crystal device comprising an electrode matrix including a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines intersecting with the scanning lines, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the scanning lines and data lines, and a driver for sequentially applying a scanning signal to the scanning lines for selecting a particular scanning line, and for applying data signals for the pixels on the selected scanning line to the data lines. Each of the data signals has a plurality of pulses including a pulse in a controlled phase and a pulse in an auxiliary phase, and the scanning signal for the selected scanning line has a compensation pulse for compensating the pulse in the auxiliary phase of a data signal for a pixel on the selected scanning line.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprising: a liquid crystal cell in which ferroelectric liquid crystal is disposed between two electrode substrates disposed to face each other and an intersection portion between a scanning electrode group and an information electrode group respectively formed on the electrode substrates is made to be a pixel; a scanning signal applying device; and an information signal applying device, wherein the pixel has a threshold distribution with respect to a gradation information signal at the time of a scanning selection operation, the scanning signal applying device simultaneously applies scanning signals to a plurality of scanning electrodes in synchronization with an operation in which the information signal applying device applies the gradation information signal to an information electrode, and the scanning signals applied simultaneously have different waveforms.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal element with plural surface stabilization states is driven by applying, during a transition inhibition period, an alternating voltage to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal portion in which no transition of a surface stabilization state occurs. The value of the alternating voltage is set not to be greater than that which generates in the liquid crystal a shear stress based on the drive force that is equal to the static frictional force at the interfaces between the surfaces of the electrode substrates and the liquid crystal molecules.

Abstract: A display panel includes a matrix of pixels each constituted by a pair of oppositely disposed electrodes and a liquid crystal disposed between the electrodes. A current signal, particularly one associated with inversion of spontaneous polarization of the liquid crystal is detected at plural pixels. The display panel is driven by applying drive signals thereto while correcting the drive signals based on the detected current signal. As a result, a threshold distribution typically attributable to a temperature distribution on the display panel is accurately compensated for. The display system thus constituted is particularly useful for gradational display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device utilizing a stably retained bookshelf structure is constituted by disposing a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer between a pair of substrates. The ferroelectric liquid crystal layer includes a first liquid crystal region in a first uniform state wherein liquid crystal molecules assume one stable state, a second liquid crystal region in a second uniform state wherein, liquid crystal molecules assume another stable state, and a third liquid crystal region in a twist state disposed between the first and second liquid crystal regions. Liquid crystal molecules at both substrate boundaries are controlled to have mutually opposite pre-tilt directions, and a disclination is formed between the first and second liquid crystal regions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of parallel base plates and a ferroelectric liquid crystal disposed between the base plates. One of the pair of parallel base plates is provided with a plurality of stepwise elevations disposed in the form of stripes, and has been implemented with a uniaxial orientation treatment in a direction parallel to the edges of the stepwise elevations. The stepwise elevation may be formed by a transparent electrode alone or in combination with an alignment control film disposed thereon. Because of the above features, alignment defects liable to develop from the edges of the elevations are removed.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device in which a ferroelectric liquid crystal is interposed between a pair of electrode substrates facing each other, and in which pixels are formed at intersections of upper and lower electrodes. A threshold gradient is provided in each pixel, and a light-shielding electrode portion is formed along at least a part of the periphery of each pixel so that no domain wall is formed at the boundary between the shielding electrode portion and a pixel portion adjacent to the shielding electrode portion.

Abstract: A display panel includes a matrix of pixels each constituted by a pair of oppositely disposed electrodes and a liquid crystal disposed between the electrodes. A current signal, particularly one associated with inversion of spontaneous polarization of the liquid crystal is detected at plural pixels. The display panel is driven by applying drive signals thereto while correcting the drive signals based on the detected current signal. As a result, a threshold distribution typically attributable to a temperature distribution on the display panel is accurately compensated for. The display system thus constituted is particularly useful for gradational display.