Liquid crystal waveform displays

Claim 1

An electronic waveform display comprising: i. sampling means for dividing the waveform to be displayed into a series of discrete amplitude samples; ii. a liquid crystal cell having a layer of liquid crystal material between two dielectric substrates, a first series of n strip electrodes on one substrate and a second series of m strip electrodes on the other substrate arranged to define an nxm plurality of elements across which electric signals may be applied to cause an observable display effect; iii. means for producing m different reference electrical signals and for simultaneously applying a different one of said reference signals to each electrode in the second series of electrodes; iv. converter means connected between the sampling means and the first series of electrodes for selectively producing ones of the m different reference signals, relative to the order of reference signals applied to the second series of electrodes, the produced signals representing the value of each amplitude samples and for selectively applying such selectively produced signals concurrently to a plurality of the first series of electrodes; v. whereby an rms voltage greater than a display effect threshold voltage is maintained across some non-selected liquid crystal elements of the cell so that these elements are in an "on" state and a substantially zero rms voltage exists simultaneously across selected elements which are defined by one electrode of said first series of electrodes and by one electrode of said second series of electrodes to which the same signals are applied so that these elements are in their "off" state and collectively display the waveform.