Active matrix display device of the nonlinear two-terminal type

Claim 1

An active matrix display device operative according to a video signal, comprising: a group of column electrodes and another group of row electrodes which intersect with the column electrodes to define intersections therebetween; a plurality of matrix picture elements disposed at the respective intersections, each matrix picture element including a nonlinear switching device having two terminals and liquid crystal connected in series to the nonlinear switching device between the corresponding column and row electrodes; column drive means for applying to the group of the column electrodes a column drive signal having phase and amplitude determined according to the video signal; and row drive means operative to sequentially select the row electrodes for applying to the selected row electrode a first row drive signal different from the column drive signal and effective to turn on the nonlinear switching device of a picture element on the selected row electrode to thereby drive the picture element according to the column drive signal and for applying to the non-selected row electrodes a second row drive signal having phase and amplitude the same as those of the column drive signal and effective to substantially avoid the application of voltage to picture elements on the non-selected row electrodes.

Claim 9

A method of driving a picture element composed of electro-optic material interposed between a row electrode and a column electrode, the method comprising the steps of: generating a video signal having a given phase and magnitude; producing a selecting signal having a phase and magnitude different from those of the video signal; producing a non-selecting signal having a phase and magnitude the same as those of video signal; and selectively applying the selecting signal to the row electrode while applying the video signal to the column electrode to thereby drive the picture element according to the video signal and otherwise applying the non-selecting signal to the row electrode while applying the video signal to the column electrode to thereby effectively prevent application of voltage to the picture element.

Claim 10

A method of driving a picture element composed of electro-optic material interposed between a row electrode and a column electrode, the method comprising the steps of: generating a video signal having a given phase and magnitude; producing a selecting signal having a phase and magnitude different from those of the video signal; producing a non-selecting signal having a phase and magnitude the same as those of video signal; and selectively applying the selecting signal to the row electrode while applying the video signal to the column electrode to thereby drive the picture element according to the video signal and otherwise applying the non-selecting signal to the row electrode while applying the video signal to the column electrode to thereby effectively prevent application of voltage to the picture element.