Method of driving optical modulation device

摘要

A driving method is provided for driving an optical modulation device. The device has picture elements arranged in the form of a matrix consisting of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns defined by the intersections of scanning electrodes and signal electrodes, and a liquid crystal having a memory function. The picture elements in each row are selectively supplied with either a voltage for orienting the liquid crystal to one display state, or another voltage for orienting the liquid crystal to another display state. The method comprises the steps of sequentially and repetitively applying a scanning selection signal to the scanning electrodes, the scanning selection signal comprising a former signal of a first voltage and a latter voltage signal of a second voltage different from the first voltage to one of the scanning electrodes to select a particular scanning electrode, and applying data signals to the signal electrodes, each data signal comprising an information signal for selecting a display state of a picture element on the particular scanning electrode. The picture elements on the particular scanning electrode supplied with the former voltage signal are non-selectively erased into an erased state and a picture element on the particular scanning electrode supplied with the latter voltage signal is placed in either the one display state or another display state depending on the information signal.