A method of forming a display in which images can be selectively presented to a viewer includes providing a transparent substrate; forming a transparent, electrically conductive layer over the transparent substrate; and forming a light modulating layer including liquid crystal material in a polymer binder over the transparent, electrically conductive layer. The method also includes forming color conductive segments over the light modulating layer by directly depositing colored conductive material in an imagewise pattern, the pattern providing viewable and conductive images; forming a color dielectric layer over the color conductive segments and the light modulating layer, the color of the color dielectric layer being selected in relation to the color of the viewable color conductive segments so that when the light modulating layer is effective in a first condition, the viewing of the viewable color conductive segment images is prevented and in a second condition permits the viewing of the viewable color conductive segment images; and providing electrical connections so that an electrical field can be applied across selected ones of such viewable and color conductive segments and the transparent, electrically conductive layer to cause the light modulating layer underlying the selected ones of the viewable and conductive images to change from the first condition to the second condition so as to present such color conductive segment images for viewing by the viewer.

An integrated circuit includes electrical conductor tracks adjacently disposed parallel to one another and running substantially in a first direction. The tracks have at least three electrical connection points that can be severed by energy. The connection points are offset with respect to one another both in the first direction and in a second direction at right angles thereto. A central connection point is disposed between two outer connection points viewed in both directions. The connection points are a constituent part of a central or of an outer conductor track. The central and outer tracks are disposed parallel to one another and run substantially in the first direction. Each outer conductor track has, at the level of the central connection point, an offset facing away from the latter and, at the level of the outer connection point of the respective other outer conductor track, an offset facing the latter. The central conductor track has, at the level of the two outer connection points, a respective offset facing away from the latter.

A display in which images can be selectively presented to a viewer, is formed by providing a transparent substrate; forming a transparent, electrically conductive coating over the transparent substrate; forming a light modulating layer including liquid crystal material in a polymer binder over the transparent, electrically conductive layer; forming by directly depositing conductive material in an image wise pattern over the light modulating layer to provide viewable and conductive images, the light modulating layer being effective in a first condition to prevent the viewing of the viewable and conductive images and in a second condition to permit the viewing of the viewable and conductive images. Electrical connection is made so that an electrical field can be applied across selected ones of such viewable and conductive images and the transparent, electrically conductive layer to cause the light modulating layer underlying the selected ones of the viewable and conductive images to change from the first condition to the second condition so as to present such viewable and conductive images for viewing to the viewer.

The present invention relates to a display comprising a substrate, a patterned conductor, and a liquid crystal material having cleared areas and electrically writeable areas. The invention also relates to a method for making a display comprising providing a substrate having a patterned conductor thereon, applying a non-cleared liquid crystal material to the substrate, clearing the non-cleared liquid crystal material to produce a cleared liquid crystal material, applying a field to the patterned conductor to produce an image comprised of areas of cleared liquid crystal material and electrically writeable areas of crystal material.

The invention relates to a method of forming a display comprising the steps of (a) providing a substrate; (b) forming a plurality of first conductors over the substrate; (c) depositing a layer of cholesteric liquid-crystal material, in the form of droplets of liquid crystal in a liquid carrier, over a preselected area of each of said first conductors so that a preselected portion of each of said first conductors is uncoated; (d) drying the liquid carrier to form a layer of polymer-dispersed cholesteric-liquid-crystal domains in a continuous matrix; and (e) forming a plurality of second conductors, electrically isolated from the first conductors, over the layer of polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal domains so that an electric field between the second conductors and the uncoated portions of the first conductors is capable of changing the optical state of the polymer-dispersed cholesteric liquid-crystal material. The absence of a coating over the second conductors permits connection to the first conductors without additional processing steps. The invention is also directed to a display element made by the method and to an array of display elements that represent an intermediate in the production of the final form of the display elements.