U.S. Philips Corporation

Reinder Smid

Alexander Victor Henzen

Dirk Jan Broer

Franciscus G Sools

A road marking unit (1) according to the invention comprises a house (10) with a light transmissive window (20). In the house (10) is arranged an electro-optic switch (30). In an activated state of the road marking unit (1) the electro-optic switch (30) achieves that light is reflected from the window (20) back to the window (20). In a de-activated state of the road marking unit (1) the electro-optic switch (30) achieves that light from the window (20) is absorbed. The road marking unit (1) of the invention has the advantage that it can also in bright environmental light it can be switched between visible and invisible.

Road marking unit and road marking system capable of switching from

Display device comprising an electro-optical medium, for example an LCD of the (super)twisted nematic type in which the capacitive influence on the switching behaviour of extra (dummy) electrodes employed to neutralize the difference in electro-optical behaviour (discoloration) is compensated by giving the extra electrodes a fixed voltage or by providing a pattern of the dummy electrodes on the other substrate, particularly on non-overlapping parts of the picture electrodes.

Display device with discoloration--prevention electrodes

Flat-panel picture display device comprising a picture display panel for modulating the state of polarization of polarized light coupled into said panel in conformity with a picture to be displayed. The light is polarized by means of a reflective polarizer which is integrated or not integrated with the picture display panel. At least a part of the picture display panel functions as an optical waveguide, notably for the beam component b.sub.2 having the state of polarization which is not suitable for modulation. An analyzer is present at a first surface of the picture display panel. The polarizing means in the form of a reflective polarizer are present at a second surface of the picture display panel, which surface is located opposite the first surface. A light-directing system is present at the surface of the polarizer remote from the picture display panel, which system is used for sending the light leaving the picture display panel at this surface without contributing to the formation of the image to the picture display panel again so that it will as yet have a chance of being converted into light having the desired state of polarization.

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Heerlen, Netherlands

Reinder Smid