Integrated circuit for driving display element

An integrated circuit for driving a plurality of scanning electrodes of a display element of matrix type, comprising:

• driving pulse generating means, provided with a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal being connected to each scanning electrode of the display element, for outputting at least one driving pulse sequentially from each output terminal in response to a clock signal, so as to scan an entire display surface of the display element in one operation period;
• and
• control means for controlling said driving pulse generating means to generate a plurality of driving pulses, having a same polarity during said one operation period, successively from each output terminal to prevent degradation of the control of the display element, said control means comprising a control gate for generating a clock signal and a control signal which is at a high level during the period corresponding to plural cycles of said clock signal and serves to determine the number of the plural driving pulses which are to be generated during said one operational period, successively from each output terminal, and a selector circuit for selecting either a first mode of the integrated circuit, in which said driving pulse generating means generates one driving pulse during one operational period for each output terminal, or a second mode of the integrated circuit, in which said driving pulse generating means generates a plurality of driving pulses successively during said one operation period for each output terminal.