Image displaying method and device and image displaying control method and apparatus

An image displaying device, comprising:

• i) a first electrode layer, which is capable of transmitting visible light,
• ii) a displaying layer, whose optical characteristics alter in accordance with an electric field,
• iii) an optical switching layer, which is capable of exhibiting electrical conductivity when being exposed to an electromagnetic wave, and
• iv) a second electrode layer, which is provided with a plurality of linear electrodes arrayed in parallel with one another, the linear electrodes being capable of transmitting the electromagnetic wave,
• the first electrode layer, the displaying layer, the optical switching layer, and the second electrode layer being overlaid in this order,
• wherein the image displaying device is operated such that:
• a voltage in accordance with image information is applied to each of the linear electrodes, and
• scanning with the electromagnetic wave is performed in two-dimensional directions and from the side of the second electrode layer, an electric field being formed between the first electrode layer and the optical switching layer by electric charges, which are caused to occur in the optical switching layer by the scanning with the electromagnetic wave, the optical characteristics of the displaying layer altering in accordance with the electric field, whereby the image information is displayed.

An image displaying control method, wherein an image displaying operation is controlled such that an electric field in accordance with image information is formed across an image displaying medium, whose optical characteristics alter in accordance with an electric field, and the image information is thus displayed, the method comprising the steps of:

• i) locating optical switching means, which is capable of exhibiting electrical conductivity when being exposed to an electromagnetic wave, and which acts to form the electric field across the image displaying medium,
• ii) arraying a plurality of linear electrodes in parallel with one another and in association with the optical switching means, the linear electrodes being capable of transmitting the electromagnetic wave,
• iii) applying a voltage in accordance with the image information from each of the linear electrodes to the optical switching means, and
• iv) irradiating the electromagnetic wave to the optical switching means.