Patent ID: 8724041

Claim:
A polarizing modulator for an electronic stereoscopic display system having a sequentially scanning display, the polarizing modulator comprising: a plurality of segments each containing liquid crystal material and arranged contiguously in a direction of the sequential scan; driving circuitry coupled to each segment and configured to individually drive liquid crystal in each segment to a desired polarization modulating state by: providing a positive low drive voltage to a first segment for a first time period, the positive low drive voltage insufficient to switch the first segment to a first polarization modulating state; increasing the positive low drive voltage to provide a first positive transition voltage to the first segment for a first transition time period, the first positive transition voltage sufficient to drive liquid crystal in the first segment towards the first polarization modulating state without creating a lateral electric field of significant magnitude to significantly affect liquid crystal in a second segment immediately adjacent to the first segment; and increasing the first positive transition voltage to provide a positive high drive voltage to the first segment for a second time period, the positive high drive voltage sufficient to decisively switch the first segment of the polarizing modulator to the first polarization modulating state.