A master information carrier includes a high-level region and a low-level region that are formed on a non-magnetic base. The inner surface has a first portion that extends a first sub-length of the ring gear body and a longitudinally spaced apart second portion that extends a second sub-length of the ring gear body. A semitransparent reflecting film is formed between the first transparent substrate and the one electrodes. Shift registers which are coupled to one another so as to form a chain propagate the digital data words in synchronous-parallel fashion in dependence on second control signals and are coupled to a respective associated data generating and processing unit. The drive circuit is adapted to control the activation of the display array.