US3711733A - Interconnected electrode display means - Google Patents

Interconnected electrode display means Download PDF

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Publication number
US3711733A
US3711733A US00198284A US3711733DA US3711733A US 3711733 A US3711733 A US 3711733A US 00198284 A US00198284 A US 00198284A US 3711733D A US3711733D A US 3711733DA US 3711733 A US3711733 A US 3711733A
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electrodes
character
plate
forming
electrode
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US00198284A
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R Skutt
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NCR Voyix Corp
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NCR Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J11/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with alternating current induction of the discharge, e.g. alternating current plasma display panels [AC-PDP]; Gas-filled discharge tubes without any main electrode inside the vessel; Gas-filled discharge tubes with at least one main electrode outside the vessel

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  • This invention relates to display devices, and particularly to display devices which include a plurality of sets of character-forming electrodes with one set being provided for each character to be displayed.
  • This invention relates to multiple-character display devices having a plurality of sets of character-forming electrodes, with each set constituting a matrix from which characters can be formed by energization of selected electrodes.
  • Corresponding electrodes for the various sets are interconnected by conductors, so that application of potential to a given conductor results in the application of potential simultaneously to at least one electrode in each set.
  • Each character set of electrodes functions in cooperation with at least one common for that character, so that a given electrode of a given character set may be selected by simultaneous application of potential to the conductor associated with that electrode and the common associated with that character.
  • each electrode of each character set is connected to a single corresponding electrode of each of the other sets.
  • a plurality of electrodes of each character set are interconnected by a conductor, and connected to corresponding electrodes of the other character sets by the same conductor.
  • two commons are employed for each character set. Display of a given character is accomplished in a two-stage mode of operation, with the display having the appearance to a viewer of being continuously uniformly energized, due to the visual retention time of the human brain.
  • the conductors interconnecting corresponding electrodes of the various character sets extend through spaces between electrodes of the same set in co-planar relation to the character electrodes to form continuous conducting paths without cross-overs. This eliminates the need for external connections for each electrode of each character display, and greatly simplifies fabrication and assembly of the display device.
  • the display devices illustrated are of the plasma display type, in which a suitable ionizable gas is confined within a cell having at least one transparent wall, said gas producing a visible glow upon the application of an electrical potential across the cell within which the gas is confined.
  • the present invention is not limited to displays of the plasma type, and could be used in other types of displays in which a plurality of sets of character-forming electrodes are required.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view showing sets of character elec' trodes and associated interconnecting conductors on a supporting member in a configuration constituting a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a plasma display panel employing the character electrode configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view showing sets of character electrodes and associated interconnecting conductors in a configuration constituting a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of a plasma display panel employing the character electrode configuration of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
  • a plasma display panel 8 is shown in exploded form in FIG. 2, and includes a rear plate 10, a transparent front plate 12, and an opaque central member 14, which is interposed between the plates 10 and 12. The inside surfaces of the plates 10 and 12 face each other.
  • the display panel 8 may be considered to be divided into a number of character areas, with each individual area being capable of displaying a character.
  • the shape of the character to be displayed is determined by selective application of potentials, in a manner to be sub sequently described, to one or more of a plurality of character electrodes 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 of each character set 30. All of these electrodes, as well as the conductors interconnecting them, may be deposited or otherwise placed on the inside surface of the rear plate by any one of a number of well-known techniques.
  • a thin transparent dielectric layer 32 of glass or other suitable material is applied over the electrodes and conductors on the inside surface of the rear plate 10.
  • Apertures 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, and 48 are provided in the central member 14 in each character area, and are positioned to be in superimposed registry with respect to the corresponding electrodes on the rear plate 10 for each character area. These apertures serve to confine the gaseous medium employed in the plasma display to cells of the desired configuration, properly positioned with respect to the character electrodes.
  • the central member 14, being opaque, serves as a mask to limit the illuminated portions of the display to those areas representing segments of the display characters.
  • a transparent common electrode 50 is provided on the inside surface of the front plate 12 for each character area, and is of such configuration as to overlie all of the individual electrodes on the rear plate 10 for the corresponding character area.
  • a thin transparent dielectric layer 52 of glass or other suitable material is applied over the common electrodes 50 on the inside surface of the front plate 12.
  • the plasma display panel 8 is assembled by placing the central member 14 between the front and rear plates 12 and 10, sealing the panel along its edges by a glass frit or other suitable means, evacuating the air from the sealed panel, and introducing an ioniz able gas of the proper composition to a desired pressure.
  • the panel may then be operated by simultaneous application of potentials to one of the common electrodes 50, and one or more selected character electrodes, to produce a character display.
  • a continuous conductor 58 is connected to all of the electrodes 28 and to a terminal 60.
  • the conductors 54 and 58 are located on the rear plate 10 exteriorly of the sets of character electrodes and are connected to their respective electrodes by short branch conductors.
  • the remainder of the conductors which interconnect corresponding character electrodes of the various character sets are interior conductors extending between electrodes which form continuous paths terminating in terminals aligned with the previously described terminals 56 and 60. In order to maintain a co-planar relationship with the character electrodes and other conductors, and to avoid cross-overs of electrodes or other conductors, these conductors from paths from electrode to electrode through spaces between electrodes in the various character sets.
  • a conductor 62 which interconnects the electrodes 22, and which is connected to a terminal 64, passes between the electrodes 18 and 24, and between the electrodes 20 and 26, in each character set. It may readily be seen that other conductors follow similar paths.
  • an electrode 66 is provided for on the rear plate 10 designating an indicium such as a decimal point, and is connected by a conductor 68 to a terminal 70.
  • a plurality of keep-alive" electrodes 72 are provided on the rear plate 10, and are connected by a conductor 74 to a terminal76.
  • the keepalive electrodes maintain a minimum degree of ionization of the adjacent gaseous medium employed in the display, thereby decreasing the potential difference required to effect initial ionization of the gas in the adjacent area.
  • Cooperating common electrodes 78 and 80 on the front plate 12 are provided for the electrode 66 and the keep-alive electrodes 72, and may be interconnected, as shown in FIG. 2, to actually constitute only one electrode.
  • An aperture 82 in the central member 14 is provided in registry with the electrode 66.
  • Apertures 84in the central member 14 are provided in registry with the keep-alive electrodes 72. Since these electrodes are used purely for the purpose of maintaining a degree of ionization in the adjacent gaseous medium, and since it is not necessary that the illumination from these electrodes be visible in the display, the common electrode 80 may be opaque rather than transparent, if desired. However, the common electrode 78 is transparent, to enable the indicium represented by the electrode 66 to be viewed.
  • Ionization of the gas in a plasma display device is initiated by an alternating electric field which causes an electron multiplication process to occur within a selected cell of the device. This multiplication process proceeds until breakdown occurs; i.e., a gaseous discharge occurs within the cell.
  • the ionization will conform generally to the configuration of the character electrode, which in the present case is coextensive with the cell.
  • the parameters involved in producing the ionization for the desired illumination include the potential applied across the cell, the distance between electrodes across the cell, the thickness and dielectric constant of the coating over the electrodes, and the pressure of the gas contained in the cell.
  • the ionization provides the illumination conforming to the shape of the electrode pattern (and the cell, in the present case), said illumination providing a portion of the total display to a viewer.
  • the ionization occurring within the cell also provides it with a memory, since said ionization results in the deposition of charged particles on the dielectric layers forming the inner surfaces of the rear and front plates and 12.
  • Positive charges are deposited on the inner cell wall surface capacitively coupled to the electrode to which negative potential is being applied, and electrons are deposited on the inner cell wall surface capacitively coupled to the electrode to which a positive potential is being applied. These charges are trapped on the cell walls because of the capacitive coupling effect exerted by the cell walls. It can be seen that the deposited wall charge has a polarity which is opposite to that of the potential initiating the ionization.
  • the wall charge will be additive to the applied potential, thereby assuring ignition on the succeeding reverse cycle and also lowering the criticality of maintaining the applied potential at one specific value.
  • the voltage necessary to sustain the ignition can be of a magnitude which is equal to the original applied potential less the wall charge.
  • application of potential to one or more of the terminals such as 64 at the right side of the display panel as viewed in FIG. 1 causes all of the character electrodes, such as 22, for all of the character areas with which said terminal is associated, to be at substantially the same potential level as the terminal.
  • the particular terminals to which potential is applied are selected in accordance with the character which is to be displayed. Thus, if a 2" is to be displayed, potential would be applied to the terminals associated with the electrodes 16, 20, 22, 24, and 28.
  • segment electrode terminals may be sequentially energized, with simultaneous energization of those commons associated with characters in which the selected segments form a part of the character display.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 in having two common electrodes per character area, and in having a larger number of character electrodes per character area. This larger number of character electrodes permits the display ofa much larger number of characters.
  • the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is capable of numerical display only, while the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 is capable of alphabetic, as well as numeric, display.
  • a display panel 88 includes a rear plate 90, a transparent front plate 92, and an opaque central member 94, which is interposed between the plates 90 and 92.
  • the inside surfaces of the plates 90 and 92 face each other.
  • the display panel 88 of FIGS. 3 and 4 may be considered to be divided into a number of character areas, with each individual area being capable of displaying a character.
  • the shape of the character to be displayed is determined by selective application of potentials, in a manner to be subsequently described, in a two-stage mode, to one or more of a plurality of character electrodes 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, and 118 (FIG. 3).
  • two of the electrodes, 96 and 108 are shaped in the form of a T and an inverted T, respectively, and that other correspondingpairs of electrodes, on the left and right sides of each character area, such as the electrodes 98 and 110, I00 and 112, 102 and 114, 104 and 118, and 106 and 116, are interconnected by conductors, so that a potential applied to one of these is also applied to the other. All of these electrodes, as well as the conductors which interconnect them, may be deposited or otherwise placed on the inside surface of the rear plate 90 by any one of a number of well-known techniques. A thin transparent dielectric layer 120, of glass or other suitable material, is applied over the electrodes and conductors on the inside surface of the rear plate 90.
  • Apertures such as the aperture 122 are provided in i the central member 94 in each character area. Apertures are provided and located so as to overlie each of the electrodes on the rear plate 90 when the plasma display device 88 is assembled. These apertures serve to confine the gaseous medium employed in the plasma display to cells of the desired configuration, properly positioned with respect to the character electrodes.
  • the central member 94 being opaque, serves as a mask to limit the illuminated portions of the display to those areas representing segments of the display characters.
  • Two complementary transparent common electrodes 124 and 126 are provided on the inside surface of the front plate 92 for each character area, and
  • a thin transparent dielectric layer 128, of glass or other suitable material, is applied over the common electrodes 124 and 126 on the inside surface of the front plate 92.
  • the plasma display panel 88 is assembled by placing the central member 94 between the front and rear plates 92 and 90, sealing the panel along its edges by a glass frit or other suitable means, evacuating the air from the sealed panel, and introducing an ionizable gas of the proper composition to a desired pressure.
  • the panel may then be operated by simultaneous application of potentials to one of the common electrodes and one or more selected character electrodes, to produce a character display.
  • each character set of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4
  • certain of the electrodes on the left side of each character set are connected to corresponding electrodes on the right side of each set.
  • conductors are provided on the rear plate 90 which interconnect all of the corresponding electrodes of the various character sets, and which connect these electrodes to corresponding terminals on the rear plate 90.
  • a continuous conductor 130 is connected to all of the electrodes 96 and to a terminal 132.
  • a continuous conductor 134 is connected to all of the electrodes 108 and to a terminal 136.
  • the conductors 130 and 134 are located on the rear plate 90 exteriorly of the sets of character electrodes and are connected to their respective electrodes by short branch conductors.
  • the remainder of the conductors which interconnect corresponding character electrodes of the various character sets are interior conductors extending between electrodes, thus forming continuous paths terminating in terminals aligned with the previouslydescribed terminals 132 and 136.1n order to maintain a co-planar relationship with the character electrodes and other conductors, and to avoid cross-overs of electrodes or other conductors, these conductors form paths from electrode to electrode through spaces between electrodes in the various character sets.
  • a conductor 138 which interconnects the pairs of electrodes 102, 114 of each set, and which is connected to a terminal 140, passes between the electrodes 100 and 104, and between the electrodes I12 and 118, in each character set. It may readily be seen that other conductors follow similar paths.
  • T shaped character electrodes 96 and 108 With respect to the T shaped character electrodes 96 and 108, it will be noted that while each of these is in the form of a single integral electrode, the shapes of the associated common electrodes are such that the common electrode which overlies the horizontal portion 'of each electrode 96 and 108 does not overlie the vertical portion of that same character electrode, but rather overlies the vertical portion of the other character electrode. Therefore only a portion of either of the electrodes 96 and 108 will be energized at any one time.
  • a multiple-character display device comprising a first supporting member
  • a multiple-character display device comprising a first supporting member
  • connector means on said supporting member electrically connecting corresponding electrodes in each set to enable an electrical potential to be applied simultaneously to at least one given electrode in each set, certain of said connector means extending through spaces on the supporting member between adjacent electrodes of the same set, and forming, with the electrodes to which they are connected, continuous conducting paths;
  • a plasma display device of the type wherein a plurality of gas-containing character cells are utilized for the display of intelligence comprising, in combination,
  • connector means on said first plate in co-planar relation to said character-forming electrodes for electrically connecting corresponding electrodes in each set to enable an electrical potential to be applied simultaneously to at least one given electrode in each set, each electrode of each set being connected to one of said co-planar connector means to form continuous conducting paths;
  • a plasma display device of the type wherein a plurality of gas-containing character cells are utilized for the display of intelligence comprising, in combination,
  • connector means on said first plate electrically connecting corresponding electrodes in each set to enable an electrical potential to be applied simultaneously to at least one given electrode in each set, certain of said connector means extending through spaces on said first plate between adjacent electrodes of the same set, and forming, with the electrodes to which they are connected, continuous conducting paths;
  • each set of character-forming electrodes is in the form of a seven-bar matrix.
  • each set of character-forming electrodes is in the form of a matrix capable of forming alpha-numeric characters.
  • a plasma display device of the type wherein a plurality of gas-containing character cells are utilized for the display of intelligence comprising, in combination,
  • connector means on said first plate in co-planar relation to said character-forming electrodes for electrically connecting corresponding electrodes in each set to enable an electrical potential to be applied simultaneously to at least one given electrode in each set, each electrode of each set being connected to one of said co-planar connector means to form continuous conducting paths;
  • a plasma display device of the type wherein a plurality of gas-containing character cells are utilized for the display of intelligence comprising, in combination,
  • each set including a plurality of left-side electrodes, a plurality of rightside electrodes, and a plurality of central electrodes;
  • connector means on said first plate in co-planar relation to said character-forming electrodes for electrically connecting corresponding electrodes in each set to enable an electrical potential to be applied simultaneously to corresponding selected electrodes in each set, certain of said connector means electrically connecting the corresponding central electrodes of each set, and certain of said connector means electrically connecting a combination of a left-side and a right-side electrode of a given set with corresponding electrodes of the other sets;

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Gas-Filled Discharge Tubes (AREA)
  • Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
US00198284A 1971-11-12 1971-11-12 Interconnected electrode display means Expired - Lifetime US3711733A (en)

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US19828471A 1971-11-12 1971-11-12

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US (1) US3711733A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
JP (1) JPS4856369A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
CA (1) CA953801A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
DE (1) DE2254797C2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
FR (1) FR2159441B1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB (1) GB1361110A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
IT (1) IT970432B (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3800178A (en) * 1972-06-14 1974-03-26 Rca Corp Multi-indicia display device
US3849686A (en) * 1972-05-23 1974-11-19 Nippon Electric Co Plasma display panel comprising a first external electrode for each digit and a second external electrode for each segment
US3868527A (en) * 1972-11-28 1975-02-25 Philips Corp Gas discharge picture display panel
US3987337A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-10-19 Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Plasma display panel having additional discharge cells of a larger effective area and driving circuit therefor
US3996490A (en) * 1975-06-06 1976-12-07 Burroughs Corporation Buttable flat panel display module
US4044280A (en) * 1975-10-30 1977-08-23 Ncr Corporation Multiplexed segmented character display
US4267486A (en) * 1977-01-20 1981-05-12 U.S. Philips Corporation Device for displaying alphanumerical characters
US4378649A (en) * 1980-07-24 1983-04-05 Cherry Electrical Products Corporation Reflective shield for gas discharge display
US6589601B1 (en) * 1999-04-23 2003-07-08 Nordson Corporation Application method of sealing agent

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS579183B2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) * 1974-03-05 1982-02-19
GB2118349B (en) * 1982-04-08 1985-11-20 Int Computers Ltd Liquid crystal character display

Citations (1)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3588571A (en) * 1967-07-07 1971-06-28 Sony Corp Gaseous glow indicator tube formed on a substrate with a plurality of insulating layers

Family Cites Families (5)

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GB1289534A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) * 1968-09-25 1972-09-20
US3764429A (en) * 1971-08-30 1973-10-09 Ncr Method of forming cavities in a plasma display panel
JPS4833957U (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) * 1971-08-31 1973-04-24
JPS5019402U (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) * 1973-06-18 1975-03-05
JPS5114360A (ja) * 1974-07-26 1976-02-04 Yamato Scale Co Ltd Hizumikenshutsusochi

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3588571A (en) * 1967-07-07 1971-06-28 Sony Corp Gaseous glow indicator tube formed on a substrate with a plurality of insulating layers

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3849686A (en) * 1972-05-23 1974-11-19 Nippon Electric Co Plasma display panel comprising a first external electrode for each digit and a second external electrode for each segment
US3800178A (en) * 1972-06-14 1974-03-26 Rca Corp Multi-indicia display device
US3868527A (en) * 1972-11-28 1975-02-25 Philips Corp Gas discharge picture display panel
US3987337A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-10-19 Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Plasma display panel having additional discharge cells of a larger effective area and driving circuit therefor
US3996490A (en) * 1975-06-06 1976-12-07 Burroughs Corporation Buttable flat panel display module
US4044280A (en) * 1975-10-30 1977-08-23 Ncr Corporation Multiplexed segmented character display
US4267486A (en) * 1977-01-20 1981-05-12 U.S. Philips Corporation Device for displaying alphanumerical characters
US4378649A (en) * 1980-07-24 1983-04-05 Cherry Electrical Products Corporation Reflective shield for gas discharge display
US6589601B1 (en) * 1999-04-23 2003-07-08 Nordson Corporation Application method of sealing agent

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IT970432B (it) 1974-04-10
FR2159441A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1973-06-22
FR2159441B1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1978-12-08
DE2254797A1 (de) 1973-05-17
JPS4856369A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1973-08-08
DE2254797C2 (de) 1983-05-11
CA953801A (en) 1974-08-27
GB1361110A (en) 1974-07-24

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