US3720919A - Photonically partitioned continuous gas envelope and transiently energized pilot discharge areas used in address selection of display firing coordinates - Google Patents

Photonically partitioned continuous gas envelope and transiently energized pilot discharge areas used in address selection of display firing coordinates Download PDF

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US3720919A
US3720919A US00214126A US3720919DA US3720919A US 3720919 A US3720919 A US 3720919A US 00214126 A US00214126 A US 00214126A US 3720919D A US3720919D A US 3720919DA US 3720919 A US3720919 A US 3720919A
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pilot
display
conductors
firing
sustaining
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W Lamoureux
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International Business Machines Corp
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International Business Machines Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J17/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with solid cathode
    • H01J17/38—Cold-cathode tubes
    • H01J17/48—Cold-cathode tubes with more than one cathode or anode, e.g. sequence-discharge tube, counting tube, dekatron
    • H01J17/49—Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes, e.g. making use of direct current
    • H01J17/492—Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes, e.g. making use of direct current with crossed electrodes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/292—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for reset discharge, priming discharge or erase discharge occurring in a phase other than addressing
    • G09G3/2927—Details of initialising
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/293—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for address discharge
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/296—Driving circuits for producing the waveforms applied to the driving electrodes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/297—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels using opposed discharge type panels
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J17/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with solid cathode
    • H01J17/38—Cold-cathode tubes
    • H01J17/48—Cold-cathode tubes with more than one cathode or anode, e.g. sequence-discharge tube, counting tube, dekatron
    • H01J17/49—Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes, e.g. making use of direct current
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2320/00—Control of display operating conditions
    • G09G2320/02—Improving the quality of display appearance
    • G09G2320/0228—Increasing the driving margin in plasma displays
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/298—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels using surface discharge panels
    • G09G3/2983—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels using surface discharge panels using non-standard pixel electrode arrangements
    • G09G3/2986—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels using surface discharge panels using non-standard pixel electrode arrangements with more than 3 electrodes involved in the operation

Definitions

  • pilot cells in a gas panel envelope are energized selectively and transiently to effect partial control of firing coordinate selection.
  • the pilot cells remain unenergized during normal sustaining periods and firing potentials are chosen to preclude sustaining discharge of pre-ignited unselected points so that pilot bias is produced exclusively by the pilot cell operations.
  • the pilot cells and associated display coordinates receiving pilot bias therefrom are photonically isolated from each other by suitably spaced glass spacing rods. Since the pilot cells are only transiently energized less power is consumed and the pilot light emissions do not interfere with the apparently continuous light at the sustained display coordinates. Hence the pilot emissions need not be masked from view. Since the pilot lights have dual usage as a coordinate factor 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARIBIQB 3.720.919
  • the Soltan patent referenced above discloses gas panel display apparatus in which the gas envelope contains strategically situated pilot discharge areas or cells and associated pilot electrodes, the latter supplied with continuous (i.e. regular) electrical energization.
  • the pilot cell discharges provide a virtually continuous flux of charged particles (metastables, electrons and ions) distributed uniformly throughout the indicating area of the envelope.
  • one object of the invention is to reduce the power consumption of pilot cells in a gas display panel.
  • the biasing metastable flux produced by the pilot cell achieves a stable steady state biasing condition suitable for controlling ignition of display coordinate sites very shortly after the pilot discharge begins. Consequently, by coordinating selective pilot cell operations with firing energization of display cells, while suppressing sustaining illumination from surrounding display cells, the pilot selection serves as a positive controlling factor in ignition (firing) operation.
  • glass rods which ordinarily are located at the envelope periphery and used as spacers to establish the height dimension of the gas envelope, may be located between pilot cells and when so situated provide effective photonic isolation between adjacent gas volumes on either side.
  • an energized pilot cell in one partitioned volume section produces a metastable flux affecting display sites of only its respective section and not those of other partitioned volumes.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a gas panel with plural selectively ignitable and jointly sustainable sets of display coordinate point sites and with plural pilot cells providing both transient bias metastable conditioning of respective sets of display sites and selection control to control selective ignition of partially energized sites in respective sets.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an exemplary form of the subject panel arrangement with associated signal control sources
  • FIG. 1A illustrates an alternative pilot electrode arrangement
  • FIGS. 2-6 are illustrative waveform diagrams illustrating the signal parameters for controlling selective ignition of display coordinates and unselective maintenance (sustaining) or erasure of pre-ignited coordinates;
  • FIGS. 7A and 78 comprise a schematic exemplification of the logic circuits required for producing the signal functions illustrated in FIGS. 2-6.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a gas display panel partitioned into two photonically isolated sections, in accordance with the invention, for selective initial ignition (firing) and unselective maintenance (sustaining) of display coordinate illumination effects.
  • the extension to multiple relatively isolated sections and multiple wiring subgrids will be immediately apparent as the description proceeds.
  • transparent (e.g. glass) flat memhers I and 3 comprising opposite front and near con taining faces of an ionizable gas envelope, have printed on respective interior surfaces orthogonal grids of insulatively coated X and Y conductors designated by 5 and 7.
  • Conductor 9 connect individual conductors of grid 5 with respective sources X1-X4 of electrical control signal functions and conductors 11 provide similar connection between conductors 7 and Y control signal function Yl-Y4.
  • Transparent element 15 partitions the otherwise continuous gas envelope into discrete sections I and II.
  • the gas volumes of these two sections are interconnected in the spaces between the ends of the glass rod 15 and the periphery of the sealing material which forms the lateral border of the envelope, I have found, nevertheless that the gas in each section is photonically isolated from the gas in the other section. This means that electrons, metastables and ions produced during display ignition and/or sustaining discharge in section I do not freely diffuse through section II, and conversely electrons, metastables and ions produced in section II do not enter sec? tion I in appreciable numbers.
  • Pilot electrodes 17 and 19, covering wider envelope areas than the individual thin conductors of grids 5 and 7, are incorporated in member I and span respective isolated pilot cell volumes of respective envelope sections I and II.
  • a common counter electrode 21 incorporated in the printed circuitry of member 3 spans both pilot cell volumes.
  • Pilot conductors 17 and 19 are connected to respective pilot signal outlets P1 and P2 of the control circuits 23 which also provide the display control signals Xl-X4 and Yl-Y4. Conductor 21 is connected to the common ground reference 27 of circuits 23.
  • both the counter electrode 21 and electrodes 17 and 19 may be placed on member 1 allowing tight control of spacing since it is a function of artwork tolerance only. This allows closer gap spacing and shaping which is more conducive to causing an initial firing.
  • intersections of the conductors in the X and Y grids 5 and 7 represent discretely ignitable indicating sites at which apparently continuous point area illumination effects may be produced by application of alternating current sustaining potentials of suitable amplitude and timing to the intersecting conductors.
  • Coordinate sites which have been previously ignited for instance by means described below, have locally confined metastable and electrical charge conditions within the adjacent gas envelope which are distinct from conditions present at other unfired or unignited coordinate sites.
  • sustaining excitation applied unselectively to all intersecting conductors produces indication sustaining discharges only at previously ignited sites.
  • the preignited sites discharge and emit light only intermittently during the rise and fall of the sustaining excitation; but the iteration rate of the sustaining excitation when properly selected provides flicker-free indication.
  • sustained sites discharge and charge rapidly to opposite metastable conditions distinct from unignited sites, photons being released only while the discharges are occurring.
  • sites would be unaffected by continued sustaining energization of the same polarity. This may be viewed as somewhat analagous to the charging and discharging of an ordinary capacitor by an alternating electric current exceeding the chargin g capacity of the capacitor in each half cycle.
  • FIGS. 2-6 The signal parameters for operating the panel structure shown in FIG. 1 are indicated in FIGS. 2-6.
  • FIG. 2 indicates that firing the display cell site in section I associated with the intersection in that section of conductors connected to signal sources X and Y, is achieved by applying coincidental bias discharge energization V to line 21 via P, (FIG. 1) and partial increments V 2% W and 5% W of firing voltage (V W) to X; and Y respectively. Since the conductors carrying the signal functions X and Y, intersect at two display cells (in general n cells) in the arrangement of FIG. 1 (i.e. one point in section I and another in section II) both cell coordinates receive applied voltages of V W effective to fire the cells when and only when bias photonic conditions are present in the adjacent gas volume.
  • I-Iowever effective photonic bias conditions are produced only during discharge operation of pilot cells or neighboring display cells and not by ambient or other conditions. It will be seen below that pilot cells are energized only while display cells other than cells selected for firing are in non-discharging state of operation. Therefore pilot cell operations effect selective control over display cell firing.
  • Sustaining operation is indicated in FIG. 3.
  • Sustaining potentials are applied regularly in the indicated form to all X and Y coordinate selection conductors while pilot excitation sources P P remain idle.
  • the resulting voltage appearing across each intersection coordinate of the display i.e. at each display cell site) is the alternating potential indicated in the third row of FIG. 3; the amplitude V being chosen to be sufficient to produce momentary discharges in the envelope at previously ignited display cell sites regardless of pilot cell condition.
  • firing increment W has the same polarity as the last preceding sustain pulse. It should berecalled from previous discussion that pre-ignited sustaining cells emit light only while discharging and charging to reverse polarity in reaction to reverse sustaining voltage pulses. Fully charged sustaining cells do not emit additional light when energized by pulses of the same polarity. Hence the firing pulses do not affect the photonic state of the sustaining cells, the latter being fully charged in the same polarity direction. Accordingly the photonic state of the gas in the vicinity of selected cells receiving the firing pulse V W will be governed exclusively by the state of energization of respective pilot cell conductor 17 or 19 since all other potentially effective metastable sources are idle at firing time.
  • pilot source P (FIG. 4) concurrent in time with the application of potential V W between display coordinate conductors X, Y, permits ignition of the display cell at coordinate X,, Y, in section I while the corresponding cell coordinate X Y, in unbiased section II, receiving the same selection voltage, maintains its previous condition (unignited or sustaining).
  • unselected X lines receive less than the sustaining level of X voltage and the unselected Y lines may receive cancelling or deselect excitation of k W (see the second exemplary write cycle in FIG. 4) as a safety factor to assure that partially selected display cells in the envelope section containing the energized pilot have improved margins of operation.
  • the net voltage across such partially selected cells is the sustaining voltage as indicated at, 95 in FIG. 4.
  • a preferred technique used to assure that the write excitation applied to the display coordinate has the same polarity and appropriate timing relative to the stable charging phase of the last received sustaining excitation is to follow the practice as indicated in FIG. 4 of having the write excitation coincide with the positive phase of one Sustain cycle while inhibiting the preceding negative Sustain cycle.
  • the system could be programmed to interpose sustaining cycles after a predetermined number of successive writing cycles.
  • Another alternative to speed up writing functions would be to permit negative polarity writing following stable charge phase of negative Sustain cycles, with appropriate suppression of the last precedent positive Sustain cycle if required.
  • FIG. 6 indicates that if desired pilot sources P, and P may be simultaneously energized to fire display cells simultaneously at corresponding coordinates of both envelope sections I and II; for instance when, by computer calculation or the like, points of a display image being written upon the face of the panel have been grouped for such simultaneous firing selection.
  • FIG. 5 indicates that all sustaining display cells may be erased or restored to non-sustaining stable condition by application of plural short duration cycles of alternating current excitation to the intersecting conductors.
  • the X sustaining function (X/S) is transferred unconditionally via drive circuit 100 to center tap 101 of secondary winding 102 of transformer 103 establishing a floating level upon which Write pulses transferred via transistor gate 105 and primary winding 107 are differentially superimposed.
  • the Y sustaining pulses gated only when write pulse source is idle (Not Write Condition), are amplified by driver circuit 109 and fed as Y sustaining signal Y/S to center tap 111 of transformer secondary winding 1 13.
  • Output of secondary 102 is shunted across four identical switch circuits 115, 117, 119, 121 used to condition respective X lines X X X X Likewise output of secondary 103 is shunted by four identical Y switch circuits 123, 125, 127, 129.
  • Circuits 115, 117, 119 and 121 are conditioned by respective outputs of X-decoding circuits 131 and circuits 123, 125, 127 and 129 are conditioned by respective outputs of Y-decoding circuits 133.
  • a A A A of a five-bit binary address function (A A A A A.,) control the states of circuits 131 and 133.
  • the two ends of each secondary winding are at equal potentials and the X-lines (XI-X4) are all at a potential effectively determined by X/S and Y lines are at a potential determined by Y/S.
  • the Write pulse rises circuits 131 and 133 condition the switch circuits to produce firing potential (under pilot bias conditions) between a select one of the X lines Xl-X4 and a select Y line of the group Yl-Y4.
  • the unselected X and Y lines receive degating potentials limiting the potentials across unselected cells to sustain potential.
  • Typical potential level useful for the purposes are sustaining pulse V 150 volts; Write increment W: i 40 volts.
  • address bit A controls selective connection of pilot potential V, to the pilot outlets P, and P Joint Pilot Select operates both gating paths to P,, P permitting simultaneous operation of both pilot conductors when appropriate for achieving parallel firing operations in sections I and II as characterized in FIG. 6.
  • a gas panel display system including a gas confining envelope which encompasses discrete display and pilot ignition areas, said display area including multiple selectively ignitable and jointly sustainable display cells electrically coupled in multiple to associated coordinate selection conductors, and said pilot area having at least one discrete pilot electrode conductor electrically coupled thereto, the improvement comprising:
  • second means for supplying unselective sustaining excitation on a regular repetitive basis to all coordinate selection conductors sufficient to maintain virtually continuous illumination at all previously ignited display points independently of the energization state of said pilot area.
  • third means operative jointly with said first means on said transient basis for supplying predetermined de-select (cancelling) pulse excitation on said transient basis to coordinate selection conductors associated with non-selected display cells.
  • said first means including means to energize said pilot conductors selectively to direct selective ignition of select display cells in the subsets of the respective compartments.
  • a gas panel display including an envelope containing an ionizable gas and encompassing discrete pilot and display areas for producing pilot bias discharges and sustained display illumination point area discharges, the improvement comprising:
  • a gas panel display system including an envelope which contains an ionizable gas and encompasses relatively discrete pilot and display areas reserved for pilot bias conditioning and display indication and having means for coupling alternating current electrical energy simultaneously to multiple discrete display point areas within said display area sufficient in repetition frequency duration and amplitude to produce illumination sustaining discharges of alternating polarity at and only at previously ignited said display point areas, the improvement comprising:
  • second means for producing bias photonic conditioning of said gas concurrent with operation of said first means as a selection controlling parameter to effect firing of particular said partially conditioned points.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
  • Gas-Filled Discharge Tubes (AREA)
  • Transforming Electric Information Into Light Information (AREA)
  • Control Of Gas Discharge Display Tubes (AREA)
US00214126A 1971-12-30 1971-12-30 Photonically partitioned continuous gas envelope and transiently energized pilot discharge areas used in address selection of display firing coordinates Expired - Lifetime US3720919A (en)

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US21412671A 1971-12-30 1971-12-30

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US (1) US3720919A (fr)
JP (1) JPS5249945B2 (fr)
AU (1) AU464333B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA974314A (fr)
CH (1) CH542482A (fr)
DE (1) DE2261255C3 (fr)
ES (1) ES409611A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2166230B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1395202A (fr)
IT (1) IT971256B (fr)
NL (1) NL7215420A (fr)
SE (1) SE385415B (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5111329A (ja) * 1974-07-18 1976-01-29 Sharp Kk Matoritsukusumemoripaneruno kudohoshiki
JPS53101230A (en) * 1978-02-20 1978-09-04 Sharp Corp Driving system for matrix panel
US4253044A (en) * 1978-01-17 1981-02-24 U.S. Philips Corporation Gas discharge display panel, display apparatus comprising the panel and method of operating the display apparatus

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5441175B2 (fr) * 1973-12-26 1979-12-07
JPS5098726A (fr) * 1973-12-26 1975-08-06
JPS5549756B2 (fr) * 1974-04-03 1980-12-13
JPS5347728A (en) * 1976-10-13 1978-04-28 Fujitsu Ltd Driving system for gas discharge panel
NL7614514A (nl) * 1976-12-29 1978-07-03 Philips Nv Weergeefinrichting met een matrix van gasontla- dingsweergeefelementen.

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3609658A (en) * 1969-06-02 1971-09-28 Ibm Pilot light gas cells for gas panels

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3609658A (en) * 1969-06-02 1971-09-28 Ibm Pilot light gas cells for gas panels

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5111329A (ja) * 1974-07-18 1976-01-29 Sharp Kk Matoritsukusumemoripaneruno kudohoshiki
JPS5521358B2 (fr) * 1974-07-18 1980-06-09
US4253044A (en) * 1978-01-17 1981-02-24 U.S. Philips Corporation Gas discharge display panel, display apparatus comprising the panel and method of operating the display apparatus
JPS53101230A (en) * 1978-02-20 1978-09-04 Sharp Corp Driving system for matrix panel
JPS5522800B2 (fr) * 1978-02-20 1980-06-19

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU464333B2 (en) 1975-08-06
FR2166230A1 (fr) 1973-08-10
SE385415B (sv) 1976-06-28
NL7215420A (fr) 1973-07-03
JPS4878840A (fr) 1973-10-23
IT971256B (it) 1974-04-30
CA974314A (en) 1975-09-09
DE2261255C3 (de) 1975-04-24
ES409611A1 (es) 1975-12-01
CH542482A (de) 1973-09-30
DE2261255A1 (de) 1973-07-12
FR2166230B1 (fr) 1976-08-27
DE2261255B2 (de) 1974-03-28
AU5050072A (en) 1974-06-27
JPS5249945B2 (fr) 1977-12-21
GB1395202A (en) 1975-05-21

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