US 4,233,623 A · Television display

Abstract

A television display system is described in which a full resolution, interlaced scanned display of real-time images is provided on a gas discharge display panel. Real time scanning of the display panel in synchronism with the received television video signal is achieved by separating the panel into N (where N is an integer greater than one) distinct sections, each of which is driven by a different maintain signal waveform. The maintain signal waveforms for each Nth section is synchronized with the received television video signal corresponding to that section so that the received video information can be displayed at its correct relative position in the image to be displayed without receiving extensive electronic memory buffering or storing of video information. The maintain voltage has a magnitude less than the lower limit of the bistable region in which gas discharge panels are normally operated. Thus, the application of trigger voltage pulses can initiate a sequence of discharges which continue for a substantial number of cycles before diminishing to zero. The number of cycles for which the discharge persists depends on the magnitude and duration of the addressing trigger voltage pulse. When the panel is operated in the refresh mode (viz., addressing pulses are applied to the panel once each time a new television picture frame is displayed in repetitive fashion), the average brightness of the light emitted by each element of the image is controlled by varying the magnitude of the trigger pulse. Light emitting elements of a gas discharge display panel are grouped in triads which have red, blue, and green phosphor elements to provide for the display of color television images. The gas discharge device is an A.C. plasma panel dependent upon a capacitive memory of the types disclosed in Bitzer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,190 and Mayer U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,846.

Claims44

Dependent claims

In an A.C. gas discharge display device having a matrix defined by the cross-overs of electrodes and wherein multiple light intensity is obtained by triggering write pulses and maintain pulses applied to the electrodes,

the improvement wherein the matrix is divided into at least two distinct portions and different maintain pulses are applied to the electrodes of each distinct matrix portion.

A single substrate X-Y electrodes matrix multiple gaseous discharge panel television device comprising:

an electrically non-conducting bottom substrate having a top and bottom surface;
a first array of parallel X-axis electrodes secured to the top surface of the substrate;
a first dielectric portion secured to the top surface of the substrate in overlaying relation to the parallel electrodes of the first array;
a second array of parallel Y-axis electrodes secured in overlaying relation to the first dielectric layer and physically separated by the first dielectric portion from the first array of X-axis electrodes, each Y-axis electrode of the second array being transverse to each X-axis electrode of the first array, the electrodes of each array being in a cross-over relation to the electrodes of the other array so as to define a panel matrix containing a multiplicity of X-Y gas discharge cell sites;
a further dielectric portion secured in overlaying relation to the second array of Y-axis electrodes;
a viewing top envelope transparent to visible light secured to the bottom substrate, said envelope being spaced above the second dielectric layer and discharge sites to provide an enclosed chamber for a gaseous medium;
a gaseous medium confined within the chamber;
the electrodes of at least one array being physically interrupted along one axis so as to divide the panel matrix into at least two distinct sections of gas discharge cells;
means for applying a trigger voltage pulse to each gas discharge cell site to initiate a sequence of gas discharge at each cell site;
means for applying a different maintain voltage pulse wave form to each distinct panel matrix section, the magnitude of each maintain voltage pulse being insufficient either to initiate a gas discharge at a cell site or to sustain a sequence of gas discharges at a cell site of relatively constant intensity for an indefinite length of time, the magnitude of each maintain voltage pulse being sufficient to support a sequence of diminishing gas discharges for a finite number of cycles, said gas discharges having been initiated by a trigger voltage pulse;
means for synchronizing the different maintain voltage wave forms applied to each distinct panel matrix section such that a trigger pulse can be applied to one distinct panel matrix section during the write cycle of the maintain voltage applied to that matrix section while the maintain voltage applied to another distinct panel matrix section is being restored to the write cycle whereby each distinct panel matrix section is addressed in real time response to a television video signal.

8 more elements

A parallel substrates X-Y electrodes matrix gaseous discharge panel television device comprising:

a first electrically non-conducting substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first array of parallel X-axis electrodes secured to the top surface of the substrate;
a first dielectric layer secured to the top surface of the first substrate in overlaying relation to the parallel electrodes of the first array;
a second electrically non-conducting substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a second array of parallel Y-axis electrodes secured to the bottom surface of the substrate;
a second dielectric layer secured to the bottom layer of the second substrate in overlaying relation to the parallel electrodes of the second array;
the first substrate being sealed to the second substrate around the perimeters of both substrates in a spaced-apart relationship so as to form a hermetically sealed gas chamber, the top surface of the first substrate facing the bottom surface of the second substrate such that the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer form opposing walls of the gas chamber, the array of parallel electrodes beneath the dielectric layer on one substrate being transversely oriented with respect to the array of parallel electrodes beneath the dielectric layer on the other substrate, the electrodes of each array being in a cross-over relation to the electrodes of the other array to form a panel matrix of electrodes cross-overs, each cross-over defining a gas discharge cell site;
an ionizable gaseous medium confined within the sealed gas chamber;
the electrodes of at least one array being physically interrupted along one axis so as to divide the panel into at least two distinct sections of gas discharge cells;
means for applying a trigger voltage pulse to each gas discharge cell site to initiate a sequence of gas discharges at each cell site;
means for applying a different maintain voltage pulse wave form to each distinct panel section, the magnitude of each maintain voltage pulse being insufficient to initiate a gas discharge at a cell site and also insufficient to sustain a sequence of gas discharges at a cell site of relatively constant intensity for an indefinite length of time, the magnitude of each maintain voltage pulse being sufficient to continue a sequence of diminishing gas discharges for a finite number of cycles, said discharges having been initiated by a trigger voltage pulse, the different maintain voltage wave forms applied to each distinct panel section being synchronized such that a trigger pulse can be applied to one distinct panel section during the write cycle of the maintain voltage applied to that distinct section while the maintain voltage applied to another distinct section is being restored to the write cycle whereby each distinct panel section is addressed in real time response to a television video signal.

8 more elements

A method for producing variable light intensity or gray scale from an A.C. multiple gas discharge display panel device containing a matrix of gas discharge cells defined by the cross-overs of arrays of X-axis and Y-axis electrodes, the electrodes along one axis being physically interrupted so as to divide the panel into at least two distinct panel matrix sections, said method comprising:

applying a predetermined trigger voltage signal to a selected gas discharge cell to cause a gas discharge proportional to the light intensity desired;
and applying a different maintain voltage signal to the gas discharge cells of each distinct panel matrix section, the magnitude of the maintain voltage signal to each panel matrix section being insufficient to initiate a gas discharge or sustain a sequence of gas discharges at a cell for an indefinite period of time, said maintain voltage magnitude being sufficient to continue a sequence of triggered gas discharges of successively diminishing intensity for a finate number of cycles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Television display

Life of this patent

Television display

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44