Electroluminescent storage display with improved intensity driver circuits

Claim 2

An electroluminescent storage display with improved intensity driver circuits characterized by: an electroluminescent element (40); a plurality of memory elements (22); a current source (28) connected in circuit to said electroluminescent element (40); a plurality of elements (24), corresponding in number to said plurality of memory elements (22), each connected to a respective memory element (22) and responsive to the signals stored therein for causing an incremental current to flow from said current source (28) to said electroluminescent element (40); and means (10, 12, 14, 16, 18) for applying signals (B n -B o ) to said memory elements (22) indicative of the intensity desired from said electroluminescent element (40).

Claim 3

The electroluminescent storage display of claim 1 wherein said plurality of elements (24) are MOS transistors each having a gate electrode connected to a respective memory element (40).

Claim 4

The electroluminescent storage display of claim 1 wherein said means for applying signals to said memory elements is comprised of: a plurality of binary bits (B n -B o ) corresponding in number to said plurality of memory elements (40) and an enabling signal source for providing an enabling signal (16) for loading said binary bits (B n -B o ) into said memory elements (40).

Claim 5

An electroluminescent storage display with improved intensity driver circuits characterized by; a column data register means (12) having an input (6) for serially receiving image signals, and having a plurality of parallel outputs (9) for providing said image signals thereon; an input/output logic means (14) responsive to an enable signal (7), and coupled to the plurality of parallel outputs (9) of said column data register means (12) for gating said image signals to respective column outputs (9); a row strobe register means (16) responsive to an input signal (8) for sequentially providing an enabling strobe signal on each of a plurality of row outputs (17); a plurality of switch means (18), each connected to a respective one of a plurality of row outputs (17) of said row strobe register means (16) for connecting a respective one of said column outputs (15) of said input/output logic means (14) to a switch output; a plurality of memory driver circuit means (20) having an input connected to the switch output of a respective switch means (18) and having an output for providing a current as a function of the image signal received on its input; and a plurality of electroluminescent display means (40) each connected to an output of a respective memory driver circuit means (20) for illumination by the provided current therefrom.

Claim 6

An electroluminescent storage display with improved intensity driver circuits characterized by; a column data register means (12) having an input (6) for serially receiving image signals, and having a plurality of parallel outputs (9) for providing said image signals thereon; an input/output logic means (14) responsive to an enable signal (7), and coupled to the plurality of parallel outputs (9) of said column data register means (12) for gating said image signals to respective column outputs (9); a row strobe register means (16) responsive to an input signal (8) for sequentially providing an enabling strobe signal on each of a plurality of row outputs (17); a plurality of switch means (18), each connected to a respective one of a plurality of row outputs (17) of said row strobe register means (16) for connecting a respective one of said column outputs (15) of said input/output logic means (14) to a switch output; a plurality of memory driver circuit means (20) having an input connected to the switch output of a respective switch means (18) and having an output for providing a current as a function of the image signal received on its input; and a plurality of electroluminescent display means (40) each connected to an output of a respective memory driver circuit means (20) for illumination by the provided current therefrom.

Claim 7

An electroluminescent storage display according to claim 4 and further comprising: a control logic means (10) responsive to input control signals, image data signals and brightness signals for providing image signals to said column data register (12), enable signals (7) to said input/output logic means (14), and an input signal (8) to said row strobe register means (16).

Claim 8

An electroluminescent storage display according to claim 4 wherein each of said plurality of memory driver circuit means (20) is comprised of: a plurality of memory elements (22); a current source (28) connected in circuit to an electroluminescent display means (40); a plurality of elements (24) corresponding in number to said plurality of memory element (22), each connected to a respective memory element (22) and responsive to the signals (B n -B o ) stored therein for causing an incremental current to flow from said current source (28) to said electroluminescent display means (40); and additionally means (16, 12, 14) for applying signals to said memory elements (22) indicative of the intensity desired from said electroluminescent display means.

Claim 9

The electroluminescent storage display of claim 6 wherein said plurality of elements (24) are MOS transistors each having a gate electrode connected to a respective memory element (22).

Claim 10

The electroluminescent storage display of claim 6 wherein said means for applying signals to said memory elements is comprised of: a plurality of binary bits (B n -B o ) corresponding in number to said plurality of memory elements (22) and an enabling signal source (16) for providing an enabling signal (ROW) for loading said binary bits (B n -B o ) into said memory elements (40).

Claim 11

an electroluminescent display matrix characterized by: a plurality of electroluminescent elements (40) arranged in a display; a plurality of storage means (22) for each of said plurality of electroluminescent elements (40) for receiving binary number signals (B n -B o ) corresponding to the intensity level desired from an associated electroluminescent element (40); a plurality of current sources (28) each coupled to a respective plurality of said storage means (22) and an associated electroluminescent element (40) for providing a current as a function of the binary number signals (B n -B o ) stored in said storage means (22).

Claim 12

an electroluminescent display matrix characterized by: a plurality of electroluminescent elements (40) arranged in a display; a plurality of storage means (22) for each of said plurality of electroluminescent elements (40) for receiving binary number signals (B n -B o ) corresponding to the intensity level desired from an associated electroluminescent element (40); a plurality of current sources (28) each coupled to a respective plurality of said storage means (22) and an associated electroluminescent element (40) for providing a current as a function of the binary number signals (B n -B o ) stored in said storage means (22).

Claim 13

The electroluminescent display matrix according to claim 9 wherein each of said plurality of current sources (28) is comprised of: a two MOS device current mirror (26, 27), with the first of said MOS devices (27) connecting said electroluminescent element (40) to a source of power (+V) and with the second of said MOS devices (26) connecting said source of power to a selectable current means (24); and a selectable current means (24) connected to said plurality of storage means (22) and responsive to the signals stored therein for causing the current in said second MOS device (26) to be a function of the signals (B n -B o ) stored in said plurality of storage means (22).