Display system

Claim 2

A display system comprising: a gaseous glow multi-unit display indicator tube having an envelope; a plurality of aligned indicator electrode units disposed within said envelope, each of said indicator electrode units having a plurality of cathodes and an anode respectively disposed generally opposite the cathodes of each unit; means associated with each of said indicator electrode units for applying a voltage bias between its anode and selcted ones of its cathodes; and, means for selecting and actuating the voltage applying means of different ones of said indicator electrode units successively in a time divisional manner such that two adjacent units are not actuated in adjacent time intervals.

Claim 3

A display system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cathodes of each of the indicator electrode units are arranged in like geometric patterns.

Claim 4

A display system as claimed in claim 2 which includes means for interconnecting corresponding cathodes of each of the indicator electrode units.

Claim 5

A display system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cathodes are arranged substantially in a single plane.

Claim 6

A display system as claimed in claim 6 wherein a voltage divider is provided at each of said anodes and having means for being coupled to a power supply, said voltage divider normally applying only a portion of said power supply to said anodes, and switching means for causing said voltage divider to apply a larger voltage to said anodes when a signal is received from said drive means.

Claim 7

A display system comprising: a gaseous glow-unit indicator tube having an envelope; a plurality of aligned indicator electrode units disposed within said envelope, each of said indicator electrode units having a plurality of cathodes and an anode respectively disposed generally opposite the cathodes of each unit; circuit means for supplying current from said anode to associated ones of said cathodes; means for switchably coupling selected ones of said cathodes to said circuit means to cause a desired figure display from one of said indicator electrode units; and, drive means for successively supplying a source of voltage to one of said anodes and to the other anodes on a time sequential basis and such that two adjacent anodes are not actuated in adjacent time intervals through said circuit means.

Claim 8

A display system comprising: a gaseous glow-unit indicator tube having an envelope; a plurality of aligned indicator electrode units disposed within said envelope, each of said indicator electrode units having a plurality of cathodes and an anode respectively disposed generally opposite the cathodes of each unit; circuit means for supplying current from said anode to associated ones of said cathodes; means for switchably coupling selected ones of said cathodes to said circuit means to cause a desired figure display from one of said indicator electrode units; and, drive means for successively supplying a source of voltage to one of said anodes and to the other anodes on a time sequential basis and such that two adjacent anodes are not actuated in adjacent time intervals through said circuit means.

Claim 9

A display system comprising: a gaseous glow multi-unit indicator tube having an envelope; a plurality of aligned indicator electrode units disposed within said envelope, each of said indicator electrode units having a plurality of cathodes and an anode respectively disposed generally opposite the cathodes of each unit; circuit means for supplying current from said anode to associated ones of said cathodes; means for switchably coupling certain ones of said cathodes to said circuit means to cause a desired figure display from one of said indicator electrode units; and, drive means for successively supplying a source of energizing voltage to said anode on a time sequential basis and such that adjacent anodes are not energized in adjacent time intervals by said circuit means whereby adjacent indicator electrode units are prevented from developing a display successively.

Claim 10

A display system comprising: a gaseous glow multi-unit indicator tube having an envelope; a plurality of aligned indicator electrode units disposed within said envelope, each of said indicator electrode units having a plurality of cathodes and an anode respectively disposed generally opposite the cathodes of each unit; circuit means for supplying current from said anode to associated ones of said cathodes; means for switchably coupling certain ones of said cathodes to said circuit means to cause a desired figure display from one of said indicator electrode units; and, drive means for successively supplying a source of energizing voltage to said anode on a time sequential basis and such that adjacent anodes are not energized in adjacent time intervals by said circuit means whereby adjacent indicator electrode units are prevented from developing a display successively.

Claim 11

A display system in accordance with claim 6 which includes means for applying a positive bias voltage to certain ones of said cathodes which are associated with anodes which are not biased by said drive means.