Display panel and method of operating said panel to produce different colors of light output

Claim 2

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope containing a plurality of display cells arrayed in rows and columns in a common plane, said cells including a quantity of phosphor material sensitive to ultravioLet light and a gas filling which generates ultraviolet light when ionized, at least two electrodes associated with each of said cells for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized by the ionized gas and its light output is the primary visible output from said cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, and means coupled to said electrodes for ionizing a plurality of said cells and causing selected levels of current to flow therethrough to produce different selected colors of light output from said panel.

Claim 3

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said last-named means maintains some of said cells at a low level of current flow to provide background color and others of said cells at a higher level of current flow to provide a visible display of different color against said background color.

Claim 4

The panel defined in claim 1 and including mercury vapor in said gas filling whereby said mercury vapor affects the color of glow in said gas depending on the level of current flow in a cell.

Claim 5

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including a plurality of display cells arrayed in rows and columns in a common layer, a plurality of cathode electrodes in operative relation with a portion of each of said display cells and each cathode being aligned with a column of said cells, a plurality of anode electrodes in operative relation with another portion of each of said cells, each anode electrode being aligned with a row of said cells and oriented orthogonally to each of said cathode electrodes, a phosphor material in each of said display cells, said phosphor material being adapted to generated a characteristic color of light when energized by the excited gas filling in said envelope, said gas having a characteristic color of light emission when energized, mercury vapor in said gas for providing another color component to the cathode glow produced in each cell, and means coupled to said anode and cathode electrodes associated with each of said cells for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, and said circuit means being adapted to ionize a plurality of said cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 6

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including a plurality of display cells arrayed in rows and columns in a common layer, a plurality of cathode electrodes in operative relation with a portion of each of said display cells and each cathode being aligned with a column of said cells, a plurality of anode electrodes in operative relation with another portion of each of said cells, each anode electrode being aligned with a row of said cells and oriented orthogonally to each of said cathode electrodes, a phosphor material in each of said display cells, said phosphor material being adapted to generated a characteristic color of light when energized by the excited gas filling in said envelope, said gas having a characteristic color of light emission when energized, mercury vapor in said gas for providing another color component to the cathode glow produced in each cell, and means coupled to said anode and cathode electrodes associated with each of said cells for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, and said circuit means being adapted to ionize a plurality of said cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 7

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including an insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and including a plurality of display cells arrayed in rows and columns in a common plane, a plurality of cathode electrodes in operative relation with the bottom surface of said plate, each cathode being aligned with a column of said cells, a plurality of anode electrodes in operative relation with the top surface of said plate, each anode electrode being aligned with a row of said cells and oriented orthogonally to each of said cathode electrodes, a phosphor material in each of said display cells, said phosphor material being adapted to generate a characteristic color of light when energized by the excited gas filling in said envelope, said gas having a characteristic color of light emission when energized, mercury vapor in said gas for providing another color component to the cathode glow produced in each cell, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said anode electrodes for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks tHe glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity and current flow.

Claim 8

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including an insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and including a plurality of display cells arrayed in rows and columns in a common plane, a plurality of cathode electrodes in operative relation with the bottom surface of said plate, each cathode being aligned with a column of said cells, a plurality of anode electrodes in operative relation with the top surface of said plate, each anode electrode being aligned with a row of said cells and oriented orthogonally to each of said cathode electrodes, a phosphor material in each of said display cells, said phosphor material being adapted to generate a characteristic color of light when energized by the excited gas filling in said envelope, said gas having a characteristic color of light emission when energized, mercury vapor in said gas for providing another color component to the cathode glow produced in each cell, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said anode electrodes for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks tHe glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity and current flow.

Claim 9

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope, an array of first cells disposed in rows and columns in a common plane, an array of second cells disposed in rows and columns in a common plane, said second cells being disposed vertically above said first cells with each second cell communicating with a first cell, an array of scanning anodes associated with said first cells, with each anode being aligned with a row of said first cells, a plurality of scanning cathode electrodes disposed between said arrays of said first and second cells, each scanning cathode being aligned with a column of said second cells, a plurality of display anodes disposed in operative relation with said second cells, each display anode being aligned with a row of said second cells, a phosphor material disposed on the wall of each of said second cells, said phosphor material being sensitive to radiation generated by said gas when it is ionized, mercury vapor in the gas filling in said envelope, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said display anodes for ionizing said second cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said second cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said second cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 10

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope, an array of first cells disposed in rows and columns in a common plane, an array of second cells disposed in rows and columns in a common plane, said second cells being disposed vertically above said first cells with each second cell communicating with a first cell, an array of scanning anodes associated with said first cells, with each anode being aligned with a row of said first cells, a plurality of scanning cathode electrodes disposed between said arrays of said first and second cells, each scanning cathode being aligned with a column of said second cells, a plurality of display anodes disposed in operative relation with said second cells, each display anode being aligned with a row of said second cells, a phosphor material disposed on the wall of each of said second cells, said phosphor material being sensitive to radiation generated by said gas when it is ionized, mercury vapor in the gas filling in said envelope, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said display anodes for ionizing said second cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said second cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said second cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 11

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope, a first insulating plate in said envelope having a top surface and having a plurality of parallel horizontal slots formed in said top surface, a scanning anode electrode seated in each of said slots, a plurality of apertured scanning cathode electrodes disposed adjacent to the top surface of said first plate and spaced from said scanning anodes and oriented orthogonally thereto so that each cathode crosses each anode and each crossing defines a scanning cell, said scanning cell being arrayed in rows and columns, a second plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of apertures comprising display cells which are arrayed in rows and columns, said second plate being positioned above said first plate with said cathodes between the two plates and with said display cells being disposed vertically above said scanning cells with each display cell communicating with a scanning cell through an aperture in a cathode, a plurality of display anodes disposed on or in the top surface of said second plate, each display anode being aligned with a row of said display cells, a phosphor material disposed on the wall of each of said display cells, said phosphor material being sensitive to radiation generated by said gas when it is ionized, mercury vapor in the gas filling in said envelope, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said scanning anodes for ionizing said display cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said display cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said display cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 12

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope, a first insulating plate in said envelope having a top surface and having a plurality of parallel horizontal slots formed in said top surface, a scanning anode electrode seated in each of said slots, a plurality of apertured scanning cathode electrodes disposed adjacent to the top surface of said first plate and spaced from said scanning anodes and oriented orthogonally thereto so that each cathode crosses each anode and each crossing defines a scanning cell, said scanning cell being arrayed in rows and columns, a second plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of apertures comprising display cells which are arrayed in rows and columns, said second plate being positioned above said first plate with said cathodes between the two plates and with said display cells being disposed vertically above said scanning cells with each display cell communicating with a scanning cell through an aperture in a cathode, a plurality of display anodes disposed on or in the top surface of said second plate, each display anode being aligned with a row of said display cells, a phosphor material disposed on the wall of each of said display cells, said phosphor material being sensitive to radiation generated by said gas when it is ionized, mercury vapor in the gas filling in said envelope, and circuit means coupled to said cathode electrodes and said scanning anodes for ionizing said display cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said display cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said display cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity.

Claim 13

The panel defined in claim 7 wherein said circuit means maintains some of said display cells at a low level of intensity to provide background color and others of said display cells at a higher level of intensity to provide a visible character display against said background color.

Claim 14

The panel defined in claim 7 wherein said circuit means can produce a wide range of continuously variable levels of current flow through said display cells, each level of current flow producing a different color of light output therein.

Claim 15

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope containing a plurality of display cells selectively energizable to display a message, electrodes coupled to said cells for selectively ionizing and firing said cells, said cells including phosphor material sensitive to ultraviolet light, a gas filling which generates ultraviolet light and visible light when ionized, and mercury vapor, each of said constituents of said cells contributing to the light output therefrom in different degrees at different levels of current flow, and circuit means coupled to said electrodes for ionizing said cells at selected levels of intensity and current flow, at one of which the phosphor material in the cells is energized and its light output is the primary visible output from said second cells, at another of which the gas generates its characteristic color of cathode glow light which masks the glow of said phosphor material, said circuit means also serving to ionize a plurality of said cells simultaneously to at least one of said levels of intensity. 11 The panel defined in claim 10 and at least one light filter coupled to said cells for selecting a component of the light generated therein.