Multi-line plasma shift register display

Claim 2

In a plasma discharge system having at least two plasma charge transfer devices wherein each of the transfer devices is comprised in part of an envelope defining at least one channel containing an ionizable medium, a plurality of electrodes positioned sequentially and alternately along opposite surfaces of said channel, said electrodes being arranged such that every other electrode on each of the opposing surfaces is commonly connected together to form first and second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays, an input electrode means within each channel arranged with respect to the nearest oppositely located electrode in said first pair of arrays such that a selected potential occurring between said input electrode and the nearest oppositely located electrode will cause a plasma discharge to exist in the channel wherein the improvement comprises: channel drive means corresponding in number to said plasma charge transfer devices for sequentially applying potentials to said first pairs of arrays of opposing electrodes for shifting the plasma discharge to said second pairs of arrays of opposing electrodes; drive means common to all of said second pairs of arrays of opposing electrodes for sequentially applying potentials to opposing electrodes of said second pairs of arrays for shifting said plasma discharge along those channels when sequential potentials are also applied to said first pairs of arrays, and to hold said plasma discharge between opposing electrodes of said second pairs of arrAys for those channels when sequential potentials are not applied to said first pairs of arrays; and logic means for applying potentials sequentially to selected channel drive means so as to cause the plasma discharges within the channel serviced by the selected channel drive means to shift while holding all other plasma discharges within the nonselected channels.

Claim 3

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 1 wherein corresponding input electrode means of said at least two plasma charge transfer devices are connected together such that identical potentials are applied to corresponding input electrode means of each plasma charge transfer device.

Claim 4

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 1 wherein said logic means is comprised of: a four phase signal source for providing two adjacent phased signals to said drive means; a selecting means for providing signals indicative of the selection of a plasma charge transfer device; and means responsive to the selection signals from said selecting means for receiving and gating another two adjacent phased signals from said four phase signal source to the channel drive means associated with the selected plasma charge transfer device.

Claim 5

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 3 wherein said logic means further comprises: input data means for providing signals indicative of a selected character; character generator means for transforming said provided signals into a preset sequence of signals corresponding to the selected character and for feeding said preset sequence of signals to said input electrode means so as to cause associated discharges to occur in said plasma charge transfer devices with the positioning of the discharges being proportional to the configuration of the character selected.

Claim 6

In a plasma discharge system having at least two plasma charge transfer devices wherein each of the transfer devices is comprised in part of an envelope defining at least one channel containing an ionizable medium, a plurality of electrodes positioned sequentially and alternately along opposite surfaces of said channel, said electrodes being arranged such that every other electrode on each of the opposing surfaces is commonly connected together to form first and second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays, an input electrode means within each channel arranged with respect to the nearest oppositely located electrode in said first pair of arrays such that a selected potential occurring between said input electrode and the nearest oppositely located electrode will cause a plasma discharge to exist in the channel, wherein the improvement comprises: a potential source, the potential level of which is sufficient to cause a plasma discharge between electrodes when a static charge of correct polarity exists on one of the electrodes; a plurality of first and second channel driver means, corresponding in number to the number of plasma charge transfer devices, with the first driver means connected to the electrodes of the first pair of arrays on one surface of said channels and the second driver means connected to the electrodes of the first pairs of arrays on the opposite surface of said channels, said first and second channel driver means operatively connected to said potential source for controllably connecting associated electrodes to said potential source; a first and second drive means, with the first drive means connected to all electrodes of the second pairs of arrays positioned on one surface of said channels and the second drive means connected to all electrodes of the second pairs of arrays positioned on the opposite surface of said channels, said first and second drive means sequentially connected to said potential source for connecting associated electrodes sequentially to said potential source; logic means for selecting and sequentially controlling said first and second channel drive means so as to cause the plasma discharges within tHe channel serviced by the selected channel driver means to shift while holding all other plasma discharges within the nonselected channels.

Claim 7

In a plasma discharge system having at least two plasma charge transfer devices wherein each of the transfer devices is comprised in part of an envelope defining at least one channel containing an ionizable medium, a plurality of electrodes positioned sequentially and alternately along opposite surfaces of said channel, said electrodes being arranged such that every other electrode on each of the opposing surfaces is commonly connected together to form first and second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays, an input electrode means within each channel arranged with respect to the nearest oppositely located electrode in said first pair of arrays such that a selected potential occurring between said input electrode and the nearest oppositely located electrode will cause a plasma discharge to exist in the channel, wherein the improvement comprises: a potential source, the potential level of which is sufficient to cause a plasma discharge between electrodes when a static charge of correct polarity exists on one of the electrodes; a plurality of first and second channel driver means, corresponding in number to the number of plasma charge transfer devices, with the first driver means connected to the electrodes of the first pair of arrays on one surface of said channels and the second driver means connected to the electrodes of the first pairs of arrays on the opposite surface of said channels, said first and second channel driver means operatively connected to said potential source for controllably connecting associated electrodes to said potential source; a first and second drive means, with the first drive means connected to all electrodes of the second pairs of arrays positioned on one surface of said channels and the second drive means connected to all electrodes of the second pairs of arrays positioned on the opposite surface of said channels, said first and second drive means sequentially connected to said potential source for connecting associated electrodes sequentially to said potential source; logic means for selecting and sequentially controlling said first and second channel drive means so as to cause the plasma discharges within tHe channel serviced by the selected channel driver means to shift while holding all other plasma discharges within the nonselected channels.

Claim 8

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 5 wherein corresponding input electrodes of said at least two plasma charge transfer devices are connected together such that identical potentials are applied to corresponding input electrodes of each plasma charge transfer device.

Claim 9

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 5 wherein said logic means is comprised of: a four phase signal source for providing two adjacent phased signals to said first and second drive means respectively; a selecting means for providing signals indicative of the selection of a plasma charge transfer device; and means responsive to the selection signals from said selecting means for receiving and gating another two adjacent phased signals from said four phase signal source to the channel driver means associated with the selected plasma charge transfer device.

Claim 10

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 5 wherein said logic means further comprises: input data means for providing signals indicative of a selected character; character generator means for transforming said provided signals into a preset sequence of signals corresponding to the selected character and for feeding said preset sequence of signals to said input electrode means so as to cause associated discharges to occur in said plasma charge transfer devices with the positioning of the discharges being proportional to the configuration of the character selected.

Claim 11

In a plasma discharge system having at least two plasma charge transfer devices wherein each of the transfer devices is comprised in part of an envelope defining at least one channel containing an ionizable medium, a plurality of electrodes positioned sequentially and alternately along opposite surfaces of said channel, said electrodes being arranged such that every other electrode on each of the opposing surfaces is commonly connected together to form first and second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays, an input electrode means within each channel arranged with respect to the nearest oppositely located electrode in said first pair of oppositely positioned arrays such that a selected potential occurring between said input electrode and the nearest oppositely located electrode will cause a plasma discharge to exist in the channel wherein the improvement comprises: a signal source for providing first, second, third and fourth sequentially phased signals, means for applying said third and fourth phased signals to said second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of opposing electrodes to effect a sequencing potential between said electrodes; means for applying said second phased signal to the array of electrodes in said first pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of electrodes which are located adjacent said input electrode means; a plurality of drive means, corresponding in number to the number of plasma charge transfer devices, for controllably applying said first phased signal to the array of electrodes in said first pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of electrodes which are located opposite said input electrode means upon receipt of a selection signal; and logic means for providing a selection signal to particular drive means so as to cause the channel associated with said drive means to enter and shift discharges within said plasma charge transfer devices.

Claim 12

In a plasma discharge system having at least two plasma charge transfer devices wherein each of the transfer devices is comprised in part of an envelope defining at least one channel containing an ionizable medium, a plurality of electrodes positioned sequentially and alternately along opposite surfaces of said channel, said electrodes being arranged such that every other electrode on each of the opposing surfaces is commonly connected together to form first and second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays, an input electrode means within each channel arranged with respect to the nearest oppositely located electrode in said first pair of oppositely positioned arrays such that a selected potential occurring between said input electrode and the nearest oppositely located electrode will cause a plasma discharge to exist in the channel wherein the improvement comprises: a signal source for providing first, second, third and fourth sequentially phased signals, means for applying said third and fourth phased signals to said second pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of opposing electrodes to effect a sequencing potential between said electrodes; means for applying said second phased signal to the array of electrodes in said first pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of electrodes which are located adjacent said input electrode means; a plurality of drive means, corresponding in number to the number of plasma charge transfer devices, for controllably applying said first phased signal to the array of electrodes in said first pairs of oppositely positioned arrays of electrodes which are located opposite said input electrode means upon receipt of a selection signal; and logic means for providing a selection signal to particular drive means so as to cause the channel associated with said drive means to enter and shift discharges within said plasma charge transfer devices.

Claim 13

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 9 wherein corresponding input electrodes of said at least two plasma charge transfer devices are connected together such that identical potentials are applied to corresponding input electrodes of each plasma charge transfer device.

Claim 14

The improved plasma discharge system according to claim 9 wherein said logic means further comprises: input data means for providing signals indicative of a selected character; Character generator means for transforming said provided signals into a preset sequence of signals corresponding to the selected character and for feeding said preset sequence of signals to said input electrode means so as to cause associated discharges to occur in said plasma charge transfer devices with the positioning of the discharges being proportional to the configuration of the character selected.