Conditioning of gaseous discharge display/memory device

Claim 2

In a gaseous discharge display/memory device characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium in a gas chamber formed by a pair of opposed dielectric charge storage members which are respectively backed by a series of electrode members, the electrode members behind each dielectric member being transversely oriented relative to the electrode members behind the opposing dielectric member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes in open photonic communication, each of which constitutes a discharge unit, and wherein an alternating current sustaining voltage is maintained on all of said units and at least one discharge unit is in the ON state so as to serve as a pilot unit for the gaseous medium conditioning of other units to be addressed, the improvement wherein a pre-addressing voltage signal is applied between alternate half-cycles of said sustaining voltage to a series of intermediate units which connect at least one pilot unit to at least one unit to be addressed, said intermediate units being geometrically arranged such that they are photonically connected, said pre-addressing voltage signal being applied for sufficient time to discharge said series of intermediate units to propagate the conditioning of the gaseous medium from the pilot unit through the intermediate units to each unit to be addressed and having a polarity the same as the preceding sustaining voltage half-cycle applied to said intermediate units.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein the pre-addressing voltage is simultaneously applied to all of the discharge units of the panel.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein the pre-addressing voltage is of a square or rectangular waveform.

Claim 5

In a process for operating a gaseous discharge display/memory device, said device being characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium with a multiplicity of voltage addressable gaseous discharge units in open photonic communication, an alternating current sustaining voltage being maintained on all of said units, the improvement which comprises conditioning the gaseous medium of at least one non-operating, non-addressed unit by applying between alternate half-cycles of said sustaining voltage a pre-addressing firing voltage signal to one or more intermediate units connecting the non-operating, non-addressed unit to an operating unit, said intermediate units being geometrically arranged such that they are openly photonically connected with each other, said operating unit and said non-operating, non-addressed unit; said voltage signal having a polarity the same as the preceding sustaining voltage half-cycle applied to said intermediate units and being applied for sufficient time to fire or discharge said intermediate units to propagate by photonic connection the gaseous medium conditioning from said operating unit across said connecting intermediate units to said non-operating, non-addressed unit to photonically generate free electrons in said gaseous medium at said non-operating, non-addressed unit.

Claim 6

In a process for operating a gaseous discharge display/memory device, said device being characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium with a multiplicity of voltage addressable gaseous discharge units in open photonic communication, an alternating current sustaining voltage being maintained on all of said units, the improvement which comprises conditioning the gaseous medium of at least one non-operating, non-addressed unit by applying between alternate half-cycles of said sustaining voltage a pre-addressing firing voltage signal to one or more intermediate units connecting the non-operating, non-addressed unit to an operating unit, said intermediate units being geometrically arranged such that they are openly photonically connected with each other, said operating unit and said non-operating, non-addressed unit; said voltage signal having a polarity the same as the preceding sustaining voltage half-cycle applied to said intermediate units and being applied for sufficient time to fire or discharge said intermediate units to propagate by photonic connection the gaseous medium conditioning from said operating unit across said connecting intermediate units to said non-operating, non-addressed unit to photonically generate free electrons in said gaseous medium at said non-operating, non-addressed unit.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 4, wherein the pre-addressing voltage is simultaneously applied to all of the discharge units of the panel.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4 wherein the pre-addressing voltage is of a square or rectangular waveform.

Claim 9

In a process for operating a gaseous discharge display/memory device, said device being characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium between a pair of opposed dielectric charge storage members which are respectively backed by a plurality of electrode members, the electrode members behind each dielectric member being transversely oriented relative to the electrode members behind the opposing dielectric member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes in open photonic communication, each of which constitutes a discharge unit, an alternating current sustaining voltage being maintained on all of said units, the improvement which comprises applying a voltage to at least one pilot unit sufficient to cause it to be fired or discharged; then conditioning the gaseous medium of at least one non-operating, to-be-addressed unit spaced from said pilot unit by applying between alternate half-cycles of said sustaining voltage a pre-addressing firing voltage signal to one or more intermediate units between said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit and said pilot unIt; said intermediate units being geometrically arranged such that they are openly photonically connected with each other, said pilot unit and said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit; said voltage being applied for sufficient time to fire or discharge said one or more intermediate units to propagate, by photonic connection, conditioning of the gaseous medium from said pilot unit across said intermediate units to said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit to photonically generate free electrons in said gaseous medium at said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit; said voltage signal having a polarity the same as the preceding sustaining voltage half-cycle applied to said intermediate units; and then applying a turn-on signal to said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit.

Claim 10

In a process for operating a gaseous discharge display/memory device, said device being characterized by an ionizable gaseous medium between a pair of opposed dielectric charge storage members which are respectively backed by a plurality of electrode members, the electrode members behind each dielectric member being transversely oriented relative to the electrode members behind the opposing dielectric member so as to define a plurality of discrete discharge volumes in open photonic communication, each of which constitutes a discharge unit, an alternating current sustaining voltage being maintained on all of said units, the improvement which comprises applying a voltage to at least one pilot unit sufficient to cause it to be fired or discharged; then conditioning the gaseous medium of at least one non-operating, to-be-addressed unit spaced from said pilot unit by applying between alternate half-cycles of said sustaining voltage a pre-addressing firing voltage signal to one or more intermediate units between said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit and said pilot unIt; said intermediate units being geometrically arranged such that they are openly photonically connected with each other, said pilot unit and said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit; said voltage being applied for sufficient time to fire or discharge said one or more intermediate units to propagate, by photonic connection, conditioning of the gaseous medium from said pilot unit across said intermediate units to said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit to photonically generate free electrons in said gaseous medium at said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit; said voltage signal having a polarity the same as the preceding sustaining voltage half-cycle applied to said intermediate units; and then applying a turn-on signal to said non-operating, to-be-addressed unit.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 7 wherein the pre-addressing voltage is simultaneously applied to all of the discharge units of the device.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 7 wherein the preaddressing voltages are of a square or rectangular waveform.