Display having a photoconductor gas discharge control

Claim 2

In a display device, display area means comprising at least one basic display area consisting of a plurality of individual regions distributed in an array, a conductive member in each region, a plate supporting said conductive members and electrically isolating the members from each other and exposing both ends of said members, means including impedance means connected at one end of each member responsive to the supply of a predetermined amount of electrical power and illumination of the area corresponding to the said member to produce an electric field in the respective regions, an electrode extending across and spaced from a set of ends of members at selected array portions, each impedance means having high impedance and actuatable into a low impedance condition, illumination means for respective array sections sensitive to voltage signals for actuating all of the impedance means of a respective portion of the array into a low impedance condition, means for supplying said voltage signals to said illumination means, and means for applying said predetermined amount of electrical power to said impedance means and said conductor members.

Claim 3

A display device according to claim 1 in which each said impedance means comprises photosensitive resistor means.

Claim 4

A display device according to claim 1 in which each said impedance means comprises a photosensitive resistor, and each said control means comprises means for generating a light beam which is bar-like in cross section and which simultaneously illuminates all of the said photosensitive resistors pertaining to the respective column simultaneously.

Claim 5

A display device according to claim 1 in which said means for supplying voltage signals to said control means and to said electrodes comprises means for supplying actuating voltage signals to said control means and to said electrodes sequentially.

Claim 6

A display device according to claim 1 in which said means for supplying voltage signals to said control means and to said electrodes comprises a first source of signals connected to said control means and supplying actuating signals thereto sequentially, a second source of signals connected to said electrodes and supplying signals thereto according to controllable patterns, and means maintaining the signals from the respective sources in a condition of predetermined timed relation.

Claim 7

A display device according to claim 1 which includes a transparent electrically nonconductive panel adjacent to but spaced from said plate and facing the said one end of said members, conductive means distributed on the side of said panel facing said members, a gas in the space between said panel and said members which luminesces in the presence of an electric discharge, and each said detectable signal comprising light rays emanating from the gas adjacent the said one end of each member when the said member is supplied with said predetermined amount of electric power.

Claim 8

A display device according to claim 6 in which said conductive means is a substantially transparent film of electrically conductive material.

Claim 9

A display device according to claim 7 in which said film is a film of tin oxide.

Claim 10

A display device according to claim 3 which includes a back panel spaced from said plate and facing said other end of said members, a gas in the space between said plate and back panel which luminesces in the presence of an electric discharge, conductive strips parallel to the said columns and mounted on the side of said back panel facing said plate, electrically conductive means distributed on the side of said plate facing said back panel, and electriCally inert opaque divider strips extending between said back panel plate and parallel to said columns and located between said columns and also between said strips whereby the space between said plate and back panel is divided into a plurality of bar-like chambers with one thereof pertaining to each column.

Claim 11

A display device according to claim 9 in which said back panel has grooves therein on the side facing said plate parallel to and coplanar with said columns, said strips being mounted in said grooves.

Claim 12

A display device according to claim 9 which includes means providing communication between adjacent ones of said chambers for the exchange of gas ions therebetween.

Claim 13

A display device according to claim 11 in which said means includes notch means in the edges of said divider strips nearest said back panel.

Claim 14

A display device according to claim 6 which includes a plurality of electrically inert opaque divider strips perpendicular to said plate and panel and disposed therebetween and dividing the space between said plate and panel into discrete chambers, said conductive means on said panel being electrically divided to provide for a discrete area for each said chamber.

Claim 15

A display device according to claim 13 in which said divider strips are disposed between adjacent ones of said regions.

Claim 16

A display device according to claim 13 in which said divider strips are non light reflective.

Claim 17

A display device according to claim 1 which includes a transparent electrically nonconductive panel adjacent to but spaced from said plate and facing the said one end of said members, conductive means distributed on the side of said panel facing said members, a gas in the space between said panel and said members which luminesces in the presence of an electric discharge, each said detectable signal comprising light rays emanating from the gas adjacent the said one end of each member when the said member is supplied with said predetermined amount of electric power, a back panel spaced from said plate and facing said other end of said members, a gas in the space between said plate and back panel which luminesces in the presence of an electric discharge, conductive strips parallel to the said columns and mounted on the side of said back panel facing said plate, electrically conductive means distributed on the side of said plate facing said back panel, and electrically inert opaque divider strips extending between said back panel plate and parallel to said columns and located between said columns and also between said strips whereby the space between said plate and back panel is divided into a plurality of bar-like chambers with one thereof pertaining to each column.

Claim 18

A display device according to claim 16 which includes means providing communication between adjacent ones of said chambers for the exchange of gas ions therebetween.

Claim 19

In a device for creating bar-like beams of light; first and second plate members in a spaced parallel relation defining a space therebetween to receive a gas which will luminesce in the presence of an electric discharge, spaced parallel opaque nonreflective divider strips perpendicular to said plate members and disposed therebetween to divide said space into a plurality of elongated chambers to confine the light emitted from said discharge anode means formed on the side of said first plate member which faces said second plate member, an elongated electrode extending in each chamber on the side of said second plate member which faces said first plate member, means for generating bar-like beams of light extending from one side to the other of said first and second plate members and having a narrowly defined width of predetermined proportions, and means providing communication between at least adjacent chambers for the flow of gas ions therebetween, and signal supply means connected to said electrodes and operable for addressing electric signals to said electrodes operable to create a luminous condition in the respective chamBer in sequence from an end one of said chambers across the series of chambers to the other end chamber.

Claim 20

In a device for creating bar-like beams of light; first and second plate members in a spaced parallel relation defining a space therebetween to receive a gas which will luminesce in the presence of an electric discharge, spaced parallel opaque nonreflective divider strips perpendicular to said plate members and disposed therebetween to divide said space into a plurality of elongated chambers to confine the light emitted from said discharge anode means formed on the side of said first plate member which faces said second plate member, an elongated electrode extending in each chamber on the side of said second plate member which faces said first plate member, means for generating bar-like beams of light extending from one side to the other of said first and second plate members and having a narrowly defined width of predetermined proportions, and means providing communication between at least adjacent chambers for the flow of gas ions therebetween, and signal supply means connected to said electrodes and operable for addressing electric signals to said electrodes operable to create a luminous condition in the respective chamBer in sequence from an end one of said chambers across the series of chambers to the other end chamber.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 18 in which said electrodes comprise a first electrode in said one end chamber and successive equal groups of electrodes, a first terminal connected to said first electrode and a plurality of further terminals connected to respective electrodes of the group thereof adjacent said first electrode, connectors electrically connecting the corresponding electrodes of said groups together, said signal supply means supplying a first signal to said first terminal and then supplying further signals in succession to said further terminals in the order of remoteness of the respective electrodes from said first electrode, the number of said further signals so supplied being equal to the number of electrodes in a said group times the number of the said groups.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 18 in which said signal supply means addresses a first signal to a first electrode in an end one of said chambers at intervals of about thirty microseconds and addresses a further signal to each of the other electrodes in succession commencing with the electrode adjacent said first electrode during each said interval.

Claim 23

A device according to claim 20 in which said other electrodes are divided into equal groups of adjacent electrodes, and means interconnecting corresponding electrodes of said groups whereby following the said first signal addressed to said first electrode a series of said further signals are addressed in succession to the electrodes of the group adjacent said first electrode commencing with the other electrode which is nearest to said first electrode and said series of further signals in repeated as many times as there are groups of electrodes thereby to cause the chambers to become successively luminous in one direction of progression along the chambers.

Claim 24

A device according to claim 18 in which said means providing communication between adjacent chambers comprise notch means in the edges of said divider strips adjacent said second plate member.

Claim 25

A device according to claim 18 in which said divider strips are electrically inert in respect of the environment thereof.

Claim 26

A device according to claim 18 in which said divider strips are substantially non reflective in respect of light.

Claim 27

In a pair of optically coupled gas discharge panels, the method for creating information bearing patterns of detectable signals in the second of two panels by controlling said second discharge panel which has transmitting elements in an array corresponding to discharge regions on the first of said panels with each of said elements having a signal emitting region and a signal receiving region, the steps of selectively illuminating the respective array portions of the signal receiving regions with radiation produced by said first panel, electronically addressing said transmitting elements to render them effective for transmitting signals from the said signal receiving regions thereof to the said signal emitting regions thereof, said signal emitting regions of said elements developing the said pattern of detectable signals.

Claim 28

In a pair of optically coupled gas discharge panels, the method for creating information bearing patterns of detectable signals in the second of two panels by controlling said second discharge panel which has transmitting elements in an array corresponding to discharge regions on the first of said panels with each of said elements having a signal emitting region and a signal receiving region, the steps of selectively illuminating the respective array portions of the signal receiving regions with radiation produced by said first panel, electronically addressing said transmitting elements to render them effective for transmitting signals from the said signal receiving regions thereof to the said signal emitting regions thereof, said signal emitting regions of said elements developing the said pattern of detectable signals.

Claim 29

The method according to claim 25 in which a photosensitive resistor is interposed between each signal receiving region and the supply of signals, and said columns of elements are made effective by illumination of all of the resistors pertaining to a column of said elements simultaneously.

Claim 30

The method according to claim 26 which includes creating said illumination by plasma discharge.

Claim 31

The method according to claim 26 which includes disposing a respective plasma discharge chamber adjacent the resistors of each column of elements, and actuating said chambers in succession.

Claim 32

The method according to claim 28 which includes arranging said chambers in adjacent relation, providing for limited communication between adjacent chambers for the flow of gas ions therebetween, addressing a first signal to aN end one of said chambers to create plasma discharge therein with simultaneous flow of gas ions into the next adjacent chamber, and addressing further signals to each chamber in succession following said one chamber.

Claim 33

The method according to claim 29 which includes addressing each said further signal to uniformly spaces ones of said chambers simultaneously whereby each said further signal will create plasma discharge only in the one of said chambers next adjacent the chamber last to have a discharge created therein.

Claim 34

The method according to claim 30 which includes supplying said first signals at intervals such that no substantial flicker is observable at said one chamber, and uniformly distributing said further signals during said intervals.

Claim 35

In a combination with first and second optically coupled gas discharge panels, a second panel forming a display device and including photoconductor controlled gas discharge elements arranged in a set, said first panel including illuminating means for addressing a group of said photoconductors, corresponding to selected elements of the set, means in combination with said second panel for electrically addressing one or more groups of selected elements of the same set, input means including synchronous means for determining which of the elements are simultaneously addressed by said illuminating means and said electrical addressing means whereby an emission of light will produce a desired display on said second panel.

Claim 36

In a combination with first and second optically coupled gas discharge panels, a second panel forming a display device and including photoconductor controlled gas discharge elements arranged in a set, said first panel including illuminating means for addressing a group of said photoconductors, corresponding to selected elements of the set, means in combination with said second panel for electrically addressing one or more groups of selected elements of the same set, input means including synchronous means for determining which of the elements are simultaneously addressed by said illuminating means and said electrical addressing means whereby an emission of light will produce a desired display on said second panel.

Claim 37

The display device in accordance with claim 32 including a plurality of said sets, a second mechanism responsive to said clocking means for determining which of the sets is operative, and multiplexing means whereby a combination of the same illuminating means and electrical means is utilizable for effecting discharge of the elements of the set controlled by said clocking means of a given one of the said elements of said respective sets by simultaneous energization through a combination of said illuminating means and electrical means.

Claim 38

A process for producing a display from a combination of optically coupled first and second gas discharge panels, said second panel having a plurality of gas discharge cells each controlled by photoconductors and arranged in a set, comprising the steps of optically scanning the said photoconductor with said first panel means, and simultaneously imposing an electrical voltage on selected ones of said photoconductors to produce a discharge on said cells and thereby effecting a display by the total number of gas discharging cells on said second panel.

Claim 39

A process for producing a display from a combination of optically coupled first and second gas discharge panels, said second panel having a plurality of gas discharge cells each controlled by photoconductors and arranged in a set, comprising the steps of optically scanning the said photoconductor with said first panel means, and simultaneously imposing an electrical voltage on selected ones of said photoconductors to produce a discharge on said cells and thereby effecting a display by the total number of gas discharging cells on said second panel.

Claim 40

The process in accordance with claim 34 wherein a plurality of such sets are provided in combination and including the steps of stepping by a clocking function from one set of elements to a successive set, and simultaneously repeating by a multiplexing function the electrical energization of selected ones of said elements of a respective set determined by said clocking function and multiplexing function.