Display device and method of making the same

Claim 1

A display device comprising: a plurality of indicator units formed on a plate of an insulating material, said plurality of indicator units comprising a plurality of first electrode segments located in a first plane and arranged parallel to each other in a first direction, a plurality of second electrode segments arranged overlying said first electrode segments and located in a second plane above said first plane and arranged parallel to each other and extending in a direction so they cross said first electrode segments to form a number of crossing points, and a plurality of selecting electrode plate segments located in a third plane above said second plane and each electrode plate segment overlying different crossing point regions of said first and second electrode segments such that each electrode plate segment defines a differnet one of said indicator units, an insulating layer between said first and second electrode segments, a second insulating layer between said second electrodes and said selecting electrode plates, there being only one selecting electrode plate for each of said indicating units, a pluraltiy of first connecting leads each connected to one of said first electrode segments of said indicator units, a plurality of second connecting leads each connected to one of said second electrode segments of each of said indicator units, a plurality of third connecting leads each connected to one of said selecting electrode plates, a plurality of apertures formed in said first and second insulating layers and in at least said second and third electrodes, a transparent cover mounted on said plate of insulating material on the side of said indicator units to form an envelope, an ionizable gas sealed in said envelope, first circuit means for applying pulse voltage to the respective first electrode segments in a time divisional manner, second circuit means for appLying pulse voltage to the respective second electrode segments in a time divisional manner, and third circuit means for applying pulse voltage to the respective selecting electrode plates in a time divisional sequential manner such that only one electrode plate is energized at a time, whereby a glow discharge indication occurs at those crossing points of said energized electrode plate where a pulsed second electrode segment overlies a pulsed first electrode segment to illuminate the particular indicator unit associated with said one electrode plate such that the energized crossing points are illuminated to produce the desired intelligence.