Signal collecting and distributing systems

Claim 2

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, control signal generator means connected to said electroluminescent devices for providing a plurality of signals for selectively controlling said devices.

Claim 3

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said signal elements are arrangEd in a pattern of orthogonal rows and columns forming an image generating means.

Claim 4

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, and a plurality of transistor amplifiers biased normally to the cut-off state, each amplifier being connected in circuit with a signal element and having its control electrode connected to a respective transmission element, said switching signal having an amplitude sufficient to operate said transistors, wherein said signal elements are devices which emit radiation in response to an applied signal, and further including control signal generator means connected in circuit with each of said transistor amplifiers for selectively energizing said signal elements.

Claim 5

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, and a plurality of transistor amplifiers biased normally to the cut-off state, each amplifier being connected in circuit with a signal element and having its control electrode connected to a respective transmission element, said switching signal having an amplitude sufficient to operate said transistors, wherein said signal elements are devices which emit radiation in response to an applied signal, and further including control signal generator means connected in circuit with each of said transistor amplifiers for selectively energizing said signal elements.

Claim 6

The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said switching signal generator means and said control signal generator means are connected to a summing junction from which is derived a composite signal composed of a positive switching signal followed by a plurality of negative control signals, said summing junction being connected to said transistor amplifiers through a first diode poled to pass only said control signals and being connected to said transmission line through a second diode poled to pass only said switching signals.

Claim 7

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are devices which emit radiation in response to an applied signal connected at one end thereof directly to said respective transmission elements, and further including control signal generator means connected to the other end of said devices for selectively energizing said signal elements.

Claim 8

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are devices which emit radiation in response to an applied signal connected at one end thereof directly to said respective transmission elements, and further including control signal generator means connected to the other end of said devices for selectively energizing said signal elements.

Claim 9

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are disposed in parallel with the negative resistance devices of respective transmission elements.

Claim 10

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of transmission elements connected in tandem, each transmission element being connected to a respective signal element and including a negative resistance device capable of reshaping and amplifying said switching signals, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are disposed in parallel with the negative resistance devices of respective transmission elements.

Claim 11

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of blocks of semiconductor material of first conductivity tYpe each having first and second ohmic contacts disposed in linear fashion adjacent respective longitudinal edges of said blocks and connected to one another in first and second lines, respectively, on each block, and plural mesa parts of semiconductor material of conductivity opposite said first type disposed in a third line parallel to said first and second lines at the middle of each block, a bias voltage connected to all but an end one of said mesa parts, distribution means connected to said end one of said mesa parts on each block for sequentially applying switching signals thereto from said generator means which is connected between said distributor means and said second line of ohmoc contacts on each block, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are connected to said first line of ohmic contacts, and further including control signal generating means connected to said signal elements and said first line of ohmic contacts.

Claim 12

A switching control system comprising: a plurality of spaced controllable signal elements, a switching means connected to said signal elements for actuating said elements in a predetermined sequential order including an active transmission line capable of attenuationless propagation at a constant rate including a plurality of blocks of semiconductor material of first conductivity tYpe each having first and second ohmic contacts disposed in linear fashion adjacent respective longitudinal edges of said blocks and connected to one another in first and second lines, respectively, on each block, and plural mesa parts of semiconductor material of conductivity opposite said first type disposed in a third line parallel to said first and second lines at the middle of each block, a bias voltage connected to all but an end one of said mesa parts, distribution means connected to said end one of said mesa parts on each block for sequentially applying switching signals thereto from said generator means which is connected between said distributor means and said second line of ohmoc contacts on each block, and generator means connected to said transmission line for applying switching signals thereto, wherein said signal elements are connected to said first line of ohmic contacts, and further including control signal generating means connected to said signal elements and said first line of ohmic contacts.

Claim 13

The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said electroluminescent devices are formed into an image generating panel.

Claim 14

A signal distributing device comprising: a plurality of controllable systems; control signal source means for operatingly providing at least one control signal to said controllable systems for controlling the operations of said controllable systems; switch means connected to respective controllable systems, each switch means having a switching characteristic; means for supplying said control signal to said controllable systems through said switch means, respectively; switching signal source means for operatingly providing at least one switching signal for rendering said switch means conductive; and active transmission line means for operatingly transmitting said switching signal with a certain delay time to said switch means.

Claim 15

A signal distributing device comprising: a plurality of controllable systems; control signal source means for operatingly providing at least one control signal to said controllable systems for controlling the operations of said controllable systems; switch means connected to respective controllable systems, each switch means having a switching characteristic; means for supplying said control signal to said controllable systems through said switch means, respectively; switching signal source means for operatingly providing at least one switching signal for rendering said switch means conductive; and active transmission line means for operatingly transmitting said switching signal with a certain delay time to said switch means.

Claim 16

A signal distributing device as defined in claim 9 in which said controllable systems are electrically controlled luminous elements operatingly responsive to said control signal.

Claim 17

A signal distributing device as defined in claim 10, in which said luminous elements are arranged in a matrix fashion to form a signal displaying panel.

Claim 18

A signal distributing device comprising: a plurality of spacially displaced controllable systems; means for supplying to said respective controllable systems at least a control signal for controlling the operations of said controllable systems; switching signal source means for operatingly providing at least a switching signal for rendering said controllable systems selectively operable; active transmission line means having a plurality of output terminals serially arranged to each other for operatingly transmitting said switching signal to said output terminals one after another with a certain delay time therebetween; and means for connecting each of said controllable systems to said terminals, respectively, to render said controllable systems responsive to said switching signal in the operable state thereof.

Claim 19

A signal distributing device comprising: a plurality of spacially displaced controllable systems; means for supplying to said respective controllable systems at least a control signal for controlling the operations of said controllable systems; switching signal source means for operatingly providing at least a switching signal for rendering said controllable systems selectively operable; active transmission line means having a plurality of output terminals serially arranged to each other for operatingly transmitting said switching signal to said output terminals one after another with a certain delay time therebetween; and means for connecting each of said controllable systems to said terminals, respectively, to render said controllable systems responsive to said switching signal in the operable state thereof.

Claim 20

A signal distributing device as defined in claim 12, in which said controllable systems are electrically luminescent elements formed integrally with said active transmission line means and having respectively a luminescent face thereof, and said luminescent elements being arranged to form a signal displaying face with said respective luminescent faces.

Claim 21

A transducer panel comprising a first transparent conductive layer, a transducer layer formed of an electroluminescent material mounted on said first transparent conductive layer for converting one form of energy to another, a semiconductive layer of one conductivity type having a plurality of semiconductive elements of another conductivity type embedded therein and disposed in linear spaced relation across one face thereof in contact with said transducer layer, a second conductive layer mounted on with a fAce of said semiconductive layer, a source of bias voltage connected to all but the first semiconductive element in each line of elements embedded in said semiconductive layer, generator and distributor means for applying a trigger signal to said first semiconductive elements in each line of elements in a prescribed timed sequence, and control signal generator means connected in series with said source of bias voltage between said first and second conductive layers for selectively controlling energization of said signal elements.

Claim 22

A transducer panel comprising a first transparent conductive layer, a transducer layer formed of an electroluminescent material mounted on said first transparent conductive layer for converting one form of energy to another, a semiconductive layer of one conductivity type having a plurality of semiconductive elements of another conductivity type embedded therein and disposed in linear spaced relation across one face thereof in contact with said transducer layer, a second conductive layer mounted on with a fAce of said semiconductive layer, a source of bias voltage connected to all but the first semiconductive element in each line of elements embedded in said semiconductive layer, generator and distributor means for applying a trigger signal to said first semiconductive elements in each line of elements in a prescribed timed sequence, and control signal generator means connected in series with said source of bias voltage between said first and second conductive layers for selectively controlling energization of said signal elements.

Claim 23

The combination defined in claim 9 wherein said generator and distributor means includes a delay line and a pulse generator, said first semiconductive elements being connected at spaced points along said delay line and said pulse generator being connected between one end of said delay line and said second conductive layer.