Driving system for a gas discharge panel

Claim 2

An energizing system for a gas discharge display including a first base plate and a first set of electrodes disposed thereon with a dielectric layer disposed over said first set of electrodes, and a second base plate and a second set of electrodes disposed thereon in opposite relationship to said first set of electrodes and defining a region for confining a discharge gas therebetween, said energizing system comprising: a. priming means for applying a discharge voltage to a selected one of successive electrode pairs of said second set to establish a priming fire therebetween; b. shift means for sequentially applying a shift voltage to remaining successive such pairs of electrodes of said second set thereby to shift said priming fire thereto; c. write means for applying a write signal to a selected electrode of said first set to establish a discharge at an intersection of said selected electrode and an electrode pair of said second set on which the priming fire is shifted whereby a wall charge is stored at a corresponding position upon said dielectric layer; d. sustain means for applying a sustain voltage to said first set of electrodes; and e. erase means having an address means for identifying a position defined by said first set of electrodes to be erased and for causing said shift means to shift a priming fire to an electrode pair of said second set corresponding to the said address identified position of the first set of electrodes, said erase means further including means operating in conjunction with said address means for terminating the application of the sustain voltage by said sustain means to said first set of electrodes for a predetermined period whereby the shifted priming fire neutralizes the wall charge stored upon said dielectric layer at said address identified position thereof, corresponding to the shifted position of the priming fire.

Claim 3

The energizing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said erase means effects the reapplication of the sustain voltage to the electrodes of said first set after the predetermined period.

Claim 4

The energizing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said erasing means includes an auxiliary erasing means for applying an auxiliary erasing voltage for a selected period to said first set of electrodes during said predetermined period thereby to increase the rate of neutralization of the wall charges.

Claim 5

The energizing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is included a third set of electrodes disposed intermediate said first and second set of electrodes and at substantially right angles thereto, said write means applies the write signals between said selected electrode of said first set and the electrodes of said third set in timed relation with the shifting of the priming fire to the corresponding electrode pair of said second set, thereby to establish said wall charge at said corresponding position upon said dielectric layer, and said sustain means applies said sustain voltage between said first and third sets of electrodes.

Claim 6

The energizing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said write means is operative to apply a write signal to a selected one of said first electrodes in timed relation with the shifting of the priming fire to the corresponding electrode pair of said second set thereby to establish a corresponding wall charge at the corresponding position upon said dielectric layer which was previously erased.

Claim 7

A discharge display panel system comprising: a. a display panel comprising a shift layer having first and second sets of electrodes disposed in spaced relationship at substantially right angles to eaCh other to define intersections, a display layer with third and fourth sets of electrodes disposed in spaced relationship at substantially right angles to each other to define intersections respectively corresponding to the intersections of said shift layer, said display and said shift layers being disposed in opposed relation for receiving a discharge gas therebetween, and a dielectric storage layer associated with said display layer; b. priming means for applying a discharge voltage to selected electrodes of said first set thereby to establish a priming fire therebetween; c. shift means for sequentially selecting electrodes of said first set and for applying a shift voltage between the sequentially selected electrodes of said first set and the electrodes of said second set thereby to shift the priming fire sequentially across said shift layer; d. sustain means for applying a sustain voltage between the electrodes of said third and fourth sets; e. write means for selecting one of said third set of electrodes and for applying a write signal between the said selected one of said third set of electrodes and the electrodes of said fourth set in timed relation to the application of the shift voltage between the corresponding selected electrode of said first set and the electrodes of said second set to effect a discharge at the thus defined intersection, whereby a wall charge is stored upon said dielectric layer at a corresponding position; and f. erase means for terminating for a predetermined interval, the application of the sustain voltage by said sustain means in timed relation to the selection and application of the shift voltage to an electrode of said first set corresponding to an intersection of said display layer, whereby the shifted priming fire neutralizes the wall charge stored at the said corresponding position upon said dielectric layer.

Claim 8

A discharge display panel system comprising: a. a display panel comprising a shift layer having first and second sets of electrodes disposed in spaced relationship at substantially right angles to eaCh other to define intersections, a display layer with third and fourth sets of electrodes disposed in spaced relationship at substantially right angles to each other to define intersections respectively corresponding to the intersections of said shift layer, said display and said shift layers being disposed in opposed relation for receiving a discharge gas therebetween, and a dielectric storage layer associated with said display layer; b. priming means for applying a discharge voltage to selected electrodes of said first set thereby to establish a priming fire therebetween; c. shift means for sequentially selecting electrodes of said first set and for applying a shift voltage between the sequentially selected electrodes of said first set and the electrodes of said second set thereby to shift the priming fire sequentially across said shift layer; d. sustain means for applying a sustain voltage between the electrodes of said third and fourth sets; e. write means for selecting one of said third set of electrodes and for applying a write signal between the said selected one of said third set of electrodes and the electrodes of said fourth set in timed relation to the application of the shift voltage between the corresponding selected electrode of said first set and the electrodes of said second set to effect a discharge at the thus defined intersection, whereby a wall charge is stored upon said dielectric layer at a corresponding position; and f. erase means for terminating for a predetermined interval, the application of the sustain voltage by said sustain means in timed relation to the selection and application of the shift voltage to an electrode of said first set corresponding to an intersection of said display layer, whereby the shifted priming fire neutralizes the wall charge stored at the said corresponding position upon said dielectric layer.

Claim 9

The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are further provided memory means for storing an indication of the position of the priming fire in said shift layer in accordance with the sequential selection of said first electrodes and means for initiating the operation of said erase means in response to a correspondence of the shifted priming fire position and the intersection position of the display layer desired to be erased.

Claim 10

The display system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said third set of electrodes is divided into sub-groups of electrodes corresponding to lines of information to be displayed upon said display panel, and there is included line address means for controlling the application of write signals selectively to said sub-groups of electrodes of said third set.

Claim 11

The display system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second set of electrodes is divided into sub-groups of electrodes corresponding to lines of information to be displayed upon said display panel, and there are included new line reset electrodes respectively associated with said sub-groups of said second set of electrodes, means for generating a new line signal, address means for generating a line address signal corresponding to the new line reset electrode associated with the desired sub-group of electrodes, and control means responsive to a new line signal and to a line address signal for applying a discharge voltage to said new line reset electrode and said desired sub-group of electrodes to produce a priming fire to be shifted therebetween.

Claim 12

A driving system for a gas discharge display having a shift layer and a display layer disposed to receive a discharge gas therebetween, each layer including respective pluralities of electrodes defining positions in the respective layers, with a position in one layer corresponding at least in part to a position in the other layer, and the plurality of electrodes of the display layer being covered with a dielectric layer, said driving system comprising: means for applying a sustain voltage to the electrodes of said display layer; means for identifying an electrode of the display layer corresponding to a position of the dielectric layer storing a wall charge to be neutralized; means for establishing a priming fire in said shift layer; means for sequentially applying a shift voltage to successive electrodes of said shift layer to shift the priming fire to a position thereof corresponding to the identified electrode of said display layer; and means responsive to shifting of said priming fire to said position corresponding to the identified electrode of said display layer for interrupting application of said sustain voltage by said sustain voltage applying means to said electrodes of said display layer for a predetermined time, the sustain voltage being reapplied by said sustain voltage applying means after the said predetermined time.

Claim 13

A driving system for a gas discharge display having a shift layer and a display layer disposed to receive a discharge gas therebetween, each layer including respective pluralities of electrodes defining positions in the respective layers, with a position in one layer corresponding at least in part to a position in the other layer, and the plurality of electrodes of the display layer being covered with a dielectric layer, said driving system comprising: means for applying a sustain voltage to the electrodes of said display layer; means for identifying an electrode of the display layer corresponding to a position of the dielectric layer storing a wall charge to be neutralized; means for establishing a priming fire in said shift layer; means for sequentially applying a shift voltage to successive electrodes of said shift layer to shift the priming fire to a position thereof corresponding to the identified electrode of said display layer; and means responsive to shifting of said priming fire to said position corresponding to the identified electrode of said display layer for interrupting application of said sustain voltage by said sustain voltage applying means to said electrodes of said display layer for a predetermined time, the sustain voltage being reapplied by said sustain voltage applying means after the said predetermined time.

Claim 16

The energizing method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step of applying a write signal comprises applying a write signal simultaneously to each electrode of said first set thereby to effect negative writing of information.