Electroluminescent cathode ray storage tube

Claim 1

In a cathode ray storage display device having an envelope, an electron gun for generating an electron beam located in one section of said envelope and a storage target in another section of said envelope for retaining thereon a pattern written by said electron beam under the control of deflection means, the improvement comprising; a phosphor layer onto which said electron beam engages for generating a light-producing image corresponding to the pattern created by said electron beam; an electroluminescent structure adjacent said phosphor layer including an electroluminescent layer having transparent conductive coatings on each side of said electroluminescent layer with areas of said electroluminescent layer corresponding to said light-producing image of said phosphor layer being activated to display a visible image corresponding to said light-producing image; means for applying sustain pulses to said conductive coatings to maintain said visible image in a stored condition in said electroluminescent layer, or to place said electroluminescent layer in a ready to write state; and said electron gun being activated during intervals between said sustain pulses or during an interval when said sustain pulses are interrupted and said electron beam from said electron gun being directed under control of said deflection means to a selected area or selected areas of said storage target to selectively erase stored information therefrom.

Claim 8

A method of operating a cathode ray storage display device having electron gun means, deflection means and a storage target at the display surface thereof including a phosphor layer and an electroluminescent layer, the method comprising the steps of: operating the electron gun to generate an electron beam which is directed toward the storage target; deflecting the electron beam over the phosphor layer to write a pattern thereon which emits light which activates corresponding areas of the electroluminescent layer to visibly display said pattern; applying sustain pulses to said electroluminescent layer thereby causing said visible pattern to be stored by said electroluminescent layer; and operating said electron gun during the interval between said sustain pulses or when said sustain pulses are discontinued to selectively erase some of said pattern.

Claim 9

A method of operating a cathode ray storage display device having electron gun means, deflection means and a storage target at the display surface thereof including a phosphor layer and an electroluminescent layer, the method comprising the steps of: operating the electron gun to generate an electron beam which is directed toward the storage target; deflecting the electron beam over the phosphor layer to write a pattern thereon which emits light which activates corresponding areas of the electroluminescent layer to visibly display said pattern; applying sustain pulses to said electroluminescent layer thereby causing said visible pattern to be stored by said electroluminescent layer; and operating said electron gun during the interval between said sustain pulses or when said sustain pulses are discontinued to selectively erase some of said pattern.