Data readout system utilizing light sensitive junction switch members

Claim 1

A DATA READOUT SYSTEM COMPRISING MEANS OPERABLE IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE, A PLURALITY OF PNPN LIGHT ACTIVATED SWITCH MEMBERS ALIGNED IN A PREDETERMINED MANNER TO BE REPETITIVELY ILLUMINATED OR NON-ILLUMINATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE, AN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT FOR EACH OF SAID PNPN LIGHT ACTIVATED SWITCH MEMBERS, AND A RESPECTIVE OUTPUT CIRCUIT CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH EACH OF SAID LIGHT ACTIVATED SWITCH MEMBERS; SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT INCLUDING A SOURCE OF OSCILLATORY VOLTAGE HAVING A PEAK VOLTAGE SUFFICIENT TO RENDER ANY OF SAID SWITCHES CONDUCTIVE ONLY WHEN ILLUMINATED AND A MINIMUM VOLTAGE SUFFICIENTLY LOW TO RENDER A CONDUCTIVE SWITCH NON-CONDUCTIVE; SAID OSCILLATORY VOLTAGE HAVING A FREQUENCY SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAID MEANS OPERABLE IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE; SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUITS BEING RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH EACH OF SAID SWITCHES AND THEIR SAID RESPECTIVE OUTPUT CIRCUITS; SAID PLURALITY OF PNPN SWITCHES BEING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER AND LYING ALONG A ROW; SAID SWITCHES HAVING A COMMON P BASE REGION WITH A COMMON TERMINAL SECURED THERETO; SAID COMMON P BASE REGION HAVING SEPARATE SEQUENTIALLY ARRANGED N, P AND N LAYERS THEREON TO DEFINE EACH OF SAID SWITCHES; THE UPPERMOST OF SAID N LAYERS HAVING A RESPECTIVE ELECTRODE THEREON TO DEFINE THE OTHER TERMINAL OF EACH OF SAID SWITCHES.