High-voltage interface address circuit and method for gas discharge panel

Claim 2

For use with gas discharge devices of the type in which a thin gas discharge medium under pressure and bounded by dielectric charge storage members has selected discharge sites in the gas manipulated on and off by relatively high-voltage pulses selectively added to a periodic sustaining voltage from a sustaining voltage source constituted by a pair of sources having a common reference point therebetween, through a transverse pair of matrix conductor arrays, respectively, said transverse pair of matrix conductor arrays defining the discharge sites and wherein voltages from a relatively low-voltage command voltage pulse source determines application of said selectively applied relatively high-voltage pulses, the improvement comprising, means for converting said low-voltage pulse to a pulse of radiant energy, and a high-voltage direct current source, electronic switch means responsive to said pulse of radiant energy for connecting said high-voltage source to matrix conductors defining a selected discharge site and in series relation with respect to one of said sustaining voltage sources, respectively.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said radiant energy is light and including an optical couple between said means for converting and said switch means for transmitting and applying the light to said switch means.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said means for converting includes a light-emitting diode and said optical couple includes a light-bearing fiber optic element.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said switch means includes: radiant energy responsive impedance element positioned to receive said pulse of radiant energy, said high-voltage source being a direct current voltage having a magnitude of potential corresponding substantially to the relatively high-voltage pulses to be added to said sustaining voltage, a transistor, resiStor means connecting the emitter-collector circuit of said transistor across said high-voltage source, means connecting the base electrode of said transistor to said radiant energy responsive impedance element, whereby on the absence of radiant energy on said radiant energy responsive impedance element said transistor is rendered conductive and the presence of radiant energy on said radiant energy responsive element renders said transistor nonconductive to cause the potential of said high-voltage source to be added to said periodic voltage.

Claim 6

A circuit for supplying operating potentials to a gas discharge device of the type in which a thin gas discharge medium under pressure, and bounded by dielectric charge storage members, has the discharge condition of selected discharge sites therein manipulated by selectively applied high-voltage pulses added to a relatively high periodic sustaining voltage through a pair of transverse conductor arrays defining the discharge sites and wherein voltages from relatively low-voltage signal pulse source determines application of said selectively applied relatively high-voltage pulses, the improvements comprising: a plurality of circuits for converting a relatively low-voltage signal pulse to a relatively high-voltage pulse, each said circuit for converting a relatively low-voltage signal pulse to a relatively high-voltage pulse at a remote point comprising: a light-emitting diode, means connecting said light-emitting diode to said low-voltage signal pulse to produce a pulse of light, a light-bearing fiber optic element having an input end and an output end, with said input end positioned to receive light emitted by said emitting diode, a photosensitive diode positioned to receive light issuing from said output end of said light-bearing fiber element, the dark impedance of said photosensitive diode being very high, a relatively high direct current voltage source, a transistor having emitter, collector, and base electrodes, means including a first resistor for connecting the emitter-collector circuit of said transistor across said high direct current voltage source, means including a series resistor for connecting said photosensitive diode across said direct current voltage source, means connecting a point intermediate said series resistor and said photosensitive diode to the base electrode of said transistor, whereby in the absence of light on said photosensitive transistor base current flows through said transistor rendering said transistor conductive and in the presence of light on said photosensitive diode the impedance thereof is low and current flows through same and said transistor is rendered nonconductive, and an output terminal connected to said first resistor on which appears the high direct current voltage from said high direct current source appears when said transistor is rendered nonconductive, and means connecting said output terminal to at least one conductor in one of said arrays, a source of said relatively high periodic sustaining voltage, and means commonly connecting said source of relatively high periodic sustaining voltage to a terminal of said relatively high direct current source, whereby when said transistor in one of said circuits in conducting said source of periodic sustaining voltage is connected to said output terminal and when said transistor is nonconducting said source of periodic sustaining voltage is connected in series with said relatively high direct current voltage source, appears at said output terminal with said voltage from said high direct current source.

Claim 7

A circuit for supplying operating potentials to a gas discharge device of the type in which a thin gas discharge medium under pressure, and bounded by dielectric charge storage members, has the discharge condition of selected discharge sites therein manipulated by selectively applied high-voltage pulses added to a relatively high periodic sustaining voltage through a pair of transverse conductor arrays defining the discharge sites and wherein voltages from relatively low-voltage signal pulse source determines application of said selectively applied relatively high-voltage pulses, the improvements comprising: a plurality of circuits for converting a relatively low-voltage signal pulse to a relatively high-voltage pulse, each said circuit for converting a relatively low-voltage signal pulse to a relatively high-voltage pulse at a remote point comprising: a light-emitting diode, means connecting said light-emitting diode to said low-voltage signal pulse to produce a pulse of light, a light-bearing fiber optic element having an input end and an output end, with said input end positioned to receive light emitted by said emitting diode, a photosensitive diode positioned to receive light issuing from said output end of said light-bearing fiber element, the dark impedance of said photosensitive diode being very high, a relatively high direct current voltage source, a transistor having emitter, collector, and base electrodes, means including a first resistor for connecting the emitter-collector circuit of said transistor across said high direct current voltage source, means including a series resistor for connecting said photosensitive diode across said direct current voltage source, means connecting a point intermediate said series resistor and said photosensitive diode to the base electrode of said transistor, whereby in the absence of light on said photosensitive transistor base current flows through said transistor rendering said transistor conductive and in the presence of light on said photosensitive diode the impedance thereof is low and current flows through same and said transistor is rendered nonconductive, and an output terminal connected to said first resistor on which appears the high direct current voltage from said high direct current source appears when said transistor is rendered nonconductive, and means connecting said output terminal to at least one conductor in one of said arrays, a source of said relatively high periodic sustaining voltage, and means commonly connecting said source of relatively high periodic sustaining voltage to a terminal of said relatively high direct current source, whereby when said transistor in one of said circuits in conducting said source of periodic sustaining voltage is connected to said output terminal and when said transistor is nonconducting said source of periodic sustaining voltage is connected in series with said relatively high direct current voltage source, appears at said output terminal with said voltage from said high direct current source.

Claim 8

In a system for supplying operating potentials to a gas discharge panel device of the type in which a thin gas discharge medium under pressure and bounded by dielectric charge storage members has the discharge condition of selected discharge sites therein manipulated by selectively applied high-voltage pulses and discharges maintained once initiated by a Pair of relatively high, periodic sustaining voltages from a pair of sources by means of a pair of transverse row and column conductor arrays defining the discharge sites and wherein voltages from a relatively low-voltage signal pulse source determine the occurrence of said high-voltage pulses, the improvement comprising, each said source of sustaining potential having a pair of output terminals, respectively, and means connecting one of said terminals from each source of sustaining potential to each other and a point of common potential so that said relatively high sustaining voltage sources being connected to conductors of said array respectively such that said panel floats with respect to a point of common potential, at least a pair of opposite polarity high-voltage pulse generator means for the row and column conductor arrays, respectively, means connecting one said high-voltage generator means in series between one of said pair of sources of periodic sustaining voltage and the row conductors of said panel and the other of said high-voltage pulse generator means in series between the other of said pair of sources of periodic and sustaining voltage, means for applying said relatively low-voltage signal pulses to respective ones of said high-voltage pulse generator means to cause said high-voltage generator means to generate high-voltage pulses having as a reference point the magnitude of said voltage periodic voltage from the one of said pair of sources it is connected with in series relation.

Claim 9

In a system for supplying operating potentials to a gas discharge panel device of the type in which a thin gas discharge medium under pressure and bounded by dielectric charge storage members has the discharge condition of selected discharge sites therein manipulated by selectively applied high-voltage pulses and discharges maintained once initiated by a Pair of relatively high, periodic sustaining voltages from a pair of sources by means of a pair of transverse row and column conductor arrays defining the discharge sites and wherein voltages from a relatively low-voltage signal pulse source determine the occurrence of said high-voltage pulses, the improvement comprising, each said source of sustaining potential having a pair of output terminals, respectively, and means connecting one of said terminals from each source of sustaining potential to each other and a point of common potential so that said relatively high sustaining voltage sources being connected to conductors of said array respectively such that said panel floats with respect to a point of common potential, at least a pair of opposite polarity high-voltage pulse generator means for the row and column conductor arrays, respectively, means connecting one said high-voltage generator means in series between one of said pair of sources of periodic sustaining voltage and the row conductors of said panel and the other of said high-voltage pulse generator means in series between the other of said pair of sources of periodic and sustaining voltage, means for applying said relatively low-voltage signal pulses to respective ones of said high-voltage pulse generator means to cause said high-voltage generator means to generate high-voltage pulses having as a reference point the magnitude of said voltage periodic voltage from the one of said pair of sources it is connected with in series relation.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said means for applying said relatively low-voltage signal pulses to said high-voltage pulse generator includes means for isolating the low-voltage signal source from said high-voltage pulse generator.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said means for isolating includes an optical couple.