Display panel having rows and columns of coplanar scan and display cathodes and large-area anode

Abstract

The display panel comprises a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate. The base plate carries a plurality of display cathodes arrayed in rows and columns and, substantially coplanar therewith, a plurality of scan cathodes arrayed in rows and columns, with each row of scan cathodes being positioned between two rows of display cathodes. A single anode is formed on the face plate of the envelope, and suitable masking is provided so that a viewer can see only the display cathodes through the face plate. In operation of the panel, the scan cathodes are energized column-by-column, and selected adjacent display cathodes are energized simultaneously to display a message or character.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display panel comprising: a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate .Iadd.viewing window .Iaddend.hermetically sealed together and including   an array of first display cathode electrodes, adapted for viewing, disposed in rows and columns and including means for energizing all of the display cathodes in each row simultaneously,   an array of second scan cathode electrodes, not to be viewed, disposed in rows and columns, with selected first and second cathode electrodes being disposed in operative relation with each other, and means for energizing all of the scan cathode electrodes in each column simultaneously and for energizing the columns of scan cathodes sequentially, said scan cathode electrodes exhibiting scan cathode glow when energized and generating excited particles,   the scan cathodes and display cathodes thus being disposed in operative pairs such that, as the columns of scan cathodes are energized, the display cathode associated with each scan cathode can be energized and caused to exhibit cathode glow with the aid of excited particles generated by the associated scan cathode,   a single large-area transparent anode electrode disposed on said face plate in operative relation with all of said first and second cathode electrodes, and   masking means forming the anode electrode into discrete operative areas, each of which is in operative relation with at least one operative pair of scan and display cathodes.   
     
     
       2. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second cathode electrodes are substantially coplanar and are supported on said base plate. 
     
     
       3. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second cathode electrodes are substantially coplanar and are supported on said base plate, and said anode electrode is supported on said face plate. 
     
     
       4. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second cathode electrodes are substantially coplanar and are supported on said base plate, said anode electrode is supported on said face plate, and masking means in said envelope obstructing everything but said display cathodes from view. 
     
     
       5. The panel defined in claim 1 and including a reset cathode disposed adjacent to the first column of scan cathode. 
     
     
       6. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said display cathodes and said scan cathodes comprise relatively thin, small-area bodies formed by a screen-printing process. 
     
     
       7. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said display cathodes are relatively large-area bodies electrically connected in each row with a first line-like conductor, a first insulating coating on each said line-like conductor so that it cannot be seen, said .[.display.]. .Iadd.scan .Iaddend.cathodes comprising smaller bodies which are   electrically connected by second line-like conductors, and   .[.a second.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.insulating coating .Iadd.being .Iaddend.on said second line-like conductors.   
     
     
       8. The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said anode electrode is formed on said face plate and said masking means comprises an opaque insulating layer formed on said anode and having rows and columns of apertures, each aperture exposing a portion of the anode electrode, such portion being in operative relation with one of said display and scan cathode electrode pairs. 
     
     
       9. A display panel comprising: a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate .Iadd.viewing window .Iaddend.hermetically sealed together and including   an array of first display cathode electrodes, adapted for viewing, disposed in rows and columns,   a common row conductor connected to all of the display cathodes in each row whereby all of the display cathodes in a row can be energized at the same time,   an array of second scan cathode electrodes, not be viewed, disposed in rows and columns, with selected to be and second cathode electrodes being disposed in operative relation with each other,   a plurality of row conductors disposed adjacent to each row of scan cathodes with every nth scan cathode being connected to the same row conductor, corresponding row conductors also being connected together by common conductors so that the scan cathodes in each column are electrically connected to the same common conductor whereby operating potential can be applied to each common conductor separately to thereby energize each column of scan cathodes separately and sequentially, the scan cathode electrodes exhibiting scan cathode glow when energized and generating excited particles,   the scan cathodes and display cathodes thus being disposed in operative pairs such that, as the columns of scan cathodes are energized, the display cathode associated with each scan cathode can be energized and caused to exhibit cathode glow with the aid of excited particles generated by the associated scan cathode,   a single large-area transparent anode electrode disposed on said face plate in operative relation with all of said first and second cathode electrodes, and   means forming the anode electrode into discrete operative areas, each of which is in operative relation with at least one operative pair of scan and display cathodes. .Iadd. 10. A display panel comprising   a gas-filled envelope made up of a base plate and a face plate viewing window hermetically sealed together and including   an array of first display cathode electrodes, adapted for viewing, disposed in rows and columns and including means for energizing all of the display cathodes in each row simultaneously,   an array of second scan cathode electrodes, disposed in rows and columns, with selected first and second cathode electrodes being disposed in operative relation with each other, and means for energizing all of the scan cathode electrodes in each column simultaneously and for energizing the columns of scan cathodes sequentially, said scan cathode electrodes exhibiting scan cathode glow when energized and generating excited particles,   the scan cathodes and display cathodes thus being disposed in operative groups such that, as the columns of scan cathodes are energized, the display cathode associated with each scan cathode can be energized and caused to exhibit cathode glow with the aid of excited particles generated by the associated scan cathode, and   anode electrode means in operative glow discharge relationship with said scan and display cathode. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 11. A display panel as in claim 10 wherein said anode electrode means comprises a plurality of anodes, each in operative glow discharge relationship with at least one of said display cathodes and one of said scan cathodes, said anodes being connected electrically in common. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. A gaseous discharge display panel comprising an envelope formed of a face plate, at least portions of which are transparent, and a base plate,   said plates being spaced closely to one another and sealed together to form a gas-tight enclosure,   an ionizable gas within said enclosure at a pressure capable of sustaining a cathode glow discharge,   a plurality of conductive members forming display cathode electrodes arranged in an array of rows and columns on said base plate and in alignment with certain of the transparent portions of the face plate,   a plurality of separate conductive members forming scan cathodes arranged in rows and columns on said base plate substantially coplanar with said display cathodes,   a first plurality of conductors, each of which connects in common a different plurality of said display cathodes,   a second plurality of conductors, each of which connects in common a different plurality of said scan cathodes,   said first and second plurality of conductors extending along the surface of the base plate,   a layer of insulating material covering said conductors,   each scan cathode being in gas communication and glow priming relationship with the corresponding scan cathodes of the next succeeding column and at least one display cathode, so that each scan cathode, when it glows, primes such cathodes,   common anode electrode means in operative glow discharge relationship with said scan and display cathodes, and   conductor means for energizing said scan cathodes in a scan pattern and synchronously energizing selected groups of said display cathodes.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 13.  A display device as in claim 12 wherein said display and scan cathodes are disposed along the surface of said base plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. A display device as in claim 12 wherein each conductor of said first plurality connects electrically in common all of the display cathodes of one of said rows, and   each conductor of the second plurality connects electrically in common all of the scan cathodes of one of said columns. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. A display device as in claim 14 wherein said conductor means includes means connected to the conductors of said second plurality for energizing said scan cathodes one column after another in a column scan and means connected to the conductors of said first plurality for successively energizing selected groups of said display cathodes, in synchronism with the column scan, to produce a display pattern in said panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 16. A gaseous discharge display panel comprising   an envelope formed of a face plate, at least portions of which are transparent, and a base plate,   said plates being spaced closely to one another and sealed together to form a gas-light enclosure,   an ionizable gas within said enclosure at a pressure capable of sustaining a cathode flow discharge,   a plurality of conductive runs within said enclosure extending along the interior surface of said base plate,   a layer of insulating material over said conductive runs,   a plurality of glow cathodes disposed along the interior surface of said base plate, each glow cathode being electrically connected to one of said conductive runs,   said glow cathodes including display cathodes and scan cathodes disposed in an array of rows and columns,   each scan cathode being in gas communication and glow priming relationship with the corresponding scan cathode of the next succeeding column and at least one display cathode, so that each scan cathode, when it glows, primes such cathodes,   common anode electrode means in operative glow discharge relationship with said scan and display cathodes, and   conductor means for energizing said scan cathodes in a scan pattern and synchronously energizing selected groups of said display cathodes.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 17.  A display device as in claim 16 wherein said conductive runs include a first plurality of row conductors, each of which is connected to all of the display cathodes of a different one of said rows, and   a second plurality of conductors, each of which electrically connects in common a different group of said scan cathodes. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. A gaseous discharge display panel comprising a gas-tight envelope including a face plate having a viewing window and a base plate spaced closely to one another and sealed together to form a gas-tight enclosure,   an ionizable gas within said envelope at a pressure capable of sustaining a cathode glow discharge,   a plurality of display cathode electrodes arranged in an array of rows and columns on said base plate,   a plurality of separate scan cathodes arranged in rows and columns on said base plate substantially coplanar with the display cathodes,   a first plurality of conductors, each of which connects in common a row of said display cathodes,   a second plurality of conductors each of which is connected to a column of said scan cathodes,   each scan cathode being in gas communication and glow priming relationship with the corresponding scan cathode of the next succeeding column and at least one display cathode, so that each scan cathode, when it glows, primes such cathodes,   anode electrode means in operative glow discharge relationship with said cathodes,   said anode electrode means including a plurality of operative portions, each of which is in operative relationship with one of said display cathodes, said operative portions being connected electrically in common,   means for energizing the conductors of said second plurality to produce a glow discharge on all of the scan cathodes of each column, one after another, in a column scan, and   means for energizing selected groups of the conductors of the second plurality, one such group after another, in synchronism with the column-by-column scan of the scan cathodes, for producing a glow pattern   
     
     
        display in said panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 19.  A display panel as in claim 18 wherein there is one scan cathode for each two display cathodes, and each scan cathode is in gas communication and priming relationship with such two display cathodes. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. A display panel as in claim 18 wherein said anode electrode means includes a large-area transparent anode between said cathodes and said face plate, and a mask spaced between said transparent anode and cathodes having apertures aligned with at least certain of said cathodes. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. A display panel as in claim 20 wherein the apertures in the mask aligned with the cathodes are aligned only with the display cathodes. .Iaddend.