Light operated character generator and display driver

Claim 2

A circuit for the control of a multidischarge path, glow discharge display tube for the display of characters and having individually controllable glow discharge paths, a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in such discharge paths; and circuit means including a plurality of photoconducting elements respectively connecting the voltage source to the discharge paths in DC circuit connection for providing thereto glow discharge trigger voltage when conducting, a conductive photoconducting element having resistance to lower the effective voltage as derived from the source to glow discharge sustaining level, the photoconducting elements positioned to be individually selectively exposed element conductive to provide the trigger and glow sustaining voltage to the respective discharge path.

Claim 3

A circuit for the control of a segmented glow discharge display tube for the display of alpha-numerical characters or the like, having individually controllable glow discharge segments comprising: means defining a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger discharge in glow discharge segments; a plurality of photoconducting elements respectively connecting the voltage source means to the segments of the plurality in DC circuit connection for individually providing thereto glow discharge trigger voltages when conducting; resistance means individually connecting respectively the photoconductive elements in circuit with the glow discharge paths of the segments and with the voltage source, so that the voltage drop across a photoconductive element when conducting in cooperation with the voltage drop across the respective resistance means lowers the effective voltage for the segment to a discharge sustaining level; and means for individually selectively causing the photoconducting elements to be exposed to radiation sufficient to individually render the elements conductive, to provide trigger voltage to the segment of the plurality to which an element of the plurality if connected.

Claim 4

A circuit for the control of a segmented glow discharge display tube for the display of alpha-numerical characters or the like, having individually controllable glow discharge segments comprising: means defining a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger discharge in glow discharge segments; a plurality of photoconducting elements respectively connecting the voltage source means to the segments of the plurality in DC circuit connection for individually providing thereto glow discharge trigger voltages when conducting; resistance means individually connecting respectively the photoconductive elements in circuit with the glow discharge paths of the segments and with the voltage source, so that the voltage drop across a photoconductive element when conducting in cooperation with the voltage drop across the respective resistance means lowers the effective voltage for the segment to a discharge sustaining level; and means for individually selectively causing the photoconducting elements to be exposed to radiation sufficient to individually render the elements conductive, to provide trigger voltage to the segment of the plurality to which an element of the plurality if connected.

Claim 5

A circuit for the control of a glow discharge path, comprising: a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the discharge path; circuit means including resistance means and a photoconductive resistance element connecting the voltage source to the discharge path in DC circuit connection for providing thereto relatively high discharge trigger voltage the subsequent voltage drop across the photoconductive resistance element when conducting and across the resistance means adjusted to provide relatively low discharge sustaining voltage to the discharge path; and means for selectively providing exposure and nonexposure of the photoconductive resistance element to illuminating radiation for selectively triggering and inhibiting glow discharge in the discharge path.

Claim 6

A circuit for the control of a glow discharge path, comprising: a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the discharge path; circuit means including resistance means and a photoconductive resistance element connecting the voltage source to the discharge path in DC circuit connection for providing thereto relatively high discharge trigger voltage the subsequent voltage drop across the photoconductive resistance element when conducting and across the resistance means adjusted to provide relatively low discharge sustaining voltage to the discharge path; and means for selectively providing exposure and nonexposure of the photoconductive resistance element to illuminating radiation for selectively triggering and inhibiting glow discharge in the discharge path.

Claim 7

The circuit for the control of a segmented glow discharge display tube for the display of alpha-numerical characters of the like, having: individually controllable glow segments, a voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge display tube segments; a plurality of photoconducting elements respectively connecting the voltage soUrce means to the segments of the plurality for individually providing thereto glow discharge trigger voltages when conducting; a plurality of lamps, each positioned for illuminating all of the photo elements of the plurality to render an element of the plurality conductive to respectively provide trigger voltage to the segment to which it is connected; masking means positioned between the plurality of photoconducting elements and the plurality of lamps to cause each lamp when turned on to illuminate a particular plurality of photoconducting elements of the plurality; and control means connected to the lamps of the plurality for selectively turning the lamp individually on and off to thereby cause photoconductive elements of the plurality receiving light from a lamp of the plurality when turned on and through the masking means to cause the glow discharge segments to which the light-receiving elements are respectively connected, to be triggered.

Claim 8

The circuit for the control of a segmented glow discharge display tube for the display of alpha-numerical characters of the like, having: individually controllable glow segments, a voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge display tube segments; a plurality of photoconducting elements respectively connecting the voltage soUrce means to the segments of the plurality for individually providing thereto glow discharge trigger voltages when conducting; a plurality of lamps, each positioned for illuminating all of the photo elements of the plurality to render an element of the plurality conductive to respectively provide trigger voltage to the segment to which it is connected; masking means positioned between the plurality of photoconducting elements and the plurality of lamps to cause each lamp when turned on to illuminate a particular plurality of photoconducting elements of the plurality; and control means connected to the lamps of the plurality for selectively turning the lamp individually on and off to thereby cause photoconductive elements of the plurality receiving light from a lamp of the plurality when turned on and through the masking means to cause the glow discharge segments to which the light-receiving elements are respectively connected, to be triggered.

Claim 9

A circuit for the control of a glow discharge path, comprising: a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the discharge path; circuit means including a photoconductive resistance element connecting the voltage source to the discharge path for providing thereto discharge trigger and sustaining voltages when conducting; a lamp positioned to illuminate the element; low voltage operated lamp driver means connected to the lamp for providing current thereto; and control means connected to the lamp driver for selectively turning the lamp on and off so as to respectively initiate and terminate glow discharge.

Claim 10

A circuit for the control of a glow discharge path, comprising: a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the discharge path; circuit means including a photoconductive resistance element connecting the voltage source to the discharge path for providing thereto discharge trigger and sustaining voltages when conducting; a lamp positioned to illuminate the element; low voltage operated lamp driver means connected to the lamp for providing current thereto; and control means connected to the lamp driver for selectively turning the lamp on and off so as to respectively initiate and terminate glow discharge.

Claim 11

An arrangement for the control of a multicharge path, glow discharge display tube for the display of characters such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having a plurality of individually controllable glow discharge paths, the combination comprising: a plurality of lamps; first means positioned in relation to the lamps of the plurality to respectively define a first plurality of individual light paths; means connected to the lamp of the plurality for individually turning the lamps on and off to provide radiation in the respectively associated light paths to the exclusion of the remaining off the light paths of the first plurality; a plurality of photoconducting elements including means for defining a second plurality of light paths respectively to the photoconducting elements, the light paths of the first plurality positioned in relation to the light paths of the second plurality so that each photoconducting element can receive light from all the lamps, and each lamp can illuminate all photoconducting elements; masking means interposed between the light paths of the first plurality and the light paths of the second plurality so that a lamp of the plurality illuminates a particular plurality of elements of the plurality to the exclusion of the remaining element of the plurality; voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to control glow discharge display tube segments; and circuit means respectively connecting the elements of the plurality to the discharge paths of the plurality and to the voltage source so that a discharge path of the plurality connected to an element of the plurality which receives light from a lamp of the plurality is controlled for glow discharge.

Claim 12

An arrangement for the control of a multicharge path, glow discharge display tube for the display of characters such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having a plurality of individually controllable glow discharge paths, the combination comprising: a plurality of lamps; first means positioned in relation to the lamps of the plurality to respectively define a first plurality of individual light paths; means connected to the lamp of the plurality for individually turning the lamps on and off to provide radiation in the respectively associated light paths to the exclusion of the remaining off the light paths of the first plurality; a plurality of photoconducting elements including means for defining a second plurality of light paths respectively to the photoconducting elements, the light paths of the first plurality positioned in relation to the light paths of the second plurality so that each photoconducting element can receive light from all the lamps, and each lamp can illuminate all photoconducting elements; masking means interposed between the light paths of the first plurality and the light paths of the second plurality so that a lamp of the plurality illuminates a particular plurality of elements of the plurality to the exclusion of the remaining element of the plurality; voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to control glow discharge display tube segments; and circuit means respectively connecting the elements of the plurality to the discharge paths of the plurality and to the voltage source so that a discharge path of the plurality connected to an element of the plurality which receives light from a lamp of the plurality is controlled for glow discharge.

Claim 13

A device, as set forth in claim 6, the first means including cylindrical mirror means for collimating light in the direction toward the elements of the plurality and individually for each of the light paths of the first plurality.

Claim 14

A device as set forth in claim 6, the first means being arranged for defining the light paths of the first plurality in a radial pattern for directing light at different angles toward the elements of the plurality.

Claim 15

A device as set forth in claim 6, the masking means comprising an array of opaque and translucent or transparent masking elements.

Claim 16

A device as set forth in claim 9, tHe array being arranged in a matrixlike row and column arrangement of the masking elements, the first means providing the respective light paths toward the columns of the matrix, the light paths of the second plurality each facing the masking elements of a row of the matrix.

Claim 17

A device as set forth in claim 6, the means for defining the light paths of the second plurality including a plurality of ring sector dividers having a common cylindrical surface at their respective edges, the masking means extending in said cylindrical surface adjacent the edges, the light paths of the first plurality arranged to terminate on the cylindrical surface.

Claim 18

A device as set forth in claim 6, the photoconducting elements of the plurality being arranged on the surface of the cylinder, the elements of the plurality being axially spaced on the cylinder, the means defining the light paths of the second plurality including a plurality of parallel discs axially spaced along the cylinder defining the plurality of photoconducting elements, the lamps being circularly arranged around the cylinder, the first means including the plurality of radially arranged walls terminating on the cylinder mantle as defined by said discs.

Claim 21

In a circuit for the control of a multidischarge path glow discharge display tube for the display of characters such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having a plurality of individually controllable glow discharge paths, the combination comprising: first means connected for receiving signals representing such characters; a plurality of lamps connected to the first means and being controlled by the signals as lamp driver signals to turn the respective lamp on; a plurality of photoconducting elements positioned so that each element can receive light from any lamp of the plurality; optical coding means defining selective light paths between the lamps of the plurality and the elements of the plurality so that a lamp of the plurality when on illuminates less than all elements of the plurality to the respective exclusion of the remaining elements of the plurality; voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to control the glow discharge; and circuit means connecting the elements of the plurality to the discharge paths and to the voltage source means so that an element of the plurality when receiving light from a lamp of the plurality, causes the respective discharge path to be triggered and to sustain glow therein.

Claim 22

In a circuit for the control of a multidischarge path glow discharge display tube for the display of characters such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having a plurality of individually controllable glow discharge paths, the combination comprising: first means connected for receiving signals representing such characters; a plurality of lamps connected to the first means and being controlled by the signals as lamp driver signals to turn the respective lamp on; a plurality of photoconducting elements positioned so that each element can receive light from any lamp of the plurality; optical coding means defining selective light paths between the lamps of the plurality and the elements of the plurality so that a lamp of the plurality when on illuminates less than all elements of the plurality to the respective exclusion of the remaining elements of the plurality; voltage source means providing voltage sufficiently high to control the glow discharge; and circuit means connecting the elements of the plurality to the discharge paths and to the voltage source means so that an element of the plurality when receiving light from a lamp of the plurality, causes the respective discharge path to be triggered and to sustain glow therein.

Claim 23

A circuit as set forth in claim 14, including second means connected to the first means and receiving externally provided signals of digItal and control significance and decoding them to provide the decoded signals at the signals received by the first means.

Claim 24

A circuit as set forth in claim 14, the lamps being incandescent lamps, the photoconductive elements being responsive to visible as well as infrared radiation.

Claim 25

A circuit as set forth in claim 14, the first means receiving signals at particular delays between the lamps and the photoconductive elements, having characteristics that an element remains energized after a lamp having energized that element is turned off and for a period comparable with that delay.

Claim 26

A circuit for the control of a multidischarge path display tube for the display of characters, such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having: individually controllable glow discharge paths, a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the paths of the display tube; resistance means including a photoconducting element connecting the voltage source to a discharge path in DC circuit connection for providing thereto a glow discharge trigger voltage when conducting and providing a reduced discharge sustaining voltage subsequent to discharge triggering as a consequence of resulting change in resistance ratio as directly effective across the discharge path; a lamp positioned for illuminating the photoconductive elements to render the element conductive to provide trigger voltage to the discharge path; and control means connected to the lamp for selectively turning the lamp on and off.

Claim 27

A circuit for the control of a multidischarge path display tube for the display of characters, such as alpha-numerical characters or the like, having: individually controllable glow discharge paths, a voltage source providing voltage sufficiently high to trigger glow discharge in the paths of the display tube; resistance means including a photoconducting element connecting the voltage source to a discharge path in DC circuit connection for providing thereto a glow discharge trigger voltage when conducting and providing a reduced discharge sustaining voltage subsequent to discharge triggering as a consequence of resulting change in resistance ratio as directly effective across the discharge path; a lamp positioned for illuminating the photoconductive elements to render the element conductive to provide trigger voltage to the discharge path; and control means connected to the lamp for selectively turning the lamp on and off.

Claim 28

A circuit as set forth in claim 18, the lamp having characteristics of providing output radiation decaying slower than a current decay in case of lamp turnoff by operation of the control means.

Claim 29

A circuit as set forth in claim 19, the lamp being an incandescent lamp, the photoconductive element being sensitive to infrared radiation.