Method and apparatus for open drain addressing of a gas discharge display/memory panel

Claim 1

In an operating system for a multicelled gas discharge display/memory device, the device including a pair of opposed, spaced electrode arrays with proximate electrode portions of at least one electrode in each array defining the cells and the operating system including a sustainer voltage source for imposing a pulsating potential voltage having a period and a predetermined maximum potential across each of the cells, address pulser means for generating write and erase address pulses to manipulate the discharge state of individual cells between an "on state" and an "off state" and switching circuits individual to each of the electrodes for selectively applying the sustainer voltage and the address pulses to the electrodes, the improvement comprising: the sustainer voltage source generating the sustainer voltage with reference to a predetermined potential; the switching circuits associated with one of the electrode arrays connected between the sustainer voltage source and the electrodes of said one electrode array; the switching circuits associated with the other one of the electrode arrays connected between a source of the predetermined reference potential and the electrodes of said other electrode array; the address pulser means including first pulser means connected in parallel with the sustainer voltage source for generating a partial select address pulse and second pulser means connected in parallel with the switching circuits associated with said other electrode array for generating a partial select address pulse; and control means connected to the switching circuits and the address pulser means for turning on all of the switching circuits whereby the sustainer voltage is imposed across the cells and for turning off all of the switching circuits associated with said one electrode array except the switching circuit connected to the electrode of the cell selected for addressing, turning off the switching circuit connected to the electrode of said selected cell in said other electrode array, and turning on said first and second pulser means whereby said partial select address pulses are generated to impose one of the address pulses across said selected cell.

Claim 11

A method of manipulating the discharge state of individual cells of a gas discharge display/memory device, the device including a pair of opposed electrode arrays with proximate electrode portions of at least one electrode in each array defining the cells, means for generating a periodic pulsating potential sustainer voltage having a magnitude and duration sufficient to maintain a discharge in any cell which is in the "on state", the maximum magnitude of said sustainer voltage being referenced from a predetermined ground potential, and clamping means for generating a clamping voltage, comprising the steps of: applying said sustainer voltage to one of the electrode arrays and applying said predetermined ground potential to the other one of the electrode arrays; turning a cell in the "off state" to the "on state" by applying said clamping voltage to said one electrode array at the potential of said sustainer voltage, applying a partial select write voltage pulse to the electrode of said one electrode array associated with said cell and applying a partial select address voltage pulse to the electrode of said other electrode array associated with said cell; and turning a cell in the "on state" to the "off state" by applying said clamping voltage to said one electrode array at the maximum potential of said sustainer voltage, applying a partial select erase voltage pulse to the electrode of said one electrode array associated with said cell and applying a partial select address voltage pulse to the electrode of said other electrode array associated with said cell.

Claim 12

A method of manipulating the discharge state of individual cells of a gas discharge display/memory device, the device including a pair of opposed electrode arrays with proximate electrode portions of at least one electrode in each array defining the cells, means for generating a periodic pulsating potential sustainer voltage having a magnitude and duration sufficient to maintain a discharge in any cell which is in the "on state", the maximum magnitude of said sustainer voltage being referenced from a predetermined ground potential, and clamping means for generating a clamping voltage, comprising the steps of: applying said sustainer voltage to one of the electrode arrays and applying said predetermined ground potential to the other one of the electrode arrays; turning a cell in the "off state" to the "on state" by applying said clamping voltage to said one electrode array at the potential of said sustainer voltage, applying a partial select write voltage pulse to the electrode of said one electrode array associated with said cell and applying a partial select address voltage pulse to the electrode of said other electrode array associated with said cell; and turning a cell in the "on state" to the "off state" by applying said clamping voltage to said one electrode array at the maximum potential of said sustainer voltage, applying a partial select erase voltage pulse to the electrode of said one electrode array associated with said cell and applying a partial select address voltage pulse to the electrode of said other electrode array associated with said cell.