Abstract: A high resolution gaseous discharge display and/or memory device comprises a panel array of bistable charge storage areas designated gaseous discharge cells or sites, each cell having an associated pair of coordinate orthogonal conductors defining the cell walls which, when appropriately energized, produce a confined gaseous discharge in the selected sites. The conductors are insulated from direct contact with the gas by a dielectric insulator, the dielectric insulator being composed of a layer of refractory material having high secondary emission characteristics such as magnesium oxide doped with gold to prevent degradation of the dielectric layer during operation, to increase the memory margin and extend the life of the gaseous discharge panel, and to control the secondary emission characteristics and provide stable operating voltages for the panel.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 28, 1975
Date of Patent:
October 11, 1977
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Abstract: In a piano pedal assembly adapted to control the duration and amplitude of musical tones or notes generated by a piano, the individual pedals of the assembly when attached to the piano, are maintained in their normal position under pressure and adapted when depressed to pivot about a pin. The assembly is mounted on a support such as a base plate, and a pair of pedal mounting blocks having a cylindrical opening, for securing opposite sides of the pivot pin, are mounted within openings in the base plate. The pedal mounting blocks are formed from a low friction material such as Nylon or Teflon and function to provide and maintain precise registration of the individual pedals within the assembly. The piano pedal assembly utilizes fewer and less complex parts and components than prior art assemblies whereby the assembly time and fabrication cost of pedal assemblies are substantially reduced.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 30, 1975
Date of Patent:
August 16, 1977
Inventors:
Robert Ogden Robeson, Vincent Joseph Hart
Abstract: A display terminal comprises a running or scanning character display together with a keyboard. The display may comprise a gas panel having a plurality of orthogonal conductors disposed in a gas filled envelope, the intersection of these conductors defining gaseous discharge sites. Phase shifted control signals applied to selected sites of the display are used to improve the optical quality and resolution of the characters displayed without increasing the number of light spots. Alternatively, the number of light spots might be reduced without degradation of optical quality or resolution of the display.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 30, 1975
Date of Patent:
December 21, 1976
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Abstract: A system for addressing and controlling a gaseous discharge display or memory device is adapted for intercommunication between a processor or controller, control logic and panel driving circuits in a gaseous discharge display system. By application of write and systain signals to selected transverse conductors disposed on opposite sides of a gas filled panel, selected sites positioned at conductor intersections are discharged, emitting light, and the resultant display maintained by the wall charge phenomenon and sustain signals. Logic circuits and panel drive circuits are electrically floated on the sustain voltage for the panel whereby the sustain signal provides a common reference, thus permitting the use of low voltage circuits particularly adapted to integrated circuit packaging. Coupling means are employed to isolate the signals from the logic control from the panel selection, control and drive circuits, permitting control of the high voltage panel operation by low level coded signals.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 10, 1974
Date of Patent:
August 3, 1976
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Abstract: An arrangement for the dynamic direct display of pulses in the nanosecond range operates without oscilloscopes or other special display apparatus. To display pulse timing or amplitude characteristics, a pulse sequence is applied to an equidistant tapped delay line, the output from each tap being connected to a bistable storage element with an indicator lamp in the output. A plurality of indicator lamps are arranged in the form of a matrix. If a pulse occurs on a tap during a sampling interval, the associated indicator lamp is turned on. The sequence and identity of the turned on indicators is indicative of the pulse spacing and the pulse width in the pulse sequence.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 18, 1974
Date of Patent:
March 23, 1976
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors:
Guenter Hahn, Hans Hermann Lampe, Peter Rudolph