Abstract: An apparatus and system for recognizing touch positions is comprised of multiple acoustically coupled substrates, said coupling functioning also as an environmental seal. At least one secondary substrate, with means to transmit and receive acoustic waves, is coupled to a primary substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves such that an intentional touch on the surface causes a perturbation of the waves passing through a desired region of touch detection. Said perturbation is analyzed by circuitry to determine corresponding physical position of the touch on surface.

Abstract: An improved sustainer voltage waveform driver circuit for a flat plasma display panel that includes a pair of series connections of an electronic switch coupled to the plasma panel via an inductor. The driver injects energy required both to supply plasma discharge current within the PDP and to accomplish a voltage transition in a resonant manner.

Abstract: A plasma flat-panel display has a glass substrate having a first pair of parallel sustainer electrodes deposited thereon that includes a first sustainer electrode and a second sustainer electrode. A second pair of parallel sustainer electrodes also is deposited upon the substrate that also includes a first sustainer electrode and a second sustainer electrode. A single common electrode pad is electrically connected to the first sustainer electrode in the first sustainer electrode pair and the first sustainer electrode in the second sustainer electrode pair. The electrode pad is adapted to be connected to a first sustainer voltage waveform supply so that a single supply provides a voltage waveform to both of the first sustainer electrodes.

Abstract: Isolated conductive Charge Storage Pads (CSP's) are incorporated in and strategically positioned to increase the efficiency of a flat panel gas discharge plasma display device. The display comprises a hermetically sealed gas filled enclosure which includes a first glass substrate having a plurality of electrodes covered by a thin dielectric film upon which charge storage pads are placed, and a second glass substrate spaced from the first glass substrate. The second substrate includes a plurality of phosphor coated micro-voids filled with an ionizable gas, each associated with an address electrode.

Abstract: An improved sustainer voltage waveform driver circuit for a flat plasma display panel that includes a pair of series connections of an electronic switch coupled to the plasma panel via an inductor. The driver injects energy required both to supply plasma discharge current within the PDP and to accomplish a voltage transition in a resonant manner.

Abstract: A plasma flat-panel display comprising a hermetically sealed gas filled enclosure. The enclosure includes a top glass substrate having a plurality of parallel sustaining electrode pairs deposited upon an interior surface thereof and at least one control electrode associated with each pair of sustaining electrodes deposited upon the interior surface between the associated sustaining electrodes. The enclosure also includes a thin dielectric film covering the sustaining and control electrodes and a bottom glass substrate separated from the top glass substrate. The bottom substrate includes a plurality of alternating barrier ribs and microgrooves. An address electrode is associated with each microgroove and a phosphor is deposited over a portion of each address electrode.

Abstract: An improved AC plasma display panel structure and method of driving for improved efficiency. Gaseous discharges can tunnel or initiate in microchannels parallel to sustain electrodes in a front substrate lowering operating voltages and allowing the use of more efficient gas mixtures. A write step applies a pulse to selected first and second sustain electrodes corresponding to cells on a row that will be turned ON, and an erase step applies a voltage to first and third electrodes corresponding to cells that are to be turned OFF. Write discharges are tunneled through microchannels.

Abstract: A plasma flat-panel display has a glass substrate having a first pair of parallel sustainer electrodes deposited thereon that includes a first sustainer electrode and a second sustainer electrode. A second pair of parallel sustainer electrodes also is deposited upon the substrate that also includes a first sustainer electrode and a second sustainer electrode. A single common electrode pad is electrically connected to the first sustainer electrode in the first sustainer electrode pair and the first sustainer electrode in the second sustainer electrode pair. The electrode pad is adapted to be connected to a first sustainer voltage waveform supply so that a single supply provides a voltage waveform to both of the first sustainer electrodes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to improve visual effects on digital display devices that use time and space modulation methods to display grayscale values. A distributed line technique is utilized to provide grayscale capability. The grayscale display is illuminated by energizing pixels of a weighted grid of eight line addresses. The first grid line illuminates pixels based on the first selected bit of the grayscale value for those pixels, the second grid line pixels are illuminated based on the second selected bit of the grayscale value for those pixels, the third grid line pixels are base on the third selected bit of the grayscale value for those pixels, etc. until all pixels for all eight grid lines have been selected. Thereafter, a second set of grid lines is accessed during the second addressing period, a third set is accessed during the third addressing period, and so forth until all grid sets have been accessed. There are N grid sets where N is the number of time slots allocated per frame time.

Abstract: A method of driving AC plasma display panels by initiating sustain and address discharges to groove sidewalls in the substrate and forming lateral discharges along the groove. A write step applies a pulse to selected first and second electrodes corresponding to cells on a row that will be turned "ON", and an erase step applies a voltage to first and third electrodes corresponding to cells that are to be turned "OFF".

Abstract: A flat-panel display comprising a hermetically sealed gas filled enclosure. The enclosure includes a top glass substrate having a plurality of electrodes and a thin dielectric film covering the electrodes and a bottom glass substrate spaced from the top glass substrate. The bottom glass substrate includes a plurality of alternating barrier ribs and micro-grooves. An electrode is deposited over each micro-groove and a phosphor is deposited over a portion of each electrode coating.

Abstract: An improved control system for the cutting of spirally wound composite can "sticks" with accurate registration. Cutting knives, which cut a wound tube into sticks, are mounted on a servo-driven sled, which is in turn mounted on a reciprocating carriage. The point of cutting is controlled by adjusting the position of the carriage (for long term errors) and the sled (for short term errors). Factors analyzed to determine where the carriage and sled should be positioned include the phase relationship between the label and the carriage, the angle at which the label is wound onto the tube, the point at which the label is wound onto the tube, label stretch, and misprinting of reference marks on the label. Means may be included for automatically rejecting sticks which are out of registration.

Abstract: Operating wave forms which are asymmetrical are applied to a gas discharge display and memory panel device to simplify the drive electronics, improve interfacing to logic controls and adapt to integrated circuitry. One bulk sustainer wave form is applied to one array of a pair of transversely oriented electrode arrays. Addressing wave forms for altering the discharge state of discharge sites between the arrays are superimposed on the bulk sustainer and thus referenced to the bulk sustainer voltage levels for electrodes of the one array. The other array has addressing wave forms which are referenced to a fixed voltage level, advantageously ground and are sequenced to function as a component of the composite sustainer wave form for the panel and discharge manipulating wave forms for selected discharge sites of the panel or the entire panel. A system affording the above operations is set forth together with addressing logic suitable for integrated circuit gating to the device electrodes.

Abstract: A driving and addressing circuit for applying sustaining, writing and erasing voltages to the cells of a multicelled gas discharge display/memory panel. The voltage generating circuitry is isolated from the panel by a pair of diodes individual to each electrode in the panel. Only the sustainer circuits and the diodes carry the relatively high sustainer currents so that the addressing circuits can be high impedance, low current devices. Switching means is provided between the electrodes and a diode clamp to limit the voltage applied to the cell to the maximum sustainer potential when the switching means is turned on. The switching means is turned off during the "write" addressing to allow the voltage applied to the cell to exceed the sustainer potential. In one embodiment, the switching means comprises a pair of switches, each one connected to all of the electrodes in one electrode array. In another embodiment, a single switch is connected to all the electrodes in one electrode array.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved display and data shift system for gaseous discharge display panels having wall charge memory properties. The principle of discharge logic is combined with a multiphase voltage system for shifting information transferred to the panel.