Abstract: A backlight comprising a serpentine fluorescent tube nested in a uniquely shaped reflector. Much of the light emitted from the tube is directly emitted to a bounded image plane. The reflector reflects a substantial portion of the rest of the light emitted by the tube to the image plane in such a manner that a very bright and uniform image is formed at the image plane.

Abstract: An improvement to sustain drive circuitry for an AC plasma display panel wherein the sustainer signal applied to panel electrodes is simplified to comprise a sequential series of square waves. The actions of writing, selectively erasing and bulk erasing of light emissions in cells of the plasma panel are also performed by combinations of square wave signals generated in sustainer and driver circuits of the device. A combination of integrated circuits comprise both the X and Y axis drivers with the Y axis drivers also including an internally generated Y axis sustain signal onto which Y axis write or erase signals are impressed. The prior art requirement of floating supply voltages is removed and the number of supply voltages is decreased such that all driver and sustainer circuits utilize a common power source, with a maximum of three source voltage levels for operation of all sustainers, drivers, address inputs and logic and timing control of the circuitry.

Abstract: A constant data rate brightness control for an AC plasma panel is disclosed in which a waveform ROM is used to store two groups of control signals. The first group performs sustain, write, erase, and bulk-erase functions in a normal manner emitting two pulses of light per cycle. The second group performs the same functions with emission of substantially no light. By mixing functions from the two groups and varying the ratio of the two groups, a broad range of variable brightness in the operation of the plasma panel is achieved.