Abstract: A control process for addressing an AC plasma panel. The panel includes line electrodes crossed with column electrodes where the intersections of these electrodes define cells. Sustain signals are applied to all of the line electrodes by way of at least one control circuit. The cells are addressed by superimposing supplementary voltage porches onto the sustain signals and then subsequently superimposing addresses pulses onto the supplementary porches. This method makes it possible to reduce the amplitude of the addressing pulses, thus resulting in a lesser demand on the control circuits resulting in a reduction of capacitive consumption.

Abstract: The invention applies to plasma display panels consisting of two facing plates enclosing a discharge space and comprising an array of discharge cells (X1, X2, . . . , X5, etc.). A display panel according to the invention has at least one porous layer which contains less than 10% of a hardening agent. The porous layer is either a barrier layer or a gettering layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to image display screens using a cell matrix to form an image. More particularly, the invention relates to means for facilitating relative positioning of various elements during manufacturing. The inventive screen consists of at least two electrode networks. One of the characteristics of the invention is that at least one of said networks consists of “variable direction” electrodes which are shaped in such a way that they spread out and then return towards their longitudinal axis to intersect and pass alternatively from one side to the other of said axis. The spread of a variable direction electrode in relation to the longitudinal axis has an amplitude depending on the position of the electrode in respect to a reference position. This arrangement provides appropriate dimensional leeway to facilitate superpositioning of several masks of varying dimensions. The invention is used in “flat screens”, specially plasma panels.

Abstract: A method for the control of a color alternating display panel having a written state and an extinguished state arranged in rows and columns, the rows forming at least two sets. A sustaining signal is applied to the rows. This sustaining signal generates discharges in the cells that are written in. The sets are addressed. An addressing operation consisting of a semi-selective operation followed by a selective operation. After a semi-selective operation pertaining to the first set, a preconditioning write operation is performed on the cells of one row of the second set, aimed at ionizing the panel. Application in particular to plasma panels.

Abstract: A process for controlling a display panel having cells defined by the intersection of two networks of crossed electrodes. The cells have two states, one written and the other erased. A square-wave hold signal on either side of a middle potential is applied to all the cells to produce a hold discharge with regard to the cells in the written state, at the termination of the edges leading to an extreme porch. It also includes applying an addressing signal superimposed on the hold signal in succession to the electrodes of a network. The addressing signal includes a semi-erase-selective signal generating, with regard to the cells linked to the selected electrode, an erase discharge at the termination of an edge leading to an extreme porch of the hold signal. This disables the whole discharge generated by the hold signal alone. This method is applicable to the control of plasma display panels.

Abstract: A color two substrate alternating plasma display panel. The panel includes two tiles joined together so as to be opposite each other and defining a space therebetween. The space is filled with gas. One of the tiles has column electrodes which are approximately parallel, separated by a spacing and covered with at least one phosphor region. The other tile has at least one row electrode. The phosphor regions are provided with at least one recess placed at the intersection of a column electrode with the row electrode. A color pixel is formed by neighboring recesses lying within the same row electrode in adjacent phosphor regions. In order to obtain better light efficiency, the distance separating two adjacent recesses lying within adjacent phosphor regions and belonging to the same pixel is greater than the spacing so that space has a thickness greater than that required when two recesses are separated by approximately the spacing.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the control of a display screen, especially a plasma panel screen. The screen has cells that can be either in an erased state or in a "recorded" state in which they can be activated by alternating signals called sustaining signals. According to one characteristic, the method consists in dividing the cells into at least two groups, such as an upper group and a lower group, these two groups receiving sustaining signals alternately, and in applying to the cells, during the time when they do not receive the sustaining signals, memory signal enabling them to preserve their "recorded" state or their "erased" state. This results in a reduction of the pulsed discharge current.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the control of display screens that can be applied to internal memory type screens, notably plasma display panels for which it increases the dynamic range of the adjusting of the luminosity. This method consists in controlling the cells (C1 to C16) of the screen by means of addressing commands, each one of which comprises a selective command and a semi-selective command. According to one characteristic, for the addressing of one and the same line (L1 to L4) of cells (C1 to C16), the method consists in separating the selective command (CI) from the semi-selective command (CE) by an adjustable interval of time (PL1 to PL4).

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma panel wherein the row electrodes and/or column electrodes are arranged to enable, notably, a selective type of addressing of several rows of pixels simultaneously. This is obtained, firstly, by a demultiplication of the row electrodes and by an increase in the number of column electrodes, the result thereof being a greater number of crossings between column and row electrodes and, secondly, by an increase in the surface of the crossings designed to form pixels, and by a limiting of the voltages applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the row-by-row control of the pixels of a plasma panel. This method is applicable in the case where a pixel is defined at the intersection of a column electrode with a pair of sustaining electrodes. The method disclosed makes it possible to obtain, notably, a reduced cycle time with a small number of voltage levels applied to the different electrodes. To this effect, according to one characteristic of the invention, the method consists in the erasure of the pixels of a row solely by erasing discharges generated between the electrodes of the corresponding electrode pair.

Abstract: A coplanar sustaining plasma panel, and particularly an electrode arrangement make is possible to better contain the sustaining discharges in a predetermined zone. Plasma panel (10) of the invention comprises addressing electrodes (X1 to X3) crossed with sustaining electrodes arranged by pair (p1, p2), each sustaining electrode pair being formed of an addressing-sustaining electrode (Y1, Y2) and a sustaining-only electrode (E1, E2). A pixel (PX1 to PX6) consists approximately at each crossing of an addressing electrode (X1, X2, X3) with a sustaining electrode pair (p1, p2). At least one of two electrodes (Y1, E1) of same pair (p1) comprises, at the level of each pixel (PX1 to PX6), a projecting surface (SB1 to SB3, SC1, SC3) oriented toward the other electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the control of the pixels of a plasma panel by selective addressing and semi-selective addressing. The disclosed method can be applied to cases where a pixel is defined at the intersection of a column electrode with a pair of sustaining electrodes. The disclosed method can be used, notably, to obtain a reduced picture cycle time. To this effect, according to one characteristic of the disclosed method, certain pixels are controlled simultaneously by semi-selective addressing while other pixels are controlled by selective addressing.

Abstract: Peripheral electrodes formed at the same time as the electrode arrays of a display panel and surrounding each array are cut into at least two segments. Two cut electrodes can thus be repaired together with each peripheral electrode by applying conductive deposits which serve to join the ends of each cut electrode to a peripheral electrode segment.