Gas panel single ended drive systems

Abstract

A system for addressing and controlling a gaseous discharge display or memory device is adapted for intercommunication between a processor or controller and a gaseous discharge display device. Signals of write amplitude are selectively applied to ionize individual cells or a plurality of cells in the form of character slices or lines to form the elements of a display. To facilitate communication between low level control logic signals and high level write and sustain signals, one of the axes or sets of conductors is maintained at ground potential, while signals of full write or sustain amplitude are applied to the orthogonal conductors. Writing is generally accomplished by adding a write pulse to the trailing edge of the selected conductor. By maintaining the busier axis at ground potential direct communication between the control logic and drive circuitry is provided, the isolation circuits required to communicate between the busy axis and the controller or processor are eliminated, the separate sustain drivers normally required to sustain the busy axis are eliminated and only a single set of drivers and isolation circuitry is required to interconnect the control logic to the drive selection circuitry. By operating in this mode, the sustain signal is not interrupted during a write operation thereby permitting use of the inherent margin in the panel and providing a display of uniform intensity.