Display panel

Abstract

The panel comprises a base plate which carries a plurality of column cathode strips which are oriented parallel to each other, with insulating means dividing the surface of each such strip into a column of a plurality of separate operating areas including display cathode areas and priming cathode areas, the latter providing excited particles for use by the display areas. The display cathodes and priming cathodes are arrayed in rows and columns, and, in each column, there are gas communication paths between priming cathode areas and display cathode areas. In addition, there are gas communication paths along each row of priming cathodes. A separate display anode is provided in operative relation with each row of display cathodes, and a separate priming anode is provided in operative relation with each row of scan cathodes, and each crossing of an anode and cathode area forms a display cell or a priming cell. In operation of the panel, each column of scanning cells is energized successively and in turn by connection of all of the priming anodes in an operating circuit and by energization of each cathode strip separately and sequentially. Since only the priming anodes are energized, only the priming cells and the priming cathode areas are energized. As each column of priming cathodes is energized, information signals are applied to selected display anodes, and this causes cathode glow to transfer through the appropriate gas communication paths to the display cathodes associated with the selected display anodes, from the associated priming cathodes. As each column of cells is thus energized in turn and all of the columns are energized sequentially, and selected display cathodes are energized, a changeable but visually stationary message is displayed by the energized display cathodes.