Method and apparatus for addressing micro-components in a plasma display panel

• US 6,801,001 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leidos, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
• Inventors: Drobot, Adam T., Green, Albert M., Wyeth, N. Convers, George, E. Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyet
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US10/214,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.3, 315/169.4, 313/483, 313/484, 313/491, 313/581, 313/582, 445/24, 445/33
• US Class Current: 315/169.3
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/08 Active matrix structure, i.e. with use of active elements, inclusive of non-linear two terminal elements, in the pixels together with light emitting or modulating elements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/28 using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 11/18 containing a plurality of independent closed structures for containing the gas, e.g. plasma tube array [PTA] display panels

Abstract

An improved light-emitting display having a plurality of micro-components sandwiched between two substrates is disclosed. Each micro-component contains a gas or gas-mixture capable of ionization when a sufficiently large trigger voltage is supplied across the micro-component by up to two triggering electrodes and ionization can be maintain by a sustain voltage supplied by up to two sustain electrodes. The display is further divided into a plurality of panels that can be individually addressed in parallel, preferably directly through the back of the panels and can include voltage multiplying circuitry to decrease the power demands for addressing circuitry. Alternative methods of addressing the micro-components include the use of directed light and arrangements of electrodes to address multiple micro-components with a single electrode.

Claims

1. A panel for use in a light-emitting display, the panel comprising:

a first set of opposing edges;

a second set of opposing edges;

a front bordered by the first and second opposing edges and comprising a plurality of micro-components capable of emitting radiation when exposed to a triggering voltage;

a back opposite the front;

at least one triggering electrode electrically coupled to at least one of the micro-components, the triggering electrode passing through the panel to the back; and

at least one voltage source electrically coupled to the triggering electrode

at the back between the first and second sets of edges.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the voltage source is capable of supplying a triggering voltage to the micro-components through the triggering electrode.

3. The panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of triggering electrodes electrically coupled to the plurality of micro-components; and

a plurality of voltage sources electrically coupled to the plurality of triggering electrodes.

4. The panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-components are arranged in a grid pattern having a plurality of parallel rows and a plurality of parallel columns perpendicular to the plurality of rows, each micro-component disposed at a point of intersection of a row and column.

5. The panel of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of parallel sustain electrodes electrically coupled to the micro-components.

6. The panel of claim 5, wherein the sustain electrodes are arranged parallel to one of the rows and columns.

7. The panel of claim 6, wherein the sustain electrodes further comprise:

a first set of sustain electrodes disposed in a first plane parallel to the front and back; and

a second set of sustain electrodes disposed in a second plane spaced from the first plane and parallel thereto.

8. The panel of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of parallel triggering electrodes electrically coupled to the plurality of micro-components.

9. The panel of claim 8, wherein the triggering electrodes are perpendicular to the first and second sets of sustain electrodes and are arranged in a third plane parallel to the first plane and disposed between the first and second planes.

10. The panel of claim 8, wherein the triggering electrodes further comprise:

a first set of triggering electrodes perpendicular to the first and second sets of sustain electrodes and arranged in a third plane parallel to the first plane and disposed between the first and second planes; and

a second set of triggering electrodes perpendicular to the first and second sets of sustain electrodes and arranged in a fourth plane parallel to the first plane, spaced from the third plane, and disposed between the first and second planes.

11. The panel of claim 1, further comprising a voltage multiplier electrically couple between the voltage source and the triggering electrode.

12. The panel of claim 11, wherein the voltage multiplier is capable of increasing a supply voltage from the voltage source to the triggering voltage.

13. The panel of claim 12, wherein the supply voltage is about 10 volts.

14. The panel of claim 11, wherein the voltage multiplier is capable of multiplying a supply voltage from the voltage source by a factor of at least 5.

15. The panel of claim 11, wherein the voltage multiplier is a capacitive multiplier.

16. The panel of claim 11, wherein the voltage multiplier comprises thin film transistors.

17. A light-emitting display comprising at least one panel according to claim 1.

18. The light-emitting display of claim 17, comprising a plurality of the panels electrically coupled together.

19. A light-emitting display comprising:

a plurality of panels electrically coupled to one another at a plurality of junctions, each panel comprising;

a plurality of micro-components capable of emitting radiation when exposed to a triggering voltage of sufficient strength, the micro-components arranged in a grid comprising a plurality of rows and plurality of columns perpendicular to the rows;

a plurality of sustain electrodes electrically coupled to each micro-component and capable of simultaneously subjecting all of the micro-components to a voltage less than the triggering voltage;

a plurality of triggering electrodes electrically coupled to each micro-component; and

a plurality of voltage sources electrically coupled to the triggering electrodes at the junctions.

20. A light-emitting display comprising:

a plurality of micro-components capable of emitting radiation when exposed to a triggering voltage;

a plurality of sustain electrodes electrically coupled to each micro-component and capable of simultaneously subjecting all of the micro-components to a sustain voltage less than the triggering voltage;

a light delivery device capable of simultaneously delivering an amount of light to one or more selected micro-components, the amount of light sufficient to create enough free charges in the selected micro-components to depress the required triggering voltage in the selected micro-components to a level less than the applied sustain voltage.

21. The light-emitting display of claim 20, wherein the light delivery device comprises at least one light source.

22. The light-emitting display of claim 21, wherein the light source is a laser, an incandescent light, a fluorescent light, or a light emitting diode.

23. The light-emitting display of claim 21, wherein the light delivery device further comprises a delivery mechanism.

24. The light-emitting display of claim 23, wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a plurality of optical fibers.

25. The light-emitting display of claim 23, wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises lenses or mirrors.

26. A light-emitting display comprising:

a plurality of sustain electrodes arranged in a plurality of parallel rows;

a plurality of trigger electrodes perpendicularly intersecting the sustain electrodes to form a grid;

a plurality of micro-spheres capable of emitting radiation when exposed to a triggering voltage of sufficient strength, each micro-sphere electrically coupled to the trigger electrodes and disposed between and electrically coupled to two adjacent parallel rows of sustain electrodes so as to increase the fill factor between adjacent micro-spheres.

27. A light-emitting display comprising:

a panel comprising a plurality of micro-components capable of emitting radiation when exposed to a triggering voltage;

at least one triggering electrode electrically coupled to at least one of the micro-components;

at least one voltage source electrically coupled to the triggering electrode; and

a voltage multiplier electrically couple between the voltage source and the triggering electrode.

28. The display of claim 27, wherein the voltage multiplier is capable of increasing a supply voltage from the voltage source to the triggering voltage.

29. The display of claim 28, wherein the supply voltage is about 10 volts.

30. The display of claim 27, wherein the voltage multiplier is capable of multiplying a supply voltage from the voltage source by a factor of at least 5.

31. The panel of claim 27, wherein the voltage multiplier is a capacitive multiplier.

32. The panel of claim 27, wherein the voltage multiplier comprises thin film transistors.

33. A method for addressing one or more micro-components selected from a plurality of micro-components in a light emitting display by triggering a gas contained within the selected micro-components to emit radiation, the method comprising:

selecting one or more gas containing micro-components to be energized;

addressing the selected micro-components using an addressing voltage less than the triggering voltage necessary to cause the gas to emit radiation;

increasing the addressing voltage to at least the triggering voltage; and

energizing the gas.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the method further comprises simultaneously exposing all of the micro-components to a sustain voltage less than the triggering voltage; and

the step of increasing the addressing voltage further comprises increasing the addressing voltage to a level such that the sum of the increased addressing voltage and the sustain voltage at the selected micro-components is at least equal to the triggering voltage.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the address voltage is about 10 volts.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of increasing the addressing voltage multiplies the addressing voltage by a factor of at least five.

37. A method for addressing one or more micro-components selected from a plurality of micro-components in a light emitting display by triggering a gas contained within the selected micro-components to emit radiation, the method comprising:

dividing the display into a plurality of panels;

selecting one or more gas containing micro-components to be energized;

addressing the selected micro-components in each panel separately;

delivery a triggering voltage to the selected micro-components sufficient to cause the gas in the selected micro-components to emit radiation.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing at least one addressing device for each panel.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the addressing device is attached to the panel.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the addressing device is used to address the selected micro-components in the panel to which it is attached.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

addressing the selected micro-components using an addressing voltage less than the triggering voltage necessary to cause the gas to emit radiation; and

increasing the addressing voltage to at least the triggering voltage.

42. A method for addressing one or more micro-components selected from a plurality of micro-components in a light emitting display by triggering a gas contained within the selected micro-components to emit radiation, the method comprising:

simultaneously exposing all of the micro-components to a sustain voltage less than the triggering voltage necessary to cause the gas contained in the micro-components to emit radiation;

selecting one or more gas containing micro-components in to be energized;

delivering to each selected micro-component an amount of light sufficient to create enough free charges in the selected micro-components to depress the required triggering voltage in the selected micro-components to a level less than the applied sustain voltage.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of delivering a sufficient amount of light comprises causing at least two independent light sources that combine to create the sufficient amount of light to deliver this combined light to the selected micro-components.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the light sources comprise optical fibers.

45. A method for addressing one or more micro-components selected from a plurality of micro-components in a light emitting display by triggering a gas contained within the selected micro-components to emit radiation, the method comprising:

arranging the micro-components in a plurality of parallel rows;

providing a plurality of sustain electrodes arranged parallel to the micro-component rows, each sustain electrode disposed between adjacent rows of micro-components and electrically connected to the micro-components in those rows;

providing a plurality of address electrodes arranged perpendicular to the sustain electrodes and the rows of micro-components;

simultaneously delivering a triggering voltage to at least two micro-components disposed in adjacent rows using one address electrode and one sustain electrode disposed between the adjacent rows;

selecting a micro-component to be sustained; and

sustaining that micro-component by supplying a sustaining voltage to the micro-component through two sustain electrodes located on either side of the selected micro-component.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the sustain electrodes are disposed between adjacent rows of micro-components so as to increase the fill factor between the rows of micro-components.