keller@uicsl.UUCP (02/29/84)
#N:uicsl:12900005:000:2832
uicsl!keller Feb 28 11:54:00 1984
How would you like having flat screen television with an imaging
surface of many square feet? Sound great for the living room wall and
those talks you have to give to large groups? Well, Alan Sobel of Lucitron
Inc. will be happy to sell you one. In a recent seminar at the University
of Illinois Sobel described and showed a movie of his company's
Flatscreen(TM) panel.
Using a scanning technique that relys on active spot to neighboring
spot priming (an induced reduction in gas breakdown voltage), the system
is able to use very few drive circuits. For a ~300 by ~200 display only
~26 scan-drive circuits are used. This is much better than most comparable
displays.
The Flatscreen(TM) retains several of the advantages of the CRT:
it is bright, and it is inherently a gray scale device. Another advantage
is that the design incorporates spacers between the front and back panel
that do not interfere with image uniformity and provide great rigidity at
low weight. Per square inch of display the Flatscreen(TM) is lighter than
CRTs.
The movie of one of the prototypes showed a high quality B/W
TV picture running in parallel with a conventional TV. The picture quality
was comparable to conventional TV systems. However, Lucitron is not
immediately targeting the TV market. They are taking advantage of the
unique combination of large screen size and brightness to make systems
for teleconferencing and billboard applications that can be viewed without
diming room lights. Also, although the technology has potential for full
color, this capability has not yet been developed.
The gray haired Sobel related the misadventures of his fellow
inventors and he as they sought to save the project after Zenith Radio Corp.,
where they had developed their ideas, sacked the entire research department.
For a time they were allowed to rent the Zenith facilities for a few dollars
per month while they searched for new support. GTE came through only to
sell the research group to Philips. Philips had their own flat screen project
(that has demonstrated color) and so they got the boot again. They still
need venture capital, but have a contract to build some large panels. As
Sobel said venture capital doesn't go to people with gray hair.
>From the abstract for the talk:
In the Flatscreen(TM) Gas-Electron-Phosphor (GEP) display, a
cold-cathode glow discharge is used both for scanning and as a source
of electrons. The anode glow is scanned by a matrix of anode glow,
modulated by a mesh grid electrode, and then accelerated through several
kilovolts to excite standard CRT phosphors.
Priming in the gas discharge makes possible scanning with only 26
scan-drive circuits for the entire display.
Lucitron Inc. (founded 1978)
1918 Raymond Dr.
Northbrook, IL 60062
-Shaun (I hope someone funds this! It's a great technology.)