Patent · US Expired

Controlling pixel brightness in a field emission display using circuits for sampling and discharging

US5856812A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
24References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 24, 1996
Grant dateJan 5, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 24, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2329/00
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A flat panel display, such as a Field Emission Display ("FED"), is disclosed having a current control circuit. Input into the display, initially, is an analog signal having an amplitude. In one embodiment, the current control circuit includes a converter for converting the analog input signal to a sawtooth signal having a height and width. Then, the level of the sawtooth signal is compared to a voltage level to establish a pulse width of an emitter current. The emitter current is thus controlled by a pulse width modulation approach. In another embodiment, the current control circuit traps a column voltage on a parasitic capacitance. The trapped voltage then controls the gate of a transistor to control current flow from the emitter set to ground.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.