Vacuum fluorescent display driver
US6005538A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G3/06
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vacuum fluorescent display driver and method for driving a vacuum display device includes a segment selecting circuit which selectively applies a potential of a particular polarity to a segment to illuminate that segment and a grid driver circuit which applies a potential of that polarity to the grid in order to illuminate the device. A filament supply supplies a current to the filament during a first portion of a duty cycle in order to heat the filament and applies a potential of polarity opposite to that applied to the filament during a second portion of the duty cycle in order to produce a potential between the filament, the grid, and any segment which is selected sufficient to illuminate the selected segments. The driver is especially adapted for use with a microcomputer particularly in a vehicle display mirror, such as a compass mirror.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.