A Novel Method for Manufacturing Low Cost, Large Screen, Wall-Hanging Plasma Display Panels Using a Novel Three Dimensional Camera

Large-screen (over 35" diagonal length) wall-hanging displays have many applications in BMDO, such as flight simulation, command control center display, mission rehearsal and training, virtual reality environment development. They are also highly demanded in consumer electronics industries, such as high definition TV (HDTV), and electronic instrumentation. However, the current costs of most large screen flat penal displays are prohibitively high for most military and civilian consumers, and thus their use is limited. The primary objective of the Phase I SBIR effort proposed herein is to investigate the feasibility of a novel and extremely simple addressing method, which we called the "Beam Matrix Scanning" method (BM), to produce low-cost, large-screen DC Plasma Display Panel (DCPDP) systems. The innovation is based on the use of two or more electronic beam guns, instead of solid-state switchers, to address and scan a plasma display panel. The proposed method is able simplify the panel structure by eliminating all built-in resistors from each display cell. Therefore, this innovation can drastically reduce the complexity of the scanning circuitry associated with the PDP, which leads to complexity reduction of display panel design and manufacture. With the formidable challenge faced by the traditional high cost PDP structure and scanning methods, we estimate the cost of larae screen FPD can be reduced bv three to five folds by adopting this revolutionary method. In this Phase 1 SBIR effort, we will carry out theoretical analysis, engineering design and feasibility validation of such a display system. We will build and test a prototype system to validate the cost reduction concept. In the Phase 2, we will develop technique to manufacture large screen displays with required resolution, brightness, and color. Due to the high market demand on large screen displays, and our unique low cost manufacturing method, the success of our Phase 1 and Phase 2 will virtually guarantee the investment and commercialization effort from private sectors. If succeed, the low cost design and manufacturing method developed in this SBIR will have a significant impact on the large-size flat panel display industry. Beyon