Plasma display panel, and method and device for life test of the plasma display panel

A life test method for a plasma display panel comprising:

• a first step of assembling the plasma display panel having (i) a first cell field that includes discharge cells arranged in a matrix and is for image display, and (ii) a second cell field that is provided in an area different from the first cell field, includes discharge cells arranged in a matrix, and is for evaluation of life span characteristics;
• and
• a second step of evaluating the life span characteristics by driving the second cell field using a predetermined driving method.

A life test method for a plasma display panel by which deterioration of the plasma display panel is accelerated, wherein

• the deterioration is accelerated while the plasma display panel is driven with use of an intraframe time-division gray-scale display method, and
• according to the intraframe time-division gray-scale display method used in the life test method, a time-division display pattern is made so that (i) a frame includes one or more address periods during each of which an address discharge is generated, (ii) a remainder of the frame besides the address periods includes one or more discharge sustain periods, and (iii) a total number of discharges during the one or more discharge sustain periods per frame is larger than that in another intraframe time-division gray-scale display method that is used for normal operations of plasma display panels.

A life test method for a plasma display panel by which deterioration of the plasma display panel is accelerated, wherein

• the deterioration is accelerated while the plasma display panel is driven with use of an intraframe time-division gray-scale display method, and
• according to the intraframe time-division gray-scale display method used in the life test method, a time-division display pattern is made so that (i) a frame includes one or more address periods during each of which an address discharge is generated, (ii) a remainder of the frame besides the address periods includes one or more discharge sustain periods, and (iii) during at least one of the discharge sustain periods, a discharge sustain pulse is applied at a higher voltage level than in another intraframe time-division gray-scale display method that is used for normal operations of plasma display panels.

A life test apparatus for a plasma display panel comprising:

• a display driving unit operable to drive the plasma display panel to display images;
• a controlling unit operable to control the display driving unit so that (i) the plasma display panel is driven with use of an intraframe time-division gray-scale display method, and (ii) according to the intraframe time-division gray-scale display method used in the life test method, a time-division display pattern is made so that (a) a frame includes one or more address periods during each of which an address discharge is generated, (b) a remainder of the frame besides the address periods includes one or more discharge sustain periods, and (c) a total number of discharges during the one or more discharge sustain periods per frame is larger than that in another intraframe time-division gray-scale display method that is used for normal operations of plasma display panels.

A life test method of a plasma display panel, wherein

• the plasma display panel is driven with use of an intraframe time-division gray-scale display method,
• an always-on image, in which lights are continuously on, is displayed in an image display field of the plasma display panel except for a perimeter area that is near and inside edges of the image display field, and
• a blinking image, in which lights are repeatedly turned off and on, is displayed in the perimeter area.

A life test method for a plasma display panel, wherein

• the plasma display panel is driven with use of an intraframe time-division gray-scale display method,
• a high gray-scale level image, in which light is emitted at a high gray-scale level, is displayed in an image display field of the plasma display panel except for a perimeter area that is near and inside edges of the image display field, and
• a low gray-scale level image, in which light is emitted at a low gray-scale level, is displayed in the perimeter area.

A life test apparatus for a plasma display panel that includes a signal generating unit and performs a life test by driving the plasma display panel to display an image according to a signal generated by the signal generating unit, wherein

• the signal generating unit generates (i) a signal to have the plasma display panel display an always-on image, in which lights are continuously on, in an image display field except for a perimeter area that is near and inside edges of the image display field, and (ii) a signal to have the plasma display panel display a blinking image, in which lights are repeatedly turned off and on, in the perimeter area.