Method of driving display device, and display device

A method of driving a display device, the display device comprising a plurality of gas discharge tubes arranged side by side, each including a phosphor layer formed therewithin and being filled with discharge gas, a first plurality of pairs of display electrodes arranged on a display screen side of the plurality of gas discharge tubes, and a plurality of signal electrodes arranged on a rear side of the plurality of gas discharge tubes, the first plurality of pairs of display electrodes including a second plurality of pairs of display electrodes and a third plurality of pairs of display electrodes, the method comprising:

• applying an address pulse for a corresponding display electrode pair of the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes to selected signal electrodes of the plurality of signal electrodes and a scan pulse to one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes, during a first sub-period of an address period;
• applying, during the first sub-period of the address period, a first supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of the scan pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes after the application of the scan pulse to the one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes, while applying a second supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of the address pulse to the plurality of signal electrodes, and, thereafter, applying a third supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of a sustain pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes;
• applying an address pulse for a corresponding display electrode pair of the third plurality of pairs of display electrodes to selected signal electrodes of the plurality of signal electrodes and a scan pulse to one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the third plurality of pairs of display electrodes, during a second sub-period of the address period;
• and
• applying a sustain pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second and third pluralities of pairs of display electrodes.

A display device comprising:

• a plurality of gas discharge tubes arranged side by side, each including a phosphor layer formed therewithin and being filled with discharge gas;
• a first plurality of pairs of display electrodes arranged on a display screen side of the plurality of gas discharge tubes;
• a plurality of signal electrodes arranged on a rear side of the plurality of gas discharge tubes;
• the first plurality of pairs of display electrodes including a second plurality of pairs of display electrodes and a third plurality of pairs of display electrodes;
• an address driver circuit for applying an address pulse for a corresponding display electrode pair of the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes to selected signal electrodes of the plurality of signal electrodes during a first sub-period of an address period, and applying an address pulse for a corresponding display electrode pair of the third plurality of pairs of display electrodes to selected signal electrodes of the plurality of signal electrodes during a second sub-period of the address period;
• a scan driver circuit for applying a scan pulse to one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes during the first sub-period of the address period, and applying a scan pulse to one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the third plurality of pairs of display electrodes during the second sub-period of the address period;
• and
• a sustain driver circuit for applying a sustain pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second and third pluralities of pairs of display electrodes during a sustain period subsequent to the address period;
• during the first sub-period of the address period, after the application of the scan pulse to the one display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes, the sustain driver circuit applying a first supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of the scan pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes, while the address driver circuit applies a second supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of the address pulse to the plurality of signal electrodes, and, thereafter, the sustain driver circuit applying a third supplemental pulse of a same polarity as that of the sustain pulse to the other display electrode of each display electrode pair in the second plurality of pairs of display electrodes.