Method and apparatus for driving display panel

A method for driving a display panel which is constituted by an alternating current plasma display panel having a first substrate, at least one display line involving first electrodes and second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other on said first substrate, a second substrate facing said first substrate, and third electrodes disposed on said second substrate and extending orthogonally to said first and second electrodes, in which a display by means of a light emission and write operation of display data are executed by carrying out a write discharge utilizing a memory function for cells of said at least one display line and by carrying out a sustain discharge for sustaining said write discharge, said memory function being realized by wall charges accumulated by means of said write discharge, wherein said method includes:

• a step of executing a write discharge for all cells of at least one display line selected by either one of first and second electrodes and by the third electrode with use of the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a step of executing an erase discharge for all cells of said selected display line with use of said first and second electrodes, said two steps being adapted to be carried out before said write discharge utilizing said memory function is executed, and adapted to accumulate wall charges working effectively for said write discharge over at least said third electrodes in advance.

An apparatus for driving a display panel having a first substrate, at least one display line involving first electrodes and second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other on said first substrate, a second substrate facing said first substrate, and third electrodes disposed on said second substrate and extending orthogonally to said first and second electrodes, in which a display by means of a light emission and write operation of display data are executed by carrying out a write discharge utilizing a memory function for cells of said at least one display line and by carrying out a sustain discharge for sustaining said write discharge, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• driving means which supplies a plurality of driving voltage pulses for executing write operation of said display data for said first, second and third electrodes;
• and
• control means which controls a sequence of supplying these plurality of driving voltage pulses, and wherein said control means is operative to apply a write pulse for executing a write discharge for all cells of at least one display line selected by either one of said first and second electrodes and by said third electrode with use of said first and second electrodes, and to apply an erase pulse for executing an erase discharge for all cells of said selected display line with use of said first and second electrodes, before said write discharge utilizing said memory function is carried out.

An apparatus for driving a display panel which is constituted by an alternating current plasma display panel having a first substrate, at least one display line involving first electrodes and second electrodes disposed in parallel with each other on said first substrate, a second substrate facing said first substrate, and third electrodes disposed on said second substrate and extending orthogonally to said first and second electrodes, in which a display by means of a light emission and write operation of display data are executed by carrying out a write discharge utilizing a memory function for cells of said at least one display line and by carrying out a sustain discharge for sustaining said write discharge, said memory function being realized by wall charges accumulated by means of a write discharge, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• driving means which supplies a plurality of driving voltage pulses for executing write operation of said display data for said first, second and third electrodes;
• and
• control means which controls a sequence of supplying these plurality of driving voltage pulses, wherein said control means is operative to apply a write pulse for executing a write discharge for all cells of at least one display line selected by either one of said first and second electrodes and by said third electrode with use of said first and second electrodes, and to apply an erase pulse for executing an erase discharge for all cells of said selected display line with use of said first and second electrodes, before said write discharge utilizing said memory function is carried out, so that wall charges working effectively for said write discharge are accumulated over at least said third electrodes in advance.