US 6,738,033 B1Granted

High resolution and high luminance plasma display panel and drive method for the same

AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

InventorsJunichi Hibino, Hidetaka Higashino, Nobuaki Nagao, Masaru Sekizawa, Kanako Miyashita, Masafumi Ookawa

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Abstract

When a gas discharge panel is driven, a voltage is applied between scan and address electrode groups to perform set-up. The voltage waveform has four intervals. In a first interval, the voltage is raised in a short time (less than 10 μs) to a first voltage, wherein 100 V≦first voltage<starting voltage. Then, in a second interval, the voltage is raised to a second voltage no less than the starting voltage and with an absolute gradient smaller than that for the voltage rise in the first interval (no more than 9 V/μs). Next, in a third interval, the voltage is lowered in a short time (no more than 10 μs) from the second voltage to a third voltage no more than the starting voltage. Following this, in a fourth interval, the voltage is lowered still further (for 100 μs to 250 μs) with a gradient smaller than that for the voltage fall in the third interval. The time occupied by the whole voltage waveform should be no more than 360 μs. This means that a wall charge can be properly accumulated, allowing stable addressing to be performed even when the pulse applied during the address period is short (no more than 1.5 μs). This lengthens the discharge sustain period and improves luminance.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A gas discharge panel display apparatus comprising a gas discharge panel and a drive circuit, the gas discharge panel including (1) first and second substrates placed in parallel opposition with a space in between, (2) first and second electrode groups, each formed from a plurality of electrode lines and covered with a dielectric layer, electrode lines from the first and second electrode groups being arranged alternately in parallel on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, (3) a third electrode group, formed from a plurality of electrode lines and covered with a dielectric layer, arranged in parallel on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate in a direction at right angles to the first electrode group, the space between the substrates being divided by a barrier rib group, and a phosphorous material arranged between the barrier ribs,

and the drive circuit including (a) a set-up unit for performing set-up by applying a voltage between the first electrode group and the third electrode group, (b) an address unit for writing an image by applying a voltage to electrode lines selected from the third electrode group, while applying a voltage sequentially to each of the electrode lines in the first electrode group, and (c) a discharge sustain unit for sustaining a discharge by applying a voltage between the first electrode group and the second electrode group, and then erasing a wall charge remaining inside discharge cells,
wherein a waveform for the voltage applied between the first electrode group and the third electrode group by the set-up unit includes, in the following order:
a first interval in which the voltage rises to a first voltage, where 100 V≦first voltage<discharge starting voltage;
a second interval in which the voltage rises from the first voltage to a second voltage no less than the discharge starting voltage, a gradient of the voltage rise being smaller than a gradient of the voltage rise in the first interval;
a third interval in which the voltage falls from the second voltage to a third voltage lower than the discharge starting voltage;
and
a fourth interval in which the voltage falls still further from the third voltage, a gradient of the voltage fall being smaller than a gradient of the voltage fall in the third interval.

4 more elements

A gas discharge panel drive method, for displaying an image on a gas discharge panel that includes (1) first and second substrates placed in parallel opposition with a space in between, (2) first and second electrode groups, each formed from a plurality of electrode lines and covered with a dielectric layer, electrode lines from the first and second electrode groups being arranged alternately in parallel on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, (3) a third electrode group, formed from a plurality of electrode lines and covered with a dielectric layer, arranged in parallel on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate in a direction at right angles to the first electrode group, the space between the substrates being divided by a barrier rib group, and a phosphorous material arranged between the barrier ribs,

and the gas discharge panel drive method including (1) a set-up step for performing set-up by applying a voltage between the first electrode group and the second electrode group, (2) an address step for writing an image by applying a voltage to electrode lines selected from the third electrode group, while applying a voltage sequentially to each of the electrode lines in the first electrode group, and (3) a discharge sustain step for sustaining a discharge by applying a voltage between the first electrode group and the second electrode group, and then erasing a wall charge remaining inside discharge cells, images being displayed by performing the above sequence of steps repeatedly,
wherein a waveform for the voltage applied between the first electrode group and the third electrode group in the set-up step includes, in the following order:
a first interval in which the voltage rises to a first voltage, where 100 V≦first voltage discharge starting voltage;
a second interval in which the voltage rises from the first voltage to a second voltage no less than the discharge starting voltage, a gradient of the voltage rise being smaller than a gradient of the voltage rise in the first interval;
a third interval in which the voltage falls from the second voltage to a third voltage lower than the discharge starting voltage;
and
a fourth interval in which the voltage falls still further from the third voltage, a gradient of the voltage fall being smaller than a gradient of the voltage fall in the third interval.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/831,466Filed 9 May 2001
Priority: JP 10-32407413 Nov 1998
Granted: 18 May 2004
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G09G 3/2927
For reset discharge, priming discharge or erase discharge occurring in a phase other than addressing: details of initialising
G09G 3/2948
For lighting or sustain discharge: by increasing the total sustaining time with respect to other times in the frame
G09G 3/296
Using AC panels: driving circuits for producing the waveforms applied to the driving electrodes
G09G 3/293
Controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes: for address discharge