Device and method for driving plasma display panel

A device for driving a plasma display panel having a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes arranged in pairs, and a panel capacitor formed between a first electrode and a second electrode, comprising:

• an inductor coupled to a first end of the panel capacitor;
• a first signal line and a second signal line for supplying a first voltage;
• a third signal line and a fourth signal line for supplying a second voltage;
• a first current path, formed from the first signal line to the fourth signal line through the inductor, for supplying a current in a first direction to the inductor while a first end and a second end of the panel capacitor are substantially maintained at the first voltage and the second voltage, respectively;
• a second current path, formed from the first end of the panel capacitor to the second end of the panel capacitor through the inductor, for changing voltages at both ends of the panel capacitor by the current in a first direction and a resonance provided between the panel capacitor and the inductor;
• and
• a third current path formed in order of the third signal line, the inductor, and the second signal line so as to reduce the current in a first direction when the first end and the second end of the panel capacitor become the second voltage and the first voltage, respectively.

A method for driving a plasma display panel having a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes arranged in pairs, a panel capacitor formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, an inductor coupled to a first end of the panel capacitor, and a first power source and a second power source for respectively supplying a first voltage and a second voltage, comprising:

• supplying a current in a first direction through a voltage difference between the first power source and the second power source to store a first energy when the voltages at a first end and a second end of the panel capacitor are substantially maintained at the first voltage and the second voltage, respectively;
• changing the voltages at the first end and the second end of the panel capacitor to the second voltage and the first voltage respectively, by using a resonance generated in a path formed from the first end of the panel capacitor to the second end of the panel capacitor through the inductor, and using the first energy;
• and
• maintaining the first end and the second end of the panel capacitor to substantially be the second voltage and the first voltage, respectively, and recovering the energy remaining in the inductor to the first power source.