Plasma display apparatus and method of driving the same

A plasma display apparatus comprising:

• a plasma display panel including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode positioned in an intersection direction of the first electrode and the second electrode;
• a sustain driver whose one terminal is connected to the first electrode, and the other terminal is commonly connected to the second electrode and a first reference voltage source;
• a reference separation switch whose one terminal is commonly connected to the other terminal of the sustain driver, the first reference voltage source, and the second electrode, and the other terminal is connected to a second reference voltage source;
• a top switch whose one terminal is connected to the third electrode, and the other terminal is connected to a data constant voltage source;
• and
• a bottom switch whose one terminal is commonly connected to the third electrode and one terminal of the top switch, and the other terminal is commonly connected to the second reference voltage source and the other terminal of the reference separation switch.

A method of driving a plasma display apparatus comprising a plasma display panel including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode positioned in an intersection direction of the first electrode and the second electrode, a sustain driver that supplies a sustain signal including a positive sustain voltage and a negative sustain voltage to the first electrode during a sustain period, a data driver that supplies a data signal to the third electrode during an address period, a first reference voltage source that is commonly connected to the sustain driver and the second electrode, a second reference voltage source connected to the data driver, and a reference separation controller that separates or connects the first reference voltage source from or to the second reference voltage source, the method comprising:

• supplying the sustain signal to the first electrode by the sustain driver;
• turning on the reference separation controller during a positive sustain voltage maintenance period when a voltage level of the first electrode is maintained at the positive sustain voltage, so that the first reference voltage source is connected to the second reference voltage source;
• and
• turning off the reference separation controller during the remaining period of time except the positive sustain voltage maintenance period from the sustain period, so that the first reference voltage source is separated from the second reference voltage source.

A method of driving a plasma display apparatus comprising a plasma display panel including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode positioned in an intersection direction of the first electrode and the second electrode, a sustain driver that supplies a sustain signal including a positive sustain voltage and a negative sustain voltage to the first electrode during a sustain period, a data driver that supplies a data signal to the third electrode during an address period, a first reference voltage source that is commonly connected to the sustain driver and the second electrode, a second reference voltage source connected to the data driver, and a reference separation controller that separates or connects the first reference voltage source from or to the second reference voltage source, the method comprising:

• supplying a positive sustain voltage and a negative sustain voltage of a sustain signal to the first electrode during a sustain period;
• supplying a data voltage to the third electrode during a first period of a positive sustain voltage maintenance period when a voltage level of the first electrode is maintained at the positive sustain voltage, the first period being shorter than the positive sustain voltage maintenance period;
• supplying a voltage output from a reference voltage source to the third electrode during the remaining period of time except the first period from the sustain period;
• and
• turning on the reference separation controller during the positive sustain voltage maintenance period so that a first reference voltage source is connected to a second reference voltage source, and turning off the reference separation controller during the remaining period of time except the positive sustain voltage maintenance period from the sustain period, so that the first reference voltage source is separated from the second reference voltage source.