Control of a plasma display panel

A circuit to control a plasma display panel, comprising:

• performing means for performing a precharge or a predischarge of at least all cells of a current line that have to switch state for a next line by connecting an intermediate supply terminal that applies an intermediary supply voltage to output terminals of column control stages corresponding to junction points of first and second switches between first and second supply voltage terminals that apply first and second supply voltages, respectively, the intermediary supply voltage maintaining a voltage between the first and second supply voltages;
• disconnecting means for disconnecting said output terminals from the intermediate supply terminal;
• connecting means for connecting each output terminal to the first or to the second power supply voltage by turning on the first or second switch of a corresponding stage of the column control stages, according to an addressing reference value;
• and
• delaying means for delaying, during the precharge or the predischarge, at the intermediary supply voltage, the connecting of each output terminal to the first or to the second power supply voltage with respect to the disconnecting of the output terminal from the intermediate supply terminal.

A circuit to control a plasma display panel, comprising:

• first and second switches coupled between first and second supply voltage terminals, the first and second switches being coupled to each other at an output terminal, the output terminal structured to drive a cell of the plasma display panel;
• a third switch coupled between an intermediate voltage terminal and the output terminal, the third switch structured to perform a precharge or a predischarge of the cell of the plasma display panel to an intermediate voltage between a first supply voltage at the first supply voltage terminal and a second supply voltage at the second supply voltage terminal;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to at least one control terminal of the third switch and at least one of the first and second switches, and structured to cause the third switch to disconnect the output terminal from the intermediate voltage terminal and connect the output terminal to the first or to the second supply voltage terminal, by turning on the first or second switch according to an addressing reference value, wherein the control circuit includes a delay circuit structured to delay the connecting of the output node to the first or to the second power supply voltage terminal when the output terminal is at the intermediate voltage.

A plasma display panel, comprising:

• a cell;
• and
• a circuit for controlling the cell, the circuit including:
• first and second switches coupled between first and second supply voltage terminals, the first and second switches coupled to each other at an output terminal, the output terminal structured to drive the cell of the plasma display panel;
• a third switch coupled between an intermediate voltage terminal and the output terminal, the third switch structured to pass a precharge current or a predischarge current of the cell of the plasma display panel;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to a control terminal of the third switch and at least one of the first and second switches, the third switch structured to disconnect the output terminal from the intermediate voltage terminal and connect the output terminal to the first or to the second supply voltage terminal by turning on the first or second switch according to an addressing reference value, wherein the control circuit includes a delay circuit structured to delay, when the output terminal is at an intermediate voltage level, the intermediate voltage level being between a first supply voltage level at the first supply voltage terminal and a second supply voltage level at the second supply voltage terminal, the connecting of the output node to the first or to the second supply voltage terminal with respect to the disconnecting of the output terminal from the intermediate voltage terminal.

A plasma cell control circuit, comprising:

• a discharge switch having a first terminal coupled to a power supply node and a second terminal coupled to an output node, the output node structured to drive a cell of a plasma display panel, the discharge switch configured to pass current to discharge the cell;
• a pre-discharge switch having a first terminal coupled an intermediate power supply node and a second terminal coupled to the output node;
• an intermediate control circuit configured to signal the pre-discharge switch to couple the intermediate power supply node to the output node during a pre-discharge phase and configured to signal the pre-discharge switch to de-couple the intermediate power supply node from the output node during a discharge phase;
• and
• a delay circuit operative during the pre-discharge phase when the output node is at an intermediate power level and configured to delay the coupling of the output terminal to the power supply node until the output node is de-coupled from the intermediate power supply node.