EP1806720A2 - Dispositif d'affichage à plasma et son procédé de commande - Google Patents

Dispositif d'affichage à plasma et son procédé de commande Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1806720A2
EP1806720A2 EP06250040A EP06250040A EP1806720A2 EP 1806720 A2 EP1806720 A2 EP 1806720A2 EP 06250040 A EP06250040 A EP 06250040A EP 06250040 A EP06250040 A EP 06250040A EP 1806720 A2 EP1806720 A2 EP 1806720A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sub
fields
scan
reset
pulses
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06250040A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1806720A3 (fr
EP1806720A8 (fr
Inventor
Dae Jin Myoung
Seong Hak Moon
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LG Electronics Inc
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LG Electronics Inc
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Priority claimed from KR1020050031663A external-priority patent/KR100761166B1/ko
Priority claimed from KR1020050031659A external-priority patent/KR100692818B1/ko
Application filed by LG Electronics Inc filed Critical LG Electronics Inc
Publication of EP1806720A2 publication Critical patent/EP1806720A2/fr
Publication of EP1806720A8 publication Critical patent/EP1806720A8/fr
Publication of EP1806720A3 publication Critical patent/EP1806720A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/293—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for address discharge
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/2007—Display of intermediate tones
    • G09G3/2018—Display of intermediate tones by time modulation using two or more time intervals
    • G09G3/2022—Display of intermediate tones by time modulation using two or more time intervals using sub-frames
    • G09G3/2037—Display of intermediate tones by time modulation using two or more time intervals using sub-frames with specific control of sub-frames corresponding to the least significant bits
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/292—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for reset discharge, priming discharge or erase discharge occurring in a phase other than addressing
    • G09G3/2927—Details of initialising
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2310/00—Command of the display device
    • G09G2310/02—Addressing, scanning or driving the display screen or processing steps related thereto
    • G09G2310/0202—Addressing of scan or signal lines
    • G09G2310/0218—Addressing of scan or signal lines with collection of electrodes in groups for n-dimensional addressing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2310/00—Command of the display device
    • G09G2310/06—Details of flat display driving waveforms
    • G09G2310/066—Waveforms comprising a gently increasing or decreasing portion, e.g. ramp
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2320/00—Control of display operating conditions
    • G09G2320/02—Improving the quality of display appearance
    • G09G2320/0238—Improving the black level
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G2360/00—Aspects of the architecture of display systems
    • G09G2360/16—Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/2007—Display of intermediate tones
    • G09G3/2018—Display of intermediate tones by time modulation using two or more time intervals
    • G09G3/2022—Display of intermediate tones by time modulation using two or more time intervals using sub-frames
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/293—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for address discharge
    • G09G3/2932—Addressed by writing selected cells that are in an OFF state
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/291—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes
    • G09G3/293—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels controlling the gas discharge to control a cell condition, e.g. by means of specific pulse shapes for address discharge
    • G09G3/2935—Addressed by erasing selected cells that are in an ON state

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel (PDP) in which a barrier rib formed between a top surface substrate and a bottom surface substrate forms a unit cell.
  • a main discharge gas such as Ne, He, and Ne+He and an inert gas comprising a small amount of xenon are filled in each cell.
  • the inert gas When a discharge is generated by a high frequency voltage, the inert gas generates vacuum ultraviolet (UV) radiation which causes a phosphor formed between the barrier ribs to emit light so as to realize an image.
  • UV vacuum ultraviolet
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of a common PDP.
  • a PDP has a top surface substrate 100, obtained by arranging a plurality of pairs of electrodes formed of scan electrodes 102 and sustain electrodes 103 that make pairs on a top surface glass 101 that is a display surface on which images are displayed, and a bottom surface substrate 110, obtained by arranging a plurality of address electrodes 113 on a bottom surface glass 111 that forms the back surface to intersect the plurality of pairs of sustain electrodes, are combined with each other to run parallel to each other by a uniform distance.
  • the top surface substrate 100 comprises the scan electrodes 102 and the sustain electrodes 103 for discharging each other in one discharge cell to sustain emission of the cell, that is, the scan electrodes 102 and the sustain electrodes 103 that comprise transparent electrodes a formed of transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) and bus electrodes b formed of metal and that make pairs.
  • the scan electrodes 102 and the sustain electrodes 103 are covered with one or more dielectric layers 104 for restricting the discharge current of the scan electrodes 102 and the sustain electrodes 103 to insulate the pairs of electrodes from each other.
  • a protective layer 105 on which MgO is deposited is formed on the entire surface of the dielectric layer 104 to facilitate discharge.
  • the bottom surface substrate 110 is coated with the R, G and B phosphors 114 that emit visible rays to display images during the address discharge.
  • a lower dielectric layer 115 for protecting the address electrodes 113 is formed between the address electrodes 113 and the phosphors 114.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the structure in which the electrodes are arranged in the conventional PDP.
  • the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z1 to Zn are arranged to run parallel to each other and the address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed to intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z1 to Zn.
  • a predetermined driving signal is applied to each of the electrodes of the PDP 200 arranged as described above to realize an image.
  • one frame period is divided into a plurality of sub-fields, each having a different light-emission times, and each sub-field is divided into a reset period RPD for initializing all of the cells, an address period APD for selecting a cell to be discharged, and a sustain period SPD for realizing gray levels in accordance with the number of discharge times.
  • a frame period (16.67ms) corresponding to 1/60 second is divided into eight sub-fields SF1 to SF8 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and each of the eight sub-fields SF1 to SF8 is divided into the reset period, the address period, and the sustain period.
  • the reset period and the address period are the same in each of the sub-fields.
  • the address discharge for selecting the cell to be discharged is generated by creating a difference in voltage between the address electrodes and the transparent electrodes that are the scan electrodes.
  • Driving waveforms in accordance with such a method of driving the PDP will be described with reference to FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates driving waveforms in accordance with the method of driving the conventional PDP.
  • the PDP is driven such that each sub-field is divided into a reset period for initializing all of the cells, an address period for selecting a cell to be discharged, a sustain period for sustaining the discharge of the selected cell, and an erase period for erasing wall charges in the discharged cell.
  • a rising ramp waveform Ramp-up is simultaneously applied to all of the scan electrodes.
  • a dark discharge is generated in the discharge cells of the entire screen due to the rising ramp waveform.
  • Positive wall charges are accumulated on the address electrodes and the sustain electrodes and negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrodes due to the set up discharge.
  • a falling ramp waveform Ramp-down that starts to fall from a positive voltage lower than the peak voltage of the rising ramp waveform and to thus falls to a specific voltage level no more than a ground GND level voltage generates a weak erase discharge in the cells to erase the wall charges excessively formed in the scan electrodes.
  • a negative scan pulse is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes and, at the same time, a positive data pulse is applied to the address electrodes in synchronization with the scan pulse.
  • the address discharge is generated in the discharge cell to which the data pulse is applied. Wall charges in an amount that can generate a discharge when the sustain voltage Vs is applied are formed in the cells selected by the address discharge.
  • a positive bias voltage Vz is supplied to the sustain electrodes in the set down period and the address period so that the difference in voltage between the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes is reduced to prevent erroneous discharge from being generated between the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes.
  • sustain pulses sus are alternately applied to the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes.
  • the wall voltage in the cells is added to the sustain pulse so that the sustain discharge, that is, display discharge is generated between the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes whenever each sustain pulse is applied.
  • a voltage of an erase ramp waveform Ramp-ers having a small pulse width and a low voltage level is supplied to the sustain electrodes in the erase period to erase the wall charges that reside in the cells of the entire screen.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses of all of the sub-fields are the same.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates reset pulses in a driving waveform in accordance with the method of driving the conventional PDP of FIG. 4 in detail.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses of all of the sub-fields are the same.
  • the rising ramp rises from a predetermined positive voltage, for example, the sustain voltage Vs to a set up voltage Vsetup with a predetermined slope and then, falls to the predetermined positive voltage.
  • the reset pulses are not applied in the reset periods of all of the sub-fields of one frame as described above, and the reset pulses are applied only in one or more sub-field selected from one frame to improve the contrast characteristic.
  • sub-fields of a selective writing method and sub-fields of a selective erasing method are comprised in one frame to realize an image.
  • a method of driving a PDP in which the sub-fields of the selective writing method and the sub-fields of the selective erasing method are used will be described with reference to FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a method of driving a PDP in which selective writing sub-fields and selective erasing sub-fields are comprised.
  • one frame comprises selective writing sub-fields WSF each comprising one or more sub-field and selective erasing sub-fields ESF each comprising one or more sub-field.
  • the selective writing sub-fields WSF comprise m (m is a positive integer larger than 0) sub-fields SF1 to SFm.
  • Each of the first to m-1th sub-fields SF1 to SFm-1 excluding the mth sub-field SFm is divided into a reset period for uniformly forming positive wall charges in the cells of the entire screen, a selective writing address period (hereinafter, referred to as a writing address period) for selecting on-cells using writing discharge, a sustain period for generating sustain discharge in the selected on-cells, and an erasing period for erasing the wall charges in the cells after the sustain discharge.
  • a writing address period for selecting on-cells using writing discharge
  • a sustain period for generating sustain discharge in the selected on-cells
  • an erasing period for erasing the wall charges in the cells after the sustain discharge.
  • the mth sub-field SFm that is the last sub-field of the selective writing sub-fields WSF is divided into the reset period, the writing address period, and the sustain period.
  • the reset period, the writing address period, and the erasing period are the same in each of the sub-fields SF1 to SFm of the selective writing sub-fields WSF, a previously set brightness brightness weight value may be the same or vary in the sustain period.
  • the selective erasing sub-fields ESF comprise n-m (n is a positive integer larger than m) sub-fields SFm+1 to SFn.
  • Each of the m+1th to nth sub-fields SFm+1 to SFn is divided into a selective erasing address period (hereinafter, referred to as an erasing address period) for selecting off-cells using an erasing discharge and a sustain period for generating sustain discharge in the on-cells.
  • the erasing address period is the same and the sustain period may be .the same or vary in accordance with a brightness relative ratio.
  • m sub-fields are driven by the selective writing method and the n-m sub-fields are driven by the selective erasing method so that it is possible to reduce the address period. That is, one frame comprises the selective erasing sub-fields having a short scan pulse so that it is possible to secure enough sustain period.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods in accordance with the method of driving the PDP of FIG. 6.
  • the reset period is provided only in the selective writing sub-fields to apply the reset pulse.
  • the reset pulse is applied only in the first sub-field that is the selective writing sub-field and the reset pulse is not applied in the other sub-fields. Therefore, the magnitude of the unnecessary discharge that does not contribute to display of an image decreases so that contrast improves.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address period in the conventional driving waveforms in detail.
  • the scan pulses are sequentially applied to the scan electrodes in the order where the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn are arranged. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a scan pulse is first applied to the scan electrode Y1 that comes first on the PDP and then, another scan pulse is applied to the scan electrode Y2 that comes next to the scan electrode Y1.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn are the same.
  • the widths of the scan pulses will be described with reference to FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address period in the conventional driving waveforms.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn are the same.
  • the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode Y1 is W as illustrated in FIG. 9, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode Y2 is also W and the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode Yn is also W.
  • the address discharge is generated by the scan electrode Y1 within a short time after the reset discharge generated in the reset period. Since the scan electrode Yn is scanned last, the address discharge is generated by the scan electrode Yn after a long time after the reset discharge generated in the reset period.
  • a plurality of priming particles generated by the reset discharge exist in the discharge cell.
  • the number of priming particles is reduced in the discharge cell as time lapses. Therefore, in the case of the scan electrode Yn that is scanned last as described above so that the address discharge is generated after a long time after the reset discharge, the number of priming particles that exist in the discharge cell is small so that the address discharge becomes weak or, even worse, the address discharge is not generated. As a result, the address discharge becomes unstable when the scan electrode Yn is scanned last.
  • the width of all of the scan pulses is set to increase so that the address discharge stabilizes when the scan electrode is scanned later such as the above-described scan electrode Yn.
  • the address period increases. Therefore, the sustain period that follows the address period decreases and thus, the number of sustain pulses decreases so that the brightness realized when the PDP is driven decreases.
  • the widths of the scan pulses in all of the sub-fields are the same.
  • the driving waveforms will be described with reference to FIG. 10.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sub-fields of one frame in the conventional driving waveform.
  • the widths of the scan pulses in all of the sub-fields, that is, the first to eighth sub-fields are the same, that is, W.
  • the brightness weight values of the sub-fields are different from each other so that the values of the realized gray levels are difference from each other.
  • one frame is divided into the sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values to realize higher gray levels and the sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values to realize lower gray levels.
  • the eighth sub-field of FIG. 10 When the sub-field that realizes the higher gray level, for example, the eighth sub-field of FIG. 10 has a higher brightness weight value, the eighth sub-field is frequently selected when the screen of the PDP is bright. When the first sub-field has a lower brightness weight value, the first sub-field is frequently selected when the screen of the PDP is dark. That is, when the screen is bright, the eighth sub-field that has a higher brightness weight value is frequently selected but the first sub-field is not likely to be selected.
  • the width of the scan pulse in the first sub-field that has a lower brightness weight value is small, all of the discharges of the PDP are maintained stable.
  • the address period increases so that the sustain period that follows the address period is reduced and that the number of sustain pulses is reduced. Therefore, the brightness of the PDP is reduced.
  • the present invention seeks to provide an improved plasma display apparatus.
  • Embodiments of the invention can provide a plasma display apparatus capable of controlling the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to scan electrodes in the reset periods considering the gray level values of sub-fields to prevent a driving margin from deteriorating and to improve contrast characteristic and a method of driving the same.
  • Embodiments of the invention can provide a plasma display apparatus capable of controlling the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the order of scanning to stabilize address discharge and a method of driving the same.
  • Embodiments of the invention can provide a plasma display apparatus capable of controlling the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in accordance with an average picture level (APL) so that the address discharge is stably generated although an address period is reduced and a method of driving the same.
  • APL average picture level
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the electrodes, and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • a plasma display panel comprises means to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the driver may control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be controlled in accordance with gray level values.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the electrodes, and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the driver of a plasma display apparatus may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be larger than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the electrodes, and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the driver of a plasma display apparatus may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver to set the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning to be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning to be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning may be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning may be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the widths of the scan electrodes applied to the scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in accordance with an average picture level (APL).
  • APL average picture level
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes may be controlled in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes may be controlled in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses may be larger in the low gray level sub-fields that realize the low gray levels and the magnitude of the reset pulses may be smaller in the high gray level sub-fields that realize the high gray levels in one frame so that it is possible to improve the contrast characteristic and to prevent the driving margin from deteriorating.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the plurality of scan electrode groups each comprising one or more scan electrode are controlled in one sub-field in the order of scanning, may be varied such that the widths of the scan pulses in the high gray level sub-fields are increased when the APL is high, and the widths of the scan pulses in the low gray level sub-fields are increased when the APL is low so that it is possible to stabilize the entire discharge of the PDP and to reduce the address period. Therefore, the number of sustain pulses applied in the sustain period can be increased so that it is possible to improve the brightness realized when the PDP is driven.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver driving the scan electrodes, and a reset pulse controller controlling the driver to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may have three or more different voltage values.
  • the reset pulse controller may increase the magnitudes of the reset pulses according to as the gray level values of the sub-fields decreases.
  • the reset pulse controller may set the magnitude of at least one of the reset pulses to be more than twice a sustain voltage.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields from the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses supplied in a sustain period is lowest comes first among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or less than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-field in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in a sustain period are supplied among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or less than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses of one frame are supplied.
  • the reset pulse controller may set the magnitude of at least one of the reset pulses to be more than the sustain voltage and less than twice the sustain voltage.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than the sustain voltage and smaller than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields from the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses supplied in a sustain period is highest comes first among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than the sustain voltage and less than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields in which sustain pulses is equal to or more than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-field in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in a sustain period are supplied among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses may be more than the sustain voltage and less than twice the sustain voltage in the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or more than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses of one frame are supplied.
  • the reset pulse controller may make at least one of the reset pulses fall with a slope after maintaining a positive voltage of a predetermined magnitude.
  • the magnitude of the positive voltage may be equal to the magnitude of the sustain voltage.
  • the reset pulse controller may irregularly arrange the sub-fields comprised in the frame in the order of the magnitudes of the gray level values.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be controlled in accordance with gray level values.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the driver of a plasma display apparatus may control the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame in accordance with gray level values.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be controlled in accordance with gray level values.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to make the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame larger than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the reset pulse controller may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields to be more than twice the sustain voltage.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields from the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses supplied in a sustain period is lowest comes first among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or less than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-field in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in a sustain period are supplied among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or less than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses of one frame are supplied.
  • the reset pulse controller may irregularly arrange the sub-fields comprised in the frame in the order of the magnitudes of gray level values.
  • the reset pulse controller may set the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields comprised in the frame to fall with a slope after maintaining a positive voltage of a predetermined magnitude.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the driver of a plasma display apparatus may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be more than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be larger than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the reset pulse controller may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields to be more than the sustain voltage and less than twice the sustain voltage.
  • the reset pulse controller may make the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of at least one sub-fields among the sub-fields comprised in the frame fall with a slope after maintaining a positive voltage of a predetermined magnitude.
  • the sub-fields in which the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods fall with a slope after maintaining a positive voltage of a predetermined magnitude may be the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields from the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses supplied in a sustain period is highest comes first among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or more than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-field in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in a sustain period are supplied among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields in which a number of sustain pulses is equal to or more than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses of one frame are supplied.
  • the reset pulse controller may irregularly arrange the sub-fields comprised in the frame in the order of the magnitudes of the gray level values.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a reset pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plurality of scan electrodes and controller arranged to set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the driver of a plasma display apparatus may set the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame to be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame may be less than the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning to be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the scan pulse controller may make one or more scan electrodes group among the plurality of scan electrode groups comprise a plurality of scan electrodes and may make the plurality of scan electrodes comprised in the scan electrode group to be continuously scanned.
  • the plurality of scan electrode groups may comprise a first scan electrode group and a second electrode group that is scanned later than the first scan electrode group.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the first scan electrode group may be narrower than the width of the scan pulses applied to the second electrode group.
  • the scan pulse controller may set the number of scan electrodes to be no less than 2 and no more than the total number of scan electrodes.
  • the scan pulse controller may ensure that each of the scan electrode groups comprise the same number of scan electrodes.
  • the scan pulse controller may ensure that one or more of the scan electrode groups comprise a number of scan electrodes whose number is different from the number of scan electrodes of the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the scan pulse controller may apply scan pulses of the same width to all of the scan electrodes comprised in the same scan electrode group.
  • the scan pulse controller may set a difference in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of any two continuous scan electrode groups to be the same as the difference in width between another two scan pulses that are used for scanning of another two continuous scan electrode groups.
  • the scan pulse controller may set a difference in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of any two continuous scan electrode groups to be different from the difference in width between other two scan pulses that are used for scanning of other two continuous scan electrode groups.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to set the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning to be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning may be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode group among a plurality of scan electrode groups comprising the one or more scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in the order of scanning may be different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprising a plasma display panel comprising scan electrodes, a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes, and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the widths of the scan electrodes applied to the scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in accordance with an average picture level (APL).
  • APL average picture level
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the same sub-field to be the same.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the widths of the scan pulses of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields to increase as the APL decreases.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to make the widths of the scan pulses of the remaining sub-fields excluding the low gray level sub-fields decrease as the APL decreases.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the low gray level sub-fields to be plural and to set the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of low gray level sub-fields to be the same.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the low gray level sub-fields to be plural and to set the width of the scan pulses of one or more of the plurality of low gray level sub-fields to be different from the width of the scan pulses of the remaining low gray level sub-fields.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields having a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 20% of the number of sustain pulses of the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses in one frame.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the widths of the scan pulses of high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields to increase as the APL of the frame increases.
  • the widths of the scan pulses of the remaining sub-fields excluding the high gray level sub-fields may decrease.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the high gray level sub-fields to be plural and to set the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of high gray level sub-fields to be the same.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the high gray level sub-fields to be plural and to set the width of the scan pulses of one or more of the plurality of high gray level sub-fields to be different from the width of the scan pulses of the remaining high gray level sub-fields.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may be the sub-fields having a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or more than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses supplied in one frame.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the difference in width between the scan pulses of continuous two sub-fields having scan pulses of different widths among the sub-fields of the frame to be the same.
  • the scan pulse controller may be arranged to set the difference in width between the scan pulses of continuous two sub-fields having scan pulses of different widths among the sub-fields of the frame to vary.
  • an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel comprises a driver arranged to drive the scan electrodes and a scan pulse controller arranged to control the driver so as to control the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes may be controlled in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes may be controlled in one or more sub-field of one frame in accordance with an APL.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of a conventional plasma display panel (PDP).
  • PDP plasma display panel
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the structure in which electrodes are arranged in the conventional PDP.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a method of realizing gray levels of a conventional PDP.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates driving waveforms in accordance with the method of driving the conventional PDP.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates reset pulses in a driving waveform in accordance with the method of driving the conventional PDP of FIG. 4 in detail.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a method of driving a PDP in which selective writing sub-fields and selective erasing sub-fields are comprised in one frame.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the magnitudes of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods in accordance with the method of driving the PDP of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in an address period in the conventional driving waveforms in detail.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address period in the conventional driving waveforms.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sub-fields of one frame in the conventional driving waveform.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIGs. 12A and 12B illustrate a first embodiment of a method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a method of setting low gray level sub-fields according to the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 14 illustrates another driving waveform according to the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 15 illustrates the arrangement of the sub-fields in one frame according to the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIGs. 16A and 16B illustrate a second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a method of setting high gray level sub-fields according to the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 18 illustrates another driving waveform according to the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 19 illustrates the arrangement of the sub-fields in one frame according to the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 20A and 20B illustrate a third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 21 illustrates another driving waveform according to the third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a method of setting low gray level sub-fields according to the third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 23 illustrates an example of a method of setting high gray level sub-fields according to the third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 24 illustrates the arrangement of the sub-fields in one frame according to the third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 25 illustrates the structure of the plasma display apparatus for applying scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 26 illustrates that the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn formed on the PDP are divided into four scan electrode groups to describe the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 27 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 28 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses controlled in the order of scanning in detail.
  • FIG. 29 illustrates an example of the difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 30 illustrates another example of the difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 31 illustrates an example of dividing the scan electrodes formed on the plasma display panel into scan electrode groups each comprising one or more scan electrodes so that the number of scan electrodes in each scan electrode group varies.
  • FIG. 32 illustrates an average picture level (APL).
  • FIG. 33 illustrates the fifth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 34 illustrates an example of controlling the widths of the scan pulses in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame in accordance with the APL.
  • FIG. 35 illustrates another example of controlling the widths of the scan pulses in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame in accordance with the APL.
  • FIG. 36 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields excluding the low gray level sub-fields.
  • FIG. 37 illustrates an example of the difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fifth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 38 illustrates another example of the difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fifth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 39 illustrates an example of the case in which the APL is high according to the fifth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 40 illustrates an example of controlling the widths of the scan pulses in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame in accordance with the APL.
  • FIG. 41 illustrates another example of controlling the widths of the scan pulses in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame in accordance with the APL.
  • FIG. 42 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields excluding high gray level sub-fields.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel (PDP) 700, a data driver 722, a scan driver 723, a sustain driver 724, and a reset pulse controller 721.
  • PDP plasma display panel
  • the plasma display apparatus comprises the PDP 700 for displaying an image comprising a frame by combination of one or more sub-fields in which driving pulses are applied to the address electrodes X1 to Xm, the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, and the sustain electrodes Z in a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period, the data driver 722 for supplying data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm formed on the bottom surface panel (not shown) of the PDP 700, the scan driver 723 for driving the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, the sustain driver 724 for driving the sustain electrodes Z that are common electrodes, the reset pulse controller 721 for controlling the scan driver 723 when the PDP 700 is driven to control the magnitudes of the reset pulses, and a driving voltage generator 725 for supplying a driving voltage required for the driver 722, 723 and 724.
  • the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses displays an image comprising a frame by combination of one or more sub-fields in which the driving pulses are applied to the address electrodes, the scan electrodes, and the sustain electrodes in the reset period, the address period, and the sustain period and controls the magnitude of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of the frame in accordance with the value of a gray level.
  • the PDP 700 comprises a top surface panel (not shown) and a bottom surface panel (not shown) combined with each other so that the top surface panel and the bottom surface panel are separated from each other by a predetermined distance.
  • a plurality of electrodes for example, the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z are formed to make pairs.
  • the address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed to intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z.
  • the data driver 722 samples and latches the data in response to data timing control signals CTRX from a timing controller (not shown) and then, supplies the data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm.
  • the scan driver 723 supplies the reset pulses whose magnitudes are controlled in accordance with the gray level values of the sub-fields to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn under the control of the reset pulse controller 721 in the reset period. Also, the scan driving part 723 sequentially supplies scan pulses Sp of a scan voltage -Vy to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn in the address period and supplies sustain pulses sus to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn in the sustain period.
  • the sustain driver 724 supplies the bias voltage of a sustain voltage Vs to the sustain electrodes Z under the control of the timing controller (not shown) in a period where a falling ramp waveform Ramp-down is generated and in the address period and alternates the scan driver 723 in the sustain period to supply the sustain pulses sus to the sustain electrodes Z.
  • the reset pulse controller 721 generates predetermined control signals for controlling the operating timing and synchronization of the scan driver 723 in the reset period and supplies the timing control signals to the scan driver 723 to control the scan driver 723.
  • the reset pulse controller 721 supplies the control signals to the scan driver 723 to control the magnitude of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of one sub-field of a frame in accordance with the value of a gray level.
  • the reset pulse controller 721 supplies the control signals to the scan driver 723 so that the magnitudes of the reset pulses have three or more different voltage values and so that the magnitudes of the reset pulses having the three or more different voltage values decrease as the gray level values of the corresponding sub-fields decrease.
  • the data control signals CTRX comprise a sampling clock for sampling data, a latch control signal, and a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of an energy frequency circuit and a driving switch device.
  • a scan control signal CTRY comprises a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of the energy frequency circuit and the driving switch device in the scan driver 723.
  • a sustain control signal CTRZ comprises a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of the energy frequency circuit and the driving switch device in the sustain driver 724.
  • the driving voltage generator 725 generates a set-up voltage Vsetup, a scan common voltage Vscan-com, the scan voltage -Vy, the sustain voltage Vs, and a data voltage Vd.
  • the driving voltages may vary in accordance with the composition of discharge gas or the structure of a discharge cell.
  • another plasma display apparatus is the same as the plasma display apparatus according to FIG. 11 except that the reset pulse controller 721 generates predetermined control signals for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 723 in the reset period and supplies the timing control signals to the scan driver 723 to control the scan driver 723 and, in particular, applies predetermined control signals to the scan driver 723 so that the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of the frame is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • FIG. 11 Another embodiment of a plasma display apparatus is the same as the plasma display apparatus according to FIG. 11 except that the reset pulse controller 721 generates predetermined control signals for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 723 in the reset period and supplies the timing control signals to the scan driver 723 to control the scan driver 723 and, in particular, applies predetermined control signals to the scan driver 723 so that the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of the frame is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the reset pulse controller 721 generates predetermined control signals for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 723 in the reset period and supplies the timing control signals to the scan driver 723 to control the scan driver 723 and, in particular, applies predetermined control signals to the scan driver 723 so that the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among
  • FIG. 12 An embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus according to the present invention will now be described in FIG. 12.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame is larger than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitude V2 of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the first sub-field which has the lowest brightness weight value to realize the lowest gray level that is, the magnitude of the first sub-field is more than the magnitude V1 of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields, that is, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields.
  • the magnitude V2 of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the low gray level sub-field is more than twice the sustain voltage Vs, that is, 2Vs.
  • this is not essential to the invention in its broadest sense.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields. Therefore, the magnitude of the unnecessary discharge that does not contribute to display of an image, which is generated by the reset pulses of the high gray level sub-fields, decreases, thereby improving contrast.
  • the magnitude V2 of the reset pulse in the first sub-field is highest and the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields is lower than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the first sub-field.
  • the slope of the rising ramp Ramp-up of the reset pulse in the first sub-field is the same as the slope of the rising ramps of the reset pulses in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields.
  • the value of the maximum voltage of the reset pulse in the first sub-field is different from the value of the maximum voltage of the reset pulses in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields.
  • the slopes of the rising ramps are the same in all of the sub-fields, it is possible to generate the rising ramps in all of the sub-fields, that is, the first to eighth sub-fields using the same set-up pulse generating circuit (not shown) in terms of the structure of the circuit for generating the rising ramps so that it is possible to easily control the circuit.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be determined in accordance with the number of sustain pulses supplied in the sustain periods of the sub-fields of the frame. For example, a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-fields in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in the sustain periods among the sub-fields of the frame are preferably supplied to the low gray level sub-fields. For example, when it is assumed that the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses among the sub-fields comprised in one frame comprises 1,000 sustain pulses, the sub-fields that comprise 500 or less sustain pulses are the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the sub-field with a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 20% of the total number of the sustain pulses of one frame are supplied may be the low gray level sub-field.
  • the sub-field in which is equal or less than 400 sustain pulses are supplied is the low gray level sub-field.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may also be determined as the order that the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses comes first in one frame. An example of this method of determining the low gray level sub-fields will be described with reference to FIG. 13.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a method of determining the low gray level sub-fields according to the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses.
  • a plurality of sub-fields are low gray level sub-fields in one frame so that the sub-fields from the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses comes first, are the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the first sub-field that has the lowest number of sustain pulses, that is, that has the lowest brightness weight value, the third sub-field, and the fourth sub-field are determined as the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses in the low gray level sub-fields determined as described above is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the magnitude V2 of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the first, second, third, and fourth sub-fields determined as the low gray level sub-fields is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields, that is, more than 2Vs and the magnitude V1 of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields is less than the magnitude V2.
  • the reset pulses comprise the rising ramps Ramp-up that rise with a predetermined slope.
  • the reset pulses may be applied so that the rising ramps are not comprised in the reset period of an arbitrary sub-field of the frame. Such a driving waveform will be described with reference to FIG. 14.
  • the rising ramp Ramp-up that rises with a predetermined slope is omitted from the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame.
  • the reset pulse in the eighth sub-field has a waveform of a falling ramp Ramp-down that falls with a predetermined slope after maintaining a predetermined positive voltage.
  • the rising ramp is omitted from the reset pulse of the eighth sub-field compared with the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first to seventh sub-fields.
  • the predetermined positive voltage for example, the sustain voltage Vs is maintained in the eighth sub-field and then, the waveform of the falling ramp is shown.
  • the sub-field in which the reset pulse from which the rising ramp is omitted is applied is, preferably but not essentially, a high gray level sub-field that has a higher brightness weight value. Therefore, in the reset period of the high gray level sub-field in which the discharge is stable, the magnitude of the reset pulse, in particular, the magnitude of the unnecessary discharge that does not contribute to display of an image, which is generated by the rising ramp, is reduced to improve the contrast.
  • the sub-fields may also be irregularly arranged in one frame.
  • One example of such a driving method will be described with reference to FIG. 15.
  • the sub-fields in one frame are not regularly arranged in the order of the magnitudes of the brightness weight values, that is, the magnitudes of the gray level values are randomly arranged regardless of the magnitude of the gray level value.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse which is applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the sub-field that comes fifth which is the low gray level sub-field that has the smallest brightness weight value, that is, the first sub-field, is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields in FIG. 12A
  • the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the second, third, fourth, eighth, first, fifth, sixth, and seventh sub-fields in FIG. 15.
  • the sub-fields are randomly arranged regardless of the magnitude of the brightness weight value.
  • the high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values, that is, higher gray level values, and low gray level sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values, that is, lower gray level values may be alternately arranged in one frame.
  • the present invention is not limited to such an arrangement of sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields comprised in the frame must be more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields regardless of how the sub-fields are arranged in the frame.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses is controlled in the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields in one frame.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses may also be controlled in the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields in one frame, which will be described with reference to a second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitude V1 of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the last sub-field, which has the highest brightness weight value, that is, the eighth sub-field is smaller than the magnitude V2 of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sub-fields.
  • the magnitude V1 of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the high gray level sub-field is less than twice the sustain voltage Vs, that is, 2Vs and more than the sustain voltage Vs. That is, a relationship of Vs ⁇ V1 ⁇ 2Vs is established. However this relationship is not essential to the invention in its broadest sense.
  • An address discharge is less likely to be unstable in high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values than in the low sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values. Therefore, in the high gray level sub-fields, it is possible to uniformly distribute wall charges in a discharge cell although the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods are less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields. Therefore, in the high gray level sub-fields, although reset pulses having lower voltages are supplied, the address discharge after the reset periods becomes stable compared with the remaining low gray level sub-fields so that it is possible to prevent address jitter from deteriorating and to prevent unstable sustain discharge after the reset periods.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields so that the discharge of the plasma display panel is stable and the magnitude of the unnecessary discharge that does not contribute to display of an image, which is generated by the reset pulses, decreases to improve the contrast.
  • the magnitude V1 of the reset pulse in the eighth sub-field is the lowest and the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields is more than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the eighth sub-field.
  • the slope of the rising ramp Ramp-up of the reset pulse in the eighth sub-field is the same as the slope of the rising ramps of the reset pulses in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sub-fields.
  • the value of the maximum voltage of the reset pulse in the eighth sub-field is different from the value of the maximum voltage of the reset pulses in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sub-fields.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may be determined in accordance with the number of sustain pulses supplied in the sustain periods of the sub-fields of the frame. For example, a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or more than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-fields in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in the sustain periods among the sub-fields of the frame are preferably supplied to the high gray level sub-fields. For example, when the sub-field having the largest number of sustain pulses among the sub-fields comprised in one frame comprises 1,000 sustain pulses, the sub-fields that comprise 500 or more 500 sustain pulses are determined as the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses is equal to or more than 20% of the total number of the sustain pulses supplied in one frame are determined as the high gray level sub-field. For example, when the number of sustain pulses generated in one frame is 2,000, the sub-field in which 400 or more sustain pulses are supplied is determined as the high gray level sub-field.
  • the high gray level sub-fields may also be determined in the order where the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses comes first in one frame. An example of such a manner of determining the high gray level sub-fields will be described with reference to FIG. 17.
  • a plurality of sub-fields are determined as the high gray level sub-fields in one frame so that the sub-fields from the sub-field having the largest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field having the largest number of sustain pulses comes first are determined as the high gray level sub-fields among the plurality of sub-fields in one frame.
  • the eighth sub-field that has the highest number of sustain pulses, that is, that has the highest brightness weight value, the seventh sub-field, the sixth sub-field, and the fifth sub-field in the order where the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses comes first are determined as the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses in the high gray level sub-fields determined as described above is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the magnitude V1 of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields are determined as the high gray level sub-fields is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields, that is, more than the sustain voltage Vs and less than twice the sustain voltage 2Vs.
  • the magnitude V2 of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields is more than the magnitude V1.
  • the reset pulses comprise the rising ramps Ramp-up that rise with a predetermined slope.
  • the reset pulses may also be applied so that the rising ramps are not comprised in the reset period of at least one sub-field of the frame.
  • Such a driving waveform will be described with reference to FIG. 18.
  • the rising ramp Ramp-up that rises with a predetermined slope is omitted from the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame.
  • the reset pulses in the seventh and eighth sub-fields have a waveform of a falling ramp Ramp-down that falls with a predetermined slope after maintaining a predetermined positive voltage.
  • the rising ramp is omitted from the reset pulses of the seventh and eighth sub-fields compared with the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first to sixth sub-fields.
  • the predetermined positive voltage for example, the sustain voltage Vs is maintained in the seventh and eighth sub-fields and then, the falling ramp Ramp-down is formed.
  • the sub-field in which the reset pulse with the omitted rising ramp is applied is preferably a high gray level sub-field that has a higher brightness weight value. Therefore, in the reset period of the high gray level sub-field in which discharge is stable unlike, the magnitude of the reset pulse, in particular, the magnitude of the unnecessary discharge that does not contribute to display of an image, which is generated by the rising ramp, decreases to improve the contrast.
  • the sub-fields may also be irregularly arranged in one frame.
  • One example of such a driving method will be described with reference to FIG. 19.
  • the sub-fields in one frame are not regularly arranged in the order of the magnitudes of the brightness weight values, that is, the magnitudes of the gray level values but are randomly arranged regardless of the magnitude of the gray level value.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the sub-field that comes fourth which is the high gray level sub-field that has the highest value, that is, the eighth sub-field is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of the remaining sub-fields.
  • the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields in FIG. 16A
  • the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the second, third, fourth, eighth, first, fifth, sixth, and seventh sub-fields in FIG. 19.
  • the sub-fields are randomly arranged regardless of the magnitude of the brightness weight value.
  • the high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values, that is, higher gray level values and low gray level sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values, that is, lower gray level values may be alternately arranged in one frame.
  • the present invention is not limited to such an arrangement of sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields comprised in the frame must be less than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields regardless of how the sub-fields are arranged in the frame.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the sub-fields comprised in one frame is controlled in the low gray level sub-fields or in the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the reset pulses of the sub-fields comprised in one frame may be determined to have three or more different voltage values. Such a driving method will be described with reference to a third embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the reset pulses.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame is controlled in accordance with the value of a gray level.
  • the magnitudes of reset pulses are controlled in one frame comprising the eight sub-fields in accordance with the magnitudes of the brightness weight values of the corresponding sub-fields, that is, the magnitudes of the gray level values.
  • the magnitude V1 of the reset pulses applied to the scan pulses in the reset periods in the high gray level sub-fields is more than the sustain voltage Vs and less than twice the sustain voltage Vs, that is, 2Vs. Therefore, a relationship of Vs ⁇ Vl ⁇ 2Vs is established. However this is not essential to the invention in its broadest sense.
  • the sub-fields in which the magnitudes of the voltages of the reset pulses are more than the sustain voltage Vs and less than twice the sustain voltage Vs may be determined in accordance with the number of sustain pulses supplied in the sustain periods of the sub-fields of the frame. For example, a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or more than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-fields in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in the sustain periods among the sub-fields of the frame are preferably supplied to the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the sub-field in which the number of sustain pulses is equal to or more than 20% of the total number of the sustain pulses of one frame are supplied may be determined as the high gray level sub-field.
  • the reason why the magnitude of the reset pulses in the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame is smaller than the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields, is because the address discharge is stable in the high gray level sub-fields and the high gray level sub-fields have a higher number of sustain pulses so that discharge is stable in all of the high gray level sub-fields. That is, since the discharge is stable in all of the high gray level sub-fields, although the magnitude of the voltages of the reset pulses in the reset periods is low, it is possible to uniformly distribute wall charges in the discharge cells in the entire PDP.
  • the magnitude of the voltages of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods in the high gray level sub-fields is made small so that it is possible to uniformly distribute the wall charges in the discharge cells and to reduce the amount of light generated by dark discharge to improve the contrast characteristic.
  • the magnitude V3 of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields is more than twice the sustain voltage, that is, 2Vs.
  • the reason why the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields is because it is more probable that an address discharge will become unstable in the low gray level sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values than in the sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values so that the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the low gray level sub-fields is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields to stabilize the address discharge and the sustain discharge.
  • the sub-fields in which the magnitudes of the reset pulses are more than twice the sustain voltage Vs may be determined in terms of the number of sustain pulses in one frame. For example, a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 1/2 of the total number of sustain pulses of the sub-field in which the highest number of sustain pulses are supplied in the sustain period among the sub-fields of the frame are supplied to the sub-fields in which the magnitude of the reset pulses is more than twice the sustain voltage Vs. A number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 20% of the total number of the sustain pulses of one frame are supplied to these sub-fields in which the magnitude of the reset pulses is more than twice the sustain voltage Vs.
  • the reset pulses in one frame comprising eight sub-fields have three or more different voltage values. That is, the number of voltage values of the reset pulses that the sub-fields have in one frame is three or more. In this embodiment, the reset pulses become smaller as the magnitude of the brightness weight values, that is, the gray level values of the sub-fields in one frame decreases.
  • the reset pulses in the third and fourth sub-fields have different voltage values in the order where the magnitudes of the brightness weight values, that is, the gray level values increase in one frame, the magnitude of the reset pulse in the sub-field that has the lower brightness weight value, that is, the lower gray level value between the third and fourth sub-fields, that is, the third sub-field is higher than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the fourth sub-field.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse in the sub-field that has the lower brightness weight value, that is, the lower gray level value between the third and fourth sub-fields, that is, the third sub-field is higher than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the fourth sub-field.
  • this is not essential to the invention in its broadest sense.
  • the reset pulses comprise the rising ramps Ramp-up that rise with a predetermined slope.
  • the reset pulses may be applied so that the rising ramp is not comprised in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of the frame.
  • Such a driving waveform will be described with reference to FIG. 21.
  • the rising ramp Ramp-up that rises with a predetermined slope is omitted from the reset pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the reset period of at least one sub-field among the sub-fields of one frame.
  • the reset pulses in the seventh and eighth sub-fields have a waveform of a falling ramp Ramp-down that falls with a predetermined slope after maintaining a predetermined positive voltage.
  • the rising ramps are omitted from the reset pulses of the seventh and eighth sub-fields compared with the reset pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the reset periods of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first to sixth sub-fields.
  • the predetermined positive voltage for example, the sustain voltage Vs is maintained in the seventh and eighth sub-fields and then, the waveform of the falling ramp is shown.
  • the magnitude of the positive voltage is, preferably but not essentially, equal to the magnitude of the sustain voltage Vs. That is, in at least one sub-field of one frame, the reset pulse has a waveform that falls with a slope after maintaining the sustain voltage Vs.
  • the sub-field from which the rising ramp is omitted is, preferably but not essentially, a sub-field that has a higher brightness weight value, that is, a higher gray level value in one frame. Also, one or a plurality of such sub-fields may be included in one frame.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses in the sub-fields having sustain pulses of equal to or more than a predetermined number based on the number of sustain pulses comprised in one frame is determined as V3.
  • the sub-fields in which the magnitude of the reset pulses is V3 may be determined based on the order in which the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses comes first in one frame. Such a method will be described with reference to FIG. 22.
  • a plurality of sub-fields are determined as the low gray level sub-fields in one frame so that the sub-fields from the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field having the lowest number of sustain pulses comes first are determined as the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the first sub-field that has the lowest brightness weight value, the second sub-field, the third sub-field, and the fourth sub-field in the order where the sub-field having the lowest brightness weight value comes first are determined as the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses of the low gray level sub-fields is determined as V3. Since the method of determining the low gray level sub-fields was described in detail with reference to FIG. 13, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses in the sub-fields having sustain pulses of equal to or more than a predetermined number based on the number of sustain pulses comprised in one frame is determined as V1.
  • the sub-fields in which the magnitude of the reset pulses is V1 may be determined based on the order in which the sub-fields having the highest number of sustain pulses comes first in one frame. Such a method will be described with reference to FIG. 23.
  • a plurality of sub-fields are determined as the high gray level sub-fields in one frame so that the sub-fields from the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses to the sub-field that comes fourth in the order where the sub-field having the highest number of sustain pulses comes first are determined as the high gray level sub-fields among the plurality of sub-fields in one frame.
  • the eighth sub-field that has the highest brightness weight value, the seventh sub-field, the sixth sub-field, and the fifth sub-field in the order where the sub-field having the highest brightness weight value comes first are determined as the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses of the high gray level sub-fields is determined as V1. Since the method of determining the high gray level sub-fields was described in detail with reference to FIG. 17, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
  • the sub-fields comprised in one frame are regularly arranged in the order of the magnitudes of the brightness weight values, that is, the magnitudes of the gray level values.
  • the sub-fields may be irregularly arranged in one frame.
  • the sub-fields in one frame are not regularly arranged in the order of the magnitudes of the brightness weight values, that is, the magnitude of the gray level value but are randomly arranged regardless of the magnitude of the gray level value. That is, when the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields in FIG. 20(16)A, the sub-fields are arranged in the order of the second, third, fourth, eighth, first, fifth, sixth and seventh sub-fields in FIG. 24.
  • the magnitudes of the reset pulses supplied in the reset periods of the sub-fields in one frame may also vary.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the first sub-field is V1
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the second sub-field is V2
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the third sub-field is V3
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the fourth sub-field is V4
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the fifth sub-field is V5
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the sixth sub-field is V6
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the seventh sub-field is V7
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse of the eighth sub-field is V8.
  • V1 to V8 have different values.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse is less than the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulse is more than the magnitude of the reset pulses in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the magnitude of the reset pulses is more than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the high gray level sub-field and less than the magnitude of the reset pulse in the low gray level sub-field.
  • the sub-fields of one frame are not divided into high gray level sub-fields and low gray level sub-fields but comprise reset pulses of three or more different magnitudes so that the reset pulse of the optimal magnitude can be applied in each sub-field in accordance with the brightness weight value, that is, the gray level value of the sub-field. Therefore, it is possible to improve the driving margin and to prevent contrast from deteriorating.
  • a plasma display apparatus comprises a PDP 800 comprising the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z and the plurality of address electrodes X1 to Xm that intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z to display an image composed of a frame by combination of at least one sub-fields in which driving pulses are applied to the address electrodes X1 to Xm, the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, and the sustain electrodes Z in the reset periods, the address periods, and the sustain periods, a data driver 802 for supplying data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm formed in the PDP 800, a scan driver 803 for driving the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, a sustain driver 804 for driving the sustain electrodes Z that are common electrodes, a scan pulse controller 801 for controlling the scan driver 803 when the PDP 800 is driven, and a driving voltage generator 805 for supplying required driving voltages to the drivers 802, 803 and 8
  • the plasma display apparatus displays an image composed of a frame by a combination of at least one sub-field in which driving pulses are applied to the address electrodes, the scan electrodes, and the sustain electrodes in the reset periods, the address periods, and the sustain periods.
  • the frame is divided into a plurality of sub-field groups so that the drivers 802, 803, and 804 are controlled in the plurality of sub-field groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups comprising one or more scan electrodes arranged in the order of scanning in one or more sub-fields of the frame is different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the reason why the widths of the scan pulses are controlled as described above will be described in detail hereinafter. Also, the meaning of the scan electrode groups will be described in detail with reference to the method of driving the plasma display apparatus.
  • the PDP 800 comprises a top surface panel (not shown) and a bottom surface panel (not shown) combined with each other so that the top surface panel and the bottom surface panel are separated from each other by a predetermined distance.
  • a plurality of electrodes for example, the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z are formed to make pairs.
  • the address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed to intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrodes Z.
  • Data that are inverse gamma corrected and error diffused by an inverse gamma correcting circuit and an error diffusing circuit that are not shown and then, are mapped by a sub-field mapping circuit in the sub-fields are supplied to the data driver 802.
  • the data driver 802 samples and latches the data in response to data timing control signals CTRX from a timing controller (not shown) and then, supplies the data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm.
  • the scan driver 803 supplies a rising ramp waveform Ramp-up and a falling ramp waveform Ramp-down to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn under the control of the scan pulse controller 801 in the reset period. Also, the scan driving part 803 sequentially supplies scan pulses Sp of a scan voltage -Vy to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn in the address period and supplies sustain pulses sus to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn in the sustain period under the control of the scan pulse controller 801.
  • the sustain driver 804 supplies the bias voltage of a sustain voltage Vs to the sustain electrodes Z under the control of the timing controller (not shown) in a period where the falling ramp waveform Ramp-down is generated and in the address period and alternates the scan driver 803 in the sustain period to supply the sustain pulses sus to the sustain electrodes Z.
  • the scan pulse controller 801 generates predetermined timing control signals CTRY for controlling the operating timing and synchronization of the scan driver 803 in the reset period, the address period, and the sustain period and supplies the timing control signals CTRY to the scan driver 803 to control the scan driver 803.
  • the scan pulse controller 801 controls the scan driver 803 in one or more sub-fields of one frame so that the width of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups comprising one or more scan electrodes arranged in the order of scanning is different from the width of the scan electrodes applied to the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the data control signals CTRX comprise a sampling clock for sampling data, a latch control signal, and a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of an energy frequency circuit and a driving switch device.
  • a scan control signal CTRY comprises a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of the energy frequency circuit and the driving switch device in the scan driver 803.
  • a sustain control signal CTRZ comprises a switch control signal for controlling the on/off times of the energy frequency circuit and the driving switch device in the sustain driver 804.
  • the driving voltage generator 805 generates a set-up voltage Vsetup, a scan common voltage Vscan-com, the scan voltage -Vy, the sustain voltage Vs, and a data voltage Vd.
  • the driving voltages may vary in accordance with the composition of discharge gas or the structure of a discharge cell.
  • the structure of the plasma display apparatus of the present embodiment is the same as the structure of the plasma display apparatus according to the embodiment of FIG. 25 except that the scan pulse controller 801 applies predetermined control signals to the scan driver 803 to control the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in one or more sub-fields of one frame in accordance with an average picture level (APL) as well as generates predetermined control signals for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 803 in the address period and supplies the timing control signals to the scan driver 803 to control the scan driver 803.
  • APL average picture level
  • the scan electrodes on a PDP are divided into a plurality of scan electrode groups so that, in at least one scan electrode group among the divided scan electrode groups, the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in an address period is different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the remaining scan electrode groups. Therefore, an example of a method of dividing the scan electrodes into a plurality of scan electrode groups will be described with reference to FIG. 26.
  • the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn of a PDP 900 are divided into, for example, a Ya electrode group Ya1 to Ya(n)/4 901, a Yb electrode group Yb(n+1)/4 to Yb(2n)/4 902, a Yc electrode group Yc(2n+1)/4 to Yc(3n)/4 903, and a Yd electrode group Yd(3n+1)/4 to Yd(n) 904.
  • the number N of scan electrode groups is set to 2 ⁇ N ⁇ (n-1) when the total number of scan electrodes is n.
  • All of the scan electrodes comprised in one scan electrode group are continuously scanned. That is, scan electrodes of a predetermined number are set as a scan electrode group based on the order of scanning.
  • the scan electrode group Ya comprises the scan electrodes Ya1 to Ya(n/4) and the scan electrode group Yb comprises the scan electrodes Yb((n+1)/4) to Yb(2n/4).
  • the scan electrode Ya1 of the scan electrode group Ya is first scanned and the scan electrode Ya2 is scanned next so that scanning is performed in the order of Ya3 ⁇ Ya((n-1)/4), Ya(n/4), Yb((n+1)/4) ⁇ Yb((2n-1)/4), and Yb(2n/4) .
  • the number of scan electrodes comprised in each of the scan electrode groups 901, 902, 903 and 904 is the same. However, the number of scan electrodes comprised in each of the scan electrode groups 901, 902, 903 and 904 may vary.
  • the number of scan electrode groups may be controlled. An example in which the number of scan electrodes comprised in each of the scan electrodes varies or the number of scan electrode groups is controlled will be described in detail hereinafter.
  • a fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus in which the scan electrodes of the plasma display panel are divided into a plurality of scan electrode groups, for example, four scan electrode groups as illustrated in FIG. 26 will be described as follows.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes is controlled in the order of scanning in one or more scan electrode groups among the four scan electrode groups. That is, the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in one or more scan electrode groups among the four scan electrode groups is made different from the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Ya comprising the scan electrodes Y1 to Ya1 that are scanned earlier is W1, which is narrowest.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yb comprising the scan electrodes Yb((n+1)/4) to Yb((2n)/4) that are scanned later than the scan electrodes comprised in the scan electrode group Ya that is, the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes Yb((n+1)/4) to Yb((2n)/4) is W2, which is more than W1.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the electrode group Yc is W3, which is more than W2 and the width of the scan pulses applied to the electrode group Yd is W4, which is more than W3. That is, a relationship of W1 ⁇ W2 ⁇ W3 ⁇ W4 is established among the magnitudes of the scan pulses.
  • the address discharge is generated in a substantial time after the reset discharge generated in the reset period.
  • the number of priming particles is reduced in the discharge cell with a lapse of time. Therefore, the scan pulses having a wider width are applied to the scan electrodes that are scanned later so that the address discharge is generated in a substantial time after the reset discharge so that it is possible to prevent the address discharge from becoming weak or from not being generated due to a lack in the number of priming particles that exist in the discharge cell.
  • FIG. 28 illustrates the widths of the scan pulses controlled in the order of scanning.
  • the width W1 of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Ya comprising the scan electrodes that are scanned first is narrowest and the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yb that is scanned later than the scan electrode group Ya is set as W2 and is wider than W1.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yc and the scan electrode group Yd are determined.
  • the width of the scan pulses may be the same or may vary.
  • FIG. 29 illustrates an the example of difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses.
  • the difference in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of any two continuous scan electrode groups is the same as the difference in width between other two scan pulses that are used for scanning of other two continuous scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Ya is W
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yb is W+d
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yc is W+2d
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yd is W+3d. That is, the difference(d) in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of continuous scan electrode groups is the same as the difference in width between other two scan pulses that are used for scanning of continuous scan electrode groups.
  • FIG. 30 illustrates another example of difference in width between the scan pulses according to the fourth embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display apparatus for applying the scan pulses.
  • a difference in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of any two continuous scan electrode groups can be different from the difference in width between other two scan pulses that are used for scanning of other two continuous scan electrode groups.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Ya is W
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yb is W+b
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yc is W+3d
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrode group Yd is W+7d. That is, the difference in width between any two scan pulses that are used for scanning of two continuous scan electrode groups is d, 2d or 4d.
  • the number of scan electrodes in one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups may be different from the numbers of scan electrodes comprised in the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • An example in which the scan electrode groups are divided as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 31.
  • the scan electrodes Y1 to Y100 are divided into the scan electrode group Ya (Y1 to Y10) 1401, the scan electrode group Yb (Y11 to Y15) 1402, the scan electrode group Yc (Y16) 1403, the scan electrode group Yd (Y17 to Y60) 1404, and the scan electrode group Ye (Y61 to Y100) 1405.
  • the scan electrode groups comprise different numbers of scan electrodes.
  • the scan electrode group Yc comprises only one scan electrode, that is, the scan electrode Y16 unlike the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • one scan electrode group comprises one scan electrode as described above
  • all of the scan electrodes comprised in one scan electrode group are continuously scanned. That is, when one scan electrode group comprises a plurality of scan electrodes, for example, the scan electrodes Y1, Y2, and Y3, the scan electrodes Y1, Y2, and Y3 are continuously scanned in the scan electrode group.
  • one scan electrode group comprises a plurality of scan electrodes
  • all of the scan electrodes comprised in the scan electrode group are continuously scanned as illustrated in FIG. 26. That is, scan electrodes of a predetermined number are set as one scan electrode group based on the order of scanning.
  • the respective scan electrode groups comprise different numbers of scan electrodes. Only scan electrode groups of a predetermined number selected from the plurality of scan electrode groups may comprise scan electrodes of different numbers from the numbers of scan electrodes comprised in the remaining scan electrode groups.
  • the scan electrode group Ya comprises 10 scan electrodes that are continuously scanned
  • the scan electrode group Yb comprises 5 scan electrodes that are continuously scanned
  • the scan electrode group Yc comprises one scan electrode
  • the scan electrode group Yd comprises 44 scan electrodes that are continuously scanned
  • the scan electrode group Ye comprises 40 scan electrodes that are continuously scanned.
  • the widths of the scan pulses are also controlled in the order of scanning as illustrated in FIG. 27. Since the method of controlling the widths of the scan electrodes in the scan electrode groups was described in detail with reference to FIG. 27, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
  • the scan pulses of narrower widths are applied to the scan electrode groups that are scanned earlier and the scan pulses of wider widths are applied to the scan electrode groups that are scanned later so that it is possible to prevent the length of the entire address period in one sub-field from increasing and to prevent the address discharge from becoming unstable due to a lack of priming particles in the scan electrode groups that are scanned later to stabilize the discharge of the entire PDP.
  • the widths of the applied scan pulses are controlled in one or more scan electrode groups in one sub-field in accordance with the order of scanning.
  • the widths of the scan pulses of one or more sub-fields may be controlled in one frame in accordance with the screen brightness of the PDP.
  • the widths of the scan pulses in one or more sub-fields are controlled in accordance with the entire screen brightness of the PDP, that is, an average picture level (APL).
  • APL average picture level
  • FIG. 32 illustrates the APL.
  • the number of sustain pulses is reduced as the value of the APL increases and increases as the value of the APL decreases. For example, when an image is displayed only in a small area of the PDP screen, that is, when the area in which the image is displayed is small (in such a case, the APL is low), since the number of discharge cells that contribute to display of the image is low, a larger number of sustain pulses are applied to each of the discharge cells that contribute to display of the image so that the amount of power consumption of the PDP is reduced. Also, the brightness of the portion of the screen where the image is displayed increases to improve the picture quality.
  • the number of sustain pulses supplied to each of the discharge cells decreases to reduce power consumption.
  • the number of sustain pulses supplied to each of the discharge cells increases to compensate for a reduction in brightness to prevent the brightness realized by the entire PDP from decreasing and to reduce power consumption.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes are controlled in one or more sub-fields of a frame in accordance with the APL.
  • the APL is low as illustrated in FIG. 33, that is, when the area in which an image is displayed on the screen of the PDP is small (when the number of sustain pulses applied to one discharge cell per unit gray level is high)
  • the width W1 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the sub-field such as the first sub-field that has a lower brightness weight value is wider than the width W2 of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the width W1 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the first sub-field among the sub-fields is wider than the width W2 of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the remaining sub-fields, that is, the second to eighth sub-fields.
  • the reason why the width of the scan pulses in the low gray level sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values is more than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining gray level sub-fields in one frame where the APL is lower is because the area in which the image is displayed on the screen of the PDP is smaller when the APL is lower so that the low gray level sub-fields that have lower brightness weight values are more frequently selected than the high gray level sub-fields. Therefore, the width of the scan pulses of the low gray level sub-fields that are more frequently selected when the APL is low increases so that the entire discharge of the PDP stabilizes.
  • the width of the scan pulses increases in the sub-fields that are more frequently selected and the width of the scan pulses decreases in the sub-fields that are less frequently selected to stabilize the entire discharge of the PDP and to prevent the brightness of the PDP from decreasing due to a reduction in the number of sustain pulses, which is caused by an increase in the length of the unnecessary address period.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sub-fields are preferably the same.
  • the number of low gray level sub-fields in which the width of the scan pulses is wider than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields in one frame where the APL is lower is one.
  • a plurality of low gray level sub-fields may be comprised in one frame.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the first, second, and third sub-fields in one frame is wider than the width of the scan pulses of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields.
  • the APL is lower as illustrated in FIG. 33.
  • the width of the scan pulses in the low gray level sub-fields that are more frequently selected when the APL is lower, that is, the first, second, and third sub-fields is wider than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the low gray level sub-fields may be determined based on the number of sustain pulses.
  • the low gray level sub-field preferably comprises a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 20% of the number of sustain pulses of the sub-field comprising the highest number of sustain pulses in one frame.
  • the sub-field comprising 200 or less sustain pulses is determined as the low gray level sub-field.
  • the first, second, and third sub-fields of FIG. 34 are the sub-fields each having 200 or less sustain pulses.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address periods of the plurality of sub-fields determined as the low gray level sub-fields are the same.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address periods of the plurality of sub-fields determined as the low gray level sub-fields may be different from each other, which will be described with reference to FIG. 35.
  • FIG. 35 illustrates another example in which the widths of the scan pulses are controlled in accordance with the APL in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the first, second, and third sub-fields in one frame are wider than the widths of the scan pulses of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sub-fields.
  • the width of the scan pulse of the first sub-field, the width of the scan pulse of the second sub-field, and the width of the scan pulse of the third sub-field are different from each other.
  • the width of the scan pulses in the first, second, and third sub-fields are also wider than the widths of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth sub-field.
  • the first, second and third sub-field are the low gray level sub-fields.
  • the width W1 of the scan pulse of the first sub-field having the lowest gray level value is widest
  • the width W2 of the scan pulse of the second sub-field is the second widest
  • the width W3 of the scan pulse of the third sub-field is narrowest.
  • the width W4 of the scan pulses of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields is narrower than the widths W1, W2 and W3.
  • the widths of the scan pulses of a plurality of the low gray level sub-fields are different from each other.
  • the predetermined number of low gray level sub-fields are selected from the plurality of low gray level sub-fields so that the width of the scan pulses in the selected low gray level sub-fields may be different from the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining low gray level sub-fields.
  • the width of the scan pulse of the first sub-field may be set as W1 and the width of the scan pulses of the remaining low gray level sub-fields, that is, the second and third sub-fields may be set as W2.
  • the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields excluding the low gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame are the same and are narrower than the widths of the scan pulses in the low gray level sub-fields.
  • one or more sub-fields may have scan pulses of different widths, which will be described with reference to FIG. 36.
  • one or more sub-fields have scan pulses of different widths.
  • the width Wa of the scan pulse of the fourth sub-field having the lowest gray level value is the widest
  • the width Wb of the scan pulse of the fifth sub-field is narrower than Wa
  • the width Wc of the scan pulse of the eighth sub-field is narrower than Wa or Wb.
  • the width Wa, Wb or Wc of the scan pulse is less than W1, W2 or W3 in FIG. 18.
  • difference in width between the scan pulses having different widths in one frame may be the same or vary.
  • the case in which the difference in width between two scan pulses from adjacent sub-fields may be the same as or different from the difference in width between 2 scan pulses from other adjacent sub-fields in a frame will be described with reference to FIG. 37.
  • FIG. 37 illustrates an example of the differences in width between the scan pulses according to the fifth embodiment.
  • the difference in width between two scan pulses from adjacent sub-fields is the same as the difference in width between 2 scan pulses from other adjacent sub-fields.
  • the difference in width between the two scan pulses of different widths for example, the difference in width between the scan pulse width W1 of the first sub-field and the scan pulse width W2 of the second sub-field, the difference in width between the scan pulse width W2 of the second sub-field and the scan pulse width W3 of the third sub-field, and the difference in width between the scan pulse width W3 of the third sub-field and the scan pulse width W4 of the fourth sub-field of FIG. 35 are the same.
  • the widths of the scan pulses are different from each other in the remaining sub-fields excluding the low gray level sub-fields of FIG. 36, the difference between Wa and Wb and the
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the first sub-field is W
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the second sub-field is W+d
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the third sub-field is W+2d
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the fourth sub-field is W+3d.
  • the difference in width between the two scan pulses is d.
  • the difference in width between 2 scan pulses from adjacent subfields may be different from the differences in width between 2 scan pulses from other adjacent sub-fields in a frame.
  • Such a driving waveform will be described with reference to FIG. 38.
  • the difference in width between 2 scan pulses from adjacent subfields is different from the differences in width between 2 scan pulses from other adjacent sub-fields in a frame.
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the first sub-field is W
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the second sub-field is W+d
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the third sub-field is W+3d
  • the width of the scan pulse applied in the fourth sub-field is W+7d. That is, the difference in width d, 2d or 4d between the two scan pulses of different widths is different.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes are controlled in one or more sub-fields of one frame in accordance with the APL.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values to realize high gray levels in the address periods are wider than the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the width W2 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes in the eighth sub-field among the sub-fields is wider than the width W1 of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first to seventh sub-fields.
  • the reason why the width of the scan pulses in high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values is wider than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining gray level sub-fields in one frame where the APL is higher is because the area in which the image is displayed on the screen of the PDP is higher when the APL is higher so that the high gray level sub-fields that have higher brightness weight values to realize high gray levels are more frequently selected than the low gray level sub-fields. Therefore, the width of the scan pulses of the high gray level sub-fields that are more frequently selected when the APL is high increases so that the discharge of the PDP stabilizes.
  • the width of the scan pulses is increased in the sub-fields that are more frequently selected and the width of the scan pulses decreases in the sub-fields that are less frequently selected to stabilize the discharge of the PDP and to prevent the brightness of the PDP from decreasing due to the reduction in the number of sustain pulses, which is caused by an increase in the length of the unnecessary address period.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sub-fields of one frame are preferably the same.
  • the number of high gray level sub-fields where the width of the scan pulses is wider than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields in one frame where the APL is higher is one.
  • a plurality of high gray level sub-fields may be comprised in one frame. Such a method of driving the plasma display apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 40.
  • the width of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields in one frame is wider than the width of the scan pulses of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first, second, third, fourth and fifth sub-fields.
  • the APL is higher as illustrated in FIG. 39.
  • the width of the scan pulses in the high gray level sub-fields that are more frequently selected when the APL is higher, that is, the sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields is made wider than the width of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields.
  • the high gray level sub-field may be determined based on the number of sustain pulses.
  • the high gray level sub-field preferably comprises a number of sustain pulses that is equal to or less than 20% of the total number of sustain pulses supplied in one frame.
  • the sub-field comprising 400 or more sustain pulses is determined as the high gray level sub-field.
  • the sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields of FIG. 40 are the sub-fields each having 400 or more sustain pulses.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address periods of the plurality of sub-fields determined as the high gray level sub-fields are the same.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address periods of the plurality of sub-fields determined as the high gray level sub-fields may be different from each other, which will be described with reference to FIG. 41.
  • FIG. 41 illustrates another example in which the widths of the scan pulses are controlled in accordance with the APL in the plurality of sub-fields in one frame.
  • the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields in one frame are wider than the widths of the scan pulses of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth sub-fields.
  • the width of the scan pulse of the sixth sub-field, the width of the scan pulse of the seventh sub-field, and the width of the scan pulse of the eighth sub-field are different from each other.
  • the sixth, seventh and eighth sub-fields in which the widths of the scan pulses that are different from each other are wider than the widths of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first, second, third, fourth and fifth sub-fields are the high gray level sub-fields.
  • the width W4 of the scan pulse of the eighth sub-field having the highest gray level value is widest
  • the width W3 of the scan pulse of the seventh sub-field is second widest
  • the width W2 of the scan pulse of the sixth sub-field is narrowest.
  • the width W1 of the scan pulses of the remaining sub-fields, that is, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sub-fields is narrower than the widths W2, W3 and W4.
  • the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of the high gray level sub-fields are different from each other.
  • the predetermined number of high gray level sub-fields are selected from the plurality of high gray level sub-fields so that the width of the scan pulses in the selected high gray level sub-fields may be different from the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining high gray level sub-fields.
  • the width of the scan pulse of the eighth sub-field may be set as W3 and the width of the scan pulses of the remaining high gray level sub-fields, that is, the sixth and seventh sub-fields may be set as W2.
  • the widths of the scan pulses in the remaining sub-fields excluding the high gray level sub-fields among the sub-fields of one frame are the same and are narrower than the widths of the scan pulses in the high gray level sub-fields.
  • one or more sub-fields may also have scan pulses of different widths, which will be described with reference to FIG. 42.
  • the width Wa of the scan pulse of the first sub-field having the lowest gray level value is narrowest
  • the width Wb of the scan pulse of the second sub-field is wider than Wa
  • the width Wc of the scan pulse of the fifth sub-field is wider than Wa or Wb.
  • the width Wa, Wb or Wc of the scan pulse is narrower than W2, W3, or W4 in FIG. 41.
  • the difference in width between the scan pulses of different widths in one frame may be the same or may vary. Since the case in which difference in width between the scan pulses of different widths in one frame is the same was described with reference to FIG. 37, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
  • the scan pulses of wider widths are applied in the low gray level sub-fields when the APL is low and are applied in the high gray level sub-fields when the APL is high so that it is possible to prevent the length of the address period from increasing and to stabilize the discharge of the PDP.

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EP2193518A1 (fr) * 2007-10-05 2010-06-09 Lg Electronics Inc. Dispositif d'affichage a plasma

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JP4538053B2 (ja) * 2005-09-14 2010-09-08 パナソニック株式会社 プラズマディスプレイパネルの駆動装置、駆動方法およびプラズマディスプレイ装置
JP6009170B2 (ja) * 2012-02-07 2016-10-19 三菱電機株式会社 映像表示装置

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