JP2001228820A - Driving method for plasma display panel and plasma display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drive method of a PDP, capable of making the saving of power and the enhancing of display quality compatible. SOLUTION: A sustaining period TS includes a sustainment repeating period TS2, consisting of one or plural sustainment repeating minimum units TSUs. In the sustainment repeating minimum unit TSU, a sustaining pulse 231, whose width is narrow is successively impressed on a electrode and a scanning electrode and, thereafter, a sustaining pulse 232 whose width is wide is successively impressed on the sustaining electrode and the scanning electrode. Since the sustaining pulse 231 forms discharge at the rising time and the falling time of the pulse, luminous efficiency or light emission luminance can be enhanced by the sustaining pulse 231, while since barrier charge can be stored sufficiently by the sustaining pulse 232, weakening and the flickering out of discharge which are generated, when only the sustaining pulse 231 is continuously impressed on the electrodes can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for driving a plasma display panel (hereinafter, also referred to as "PDP") and a plasma display device, and more particularly to a method for reducing power consumption and display quality of the PDP and the plasma display device. Regarding improvement.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of a conventional plasma display device 201P. Such a configuration is disclosed, for example, in JP-A-7-160218 (Japanese Patent No. 2772753). In FIG. 16, the control circuit 106 includes a clock signal CL as an input signal.
K, a predetermined control signal is generated based on the image data DATA, the vertical synchronizing signal VSYNC, and the horizontal synchronizing signal HSYNC, and the address driver 105 and the Y common driver 10 are generated.
2. Output to the scanning driver 103 and the X common driver 104. The control circuit 106 and each driver 102,
A power supply circuit 107 generates and
A predetermined voltage among the output voltages Vcc, Vd, Vy, Vs, Vw, and Va is supplied.

Each of the X common driver 104 and the address driver 105 generates a predetermined voltage based on a control signal from a control circuit 106, and applies this voltage to each driver 1.
Output to sustain electrodes X1 to XN (N is a natural number) and address electrodes A1 to AM of a so-called three-electrode surface discharge type AC PDP (AC PDP) 101 connected to output terminals 04 and 105. I do. At this time, N sustain electrodes X
1 to XN are commonly connected, and the same voltage is applied. Further, the Y common driver 102 generates a predetermined voltage based on a control signal from the control circuit 106, and supplies the generated voltage to each of the scanning electrodes Y1 to YN via the scanning driver 103.

Incidentally, the N sustain electrodes X1 to XN are simply referred to as "sustain electrodes X" without distinction, and similarly, each scan electrode Y1 to YN and each address electrode A1 to AM are respectively referred to as "scan electrode Y". "And" address electrode A ".

As shown in FIG. 16, in the PDP 101,
One electrode pair (hereinafter, referred to as “electrode pair X, Y”) composed of one sustain electrode X and one scan electrode Y and each (solid) intersection point of the address electrode A, Is formed. The electrode pairs X and Y are PDP10
This corresponds to one display line.

Next, FIG. 17 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the PDP 101 of the plasma display device 201P. FIG. 17 illustrates three discharge cells C (see FIG. 16). As shown in FIG. 17, PDP 101 includes front substrate 1 arranged in parallel with each other via discharge space 160.
51 and a back substrate 161. On the surface of the front substrate 151 on the side of the discharge space 160, a strip-shaped sustain electrode X and a scan electrode Y forming an electrode pair are formed in parallel with each other. A dielectric layer or an insulating layer 152 is formed so as to cover both the electrodes X and Y and the front surface of the front substrate 151.
On the surface of the dielectric layer 152 on the side of the discharge space 160, a protective film 155 made of a high secondary electron emission material such as magnesium oxide (MgO) is formed.

On the other hand, strip-shaped address electrodes A are formed in parallel on the surface of the rear substrate 161 on the side of the discharge space 160. The address electrode A extends in a direction that three-dimensionally intersects the electrode pair X and Y. A band-like (barrier) rib or partition 163 is formed along the address electrodes A in each gap between two adjacent address electrodes A on the surface of the rear substrate 161. Further, a phosphor layer 164 is formed so as to cover an inner surface of a U-shaped groove formed by two adjacent partition walls 163 and the above surface of the rear substrate 161. In the PDP 101, phosphor layers 164R, 164G, and 164B for emission colors of red, green, or blue are formed for each U-shaped groove in order to perform color display.

[0008] Between the phosphor layer 164 and the rear substrate 161, the surface of the rear substrate 161 and the address electrodes A
In some cases, a dielectric layer or an insulating layer may be formed over the substrate.

Next, the plasma display device 201P
A so-called subfield (SF) gray scale method will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19 as a driving method of the PDP 101 in FIG. The driving method (first prior art) shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 is disclosed, for example, in the above publication.

Here, a case where one frame period is divided into eight subfields SF1 to SF8 as shown in FIG. 18 will be described. Each of the subfields SF1 to SF8 is further divided into a reset period (also called an erase period), an address period (also called a write period), and a sustain discharge period (also called a sustain period or a display period).
In the reset period, wall charges remaining as the display history of the immediately preceding subfield are erased. In the address period, the image data DAT is applied to the discharge cells C for generating display light emission or display light emission forming an image in the subsequent sustain period.
A wall charge based on A is applied. In the sustain period, sustain discharge is generated in the discharge cells in which the wall charges are accumulated in the address period, and display light emission is performed. A specific driving method in each of the above periods will be described with reference to FIG.

First, in the reset period, at time ta, a full-surface write pulse or a priming pulse 24 is applied to the sustain electrode X to generate a discharge in all the discharge cells C. At time tb when the entire write pulse 24 falls, self-erasing discharge is generated to erase wall charges in all the discharge cells C. It should be noted that the address electrode A
Is applied.

In the subsequent address period, a scan pulse 21 is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to YN, and an address pulse 22 (voltage (-Vy)) based on the input image data DATA is applied to the address electrodes A1 to AM ( For example, see time tc). With this operation, an address discharge or a write discharge is generated in the discharge cells C to be displayed and emitted in the sustain period, and the wall charges are accumulated in the discharge cells C. In the address period, a voltage (-Vsc) is applied to the scan electrode Y during periods other than the application period of the address pulse 21, and a voltage Vax is applied to the sustain electrode X during scanning of the scan electrodes Y1 to YN.

In the subsequent sustain period, sustain pulse 23 of voltage Vs is alternately applied to sustain electrode X and scan electrode Y (see time td and time te). At this time, the sustain discharge occurs immediately after the rise of the sustain pulse 23 only in the discharge cell C in which the wall charges are formed in the address period. The discharge cell C emits light by the sustain discharge, and PD
An image is displayed as the entire surface of P101. During the sustain period, the voltage Vs / 2 is applied to the address electrode A.

In the subfield gradation method, the number of times of application of the sustain pulse 23 is set for each of the subfields SF1 to SF8, so that each of the subfields SF1 to SF8 is set.
Is set. At this time, after setting the light emission intensity of each of the subfields SF1 to SF8 at a predetermined ratio, any one of the subfields SF1 to SF8 during one frame period is set.
By controlling whether light emission is performed in F8, in other words, by combining the light emission intensities of the subfields SF1 to SF8, multi-tone display is performed.

[0015]

The conventional driving method has the following problems. (First Problem) First, the conventional driving method uses a CRT (Ca
There is a problem that the luminous efficiency is lower than other display devices such as a thode ray tube. At this time, in order to obtain high light emission luminance, the power supplied to the PDP 101 may be increased, but in such a case, power consumption is increased. That is, in the conventional driving method, there is a problem that it is difficult to achieve both improvement in display quality, that is, high luminance, and reduction in power consumption.

One of the driving methods which can solve such a problem is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-11-109914. Such a driving method (second prior art) will be described with reference to a timing chart of FIG.

As can be seen from FIG. 20 (c),
In the driving method, a discharge mainly including an externally applied voltage is generated when the sustain pulse 23 rises, and a discharge mainly using wall charges (self-erasing discharge) is generated when the sustain pulse 23 falls. By forming two discharges with one sustain pulse 23 in this manner,
It is said that luminous efficiency can be improved. Note that the sustain pulse 2
If the width of 3 is narrowed and the space charge generated by the discharge at the time of the rising of the sustain pulse 23 is used, it is possible to relatively easily form the discharge mainly composed of the wall charge.

However, if the width of the sustain pulse 23 is reduced, the pulse may fall before the space charge generated by the discharge at the rise of the sustain pulse 23 is sufficiently accumulated as wall charge. In addition, since the discharge is continuously formed even at the time of the falling of the sustain pulse 23, the wall charges accumulated, although insufficient, are reduced by the discharging at the time of the falling. For this reason, the discharge at the rising of the next sustain pulse 23 is weaker than the previous discharge, and the discharge further reduces the wall charges.

Therefore, when a pulse having a narrow (sustain) pulse width is continuously applied, the discharge gradually weakens. At this time, it is considered that a case may occur in which the discharge does not continue until the sustain pulse 23 is applied a predetermined number of times in the sustain period, and the discharge disappears. In other words, according to the driving method shown in FIG. 20, while the luminous efficiency can be improved, another problem in display quality such that discharge or light emission becomes unstable is caused.

Further, when the width of the sustain pulse 23 is reduced, the period of the pulse is shortened, so that the number of discharge current pulses flowing per unit time at the time of occurrence of discharge increases. In other words, the current density of the discharge current or the peak of the current flowing to the power supply increases.

(Second Problem) In the conventional driving method, the sustain pulse 23 is generated in the X common driver 104 and the Y common driver 102, and is simultaneously applied to the entire screen of the PDP 101. At this time, discharge occurs simultaneously in the entire screen or in all discharge cells,
A very large peak current is generated by the X common driver 104 and Y
The common driver 102 supplies the PDP 101. For example, in a PDP having a diagonal of 100 cm (40 type), the peak current may reach 200 A in some cases. For this reason, the conventional driving method has a problem in power consumption that the power loss in each of the constituent circuits of the X common driver 104 and the Y common driver 102 is large.

The X common driver 104 and the Y common driver 102 are required to be capable of supplying a current having the above-mentioned large peak. Therefore, the X common driver 1
There is also a problem that the circuit scale of the common driver 04 and the Y common driver 102 must be increased, and as a result, the cost of the X common driver 104 and the Y common driver 102 increases.

One of the driving methods which can solve such a problem is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-7-319424. Such a driving method (third prior art) will be described with reference to a timing chart of FIG. In the driving method shown in FIG. 21, the scan electrodes Y1 to YN are divided into Q groups, and the sustain pulses 2 having different phases for each group are provided.
3 (see time tp2 to time tp11). According to the above-mentioned publication, the peak value of the discharge current can be reduced to 1 / Q.

However, in such a driving method, since the conditions for forming the discharge are different for each group of the scan electrodes Y1 to YN, the light emission intensity may be different between the groups. Since such a difference in light emission intensity is observed as display unevenness, it is considered that display quality is degraded according to the driving method of FIG. This will be described in detail below.

According to the driving method shown in FIG. 21, at time tp3, sustain discharge is performed to discharge cells belonging to one of Q groups of scan electrodes Y (hereinafter referred to as "one group of discharge cells"). (See (b) and (f) in FIG. 21). Such discharge generates space charges such as ions and excited atoms in the discharge space of the discharge cell.

Next, at time tp4, a sustain discharge is generated in the discharge cells belonging to the scan electrodes Y of another group out of Q (see (c) and (f) in FIG. 21).

At this time, when the discharge cells of one group and the discharge cells of another group are close to each other, the space charge generated in the discharge cells of one group is changed to the discharge cells of another group. Spreads quickly to the vicinity. For this reason, the discharge formation in another group of discharge cells is affected by the space charge. For example, in the discharge cells in the other group, the discharge start voltage is reduced or the delay time from the application of the voltage to the start of the discharge is shorter than the discharge in the discharge cells in the one group. Or become. Since the conditions for forming the discharge are different as described above, the emission intensity may differ between the discharge cells of one group and the discharge cells of another group.

Even if the difference in light emission intensity is slight, it can be observed as a substantial decrease in display quality. This is because, in the visual characteristics of a person, the ability to distinguish regions having different luminances existing on the same display surface is extremely high.

Similarly, since the discharges at time tp5 and time tp6 are also sequentially affected by the discharge before that, the emission intensity differs for each group. As a result, display unevenness is observed along the boundary of the scan electrode group.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a PDP capable of achieving both power saving and display quality improvement.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving method and a plasma display device.

[0031]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a plasma display panel.
A plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, and a plurality of discharge cells each including a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode; And the second
A driving method applied to a plasma display panel that forms a discharge in the discharge cells by applying a potential difference between the electrodes and an address that specifies whether to perform display light emission for each of the plurality of discharge cells. Operation, and a sustain discharge for applying an image display to the discharge cells defined to perform the light emission display in the address operation by applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to generate the potential difference. Is performed separately from the sustaining operation for forming the sustaining operation, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode has at least one of the plurality of sustaining waves having a waveform different from the other during a sustaining period in which the sustaining operation is performed. A unit operation of applying a pulse is performed a predetermined number of times.

(2) The driving method of the plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 2 is the driving method of the plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein the amplitude or pulse of the at least one sustain pulse is provided. The width is different from the other sustain pulses.

(3) A driving method of a plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 3 is the driving method of a plasma display panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pause period between the continuous sustain pulses is provided. Is different from the other idle periods.

(4) The method for driving a plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 4, wherein the plurality of first electrodes, the plurality of second electrodes, and a part of the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively. A plurality of discharge cells each including a part of an electrode, applied to a plasma display panel that forms a discharge in the discharge cells by applying a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. An address operation for determining whether to perform display light emission for each of the plurality of discharge cells, and applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to reduce the potential difference. In the case where a sustaining operation for forming a sustaining discharge for performing image display is performed in the discharge cell defined to perform the light emitting display in the address operation by performing the sustaining operation separately, in a sustaining period for performing the sustaining operation, After dividing at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode into a plurality of groups, the timing of rising of the sustain pulse is shifted between the groups to shift the sustain pulse to the first electrode and / or the second electrode. A unit operation of applying the sustain pulse to the first electrode and / or the second electrode a plurality of times while changing the order of the rising to the first electrode and / or the second electrode is performed a predetermined number of times. .

(5) The driving method of the plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 5 is the method of driving a plasma display panel according to claim 4, wherein the rising of the sustain pulse is performed in the unit operation. The above-mentioned order is cyclically changed, and the sustain pulse is applied a plurality of times.

(6) A method of driving a plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 6 is the method of driving a plasma display panel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein in the unit operation, the sustain pulse of the sustain pulse is supplied. The falling timing is shifted between the groups.

(7) The method for driving a plasma display panel according to the invention according to claim 7 is the method for driving a plasma display panel according to claim 6, wherein the rising of the sustain pulse is performed in the unit operation. The sustain pulse falls by cyclically changing the descending order.

(8) A driving method of a plasma display panel according to the invention described in claim 8, wherein a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, and a part of the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively. A plurality of discharge cells each including a part of an electrode, applied to a plasma display panel that forms a discharge in the discharge cells by applying a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. An address operation for determining whether to perform display light emission for each of the plurality of discharge cells, and applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to reduce the potential difference. In the case where a sustaining operation for forming a sustaining discharge for performing image display is performed in the discharge cell defined to perform the light emitting display in the address operation by performing the sustaining operation separately, in a sustaining period for performing the sustaining operation, The sustain pulse capable of forming the sustain discharge at the rise and fall of the first electrode is applied to the first electrode, while the sustain pulse capable of forming the sustain discharge only at the rise of the second electrode is applied to the second electrode. Is performed a predetermined number of times.

(9) A plasma display device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention uses the plasma display panel driving method according to any one of the first to eighth aspects.
The plasma display panel is driven.

[0040]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <First Embodiment> (Overall Configuration of Plasma Display Device) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a plasma display device 201 according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the plasma display device 201 is roughly divided into a PDP 11 and
X common driver 4, Y common driver 3, scan driver 2, address driver 5, these drivers 2
And a control circuit 6 for controlling the control circuit 5. Note that the scanning driver 2 and the Y common driver 3 are also collectively referred to as a scanning electrode side driver or a Y driver 32.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, the plasma display device 201 includes a power supply circuit (a power supply circuit 107 shown in FIG. 16) for supplying a predetermined power supply voltage to each of the drivers 2 to 5 and the control circuit 6. Equivalent).

Since a general three-electrode surface discharge type AC PDP can be applied as the PDP 11, the case where the above-described PDP 101 shown in FIG. 17 is applied will be described.
Therefore, the same components as those of the PDP 101 are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 shows only those components necessary for the following description, extracted from the components of the PDP 11. That is, N sustain electrodes (first electrodes) X1 to XN and scanning electrodes (second electrodes) arranged in parallel with each other.
Only Y1 to YN and only M address electrodes A1 to AM arranged in parallel with each other are schematically shown. The sustain electrode (first electrode) and / or the scanning electrode (second electrode) may be composed of a transparent electrode and a so-called mother electrode (also called a bus electrode).

As shown in FIG. 1, the sustain electrodes Xi
(I: 1 to N) and the scanning electrode Yi are arranged adjacent to each other to form an electrode pair Xi, Yi. Also, the address electrode Ak
(K: 1 to M) are arranged so as to be perpendicular to the electrode pairs Xi and Yi (three-dimensionally crossing three-dimensionally like the PDP 101 in FIG. 17). At this time, the electrode pair X
A discharge cell or light emitting cell C is defined by each (three-dimensional) intersection formed by i, Yi and the address electrode Ak. That is, the discharge cell C is configured to include a part of the electrode Xi and a part of the electrode Yi.

The N sustain electrodes X1 to XN are commonly connected to an X common driver 4, and the scan electrodes Y1 to YN are connected to a Y common driver 3 via a scan driver 2.
The address electrodes A1 to AM are connected to an address driver 5.

The control circuit 6 is a conventional control circuit 106 (FIG. 1).
6), the input image data DATA, the clock signal CLK, and the vertical synchronizing signal V
Each sequence control signal CNT1, CNT2, CNT31, CNT3 for controlling each driver 5, 4, 2, 3 based on input signals such as SYNC, horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC, etc.
2 is generated and output.

Based on control signal CNT2, X common driver 4 supplies a predetermined voltage to sustain electrodes X1 to Xn in common. Further, the Y common driver 3 performs a predetermined operation based on the control signal CNT32, and the scanning driver 2 performs a predetermined operation based on the control signal CNT31.

Each of the Y common driver 3 and the X common driver 4 generates and outputs a voltage commonly supplied to a plurality of electrodes, such as a priming pulse and a sustain pulse. On the other hand, the scan driver 2 controls each scan electrode Y
In addition to generating and outputting a voltage, for example, a scanning pulse or the like, which is individually supplied to the scanning electrodes Y, a voltage generated in the Y common driver 2 is received and transmitted to each of the scanning electrodes Y1 to YN.

The address driver 5 controls the control signal CNT1
And image data DATA input through the control circuit 6.
And a predetermined voltage pulse is supplied to each address electrode A as an address pulse.

The plasma display device 201 drives the PDP 11 by the driving device including the X common driver 4 and the Y driver 32 as follows.

(Operation of Plasma Display Apparatus) As a method of driving the PDP 11 in the plasma display apparatus 201, for example, the above-described subfield gradation method (FIG. 1)
8 and FIG. 19) are basically applicable. That is,
One frame (for example, 16.6 mse for a TV image)
The method of driving by dividing c) into a plurality of subfields each having a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period is applicable. However, as described in detail below,
The driving method in the sustain period is different from the conventional driving method.

FIG. 2 shows a plasma display device 201.
Is a timing chart for explaining a driving method of the PDP 11 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a timing chart in one subfield. 2A to 2C show voltage waveforms of applied voltages VA, VX, and VY to the address electrode A, the sustain electrode X, and the scan electrode Y, respectively. Hereinafter, each driving method in the reset period TR, the address period TA, and the sustain period TS will be described.

The operation of erasing or equalizing the wall charge remaining as the display history of the immediately preceding subfield is called a reset operation, and the period during which the reset operation is performed is called a reset period. Further, an operation for defining whether or not to perform display light emission in a sustain period TS described later for each discharge cell according to an image to be displayed is called an address operation, and a period during which the address operation is performed is called an address period. .

More specifically, a series of operations from the reset operation to the address operation leave a sufficient amount of wall charges to start a sustain discharge when a sustain pulse is applied to a discharge cell that causes display light emission ( This state is called an ON state), and wall charges are eliminated from discharge cells that do not perform display light emission (this state is called an OFF state). In addition,
The OFF state includes a case where a sufficient amount of wall charge remains so that the sustain discharge does not start even when the sustain pulse is applied.

The series of operations from the reset operation to the address operation are as follows: (1) After turning off a group of discharge cells in the reset operation regardless of the display image, select a discharge cell to be caused to emit display light by the address operation. (2) a discharge operation in which a group of discharge cells are turned on in a reset operation regardless of a display image, and then display light emission is not performed by an address operation. The method is broadly classified into a "full-area write-select erase address method" in which a cell is selectively turned off.

Although any of the methods is applicable, the following description will be made using an example of the “entire erase-selective write address method”.

(Reset Period TR) As shown in FIG.
As a driving method in the reset period TR, for example, that in a conventional reset period (see FIG. 19) can be applied. That is, the priming pulse 24 is applied to all the sustain electrodes X.
To generate a discharge in all the discharge cells C. At this time, a self-erasing discharge is generated at the fall of the priming pulse 24 to erase wall charges remaining as a display history of the immediately preceding subfield (reset operation).

As described above, in the reset period TR, the reset operation is performed by applying a pulse having a high voltage and a sharp rise and fall. The reset operation may be performed by a method of applying a narrow voltage pulse or a voltage pulse with a gradual rise, a method of applying a combination of the various voltage pulses described above, or the like.

(Address period TA) As a driving method in the succeeding address period TA, for example, that in a conventional address period (see FIG. 19) can be applied. That is,
A scan pulse 21 is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to YN, and an address pulse 22 is applied to the address electrode A based on the image data DATA. As a result, an address discharge or a write discharge is formed in the discharge cells C to be displayed and emitted in the subsequent sustain period TS, and wall charges are accumulated in the discharge cells C to be displayed and emitted. Here, the above operation is referred to as an address operation or a write operation regardless of the formation / non-formation of the address discharge.

The wall charges are stored in advance in all the discharge cells C, and the wall charges in the predetermined discharge cells C are erased (the above-described “entire erase-selective write address method”) or the like. An address operation may be performed.

(Sustain period TS) In the sustain period TS, a predetermined voltage is applied to each of the electrodes X, Y, and A, so that the discharge cells C in which the wall charges are accumulated in the address period TA.
A sustain discharge is generated only for image display or display light emission (sustain operation). As shown in FIG.
Are the maintenance initial period TS1 and the maintenance repetition period TS2
And a maintenance end period TS3.

(Maintenance initial period TS1) As shown in FIG. 2, the maintenance initial period TS1 at the beginning of the maintenance period TS1
1, the voltage pulse or the sustain pulse 251, 252
Is alternately or alternately applied to all the sustain electrodes X and all the scan electrodes Y. Specifically, first, the sustain pulse 251 is applied to the scan electrode Y, and after the fall of the sustain pulse 251, the sustain pulse 252 is applied to the sustain electrode X. Then, after the sustain pulse 252 falls, the sustain pulse 252 is applied to the scan electrode Y.

At this time, the voltage or amplitude of each of the sustain pulses 251, 252 is set to the sustain voltage Vs. here,
The sustain voltage Vs cannot start the sustain discharge only with the voltage Vs alone, but once the sustain discharge is started, the potential (or electric field) due to the wall charge formed by the preceding sustain discharge is superimposed on the voltage Vs. A voltage having a value that allows sustain discharge to continue.

In particular, in the driving method according to the first embodiment,
The widths of sustain pulses 251 and 252 are set relatively wide. More specifically, the space charges are further added to the sustain pulse 2 so that the space charges generated by the discharge at the rise of the sustain pulses 251, 252 can be sufficiently accumulated as wall charges.
The widths of the sustain pulses 251 and 252 are set so as to decrease to the extent that no discharge is induced at the fall of 51 and 252.

As described above, in the sustain initial period TS1, the sustain discharge is formed using the wide sustain pulses 251 and 252, so that the wall charges can be increased and stabilized, and as a result, the address operation can be reliably switched from the sustain operation to the sustain operation. Can be migrated to. Conversely, the widths of the sustain pulses 251, 252 are set to such an extent that the wall charges can be increased and stabilized.

After the first sustain pulse 251 is applied, the width of the sustain pulse 252 is changed to the width of the sustain pulse 2 because the wall charges are increased and stabilized as compared to the address period TA.
Although it is set narrower than 51 (see FIG. 2), the width of the sustain pulse 252 may be set to be equal to that of the sustain pulse 252.

The number of times of application of the sustain pulses 251 and 252 in the sustain initial period TS1 depends on the increase and stabilization of the wall charge and the adjustment of the polarity of the wall charge at the start of the subsequent sustain repetition period TS2. Set from. Here, since the sustain pulse 252 is applied to the scan electrode Y at the end of the sustain initial period TS1 as shown in FIG.
55 (see FIG. 17) near the scanning electrode Y (hereinafter, referred to as the scanning electrode Y).
The sustain initial period TS ends in a state where negative wall charges are accumulated in “expressed above the scan electrode Y” and positive wall charges are accumulated above the sustain electrode X.

It is to be noted that the wall charges can be increased and stabilized by using a sustain pulse having a high voltage value in place of the wide pulse.

(Maintenance repetition period TS2) As shown in FIG. 2, the maintenance repetition period TS1 after the maintenance initial period TS1
Numeral 2 is composed of one or more of the minimum units TSU. In other words, the voltage waveform in the sustain repetition period TS2 is subdivided as a repetition of the same waveform, and the minimum period or the most basic period that cannot be further subdivided corresponds to the minimum unit of the maintenance repetition. Note that the driving method in the minimum unit TSU is referred to as a unit operation.

Here, FIG. 3 shows a timing chart for describing one sustain repetition minimum unit TSU in more detail. First, the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU will be described. (A) to (d) in FIG.
X, voltage VY, potential difference (VX-VY), and discharge intensity (or emission intensity) P. The discharge intensity P is obtained by measuring the intensity of infrared light emitted from the discharge cell C during light emission using an optical probe or the like.

In the minimum unit of repetition of maintenance TSU, first,
A narrow sustain pulse 231 having a voltage or an amplitude Vs and a pulse width Pw1 is applied to all the sustain electrodes X. Accordingly, in discharge cell C having wall charges, the sum of sustain voltage Vs of sustain pulse 231 and the wall voltage due to wall charges exceeds the discharge start voltage between sustain electrode X and scan electrode Y, and discharge P11 occurs. I do. The discharge intensity of each discharge is represented as “discharge intensity P11” using the sign of the discharge.

Discharge P at rising of sustain pulse 231
The space charges generated in 11 are gradually drawn toward the sustain electrode X or the scan electrode Y, and wall charges having a polarity opposite to that before the formation of the discharge P11 are accumulated above the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y. At the same time, the space charge gradually decreases and disappears due to neutralization and recombination.

In particular, in the present driving method, the pulse width Pw1 of the sustain pulse 231 is set as follows. That is, when the sustain pulse 231 falls, the pulse width Pw1 is set such that a relatively large amount of space charges formed by the discharge P11 remain. Moreover, the sustain pulse 231 is formed by the priming effect of the remaining space charges and the wall voltage of the wall charges accumulated after the discharge at the time of rising.
The pulse width Pw1 is set so that the discharge P12 can be generated at the time of the falling edge of Pw1.

Subsequently, after the sustain pulse 231 applied to the sustain electrode X falls, the sustain pulse 2 is applied to the scan electrode Y.
31 is applied. When the sustain pulse 231 rises and falls, the discharges P13 and P14 are generated.
As described above, the sustain pulse 231 is alternately or alternately applied to the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y.

Thereafter, a wide sustain pulse 232 having voltage Vs and pulse width Pw2 is applied to sustain electrode X. As a result, a discharge P21 is generated, and the space charges generated by the discharge P21 are accumulated above the sustain electrodes X and the scan electrodes Y as wall charges having a polarity opposite to that before the formation of the discharge P21.

In particular, in the present driving method, (pulse width Pw2)
> (Pulse width Pw1). More specifically, the space charge generated by the discharge at the rise of the sustain pulse 232 is accumulated as a sufficient amount of wall charge, and further, the space charge cannot exhibit the priming effect at the fall of the sustain pulse 232. The pulse width Pw2 is set so as to decrease / disappear.

For this reason, at the time of the fall of the sustain pulse 232, there is almost no space charge, and since the discharge cannot be formed only by the wall voltage, the discharge does not occur or occurs at the time of the fall of the sustain pulse 232. It is very weak.

Subsequently, after the sustain pulse 232 applied to the sustain electrode X falls, the sustain pulse 2
32 is applied. The discharge P is generated by the sustain pulse 232.
23 occurs. Note that the discharge P23 is stronger than the discharge P21. As described above, the sustain pulse 232 is alternately or alternately applied to the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y.

In particular, in the present driving method, the repetition minimum unit T
By setting the number of SU repetitions for each subfield, the emission intensity of each subfield is set. By controlling the light emission / non-light emission of each subfield by an address operation together with the setting of the light emission intensity of each subfield, multi-gradation display is performed by the subfield gradation method.

Further, for example, when the number of sustain pulses in the sustain period TS2 is increased or decreased to control the luminance of the entire screen or to control the power consumed by discharge light emission,
In this driving method, the number of repetitions of the minimum unit TSU is increased or decreased at the same rate in all subfields. Also, for example, an APC (Automatic Power Control) that detects a display ratio of an image from an input signal such as image data DATA and controls the number of sustain pulses according to the detection result to always limit power consumption to a certain value or less.
When used for the function, the number of repetitions of the minimum unit TSU is controlled.

(Maintenance end period TS3) As shown in FIG. 2, after the maintenance repetition period TS2, the maintenance end period TS3
3 are provided. The maintenance end period TS3 is a period for ensuring that the reset operation in the reset period TR of the next subfield is performed, and for example, the polarity and amount of the wall charges and / or the space charges according to the method of the reset operation. This is the period for adjusting the amount.

Specifically, in the last sustain period TS3, the sustain pulse 26 of the voltage Vs is applied to the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y alternately or alternately.

At this time, the polarity of the wall charge at the end of the subfield can be adjusted by applying the last sustain pulse 26 in the last sustain period TS3 to the sustain electrode X or the scan electrode.

If the pulse width of the last sustain pulse 26 is narrowed, the amount of wall charges at the end of the subfield is reduced. Conversely, if the pulse width is widened, more wall charges are accumulated. Can be.

Further, the amount of space charge can be adjusted by setting the idle period from the fall of the last sustain pulse 26 to the rise of the priming pulse 24 in the next subfield.

In FIG. 2, the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y
Are applied once each, but the number of times the sustain pulse 26 is applied is not limited to this.

As described above, in the driving method according to the first embodiment, since a discharge is formed at the falling of the narrow sustain pulse 231, the luminous efficiency is improved as compared with the driving method in which such a discharge is not formed. Can be. That is, PDP
11 and the plasma display device 201 can achieve both high luminance and power saving.

At this time, in the present driving method, the wall charges are sufficiently accumulated again by applying the wide sustain pulse 232 after the narrow sustain pulse 231. Therefore, unlike a driving method in which only a narrow sustain pulse is continuously applied, weakening and disappearance of discharge can be prevented.

As described above, in this driving method, the sustain repetition minimum unit TSU is constituted by two types of sustain pulses having different waveforms, that is, the sustain pulse 231 having a narrow width and the sustain pulse 232 having a wide width. Therefore, the advantages of each of the sustain pulses 231 and 232 can be effectively used while effectively utilizing the advantages of the narrow voltage pulse of improving the luminous efficiency and the advantage of the wide voltage pulse of sufficiently accumulating wall charges. Can complement each other.

At this time, as described above, even when the number of sustain pulses in the sustain period TS2 is increased or decreased in order to adjust the brightness or the like of the entire screen, the minimum value of the sustain repetition minimum unit TSU
Increase or decrease the number of repetitions. That is, the narrow sustain pulse 231 and the narrow sustain pulse 232 are always set as one set, and are simultaneously increased and decreased. Therefore, even in such a case, the above effects are not reduced. In other words, adjustment of the brightness of the entire screen does not cause weakening of the discharge and disappearance of the discharge. Therefore, it is possible to reliably achieve both the above-described high luminance and power saving.

As described above, according to the driving method or the plasma display device 201 according to the first embodiment, it is possible to achieve both improvement of display quality such as stable discharge formation and high luminance and power saving by improvement of luminous efficiency. can do. It should be noted that even when the sustain pulses 231 and 232 are applied to only one of the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y, the above-described effect can be obtained to a certain extent.

<Modification 1 of First Embodiment> The pulse width Pw1 of the narrow sustain pulse 231 can be arbitrarily set within a range in which a discharge can be formed when the sustain pulse 231 falls. . On the other hand, the pulse width Pw2 of the wide sustain pulse 232 can be set arbitrarily within a range where wall charges can be sufficiently accumulated.

After the application of the sustain pulse 231 having a small width, the wall charges are not sufficiently accumulated. Therefore, in order to maintain the sustain discharge, the space pulse in the discharge space is not greatly attenuated. Need to be applied, but the pause period TB1 from the fall of the sustain pulse 231 to the rise of the next sustain pulse 231 or the sustain pulse 232 can be arbitrarily set to some extent.

On the other hand, since the wall charges are sufficiently accumulated after the application of the wide sustain pulse 232, the sustain discharge continues even if the next sustain pulse 232 or the sustain pulse 231 is applied after the space charge is attenuated. I do. Therefore, the pause period TB2 following the sustain pulse 232 can be set arbitrarily, and has a greater degree of freedom in setting than the pause period TB1.

Here, in contrast to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show the case where all the idle periods TB1 and TB2 are the same,
FIG. 4 shows a timing chart of the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU in the case of (B2)> (pause period TB1). In addition,
It is also possible to have different durations in the two rest periods TB1 and / or in the two rest periods TB2.

Depending on the setting of the pulse widths Pw1 and Pw2 and / or the rest periods TB1 and TB2, the time length of the minimum unit of repetition TSU, and therefore the length of the repetition period of repetition TS
2, the average repetition period of the sustain pulse can be set arbitrarily. Note that the average repetition period is given as a value (time) obtained by dividing (the time length of) the sustain repetition period TS by the number of sustain pulses in the sustain repetition period TS.

At this time, the pulse widths Pw1, Pw2 and / or
Alternatively, by adjusting the average repetition period by setting the pause periods TB1 and TB2, it is possible to adjust the number of discharge current pulses per unit time, that is, the current density. Further, the peak of the current flowing to the power supply can be controlled to an appropriate value. Therefore, by setting the average repetition period longer, the current density or peak of the current flowing to the power supply can be suppressed or reduced. Thereby, the scale of the power supply can be reduced, and the PDP 11 and the plasma display device 2
01 can be saved.

<Modification 2 of First Embodiment> FIG. 5 shows a minimum unit T for sustaining repetition in the driving method according to the second modification.
3 shows a timing chart of SU. As shown in FIG.
The voltage Vs1 of the narrow sustain pulse 231a corresponding to the sustain pulse 231 described above may be set higher than the voltage Vs2 of the wide sustain pulse 232a corresponding to the sustain pulse 232 described above. According to such a voltage setting, discharge at the time of falling becomes more likely to occur, so that the luminous efficiency can be further improved, thereby further reducing power consumption.
Can be promoted.

By the way, in general, as the voltage of the sustain pulse is increased, in the discharge cell C which does not emit light for display,
That is, in a discharge cell in which wall charges have not been accumulated during an address operation, an unnecessary discharge called an OW (Over Write) discharge may occur. For this reason, the voltage of the sustain pulse cannot be increased much.

However, the delay time of the OW discharge (the time from the application of the voltage to the occurrence of the discharge) is longer than that of the normal or regular discharge, so that the pulse width is narrow as in the sustain pulse 231a. In this case, no OW discharge occurs before the sustain pulse 231a falls. Or,
Even if an OW discharge occurs, the sustain pulse 231a falls immediately, so that sufficient wall charges are not accumulated. For this reason, it is difficult for continuous OW discharge to occur due to the subsequent sustain pulse.

A driving method (fourth prior art) for applying a high voltage sustain pulse and a low voltage sustain pulse in a sustain period (or a sustain discharge period) is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-65523. ing. FIG. 22 shows a timing chart of such a driving method.

However, the driving method shown in FIG. 22 disclosed in this publication merely uses the high voltage sustain pulse Sp1 and the low voltage sustain pulse Sp2 in the sustain period. No units are mentioned.

For this reason, the driving method disclosed in the above publication is different from the present driving method in which the number of sustain pulses is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of repetitions of the minimum unit TSU in the above-described APC function or the like.

<Third Modification of First Embodiment> FIG. 6 shows the minimum unit T for sustaining repetition in the driving method according to the third modification.
3 shows a timing chart of SU. (A)-in FIG.
(C) is the voltage VX, the voltage VY, and the discharge intensity P, respectively. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 6 shows two minimum units TSU of repetition.

As can be seen by comparing FIG. 6 with FIG. 3 described above, in the present driving method, the sustain pulse 231 is applied to the sustain electrode X.
While applying only the sustain pulse 232 to the scan electrode Y.
Only apply. Then, the minimum unit of maintenance repetition TSU
Are composed of one sustain pulse 231 and 232, respectively. The effect according to the above-described first embodiment can also be obtained by such a minimum maintenance repetition unit TSU.

Here, the driving method in each of the minimum sustained repetition units TSU of FIG. 6 and FIG. 3 described above will be compared and considered.

First, the minimum unit of repetition TSU shown in FIG.
, The sustain pulse 231 is generated during the sustain initial period TS1.
It is applied after the sustain pulse 252 (see FIG. 2) or after the sustain pulse 232 of the immediately preceding sustain repetition minimum unit TSU. Therefore, a strong discharge P31 is formed when the sustain pulse 231 rises.

On the other hand, the discharge P32 formed at the falling of the sustain pulse 231 is formed only by the wall charges, so that the discharge P32 is weak.

Further, when the sustain pulse 232 is applied, the wall charge is reduced by the discharge P32, so that the discharge P33 formed at the rising of the sustain pulse 232 becomes the discharge P32.
Weaker than 31.

At this time, the discharge P31 is formed using the scan electrode Y as a cathode, while the discharges P32 and P33 are formed using the sustain electrode X as a cathode. In view of this point, since the amount of charge moved to the electrode of the opposite polarity by the discharge P31 is equal to the total amount of charge moved by the two discharges P32 and P33, the discharge intensity P31 is substantially equal to the sum of the two discharge intensities P32 and P33. Equal (P31 = P32 + P33).

On the other hand, in the sustain repetition minimum unit TSU of FIG. 3 described above, in view of the situation when each of the sustain pulses 231 and 232 is applied, each of the discharges P11 and P12 becomes the discharge P3.
1, P32 (P11 = P31, P31
12 = P32).

Further, at the time of the rise of the sustain pulse 231 applied to the scan electrode 232, the situation is the same as when the discharge P33 occurs, so that the intensity of the discharge P13 is the same as that of the discharge P33 (P13 = P33). The intensity of the discharge P14 is the same as that of the discharge P32 (P14 = P32).
1 and P23 have the same intensity as the discharges P33 and P31 (P21 = P33, P23 = P31). The two discharge intensities P11 and P23 are substantially equal (P11 = P23).

As described above, the discharge having the same intensity occurs twice in the minimum unit TSU of FIG. At this time, the discharges P11, P14, and P21 are formed using the scan electrode Y as a cathode, and the discharges P12, P13, and P23 are formed using the sustain electrode X as a cathode. Therefore, the discharge intensity P11
Is substantially equal to the sum of the two discharge intensities P12 and P13 (P11 =
P12 + P13), and the discharge intensity P23 is the two discharge intensities P1
4, P21 (P23 = P14 + P2
1).

When a discharge occurs, the surface of the cathode (the protective layer 155 covering the electrode in the case of an AC type PDP) is sputtered and becomes thin. Therefore, such a sputtering phenomenon affects the life of the PDP. At this time, in view of the fact that the amount of sputtering is proportional to the square of the discharge current density, the total discharge intensity is equivalent to the discharge intensity of the one strong discharge, rather than forming one strong discharge. The amount of sputtering is smaller when formed by dividing into a plurality of weak discharges.

That is, in the driving method shown in FIG.
The amount of sputtering by 31 is larger than the total amount of sputtering by discharges P32 and P33. At this time, as described above, (discharge intensity P31) = (discharge intensity P32) +
(Discharge intensity P33), the strong discharge P31 is formed using the scanning electrode Y as a cathode, while the discharge P32,
Since P33 is formed using the sustain electrode X as a cathode, the protective layer on the scan electrode Y is thinner than the protective layer on the sustain electrode X. That is, the protective layer becomes unevenly thin.

On the other hand, the minimum unit TSU of FIG.
The strong discharge P11 is formed using the scan electrode Y as a cathode, while the strong discharge P23 is formed using the sustain electrode X as a cathode. For this reason, the protective layer on the sustain electrode X and the protective layer on the scan electrode Y are not the same speed or are as thin as the same speed. Therefore, the life of the PDP is longer when the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU of FIG. 3 is applied. Thus, from the viewpoint of the life of the PDP, the minimum maintenance repetition unit T shown in FIG.
SU is more preferred.

Second Embodiment (Overall Configuration of Plasma Display Device) FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a plasma display device 202 according to a second embodiment. In the following description, the same components as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.
As can be seen by comparing FIG. 7 with FIG. 1 described above, the X common driver 4 of the plasma display device 202
It is composed of an X common driver 4A and a second X common driver 4B.

The output terminals of the first X common driver 4A are connected to the sustain electrodes X1, X3,.
(Here, the natural number N is assumed to be an even number). The first X common driver 4A is controlled by a control signal CNT21 from the control circuit 6, and supplies a predetermined voltage to the sustain electrodes X in odd rows. On the other hand, the output terminals of the second X common driver 4B are connected to the sustain electrodes X2, X4,.
...., XN are connected in common. The second X common driver 4B is controlled by a control signal CNT22 from the control circuit 6, and supplies a predetermined voltage to the sustain electrodes X in the even rows.

Here, sustain electrodes X in odd rows are also referred to as “sustain electrodes XA”, and sustain electrodes X in even rows are also referred to as “sustain electrodes XB”. Discharge cell C defined by sustain electrode XA is called “discharge cell CA”, and discharge cell C defined by sustain electrode XB is called “discharge cell C”.
B ".

(Operation of Plasma Display Apparatus) FIG.
The PDP 11 by the plasma display device 202
3 is a timing chart for explaining the driving method of FIG. FIG. 8 shows a timing chart in one subfield. In addition, (a)-in FIG.
(C) shows voltages VA, VXA, applied to the address electrode A, the sustain electrode XA, the sustain electrode XB and the scan electrode Y, respectively.
It is a voltage waveform of VXB and VY.

As shown in FIG. 8, the driving method in the reset period TR and the address period TA is the same as the driving method according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 2). For this reason, the description will focus on the driving method during the sustain period TS, which is a feature of the present driving method.

(Maintenance Period TS) (Maintenance Initial Period TS1) First, the sustain pulse 251 is applied to all the scan electrodes Y, and after the fall of the sustain pulse 251, the sustain pulse 253b is applied to all the sustain electrodes XB. Then, the sustain pulse 253a is applied to all the sustain electrodes XA before the fall of the sustain pulse 253b. Thereafter, before both of the sustain pulses 253a and 253b fall,
The sustain pulse 254 is applied to all the scanning electrodes Y. And
During the period in which the sustain pulse 254 is applied, the sustain pulses 253b and 253a sequentially fall.

In particular, the voltage and width of sustain pulse 251 are set similarly to sustain pulse 251 in FIG. Further, regarding the sustain pulses 253a, 253b, and 254, the potential difference between the voltage VXA and the voltage VY (VXA-V
Y) and a potential difference (VXB) between the voltage VXB and the voltage VY.
-VY) are the sustain pulses 251 and 252 described above, respectively.
The voltage, the width, and the number of times of application are set to be the same as those (see FIG. 2). With such a setting, the address period TA
Can be increased and stabilized, and the operation can be reliably shifted from the address operation to the maintenance operation.

(Maintenance Repetition Period TS2) Embodiment 1
In the present driving method, the sustain repetition period TS2 includes one or more sustain repetition minimum units TSU. FIG. 9 shows a timing chart for describing one sustain repetition minimum unit TSU in the present driving method in more detail. (A-1) to (d) in FIG.
-2) are the voltages VXA, VXB, VY,
It is a potential difference (VXA-VY), a potential difference (VXB-VY), and each waveform of each discharge intensity PA and PB in each discharge cell CA and CB.

In particular, in the present driving method, the minimum unit of sustained repetition TSU is roughly divided into the first half from time t0 to time t5 and the second half from time t6 to time t11. Before the start of the sustain repetition period TS2, positive wall charges are accumulated above the sustain electrodes X of the discharge cells C that emit light for display, and negative wall charges are accumulated above the scan electrodes Y. I have.

As shown in FIG. 9, at time t0, sustain pulse 233a of voltage Vs is applied to sustain electrode XA. As a result, a discharge is formed in the discharge cell CA. Subsequently, at time t1, sustain pulse 233b of voltage Vs is applied to sustain electrode XB. As a result, a discharge is formed in the discharge cell CB.

Next, at time t2, sustain pulse 234 of voltage Vs is applied to scan electrode Y. At this time, the potential differences (VXA-VY) and (VXB-VY) fall, that is, the potential differences (VXA-VY) and (VXB-V).
Since the absolute value of Y) returns from the voltage Vs to 0, no discharge occurs when the sustain pulse 234 rises. Note that when the voltage VY is changed from the voltage Vs to 0 when the voltage VXA and the voltage VXB are the voltage Vs, the discharge does not occur when the voltage VY falls, or it is very weak even if it occurs. It is clear.

Then, at time t3, sustain pulse 233a applied to sustain electrode XA falls. Thus, the absolute value of the potential difference (VXA-VY) changes from 0 to the voltage V
s, the discharge is generated in the discharge cell CA.
Subsequently, at time t4, the sustain pulse 233b applied to the sustain electrode XB falls. As a result, a discharge occurs in the discharge cell CB.

Thereafter, at time t5, the sustain pulse 234 applied to the scan electrode Y falls. At this time, the wall voltage caused by the wall charges accumulated above the scan electrode Y at the time of rising of each of the sustain pulses 233a and 233b, and the remaining space charge generated by the discharge at the time of falling of the sustain pulses 233a and 233b Priming effect causes weak discharge.

As a result, the minimum unit of repetition TSU
The first half of ends. In the first half (sustain electrode XA) →
The sustain pulse rises and falls in the order of (sustain electrode XB). On the other hand, in the latter half of the sustain repetition minimum unit TSU described in detail below, the rise and fall of the sustain pulse are performed in the order of (sustain electrode XB) → (sustain electrode XA). That is, the order of rising and falling of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed between the sustain electrodes XA and XB in the first half and the second half.

Specifically, at time t6, sustain electrode XB
Is applied with a sustain pulse 235b of voltage Vs, and then at time t
7, the sustain pulse 235 of the voltage Vs is applied to the sustain electrode XA.
a is applied. At this time, discharge occurs at each of the times t6 and t7. Thereafter, at time t8, sustain pulse 236 of voltage Vs is applied to scan electrode Y.

At time t9, sustain pulse 235b applied to sustain electrode XB falls, and then at time t10, sustain pulse 235a applied to sustain electrode XA falls. At this time, each time t9, t
At 10, a discharge occurs. Thereafter, when the sustain pulse 236 applied to the scan electrode Y falls at time t11, a weak discharge occurs. As a result, the latter half of the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU, that is, the whole of the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU ends. Note that time t12 corresponds to time t0 of the next minimum maintenance repetition unit TSU or the start time of the maintenance end period TS3.

In the sustain repetition period TS2, the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU is repeated the number of times set for each subfield.

(Maintenance End Period TS3) As shown in FIG. 8, in the maintenance end period TS3, first, the sustain pulse 261a of the voltage Vs is applied to all the sustain electrodes XA, and all the sustain electrodes are turned off before the fall of the sustain pulse 261a. The voltage Vs is applied to the electrode XB.
Is applied. Then, before both of the sustain pulses 261a and 261b fall, the sustain pulse 262 of the voltage Vs is applied to all the scan electrodes Y. After that, the sustain pulses 261a, 261b, 261 fall sequentially.

At this time, each of the sustain pulses 261a, 261
b, 262 is a potential difference (VX) between the voltage VXA and the voltage VY.
A-VY) and the potential difference (VXB-VY) between the voltage VXB and the voltage VY are respectively equal to the sustain pulse 26 described above.
The voltage, the width, and the number of times of application are set to be the same as those (see FIG. 2). By such setting, the polarity and amount of the wall charges can be adjusted.

As described above, the sustain period TS2 of the present driving method
Then, after all the sustain electrodes X are grouped into two sustain electrodes XA and XB, the sustain pulse rises and falls with the timing shifted between the two sustain electrodes XA and XB.
As a result, a discharge is generated between the two discharge cells CA and CB with a different timing. For this reason, the peak current flowing to the driving device including the X common driver 4 and the like can be reduced to about ２. Thereby, power saving of the PDP 11 and the plasma display device 202 can be achieved. Further, the scale of the driving device can be reduced, and the cost of the driving device and the plasma display device 202 can be further reduced.

In particular, according to the present driving method, the following effects attributable to the discharge forming order can be obtained at the same time as the above-described peak current reducing effect. First, the driving in the minimum maintenance repetition unit TSU is arranged as follows, focusing on the order of forming discharges (see (d-1) and (d-2) in FIG. 9). That is, the discharge at the time of rising and falling of the sustain pulse is the minimum unit of the sustain repetition TSU.
Are formed in the order of (discharge cell CA) → (discharge cell CB) in the first half, while the minimum unit TSU
Are formed in the order of (discharge cell CB) → (discharge cell CA).

As described above, when a discharge is sequentially formed in, for example, two adjacent discharge cells C,
Due to the influence of space charge or the like, the form of discharge may differ between the previously formed discharge and the subsequently formed discharge.

Further, the discharge generated when the voltage of the sustain electrode X transitions from 0 to the voltage Vs while the voltage of the scan electrode Y is fixed to 0, and the voltage of the scan electrode Y is fixed to the voltage Vs. It has been found that the discharge form may be different from the discharge generated when the voltage of the sustain electrode X changes from the voltage Vs to 0 in the state.

From this viewpoint, each discharge formed by the driving method according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 9) can be classified as shown in Table 1 below.

[0140]

[Table 1]

The column (a) in Table 1 shows the above-mentioned time, the column (b) shows the potential relationship or voltage transition of the sustain electrode X and the scan electrode Y at each time, and the column (c) shows each time. It indicates in which of the discharge cells CA and CB a discharge is formed at the time, and the column (d) shows whether the discharge described in the column (c) is the previously formed discharge or the discharge formed later. In column (e), the discharge in the discharge cells CA and CB described in column (c) is classified into one of the discharge modes DC1 to DC4 described below.

Referring to the columns (b) and (d) in Table 1, the discharge at the discharge cell CA at time t0 and the discharge at time t0
6 can be categorized into the same discharge mode (discharge mode DC1). Similarly, each discharge in each discharge cell CB, CA at each time t1, t7 is classified into the same discharge mode (discharge mode DC2), and each discharge in each discharge cell CA, CB at each time t3, t9 is the same. It is classified into a discharge mode (discharge mode DC3), and each time t
Each discharge in each of the discharge cells CB and CA at 4 and t10 is classified into the same discharge mode (discharge mode DC4).

As described above, in each of the two discharge cells CA and CB, four types of discharges are formed between one sustain repetition minimum unit TSU. That is, the discharge conditions of the two discharge cells CA and CB are the same in the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU. Therefore, according to the driving method in the sustain repetition period TS2, it is possible to suppress a luminance difference or luminance unevenness between the discharge cells CA and CB.

As described above, the maintenance initial period TS1
In FIG. 8, sustain pulse 2 applied to sustain electrode XB is shown.
53b is applied to a sustain pulse 253a applied to the sustain electrode XA.
Start up and shut down first. On the contrary, in the sustain end period TS3, the sustain pulse 261a applied to the sustain electrode XA rises and falls earlier than the sustain pulse 261b applied to the sustain electrode XB. That is, the discharge order of the discharge cells CA and CB is maintained in the initial period TS.
1 and the maintenance end period TS3 are reversed. Thereby, a complementary discharge can be formed by the sustain initial period TS1 and the sustain end period TS3. Therefore, it is possible to suppress uneven brightness between the discharge cells CA and CB also in the sustain initial period TS1 and the sustain end period TS3, and therefore throughout the sustain period TS2.

As described above, according to the present driving method, the above-described power saving is achieved by reducing the peak current, and the discharge cells CA, C
It is possible to achieve both improvement in display quality by suppressing luminance unevenness between B and B.

Third Embodiment In a third embodiment, another driving method of the PDP 11 in the plasma display device 202 will be described. FIG. 11 shows a timing chart for explaining the driving method according to FIG. Since this driving method is characterized by the driving method in the sustain repetition period TS2, FIG. 10 shows a timing chart of the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU. In the period other than the sustain repetition period TS2, the driving method according to the above-described second embodiment (FIG. 8)
) Is applicable, and the description thereof is referred to here. (A-1) to (d-1) in FIG. 10 are the same as (a-1) to (d-1) in FIG. 9, respectively.

In the first half (time t20 to time t25) of the minimum unit TSU, the PDP 11 is driven as follows. That is, similar to the timing chart of FIG.
At time t20, sustain pulse 233a is applied to sustain electrode XA.
Is applied, and then at time t21, sustain pulse 233b is applied to sustain electrode XB. At this time, at each time t20,
Discharge occurs at t21. Thereafter, at time t22, sustain pulse 234 is applied to scan electrode Y.

Unlike the timing chart of FIG. 9, at time t23, sustain pulse 235b applied to sustain electrode XB falls first, and then at time t24
At the sustain pulse 23 applied to the sustain electrode XA
3a is dropped. At this time, discharge occurs at each of the times t23 and t24. Thereafter, the sustain pulse 234 applied to the scan electrode Y at time t25 falls.

Next, the second half (time t26 to time t31) of the minimum maintenance repetition unit TSU will be described. Similar to the timing chart of FIG. 9, at time t26, sustain electrode X
A sustain pulse 235b is applied to B, and then at time t27, a sustain pulse 235a is applied to sustain electrode XA. At this time, discharge occurs at each of the times t26 and t27. Thereafter, at time t28, sustain pulse 236 is applied to scan electrode Y.

Unlike the timing chart of FIG. 9, at time t29, sustain pulse 235a applied to sustain electrode XA falls first, and then at time t30
, The sustain pulse 23 applied to the sustain electrode XB
5b falls. At this time, discharge occurs at each of the times t29 and t30. After that, the sustain pulse 236 applied to the scan electrode Y at time t31 falls. Note that the time t32 is the next minimum unit TS to be repeated.
This corresponds to the time t20 of U or the start time of the maintenance end period TS3.

Table 2 shows the driving method in the same manner as in Table 1 described above.

[0152]

[Table 2]

The columns (a) to (e) in Table 2 correspond to Table 1
This is the same as each of the middle columns (a) to (e).

As shown in FIG. 10 and Table 2, in the present driving method, in the first half of the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU, at the rising of the sustain pulse (discharge cell CA) → (discharge cell C).
A discharge is formed in the order of B), and at the same time, a discharge is formed in the order of (discharge cell CB) → (discharge cell CA).
Conversely, in the latter half of the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU, when the sustain pulse rises (discharge cell CB) →
A discharge is formed in the order of (discharge cell CA), and a discharge is formed in the order of (discharge cell CA) → (discharge cell CB) at the time of the fall.

According to the present driving method, the above-described effects according to the second embodiment can be obtained.

<Embodiment 4> Note that all the sustain electrodes X are 3
It may be divided into one or more groups. At this time, X
The common driver 4 is divided, and an X common driver is provided for each group.

In the fourth embodiment, a case where all sustain electrodes X are divided into three groups will be described. In the following description, sustain electrodes X belonging to each group will be referred to as sustain electrodes XA, XB, and XC, respectively. FIG. 11 is a timing chart of the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU in the case shown in FIG. Note that (a-1) to (c-3) in FIG. 11 represent the voltage VXA, the voltage VXB, and the voltage VX applied to the sustain electrode XC, respectively.
C, the voltage VY, the discharge intensity PA, the discharge intensity PB, and the waveform of the discharge intensity PC in the discharge cell CC defined by the sustain electrode XC.

In the driving method shown in FIG. 11, the minimum sustained repetition unit TSU is roughly divided into a first half, a middle half and a second half.

Specifically, in the previous period, (sustain electrode XA) →
(Sustain electrode XB) → (sustain electrode XC) → (scan electrode Y)
, And then the sustain pulse falls in the same order. Thus, when the sustain pulse applied to the sustain electrode X rises and falls, (discharge cell CA) → (discharge cell CB) → (discharge cell C
Discharge occurs in the order of C).

Next, in the middle period, the sustain pulse rises and falls in the order of (sustain electrode XB) → (sustain electrode XC) → (sustain electrode XA) → (scan electrode Y). Thereby, at the time of rising and falling of the sustain pulse applied to the sustain electrode X, (discharge cell CB) → (discharge cell CC)
→ Discharge occurs in the order of (discharge cell CA).

Thereafter, in the latter period, (sustain electrode XC) →
(Sustain electrode XA) → (sustain electrode XB) → (scan electrode Y)
Rise and fall of the sustain pulse in the following order. Thus, when the sustain pulse applied to the sustain electrode X rises and falls, (discharge cell CC) → (discharge cell C)
Discharge occurs in the order of A) → (discharge cell CB).

As described above, the order of rising and falling of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed among the sustain electrodes XA, XB, and XC for each of the first, middle, and second periods. As a result, the order in which the discharges are formed is cyclically changed for each of the first, second, and last periods. According to such a cyclic discharge forming order, the luminance balance can be achieved among the discharge cells CA, CB, and CC, that is, the luminance unevenness can be further suppressed.

Similarly, when all the sustain electrodes X are divided into n groups, by applying various combinations of the application sequence of the sustain pulse for each group in the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU, the discharge cells C belonging to each group can be formed. Can be used to balance the luminance.

<Modification 1 Common to Second to Fourth Embodiments> Further, for example, the sustain electrodes X1, X2, X5, X6,... Are assigned to the sustain electrodes XA, and the sustain electrodes X3, X4, X7, X8,.・
May be assigned to the sustain electrode XB. That is, the sustain electrodes X may be grouped for each plurality.

In the driving method according to the second embodiment or the like, since a sustain pulse is applied to each sustain electrode X at a shifted timing, a potential difference or an electric field corresponding to voltage Vs is generated between adjacent sustain electrodes X. Therefore, by grouping the sustain electrodes X into a plurality of lines as described above, the arrangement direction of the sustain electrodes X (the vertical direction of the screen) is compared with the case where the sustain electrodes are constituted by odd / even rows. ) Can be moderated.

At this time, in view of the fact that the input terminals of the PDP 11 and the output terminals of the X common driver 4 are arranged corresponding to the arrangement of the sustain electrodes X, the distribution of the potential difference is also moderated at the input terminals and the like. Can be. This allows P
Sufficient insulation or insulation distance can be ensured at the input terminal of the DP 11 and the like.

<Modification 2 Common to the Second to Fourth Embodiments> The scan electrodes Y may be divided into groups instead of the sustain electrodes X. In such a case, the Y driver 32 (see FIG. 1 and the like) corresponding to the grouping of the scanning electrodes Y
Is divided, but unlike the division of the X common driver 4, Y
It is necessary to divide the scanning driver 2 together with the common driver 3.

When the drive circuit is divided, if it is not divided, it is necessary to provide a sharable configuration, for example, a control circuit and its wiring for each divided circuit. Therefore, the number of the above-described circuits, wirings, and the like increases due to the division of the driving circuit, and the cost may increase accordingly. That is, it is more advantageous to divide the circuit as simple as possible in order to suppress an increase in cost due to the division of the driving circuit. In general, the Y driver 32 includes the scanning driver 2 in addition to the Y common driver 3 and thus has a complicated configuration.
The case where the common driver 4 is divided has been described.

However, depending on the method of the reset operation, the sustain electrode side driver including the X common driver 4 or the X driver may be more complicated. In such a case, dividing the Y driver 32 is advantageous.

[0170] Therefore, which of the X common driver 4 and the Y driver 32 should be divided may be selected in consideration of the driving method in a period other than the sustain period TS2.

<Embodiment 5> (Overall Configuration of Plasma Display Device) FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a plasma display device 203 according to Embodiment 5. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 12 with FIG.
In addition, the Y driver 32 is divided into two parts in addition to the X common driver 4.

Specifically, the plasma display device 20
The third Y driver 32 includes a first scanning driver 2a, a second scanning driver 2b, a first Y common driver 3a, and a second Y common driver 3b. Y common driver 3
a and 3b are control signals CNT33 from the control circuit 6.
A predetermined operation is executed based on a and 33b.

The output terminals of the first scanning driver 2a are connected to odd-numbered scanning electrodes Y1, Y3,..., YN-1 (here, the natural number N is an even number). On the other hand, the output terminals of the second scan driver 2b are connected to the scan electrodes Y2, Y4,. Each of the scanning drivers 2a and 2b receives each control signal C from the control circuit 6.
A predetermined operation is performed based on NTs 32a and 32b. Further, each scanning driver 2a, 2b is connected to each Y common driver 2.
The voltage generated at a and 2b is received and transmitted to each scan electrode Y.

Here, the odd-numbered scanning electrodes Y are also referred to as “scanning electrodes Ya”, and the even-numbered scanning electrodes Y are also referred to as “scanning electrodes Yb”. At this time, discharge cell CA is defined by sustain electrode XA and scan electrode Ya, and discharge cell CB is defined by sustain electrode XB and scan electrode Yb.

(Operation of Plasma Display Apparatus) FIG.
3, the PDP 1 by the plasma display device 203
2 is a timing chart for explaining the first driving method. Since the present driving method has a feature in the sustain repetition period TS2, FIG. 13 shows a timing chart of the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU. Maintenance repetition period TS
In the period other than 2, the driving method according to the second embodiment described above (see FIG. 9) can be applied. (A-1) in FIG.
(C-2) are waveforms of the voltage VXA, the voltage VXB, the applied voltages VYa and VYb of the scanning electrodes Ya and Yb, the discharge intensity PA, and the discharge intensity PB, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 13, in the first half of the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU, (sustain electrode XA) → (sustain electrode X
The sustain pulse of the voltage Vs rises and falls in the order of B). Then, (scan electrode Ya) → (scan electrode Y
The sustain pulse of the voltage Vs rises and falls in the order of b). As a result, a sustain discharge is generated at the time of rising of each sustain pulse. That is, the minimum value of the maintenance repetition unit TS
In the first half of U, a sustain discharge is formed in the order of (discharge cell CA) → (discharge cell CB).

On the contrary, the minimum unit TS for maintaining repetition is
In the latter half of U, the sustain pulse rises and falls in the order of (sustain electrode XB) → (sustain electrode XA). After that, the sustain pulse rises and falls in the order of (scan electrode Yb) → (scan electrode Ya). This allows
Sustain discharge occurs at the rise of each sustain pulse. That is, in the latter half of the minimum sustain repetition unit TSU, a sustain discharge is formed in the order of (discharge cell CB) → (discharge cell CA). Therefore, according to the present driving method, the same effects as those of the second embodiment and the like can be obtained.

According to the plasma display device 203, the discharge cells CA are connected to the first X common driver 4A and the first X common driver 4A.
The discharge cells CB are driven by the second X common driver 4B and the second Y common driver 3b (and the second scanning driver 2b), while being driven by the Y common driver 3a (and the first scanning driver 2a). You.

For this reason, as compared with the plasma display devices 201 and 202 (see FIGS. 1 and 7) in which both the X common driver 4 and the Y driver 32 are not divided, the entire surface of the PDP 11 such as a sustain discharge is generated. At the same time, the peak of the current flowing to the power supply when the discharge is formed or the peak of the current supplied from the power supply can be halved.
This allows for a smaller power supply,
In addition, the reduction of the peak current can also reduce electromagnetic noise generated at the time of discharge formation.

<Embodiment 6> Embodiments 2 to 4 described above.
Are driven by a so-called opposed two-electrode type AC P
It is also applicable to DP. FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of the opposed two-electrode type AC PDP 12.

(Structure of Opposed Two-Electrode Type AC PDP) FIG. 1
As shown in FIG. 4, in the PDP 12, a glass substrate 51 and a glass substrate 61 are arranged in parallel via a discharge space 60 filled with a discharge gas such as a Ne—Xe mixed gas.
On the surface of the glass substrate 51 on the side of the discharge space 60, a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes 52 (only one is shown in FIG. 14 from the relationship shown in FIG. 14) are formed in parallel with each other.
A dielectric layer 53 is formed so as to cover the electrodes 52 and the surface of the glass substrate 51.

On the other hand, on the surface of the glass substrate 61 on the side of the discharge space 60, a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes 62 (only one is shown in FIG. Are formed along the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of Then, the electrode 62 and the glass substrate 61
A dielectric layer 63 is formed so as to cover the above surface. Further, the electrode 6 is provided on each surface of the dielectric layer 63 on the surface on the side of the discharge space 60 and between the adjacent electrodes 62.
2, a strip-shaped partition 64 is formed along the longitudinal direction. Opposite side wall surfaces of adjacent partition walls 64 and dielectric layer 63
The phosphor layer 65 is formed on the inner surface of the substantially U-shaped groove constituted by the above surface. In the facing two-electrode type AC PDP 12, one discharge cell C is defined at each (three-dimensional) intersection of both electrodes 52 and 62.

It is to be noted that (a) the structure having no phosphor layer 65 or (b) the surface of the phosphor layer 65 on the discharge space 60 side (at least in the vicinity of the projected portion of the electrode 62) and the dielectric layer 53 has a structure in which a protective film made of a high secondary electron material such as MgO is formed on the surface on the discharge space 60 side, and (c) has the protective film on the surface of the dielectric layer 53 In addition, a PDP having a structure in which a portion near the projected portion of the electrode 62 in the phosphor layer 65 is replaced with a protective film is used as a PDP.
12 can be used.

(Configuration and Operation of Plasma Display Device) Next, FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a plasma display device 204 for driving the PDP 12. FIG.
5, the N (even) electrodes 52 are connected to the row electrodes (first
The electrodes are shown as X1 to XN and the M electrodes 62 are shown as column electrodes (second electrodes) Y1 to YM. Note that, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are used for the row electrodes and the column electrodes as those for the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes described above.

As shown in FIG. 15, all the column electrodes Y
It is connected to the driver 32. On the other hand, the even-numbered row electrodes X are connected to the first X driver 42A, and the odd-numbered row electrodes X are connected to the second X driver 42B. The first X driver 42A and the second X driver 42B each include a scanning driver and a common driver, and each perform the same operation as the Y driver 32. The first X driver 42A and the second X driver 42B are also collectively referred to as the X driver 42. Although not shown in FIG. 15, the plasma display device 204 includes a control circuit 6, a power supply circuit, and the like.

Here, the odd-numbered row electrode X is also referred to as “row electrode XA”, and the even-numbered row electrode X is referred to as “row electrode XB”.
Also called. The discharge cell C defined by the row electrode XA is called “discharge cell CA”, and the discharge cell C defined by the row electrode XB is called “discharge cell CB”.

The driving device of the plasma display device 204 including the X driver 42 and the Y driver 32 includes, for example, the voltages VA, VXA, VXB shown in FIGS.
Is applied to the row electrode XA, the row electrode XB, and the column electrode Y, respectively, so that the PDP 12 is driven. That is, the same effect as the plasma display device 202 can be obtained in the plasma display device 204.

If the X driver 42 and the row electrode X are divided into three, the driving method shown in FIG. 11 can be applied. Also,
The Y driver 32 may be divided depending on the symmetry between the row electrode X and the column electrode Y in the PDP 12. When the X driver 42 is not divided and has the same connection configuration as the Y driver 32 side, the above-described driving methods of FIGS. 2 to 6 can be applied.

[0189]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one sustain pulse having a waveform different from the others is applied in a unit operation. For this reason, the respective advantages resulting from the respective waveforms can be obtained simultaneously during the unit operation, and the disadvantages due to the respective waveforms can be compensated for each other. For example, by using a narrow sustain pulse that can improve the luminous efficiency but tends to cause unstable discharge and a wide sustain pulse that can form a stable discharge, the luminous efficiency can be improved and the discharge or light emission can be improved. And stabilization can be achieved at the same time. That is, it is possible to achieve both the power saving by improving the luminous efficiency and the improvement of the display quality such as the increase in luminance and the stabilization of discharge or light emission by the improvement of the luminous efficiency.

Further, since the unit operation is executed a predetermined number of times in the sustain period, the PDP is driven with a plurality of sustain pulses forming the unit operation always being one set. Therefore, for example, it is possible to surely obtain the effect that both the improvement of the luminous efficiency and the stabilization of the discharge can be achieved.

(2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, by adjusting the amplitude or pulse width of the sustain pulse, a discharge pulse can be formed at both the rise and the fall to improve the luminous efficiency. A sustain pulse capable of sufficiently accumulating wall charges and stably forming a discharge can be used in a unit operation. As a result, it is possible to achieve both improvement in luminous efficiency and stabilization of discharge, in other words, both power saving and improvement in display quality.

Further, the cycle of the unit operation, that is, the cycle of applying the sustain pulse can be controlled by adjusting the pulse width.
Therefore, by setting the application period of the sustain pulse longer, the current density or peak of the discharge current can be reduced, and the power consumption of the PDP can be reduced.

(3) According to the third aspect of the invention, the cycle of the unit operation, that is, the cycle of applying the sustain pulse can be controlled by adjusting the length of the idle period. Therefore, the current density or peak of the discharge current can be reduced by setting the sustain pulse application cycle longer.
At this time, if the length of the pause period is adjusted together with the adjustment of the pulse width, the degree of freedom in controlling the period can be increased.

(4) According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the sustain pulse is applied to the first electrode and / or the second electrode by shifting the rising timing of the sustain pulse between the groups. For this reason, the peak current flowing through the driving circuit or driving device of the PDP can be reduced. In addition, since the sustain pulse is applied a plurality of times while changing the order of rising, it is possible to suppress luminance unevenness between groups that may be caused by applying the sustain pulse with the timing shifted between the groups. That is, it is possible to achieve both the power saving by reducing the peak current and the improvement of the display quality of suppressing the uneven brightness.

Further, since the unit operation is executed a predetermined number of times in the sustain period, the PDP is driven with a plurality of sustain pulses forming the unit operation always being one set. Therefore, for example, it is possible to surely obtain the effect that both the improvement of the luminous efficiency and the stabilization of the discharge can be achieved.

(5) According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the order of rising of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed, so that luminance unevenness can be further suppressed.

(6) According to the invention of claim 6, since the fall timing of the sustain pulse is shifted between the groups, the same as in (4) above when a discharge is formed at the fall of the sustain pulse. The effect can be obtained.

(7) According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the order of the fall of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed. Therefore, even when the discharge is formed at the fall of the sustain pulse, the same as in the above (5) The effect of can be obtained.

(8) According to the invention of claim 8, in the unit operation, a sustain pulse capable of forming a discharge at the time of rising and falling is applied to the first electrode, while only the rising pulse is applied to the second electrode at the time of rising. Is applied with a sustain pulse capable of forming a discharge. For this reason, by using a sustain pulse capable of sufficiently accumulating wall charges to stabilize the discharge as the sustain pulse applied to the second electrode, it is possible to improve the luminous efficiency and stabilize the discharge. can do.
That is, it is possible to achieve both the power saving by improving the luminous efficiency and the improvement of the display quality such as the high luminance and the stable discharge or the formation of the luminescence by improving the luminous efficiency.

Further, since the unit operation is executed a predetermined number of times during the sustain period, the PDP is driven with a plurality of sustain pulses forming the unit operation always being set. Therefore, for example, it is possible to surely obtain the effect that both the improvement of the luminous efficiency and the stabilization of the discharge can be achieved.

(9) According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plasma display device in which any one of the effects (1) to (8) is exhibited, and power saving and display quality are improved. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a plasma display device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving a plasma display panel according to a first modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining a driving method of a plasma display panel according to a second modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving a plasma display panel according to a third modification of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a plasma display device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving the plasma display panel according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving the plasma display panel according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving the plasma display panel according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving the plasma display panel according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a plasma display device according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a timing chart illustrating a method for driving the plasma display panel according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating an opposed two-electrode type AC plasma display panel.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram for explaining a plasma display device according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram for explaining a conventional plasma display device.

FIG. 17 is a schematic exploded perspective view illustrating a three-electrode type AC plasma display panel.

FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing a subfield configuration in one frame period in the subfield gradation method.

FIG. 19 is a timing chart showing a conventional method of driving a plasma display panel.

FIG. 20 is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving a plasma display panel according to a second prior art.

FIG. 21 is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving a plasma display panel according to a third prior art.

FIG. 22 is a timing chart for explaining a method of driving a plasma display panel according to a fourth prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

2, 2a, 2b scanning driver, 3, 3a, 3b Y common driver, 4, 4A, 4B X common driver, 11,
12 Plasma display panel, 26, 231, 2
31a, 232, 232a, 233a, 233b, 23
4,235a, 235b, 236,251,252,2
53a, 253b, 254, 261a, 261b, 26
2 sustain pulse, 32 Y driver, 42, 42A, 4
2B X driver, 201, 202, 203, 204
Plasma display device, C, CA, CB, CC discharge cell, DATA input image data, DC1 to DC4
Discharge form, P, P11 to P14, P21, P23, P3
1 to P33, PA, PB, PC discharge or discharge intensity, P
w1, Pw2 pulse width, TB1, TB2 idle period,
TS maintenance period, TS1 maintenance initial period, TS2 maintenance repetition period, TS3 maintenance end period, TSU maintenance repetition minimum unit, t1 to t12, t20 to t32 time, X, X1 to XN, XA, XB, XC Maintenance electrode or row electrode (First electrode), Y, Y1 to YN, Ya, Yb scanning electrode or column electrode (second electrode), VA, VX, VXA, VX
B, VXC, VY, VYa, VYb voltage, Vs, Va
1, Vs2 voltage (amplitude).

Claims (9)

[Claims] A plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of second electrodes;
A plurality of discharge cells each including a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode;
A driving method applied to a plasma display panel for forming a discharge in the discharge cell by applying a potential difference between an electrode and the second electrode, wherein a display light emission is performed for each of the plurality of discharge cells. And an address operation for defining whether the discharge operation is performed by applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to cause the potential difference to perform the light emission display in the address operation. In a case where a sustain operation for forming a sustain discharge for performing display is performed separately, in a sustain period in which the sustain operation is performed, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode has at least one waveform different from the other. A unit operation of applying the plurality of sustain pulses is performed a predetermined number of times. 2. The method of driving a plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein an amplitude or a pulse width of the at least one sustain pulse is different from the other sustain pulses. A method for driving a plasma display panel. 3. The driving method of a plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a pause period between the continuous sustain pulses is different from the other pause periods. A method for driving a plasma display panel, which is characterized by the following. 4. A plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes,
A plurality of discharge cells each including a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode;
A driving method applied to a plasma display panel for forming a discharge in the discharge cell by applying a potential difference between an electrode and the second electrode, wherein a display light emission is performed for each of the plurality of discharge cells. And an address operation for defining whether the discharge operation is performed by applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to cause the potential difference to perform the light emission display in the address operation. In a case where a sustain operation for forming a sustain discharge for performing display is performed separately, in a sustain period for performing the sustain operation, at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is divided into a plurality of groups. The sustain pulse is applied to the first electrode and / or the second electrode while the rising timing of the sustain pulse is shifted between the groups, and Pole or /
And performing a predetermined number of unit operations of changing the order of the rise to the second electrode and applying the sustain pulse a plurality of times. 5. The driving method of a plasma display panel according to claim 4, wherein in the unit operation, the order of the rising of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed, and the sustain pulse is applied a plurality of times. A method for driving a plasma display panel. 6. The plasma display panel driving method according to claim 4, wherein a falling timing of the sustain pulse is shifted between the groups in the unit operation. Panel driving method. 7. The method of driving a plasma display panel according to claim 6, wherein, in the unit operation, the order of the falling of the sustain pulse is cyclically changed so that the sustain pulse falls. Characterized by
A method for driving a plasma display panel. 8. A plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes,
A plurality of discharge cells each including a part of the first electrode and a part of the second electrode;
A driving method applied to a plasma display panel for forming a discharge in the discharge cell by applying a potential difference between an electrode and the second electrode, wherein a display light emission is performed for each of the plurality of discharge cells. And an address operation for defining whether the discharge operation is performed by applying a sustain pulse to the first electrode and the second electrode to cause the potential difference to perform the light emission display in the address operation. In a case where a sustain operation for forming a sustain discharge for performing display is performed separately, in the sustain period in which the sustain operation is performed, the sustain pulse capable of forming the sustain discharge on the first electrode when the first electrode rises and falls. While applying the sustain pulse capable of forming the sustain discharge to the second electrode only at the time of its rise, for a predetermined number of times. And executes, a method of driving a plasma display panel. 9. A method of driving a plasma display panel using the method of driving a plasma display panel according to claim 1. Description:
Plasma display device.