JP2895397B2 - Driving method of gas discharge type display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of driving a gas discharge type display device used for displaying images on, for example, a television and an advertisement display panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a kind of gas discharge type display device, so-called AC type plasma display panel (hereinafter abbreviated as panel), a surface discharge type panel disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-39341 is known. I have. As a method of applying an erase pulse in driving such a panel, there is a method proposed as a method of driving a gas discharge panel in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-61278, for example.

A conventional gas discharge display of this type will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and an example of a conventional driving method of the gas discharge display will be described. 5 (a) and 5 (b) show a partial plan view and an BB 'sectional view of an example of a conventional gas discharge type display device, and FIG. 6 shows an electrode arrangement diagram thereof. . FIG.
In FIG. 1, a pair of glass substrates 1 and 8 are opposed to each other with a discharge space 6 interposed therebetween. On one glass substrate 1, a group of scanning electrodes 2 and a group of sustaining electrodes 3 are provided in parallel. The second group and the third group of sustain electrodes are covered with a dielectric layer 4 and a protective film layer 5. On the other glass substrate 8 facing the discharge space 6, a group of data electrodes 7 is provided orthogonally to the group of scan electrodes 2 and the group of sustain electrodes 3.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 6, these two groups of scan electrodes, three groups of sustain electrodes, and seven groups of data electrodes are arranged in a column direction with DATA.
With M column data electrodes of ₁ to Data _M is arranged, sustain electrodes of N rows of scanning electrodes and SUS ₁ ~SUS _N of N rows of SCN ₁ ~SCN _N in the row direction are arranged respectively, the matrix Make up. Next, a conventional driving method of the gas discharge type display device configured as described above will be described.

In FIG. 5, when a write pulse and a scan pulse are applied to a predetermined data electrode 7 and a scan electrode 2, respectively, a discharge occurs at the intersection W of the predetermined data electrode 7 and the scan electrode 2, and this portion is protected. Electric charges are accumulated on the surface of the film layer 5. Next, when a sustain pulse is alternately applied to the scan electrode 2 and the sustain electrode 3, the sustain pulse is activated by the electric charge accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer 5, and discharge starts in the S portion.
After that, the discharge in the S section continues. Then, S
By applying an erasing pulse to the scanning electrode 2 or the sustaining electrode 3 to generate a discharge (hereinafter referred to as an erasing discharge) for extinguishing the charge accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer 5 in the portion, the scanning electrode is thereafter Even if a sustain pulse is alternately applied to 2 and sustain electrode 3, no discharge occurs.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing an example of conventional driving timing of a gas discharge type display device. In the writing period shown in FIG. 7, a predetermined data electrode DATA ₁
~ A positive write pulse with an amplitude of Vw on DATA _M ,
When the first amplitude to the scanning electrodes SCN ₁ is negative scan pulse is Vs is applied, the predetermined data electrode DAT
Electric charges are accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer at the intersection of A _{1 to} DATA _M and the first scan electrode SCN ₁ .

Next, predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DATA ₁ -D
ATA _M is a positive write pulse with an amplitude of Vw, the second
When a negative scan pulse having an amplitude of Vs is applied to the scan electrode SCN ₂ , the predetermined data electrode DATA ₁
To Data _M a charge to the protective layer surface of the second intersection of the scanning electrodes SCN ₂ are accumulated. A similar operation is performed subsequently, and finally, predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DATA
_When a positive write pulse whose amplitude is Vw is applied to _M and a negative scan pulse whose amplitude is Vs is applied to the _Nth scan electrode SCNN, the predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DA are applied.
TA _M a charge to the protective layer surface of the intersection portion of the N-th scanning electrode SCN _N are accumulated.

In the following sustain period, all the sustain electrodes S
US ₁ ~SUS _N and all the scanning electrodes SCN ₁ ~SCN _N
The amplitude alternately negative sustain pulse is Vs is applied to, said activated by the accumulated charge, the sustain electrodes SUS ₁ ~SUS _N and scan electrodes SCN ₁ to SC of its parts
The sustain discharge is started between N _N and thereafter, while the application of the sustain pulse is continued, the sustain discharge continues.

In the subsequent erasing period, all the sustain electrodes S
US ₁ when amplitude ～SUS _N is applied a negative erase pulse the pulse width is t _WE in Ve, occurs erase discharge, charges accumulated in the protective layer surface by the sustain discharge is extinguished,
Next, even if the sustain pulse is applied, the discharge is not continued. An example of a method of applying conventional erase pulse in the erase period, there are a voltage controlled elimination method for controlling the amplitude Ve of pulses, and the narrow erase method to narrow the pulse width t _WE is.

In order to further increase the erasing operation margin, as shown in FIG. 7, an erasing pulse combining these two or a plurality of narrow erasing pulses having different pulse widths have already been applied. Note that in order to perform stable writing, sustaining, and erasing operations, the rising, falling, and rising times of the write, scan, sustain, and erase pulses described above are steep, and the change time is generally about several hundred ns. It is set to a very short one.

[0011]

However, in such a conventional method of driving a gas discharge type display device, the allowable variation range of the pulse width and amplitude of the erasing pulse cannot be widened, and the characteristics of the discharge cell may be reduced. If there is variation, discharge cells with excessive or insufficient erase discharge occur in the erase operation, and the charge accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer does not completely disappear in these discharge cells, so that a sufficient erase operation margin is provided. There was a problem that it could not be obtained. Excessive erasing discharge means that the charge accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer is extinguished, and then charge of the opposite polarity is further accumulated. It means that the accumulated charge cannot be reduced to zero.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a gas discharge type display device in which an allowable variation range of a pulse width and an amplitude of an erasing pulse can be widened and a sufficient erasing operation margin can be obtained even if the characteristics of discharge cells vary. It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving method.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for driving a gas discharge type display device, wherein one of a pair of insulating substrates facing each other across a discharge space is covered with a dielectric layer. A gas discharge type display in which a pair of scan electrode groups and sustain electrode groups are arranged in parallel with each other, and a data electrode group is arranged on the other insulating substrate so as to be orthogonally opposed to the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group. When driving the device, the writing period and the writing
There is a sustain period following the period and an erase period following the sustain period.
In the erasing period, a single erasing pulse, whose instantaneous value increases or decreases with a gentle gradient, is applied to one of the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group, and the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group gradually increases. Storage on the dielectric layer.
An erasing operation is performed so as to eliminate the accumulated charges .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a gas discharge type display device according to the first aspect, wherein the instantaneous value of the erase pulse is from 10% of the amplitude to 9% of the amplitude.
The change time required for the change to 0% or the change time required for the change from 90% of the amplitude to 10% of the amplitude is 10 μs.
It is set to 10 ms or more.

[0015]

According to the structure of the present invention, one of the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group has a gentle slope and an erase pulse whose instantaneous value increases or decreases, for example, the instantaneous value is 10% of the amplitude to 9% of the amplitude.
The change time required for the change to 0% or the change time required for the change from 90% of the amplitude to 10% of the amplitude is 10 μs.
While the erasing pulse of not less than 10 ms is applied and the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group gradually increases, the charge accumulated on the dielectric layer is changed according to the characteristic variation of the discharge cell. Appropriate erase discharge that can be just extinguished occurs in each discharge cell, and the charge accumulated on the dielectric layer is almost completely extinguished.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a method for driving a gas discharge type display device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a gas discharge display (A) in the first embodiment.
9 is a time chart showing an example of drive timing of a (C-type plasma display panel). The configuration of the panel is the same as that shown in FIGS. In the writing period shown in FIG.
When a positive write pulse whose amplitude is Vw is applied to TA _{1 to} DATA _M and a negative scan pulse whose amplitude is Vs is applied to the _first scan electrode SCN ₁ , the predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DATA _M are applied. And the first scan electrode SCN ₁
The electric charge is accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer at the intersection of.

Next, predetermined data electrodes DATA ₁ -DATA D
ATA _M is a positive write pulse with an amplitude of Vw, the second
When a negative scan pulse having an amplitude of Vs is applied to the scan electrode SCN ₂ , the predetermined data electrode DATA ₁
To Data _M a charge to the protective layer surface of the second intersection of the scanning electrodes SCN ₂ are accumulated. A similar operation is performed subsequently, and finally, predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DATA
_When a positive write pulse whose amplitude is Vw is applied to _M and a negative scan pulse whose amplitude is Vs is applied to the _Nth scan electrode SCNN, the predetermined data electrodes DATA _{1 to} DA are applied.
TA _M a charge to the protective layer surface of the intersection portion of the N-th scanning electrode SCN _N are accumulated.

In the subsequent sustain period, all the sustain electrodes S
US ₁ ~SUS _N and all the scanning electrodes SCN ₁ ~SCN _N
The amplitude alternately negative sustain pulse is Vs is applied to, said activated by the accumulated charge, the sustain electrodes SUS ₁ ~SUS _N and scan electrodes SCN ₁ to SC of its parts
The sustain discharge is started between N _N and thereafter, while the application of the sustain pulse is continued, the sustain discharge continues. In order to perform a stable writing operation and a sustaining operation, the rising, falling, and rising of each of the writing, scanning, and sustaining pulses described above are steep, and the change time is generally as short as about several hundred ns. Is set.

In the subsequent erasing period, the amplitude is Ve and the gradient is gentle (the change time tc required for the instantaneous value to change from 10% of the amplitude to 90% of the amplitude is longer than several hundred ns as described above). A negative erase pulse is applied to all sustain electrodes SUS
It applied to the _{1 ~SUS N.} During this long change time tc, while the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group gradually increases, an erasing discharge corresponding to the characteristic variation of the discharge cells occurs in each discharge cell, and is accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer. The accumulated charge almost completely disappears and an erasing operation is performed. The amplitude of the erasing pulse is Ve, but Vs of the same amplitude as the scan pulse and the sustain pulse is used for simplification of the driving circuit.
It can also be.

Here, the range of the change time tc for the instantaneous value of the erase pulse to change gradually will be described. FIG. 2 shows the change time tc of the erase pulse, the scan time, and the scan time when the amplitude Vs of the scan pulse and the sustain pulse is equal to the amplitude of the erase pulse at the drive timing shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing an example of a discharge characteristic between an amplitude Vs of each of maintenance and erasing pulses. From this figure, it can be seen that the lower limit of the normal operation region at the change time tc of the erase pulse is 10
μs. The upper limit of the normal operation area with respect to the change time tc of the erasing pulse is not restricted from the discharge operation, but the upper limit of the refresh time of the display screen (meaning the sum of the writing, maintaining, and erasing periods) is limited. Since it is generally about 16 ms, the practical range is limited to about 10 ms. Therefore, the range of the change time tc of the erase pulse that can be actually used is 10 μs from 90% to 10% of the amplitude.
From the above, it is 10 ms or less. Note that the refresh cycle is 1/60 second in the case of two gradation display.
In the case of multi-gradation display, since the subfield method is used,
The refresh cycle becomes even smaller. For example, in the case of 256 gradation display, since one screen is composed of 8 subfields (2 ⁸ = 256), the refresh cycle is 1/60.
Seconds are divided into eight (the period is not constant).

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of an erase circuit for generating the erase pulse shown in FIG. FIG.
The erasing circuit shown in FIG. 3 includes all sustain electrodes SUS _{1 to} SUS
_A resistor 10 and a field effect transistor 11 are connected in series to the output of a high voltage driver 9 for driving _N. Then, the output of the high voltage driver 9 is set to a high impedance state prior to the erasing operation, and when the field effect transistor 11 is turned on by the erasing signal, the sustain electrode SUS ₁ is turned on.
The time constant of the stray capacitance component and a resistance 10 which ～SUS _N has, it is possible to obtain the erase pulse having the following long change time 10ms from the above 10 [mu] s. Thereafter, the field-effect transistor 11 is turned off, and the output of the high-withstand-voltage driver 9 is set to the high level, thereby completing the erase pulse.
The high withstand voltage driver 9 can control the output state by changing two types of sustain signals (pull-up side and pull-down side), and prepares a sustain pulse or prepares for generation of an erase pulse. be able to.

As described above, according to this embodiment, scanning is performed by applying an erase pulse having a change time of 10% to 90% of the amplitude of the instantaneous value of 10 μs to 10 ms to the sustain electrode group. While the potential difference between the electrode group and the sustain electrode group gradually increases, an erasing discharge corresponding to the characteristic variation of the discharge cell occurs in each discharge cell, and the charges accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer almost completely disappear. As a result, the allowable variation range of the pulse width and amplitude of the erasing pulse can be widened, and a method of driving a gas discharge type display device can provide a sufficient erasing operation margin even if the characteristics of the discharge cells vary. Can be provided.

FIGS. 4A to 4C show a second embodiment of the present invention.
15 is a time chart showing only a portion related to an erase pulse in the drive timing of the gas discharge type display device in each of the third and fourth embodiments. The configuration of the gas discharge type display device is the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIGS. FIG. 4A shows sustain electrodes SUS _{1 to} SUS.
Long change time tc for rising of erase pulse applied to _N
Is provided to cause an erasing discharge. In this case, the erasing pulse is caused to fall sharply once, and then gradually rise, so that the scan electrodes SCN _{1 to} SC
After the erasing pulse falls, the potential of _NN sharply falls to -Ve (or -Vs) before the rising, and is kept constant. Other timings are the same as those in FIG. By doing so, the scan electrodes SCN _{1 to} SCN ₁
CN potential difference between the _N and the sustain electrodes SUS ₁ ~SUS _N is to increase slowly, which acts similarly to the above embodiment.

FIG. 4B shows an erase pulse when the pulse polarity at the timing shown in FIG. 1 is completely inverted. Further, FIG. 4C shows an erase pulse when all the pulse polarities at the timings described in FIG. 4A are inverted. These are the second, third, and third data shown in FIGS.
In each of the fourth embodiments, similarly to the first embodiment, the sustain electrode group has a change time of 90% to 10% of the amplitude of the instantaneous value or a change time of 10% to 90% of the amplitude of 1 instantaneous value.
By applying an erasing pulse of 0 μs or more to 10 ms or less, while the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group gradually increases, the accumulated charge of the protective film layer is just changed according to the characteristic variation of the discharge cell. Appropriate erase discharge that can be reduced to zero occurs in each discharge cell, and the charge accumulated on the surface of the protective film layer is almost completely eliminated, and as a result,
It is possible to provide a driving method of a gas discharge display device in which an allowable variation range of a pulse width and an amplitude of an erasing pulse can be widened and a sufficient erasing operation margin can be obtained even if the characteristics of the discharge cells vary. .

In the embodiment of the present invention, the case where the erase pulse is applied to the sustain electrode group has been described. However, the same effect can be obtained when the erase pulse is applied to the scan electrode group. Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the case where the erasing pulse is applied to all the sustain electrodes at the same timing has been described. The same effect can be obtained by applying.

Further, in the above embodiment, the protective film layer is provided on the surface of the dielectric layer. However, if the dielectric layer has sufficient strength against discharge, the protective film layer can be omitted. Also,
The insulating substrate may be a ceramic substrate as long as the strength is sufficient, and is not limited to a glass substrate. In addition, one of the pair of insulating substrates needs to be irradiated with discharge light, and thus needs to be transparent.

[0027]

According to the driving method of the gas discharge type display device according to the first aspect, a writing period and a period following the writing period.
A erasing period including a sustaining period and an erasing period following the sustaining period;
In the meantime, by applying a single erasing pulse in which the instantaneous value increases or decreases at a gentle gradient to one of the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group, the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group is gradually increased. And the electric charge stored on the dielectric layer
Since the erase operation is performed so as to eliminate the load, the allowable variation range of the pulse width and the amplitude of the erase pulse can be widened, and a sufficient erase operation margin can be obtained even if the characteristics of the discharge cells vary. To play.

According to the driving method of the gas discharge type display device according to the second aspect, one of the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group includes:
The scanning is performed by applying an erasing pulse of 10 μs or more and 10 ms or less for the change time required for the instantaneous value to change from 10% to 90% of the amplitude or the change time required for the change from 90% to 10% of the amplitude. Since the erasing operation is performed by gradually increasing the potential difference between the electrode group and the sustaining electrode group, the allowable variation range of the pulse width and amplitude of the erasing pulse can be increased, and even if the characteristics of the discharge cells vary. There is an effect that a sufficient erase operation margin can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a time chart illustrating an example of drive timing of a gas discharge type display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing an example of a discharge characteristic at the drive timing in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of an erasing circuit for generating the erasing pulse shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of drive timing of the gas discharge display device in each of the second, third, and fourth embodiments of the present invention.

5A and 5B are a partial plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a gas discharge type display device.

FIG. 6 is an electrode array diagram showing an example of a gas discharge type display device.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing an example of drive timing of a conventional gas discharge display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass substrate (insulating substrate) 2 Scanning electrode 3 Sustain electrode 4 Dielectric layer 6 Discharge space 7 Data electrode 8 Glass substrate (insulating substrate)

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-6-314078 (JP, A) JP-A-6-175607 (JP, A) JP-A-4-315196 (JP, A) JP-A-50-98727 (JP) JP-A-4-172392 (JP, A) U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,451 (US, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G09G 3/00-3/38

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of a pair of scanning electrodes and a pair of sustaining electrodes covered with a dielectric layer are arranged on one of a pair of insulating substrates opposed to each other with a discharge space therebetween, and are arranged in parallel with each other;
The method of driving the other of said scanning electrode group and the orthogonal opposite Pneumatic fluid discharge type ing by arranging data electrode group display device and the sustain electrode group on an insulating substrate, and the write period, the write period Followed by a maintenance period,
And an erasing period following the sustaining period.
In this case, a single erase pulse whose instantaneous value increases or decreases with a gentle gradient is applied to one of the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group, and the potential difference between the scan electrode group and the sustain electrode group is moderated. Increasing the dielectric layer
A method for driving a gas discharge type display device, wherein an erasing operation is performed so as to extinguish the electric charge accumulated thereon . 2. The change time required for the instantaneous value of the erase pulse to change from 10% of the amplitude to 90% of the amplitude or the change time required for the change from 90% of the amplitude to 10% of the amplitude to be 10 μs or more and 10 ms or less. The driving method of the gas discharge type display device according to claim 1.