JP3532317B2 - Driving method of AC PDP - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an AC type PDP.
The present invention relates to a driving method of (Plasma Display Panel).

The surface discharge type PDP is used as a screen output means of a computer because it can display a color at high speed and has a long life. In addition, it is attracting attention as the most promising candidate for a large-screen display means for high-definition video. Under such circumstances, a driving method suitable for higher brightness is desired.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art An AC PDP is a PDP having a dielectric layer that covers a display electrode with respect to a discharge space.

As is well known, in an AC type PDP, when a discharge is generated between a pair of display electrodes that define a discharge cell, charged particles (electrons or ions) generated by ionization of discharge gas are attracted to the display electrode. Wall charges having a polarity opposite to the potential polarity of each display electrode are accumulated in the dielectric layer. Along with the charging of the dielectric layer, the voltage between the display electrodes (wall voltage) due to the wall charges increases. At this time, since the wall voltage has the opposite polarity to the drive voltage applied to the display electrode, the effective voltage (also referred to as cell voltage), which is the sum of the drive voltage and the wall voltage, becomes low and the discharge is stopped. Next, when a drive voltage having the opposite polarity to the previous one is applied, since the drive voltage and the wall voltage have the same polarity this time, the effective voltage exceeds the discharge start voltage (Vf) and the discharge is generated again.

In other words, in the AC type PDP, a drive voltage is applied to a pair of display electrodes so that their potential polarities alternate with each other, so that the wall charges are utilized to generate a discharge start voltage (for example, 200 V). Discharge can be generated with a low driving voltage (for example, 180 V). Then, if the polarity inversion cycle of the drive voltage is shortened, it is possible to obtain a visually continuous light emission state.

In a matrix display type AC PDP in which a large number of discharge cells are arranged vertically and horizontally, the display period of one screen is divided into an address period and a sustain period that follows.

The address period is a period for writing (addressing) display contents to the dielectric layer, and the sustain period is for maintaining a light emitting state according to the display contents (sustain).
Is the period to do. That is, in the address period, the wall charges are accumulated only in the discharge cells to be sequentially lighted (light emission) line by line by the write address method or the erase address method. Then, in the sustain period, as shown in FIG. 3A showing the embodiment of the present invention, the sustain pulse Ps is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes X and Y for all the lines. At this time, the sustain pulse P
The peak value of s (sustain voltage Vs) is the discharge start voltage Vf
Select a lower value. Each time the sustain pulse Ps is applied, the relative potential relationship between the display electrodes X and Y is inverted, and at the rise of each sustain pulse Ps, discharge is generated only in the discharge cells in which the wall charges have been accumulated in advance.

[0008]

Conventionally, the number of times of light emission (the number of discharges) during the sustain period depends on the sustain pulse Ps.
Is the same as the number of times of application of the sustain voltage Vs. Therefore, if the number of times of light emission per unit time is increased in order to increase the brightness, it is necessary to increase the driving frequency accordingly.

When the driving frequency is increased and the number of times of light emission is increased, the number of times of ion bombardment due to discharge also increases, so that the life is shortened. In addition, the load on the drive circuit increases, and the amount of heat generated also increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to improve the brightness without increasing the number of times of applying the sustain voltage to the pair of display electrodes.

[0011]

In the past, address electrodes were used only for addressing, not sustain. By positively utilizing the address electrodes to generate a discharge even in the sustain period, it is possible to increase the number of discharges during the sustain period and increase the brightness without shortening the application period of the sustain voltage.

The method of the first aspect of the present invention, similar unit elements of the matrix display, the first and second display electrodes that are covered with respect to the discharge space by and dielectric extending in the row direction, extending in the column direction Address electrodes are paired with each other through the discharge space.
During screen display by an AC PDP having a facing electrode structure, wall charges are accumulated in the dielectric corresponding to a unit element to emit light in the screen during an address period,
During the sustain period, the sustain voltage Vs of the first polarity lower than the discharge start voltage Vf1 between these electrodes is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes, and the first and second display electrodes are utilized to utilize the wall charges. A driving method for periodically causing discharge between the second display electrodes, wherein wall charges of the second polarity accumulated by discharge between the first and second display electrodes are generated during the sustain period. Utilizing the first and second
Which is one of the display electrodes, and discharges between the address electrode and the second polarity side display electrode below the dielectric in which the second polarity wall charges are accumulated.

During a period (energization period) in which the sustain voltage Vs is applied, a voltage obtained by combining the sustain voltage Vs and the wall voltage Vwall due to wall charges between the pair of display electrodes (hereinafter referred to as an effective voltage Veff). Is added. At the start of the energization period, since the sustain voltage Vs and the wall voltage Vwall have the same polarity, the effective voltage Ve
ff exceeds the discharge start voltage Vf1 between the display electrodes and a main discharge (discharge between the display electrodes) occurs. After the wall voltage Vwall once disappears due to this main discharge, the dielectric voltage is immediately started to be charged by the sustain voltage Vs, and the wall voltage Vwall having the opposite polarity to that before is generated. The main discharge is stopped when the wall voltage Vwall rises and the effective voltage Veff drops to a predetermined value. However, even after the main discharge is stopped, since the sustain voltage Vs is applied to the display electrode during the energization period, the floating charges in the discharge space are attracted to the display electrode and the charging of the dielectric progresses, and the wall voltage Vwall is increased. Continues to rise.

The wall voltage Vwall at the end of the energization period is adjusted by appropriately setting the magnitude of the sustain voltage Vs and the length of the energization period, that is, by selecting the discharge intensity and the charging time after the discharge. You can

Here, for example, if the potentials of both display electrodes are set to the ground potential immediately after the end of the energization period, the wall voltage Vwall generated by the charging during the immediately preceding energization period becomes the effective voltage Veff. The wall voltage Vwall is the discharge start voltage V
If it is less than f1, no main discharge occurs. On the other hand, a voltage corresponding to the charge amount during the energization period is also applied between each display electrode and the address electrode. When the address electrodes are biased to the potential of the first polarity (eg, positive polarity), the relative voltage between the address electrodes and the display electrode below the dielectric material in which the wall charges of the second polarity (eg, negative polarity) are accumulated is changed to these electrodes. The discharge starting voltage Vf2 is exceeded. As a result, a discharge (sub-discharge) occurs between the display electrode and the address electrode.

Since a part of the wall charges disappears and the wall voltage Vwall decreases due to the secondary discharge, the wall voltage Vwall at the end of the energization period is ensured so that the subsequent main discharge is surely generated.
It is necessary to set l.

The bias of the address electrode may be continued for the entire sustain period or may be temporarily performed at the end of the energization period. Further, it is also possible to apply a voltage having a polarity opposite to the sustain voltage to the display electrode to generate a sub-discharge.

In this way, if the driving condition is set so that the sub-discharge is generated by utilizing the wall charge accumulated in the main discharge and the wall charge is not newly accumulated in the dielectric in the sub-discharge, the wall charge is utilized. Unlike without it, the brightness can be increased without increasing the ion bombardment.

If a secondary discharge is always generated after the main discharge,
The number of discharges is twice that of the conventional one. However, it is not always necessary to double. For example, when a plurality of sustain periods having different lengths are provided in the display period of one screen, such as when performing gradation display (including color display by combining three colors), only a relatively long sustain period is required. May cause a secondary discharge.

In the driving method of the invention of claim 2, immediately after the energization period in which the sustain voltage is applied, an energization pause period in which the potentials of both the first and second display electrodes are set to the ground potential is provided, and By applying a wall voltage due to the wall charges of the second polarity accumulated during the energization period immediately before the energization suspension period to the potential of the address electrode during the energization suspension period, the second polarity side display electrode and the address concerned are added. The relative voltage to the electrodes is set to exceed the discharge start voltage between these electrodes.

In the driving method of the third aspect of the present invention, the potential of the address electrode is temporarily changed to the first polarity side with respect to the potential during the energization period during the energization suspension period.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the sustain period, the sustain voltage is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes at time intervals.
The voltage of the second polarity is simultaneously applied to both the first and second display electrodes during a period corresponding to the time interval.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the sustain period, the sustain voltage is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes at time intervals.
The voltage of the second polarity is simultaneously applied to both the first and second display electrodes in the period corresponding to the time interval, and the potential of the address electrode is applied every time the voltage of the second polarity is applied. Is temporarily transited to the first polarity side with respect to the potential during the energization period.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the number of discharges between the second polarity side display electrodes and the address electrodes during the sustain period is set according to the gradation level of display. is there.

[0025]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a PDP 1 according to the present invention, showing a basic structure of a portion corresponding to one pixel (pixel) EG.

The PDP 1 is a surface-discharge type PDP having a three-electrode structure in which a pair of display electrodes X and Y and an address electrode A correspond to a unit element (sub-pixel) EU of matrix display, and is classified according to the arrangement form of phosphors. It is called reflective type above.

The display electrodes X and Y are electrodes for generating surface discharge along the substrate surface, and the glass substrate 1 on the front side.
1 are arranged in the column direction. Then, a dielectric layer 17 made of low melting point glass and having a thickness of about 20 μm is provided in the entire display region so as to cover these display electrodes X and Y with respect to the discharge space 30. That is, the display electrodes X and Y form a sustain electrode pair 12 in AC driving.

Since the display electrodes X and Y are arranged on the front side of the discharge space 30, a wide transparent electrode such as an ITO film is formed in order to widen the surface discharge and minimize the shielding of the display light. It is composed of a conductive film 41 and a narrow metal film (bus electrode) 42 for compensating for its conductivity. On the surface of the dielectric layer 17, an M layer having a thickness of several thousand Å is formed as a protective film.
A gO film 18 is provided.

The address electrode A is an electrode in the column direction for selectively causing the sub-pixels EU in each row to emit light, and has a constant pitch on the glass substrate 21 on the back side so as to be orthogonal to the display electrodes X and Y. Are arranged in.

A stripe-shaped partition 29 having a height of about 150 μm is provided between each address electrode A.
As a result, the discharge space 30 is partitioned in the row direction (the extending direction of the display electrodes X and Y) for each sub-pixel EU, and the gap size of the discharge space 30 is defined. The size of the pixel EG is 660 μm × 660 μm, and the size of the sub-pixel EU is 660 μm × 220 μm.

The glass substrate 21 covers R (red), G (green), and B for full-color display so as to cover the inner surface of the rear surface including the upper surface of the address electrode A and the side surface of the partition wall 29.
Phosphors 28R, 28G, 28B of three primary colors of (blue) are provided. The phosphors 28R, 28G, 28B of the respective colors are
When the surface discharge occurs, the discharge gas in the discharge space 30 is excited by the ultraviolet rays emitted to emit light. In the PDP 1, a Penning gas, which is a mixture of neon and xenon (about 1 to 15% mol), is charged as a discharge gas at a pressure of about 500 Torr.

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the electrode structure of the PDP 1 shown in FIG. The PDP 1 has the display electrodes X and Y forming the discharge sustaining electrode pair 12 for each matrix display line L. The display electrodes X and Y are arranged adjacent to each other with a discharge gap (surface discharge gap) g of about 50 μm in each line L.

Of the display electrodes X and Y arranged in this way, one display electrode X is electrically shared by a plurality of lines L for the sake of simplification of the drive circuit. 2 (B), they are collectively connected to the drive circuit DX. On the other hand, the other display electrode Y is an individual electrode that is independent for each line in order to enable line-sequential screen scanning, and when used, an individual drive circuit DY is used.
Connected to.

In each line L, display electrodes X and Y define a surface discharge cell C for each subpixel EU. Then, the display electrode Y and the address electrode A perform addressing for setting lighting / non-lighting of each surface discharge cell C.

Next, a method of driving the PDP 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of driving. 3A is a configuration diagram of the field f, and FIG. 3B is a drive waveform diagram.

When the PDP 1 is displayed, the screen (1
For example, one field f is associated with a frame).
When performing gradation display, one field f is divided into, for example, six subfields sf, and each subfield sf is divided into an address period TA and a subsequent sustain period T.
It is classified into S and. Then, the number of times of light emission in the sustain period TS of each subfield sf is set so that the relative ratio of the luminance in each subfield sf becomes 1: 2: 4: 8: 16: 32. Each subfield sf is
This is a screen display period for one gradation level. When reproducing a screen scanned in an interlaced format like a television, two fields f are used to display one screen (one frame).

In the address period TA, an erase pulse Pe is applied to the display electrode X to erase the wall charges in the entire area of the display surface (full screen erase) in order not to be affected by the previous lighting state. ) Do. Next, the positive polarity writing pulse Pw having the peak value Vw is applied to all the display electrodes Y at the same time, and the surface discharge is generated in all the lines L. At this time, since the address electrode A is held at the ground potential,
Ions (positive charges) are accumulated on the surfaces of the phosphors 28R, 28G, 28B. The erase pulse Pe is again applied to the display electrode X.
Is applied to erase unnecessary wall charges existing above the display electrodes X. Then, after biasing the display electrodes Y to the address potential Va, the n display electrodes Y are sequentially selected one by one and the scan pulse Py is applied. That is, line scanning for canceling the bias of the display electrode Y is performed. Simultaneously with the application of the scan pulse Py, the address pulse Pa having the peak value Va is selectively applied to the address electrode A corresponding to the sub-pixel EU to be lighted in the line L. By applying the scan pulse Py and the address pulse Pa, a discharge is generated between the display electrode Y and the address electrode A, and selective writing is performed in which wall charges are accumulated in the sub-pixel EU to be lighted. During the selective writing, the display electrode X is biased to the sustain potential, for example.

In the sustain period TS, for example, a positive sustain pulse Ps (peak value Vs) is applied to the display electrodes X and Y for all lines L alternately and at regular time intervals. To do. That is, the energization period TS corresponding to the pulse width of the sustain pulse Ps
Immediately after 1 (see FIG. 4), the power supply suspension period TS2 is provided.
In the energization period TS1, one display electrode X (or Y) is biased to a potential higher than the ground potential by Vs, and in the energization suspension period TS2, the potentials of both display electrodes X and Y are substantially the ground potential (0V). Held in. Power off period TS2
Is about 1 to 1.5 μs.

Hereinafter, the driving contents of the sustain period TS will be described in more detail. FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing the timing of surface discharge. In the sustain period TS, FIG.
By alternately applying the sustain pulse Ps to the display electrodes X and Y as shown in (A), the relative applied voltage Vxy between the display electrodes X and Y is indicated by the broken line in FIG.
The polarity of is inverted periodically.

The peak value Vs of the sustain pulse Ps is set to a value lower than the discharge start voltage Vf1 of the surface discharge and closest to the discharge start voltage Vf1 within the range where malfunction does not occur in order to maximize the amount of accumulated wall charges. It is desirable to do. For example, when the discharge start voltage Vf1 is 200V, it is set to about 195V.

Now, as shown in FIG. 4B, at the start of the sustain period TS, a certain amount of wall charge exists in the surface discharge cell C to be lighted, and the discharge start voltage Vf1.
A lower predetermined level of wall voltage Vwall is generated. Therefore, when the sustain pulse Ps is applied,
As shown in FIG. 4C, the effective voltage Veff is the discharge start voltage V
A surface discharge (main discharge) is generated beyond f1, and as a result, the phosphors 28R, 28G, and 28B corresponding to the cell are excited and light emission L1 of a predetermined color is generated as shown in FIG. 4D.

Due to the surface discharge, the wall charges having the opposite polarity to the previous ones are accumulated in the dielectric layer 17. Along with that, the effective voltage Veff drops and the surface discharge is stopped. Even after the surface discharge is stopped, the wall charges continue to accumulate during the energization period TS1 and the wall voltage Vwall gradually rises. The energization period TS1 is, for example, about 3 to 4 μs.

When the sustain pulse Ps suddenly falls and the potentials of both display electrodes X and Y reach the ground potential, that is, when the energization period TS1 shifts to the energization suspension period TS2, the wall voltage Vwall becomes the effective voltage Veff as it is. . At this time, as described later, a counter discharge (sub-discharge) between one of the display electrodes Y and X and the address electrode A occurs, and the phosphors 28R, 28G, and 28B are excited, and light emission L2 occurs. A part of the wall charges disappears due to the opposed discharge. However, the wall voltage Vwall required for the next surface discharge is secured.

As described above, by causing the opposite discharge which is the discharge in the opposite direction of the substrate pair during the sustain period TS, the number of discharges (the number of times of light emission) during the sustain period TS becomes twice the number of times of applying the sustain pulse Ps. Therefore, the brightness can be increased without depending on the driving frequency.

Next, the reason why the opposed discharge occurs will be described.
FIG. 5 is a voltage waveform diagram showing the transition of the potential of the display electrode, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the accumulation state of wall charges.

Basically, as described above, each time the sustain pulse Ps is applied, a surface discharge is generated and each display electrode X, Y is discharged.
The polarity of the wall charge above is reversed. Figure 5 (A1) shows the transition of the wall voltage X-VWALL by upper wall charges of the display electrodes X, FIG. 5 (A2) shows an effective voltage V _X0 of the display electrode X side of the surface discharge cells C. The effective voltage V _X0 is the sum of the voltage (Vs) applied from the outside and the wall voltage X-Vwall. Further, FIG. 5B1 shows a transition of the wall voltage Y-Vwall due to the wall charges above the display electrode Y, and FIG.
2) shows the effective voltage V _Y0 on the display electrode Y side.

The wall voltage X-Vwall and the wall voltage Y-
The sum of Vwall is the wall voltage Vwall in FIG. 4, and the sum of the effective voltage V _X0 and the effective voltage V _Y0 is the effective voltage Vef in FIG.
f.

As shown in FIGS. 5B1 and 6A, positive wall charges are accumulated above the display electrode Y in the surface discharge cell C to be lit at the start time t1 of the sustain period TS. is doing. On the other hand, there is almost no wall charge above the display electrode X. When the sustain pulse Ps is applied to the display electrode Y in this state, the relative voltage between the display electrodes X and Y increases due to the superposition of the wall charges and the applied voltage, so that surface discharge occurs.

The wall charges once disappear due to the surface discharge. However, during the application of the sustain pulse Ps (during the energization period), the floating charges are attracted to the display electrodes X and Y. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6B, at time t2 during the energization period,
Negative wall charges having the opposite polarity to the previous ones are accumulated above the display electrodes Y, and positive wall charges are accumulated above the display electrodes X.

In the prior art, such a state of wall charge accumulation causes the next sustain pulse P as shown by the broken line in FIG.
However, in the present invention, counter discharge occurs at the end of application of the sustain pulse Ps, and all or part of the negative wall charge disappears [state of FIG. 6 (c)].

When the sustain pulse Ps is applied to the display electrode X, the wall voltage X- due to the remaining positive wall charge is generated.
Since Vwall overlaps with the applied voltage Vs, surface discharge occurs again (state of FIG. 6D). Then, at the end of the application of the sustain pulse Ps, the opposite discharge is generated as before. As a result, the negative wall charges disappear, and the charge storage state of the surface discharge cell C becomes almost the same as at the start of the address period TS. After that, the same process is repeated and the effective voltages V _X0 and V _Y0 change.

FIG. 7 is a waveform diagram showing the generation timing of the light emission L2 peculiar to the present invention. As described above, the effective voltages V _X0 and V _Y0 corresponding to the display electrodes X and Y change as the wall charges of positive and negative polarities increase and decrease.

Here, in the sustain period TS, the address electrode A is biased to a positive potential so that the voltage V _A0 with respect to the ground point becomes Va as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 (A), and its Va is increased. Set it. Then, Fig. 7
As in (B) and (C), the relative voltage V _XA between the address electrode A and the display electrode X and the relative voltage V _YA between the address electrode A and the display electrode Y are Negative wall charge above Y and bias voltage Va of address electrode A
And the discharge start voltage Vf2 are exceeded at the fall of the sustain pulse Ps. This discharge start voltage V
f2 is the lowest voltage that can generate a discharge between the address electrode A and each display electrode X, Y, and is usually lower than the discharge start voltage Vf1 between the display electrodes X, Y (Vf
2 <Vf1).

The waveform in FIG. 7B corresponds to the waveform in FIG. 5A2 shifted to the negative side by Va, and the waveform in FIG. 7C is the waveform in FIG. 5B2. Is shifted to the negative side by Va.

Therefore, each time the relative voltages V _XA and V _YA exceed the discharge start voltage Vf2, the above-mentioned counter discharge is generated, which excites the phosphors 28R, 28G, and 28B, as shown in FIG. 7 (D). Light emission L2 is generated.

As described above, when the address electrode A is biased to a positive potential and the opposite wall discharge is generated by using the negative wall charge, the ion impact on the address electrode A can be reduced. However, it is also possible to bias the address electrode A to a negative potential and use the positive wall charge to generate the opposite discharge.

8 to 10 are waveform charts showing other examples of the driving method. In the example of FIG. 8, the bias voltage Va of the address electrode A is set to a value that prevents counter discharge when the sustain pulse Ps is applied, and the address electrode A is applied to the address electrode A at a timing immediately after the sustain pulse Ps in order to generate the light emission L2. A pulse Pa2 having a peak value Va2 is applied. The relative voltage between the display electrode Y (or X) and the address electrode A, on which the negative wall charges are accumulated by the surface discharge, is the pulse Pa2.
Is increased every time the voltage is applied, and a counter discharge occurs to generate light emission L2.

Since the pulse width Ta2 of the pulse Pa2 secures the wall voltage Vwall required for surface discharge, the floating charges are not attracted after the negative wall charges disappear, that is, the positive wall charges are not accumulated. Set it to a sufficiently short value.

In the example of FIG. 9, the negative pulse P is applied to the display electrodes X and Y immediately after the sustain pulse Ps.
s2 is applied. The relative applied voltage between the display electrodes X and Y is zero because the pulses Ps2 cancel each other out, but one of the display electrodes Y (or X) and the address electrode where negative wall charges are accumulated by the immediately preceding surface discharge. The relative voltage to A increases with each application of the pulse Ps2. As a result, counter discharge occurs and light emission L2 occurs. The pulse width of the pulse Ps2 is also set to a sufficiently short value so that the polarity of the wall charges is not inverted.

In the example of FIG. 10, the pulse Pa2 is applied to the address electrode A and the negative pulse Ps2 is applied to the display electrodes X and Y at the timing immediately after the sustain pulse Ps. Also in this case, the relative voltage between the display electrode Y (or X) on one side where the negative wall charges are accumulated by the surface discharge and the address electrode A periodically increases, and the opposite discharge occurs to generate the light emission L2.

8 to 10, the sustain period T
Although the driving example in which the address electrode A is positively biased during S is shown, the address electrode A may be held at the ground potential.

[0062]

According to the inventions of claims 1 to 6,
It is possible to improve the brightness without increasing the number of times the sustain voltage is applied to the pair of display electrodes.

According to the invention of claim 6, it is possible to perform multi-gradation display.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a PDP according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing an electrode configuration of the PDP shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of driving.

FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing the timing of surface discharge.

FIG. 5 is a voltage waveform diagram showing changes in the potential of the display electrode.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an accumulation state of wall charges.

FIG. 7 is a waveform diagram showing the timing of the emission of light emission unique to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a waveform diagram showing another example of a driving method.

FIG. 9 is a waveform diagram showing another example of a driving method.

FIG. 10 is a waveform diagram showing another example of a driving method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 PDP (AC type PDP) 17 Dielectric layer (dielectric) 30 discharge space A address electrode EU sub-pixel (unit element of matrix display) f field (display period) Ps sustain pulse (sustain voltage) TA address period TS sustain period TS1 energization period TS2 power interruption period Vf1 discharge start voltage X, Y display electrode

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP 62-259330 (JP, A) JP 56-89793 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G09G 3/28

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A similar unit elements of the matrix display, the first and second display electrodes, address electrodes and said discharge space extending in the column direction, which is covered with respect to the discharge space by and dielectric extending in the row direction A having an electrode structure facing each other
When a screen is displayed by the C-type PDP, wall charges are accumulated in the dielectric corresponding to a unit element to emit light in the screen during the address period, and these are charged to the first and second display electrodes during the sustain period. A sustain voltage having a first polarity lower than a discharge start voltage between the electrodes of the electrodes is alternately applied, and a discharge is periodically generated between the first and second display electrodes by using the wall charges. One of the first and second display electrodes is formed by utilizing the wall charge of the second polarity accumulated by the discharge between the first and second display electrodes during the sustain period. A driving method of an AC type PDP, characterized in that discharge is generated between a display electrode on the second polarity side below the dielectric material in which the wall charges of the second polarity are accumulated and the address electrode. 2. Immediately after the energization period in which the sustain voltage is applied, an energization pause period in which the potentials of both the first and second display electrodes are set to the ground potential is provided, and the address electrode in the energization pause period is provided. Potential
By adding a wall voltage due to the wall charges of the second polarity accumulated during the energization period immediately before the energization pause period, the relative voltage between the second polarity side display electrode and the address electrode is between these electrodes. The method for driving an AC PDP according to claim 1, wherein the driving method is set so as to exceed the discharge start voltage. 3. The method for driving an AC PDP according to claim 2, wherein the potential of the address electrode is temporarily changed to the first polarity side with respect to the potential during the energization period during the energization suspension period. 4. The sustain voltage is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes at time intervals during the sustain period, and the first and second display electrodes are applied during a period corresponding to the time interval. Second for both display electrodes simultaneously
The method for driving an AC PDP according to claim 1, wherein a voltage having a polarity is applied. 5. The sustain voltage is alternately applied to the first and second display electrodes at a time interval during the sustain period, and the first and second display electrodes are applied during a period corresponding to the time interval. Second for both display electrodes simultaneously
The voltage of polarity is applied, and every time the voltage of the second polarity is applied, the potential of the address electrode is temporarily transited to the first polarity side with respect to the potential during the energization period. Driving method of AC type PDP. 6. The number of discharges between the second polarity side display electrodes and the address electrodes during the sustain period is set according to the gradation level of display. The method for driving an AC PDP as described in 1.