KR100293518B1 - DC plasma display panel and its driving method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a direct current plasma display panel and a method of driving the same which can increase the discharge efficiency by using a high frequency voltage in the direct current structure.

The DC plasma display panel of the present invention includes first and second high frequency electrodes at upper and lower portions of a partition wall for providing a space for discharging, and a high frequency voltage is applied to a motion path of charged particles by DC type discharge to discharge charged particles. By lengthening the path, the luminance and the discharge efficiency can be improved.

Description

Plasma Display Panel Of Direct Current Type And Driving Method Thereof

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to a direct current plasma display panel and a driving method thereof capable of increasing discharge efficiency by using a high frequency voltage in a direct current structure.

In general, a plasma display panel (hereinafter referred to as a PDP) is a display device that uses gas discharge, and displays characters or graphics using visible light generated by vacuum ultraviolet rays generated during gas discharge by exciting phosphors. Will be displayed. Such PDPs are roughly classified into a DC type and an AC type according to the electrode structure. In the case of a direct current type PDP, the electrode is directly exposed to the discharge gas. In the case of an alternating current type PDP, the electrode is indirectly exposed through the dielectric.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a discharge cell structure of a conventional direct current type PDP. The direct current type discharge cells shown in FIG. 1 are disposed on an upper plate 10 and a lower plate 14 facing each other, and on an upper plate 10. The cathode 12, the anode 18 and the auxiliary cathode 20 formed on the lower plate 14, and the upper plate 10 and the lower plate 12 are formed between the kitchen space 11 and the auxiliary discharge space ( The partition 16 which provides 13 is provided.

The DC-type PDP shown in FIG. 1 is generally composed of a discharge cell and an auxiliary discharge cell, and charged particles generated in the auxiliary discharge cell flow into the discharge cell to cause display discharge in the discharge cell. The top plate 10 and the bottom plate 14, which are display surfaces of the image, are disposed to face each other, and the partition wall 16 is formed between the top plate 10 and the bottom plate 14 to form the kitchen space 11 and the auxiliary discharge space 13. ). In addition, the partition wall 16 is formed in a lattice structure to serve to prevent erroneous discharge between adjacent cells due to the diffusion movement of the charged particles generated by the secondary discharge. The cathode 12 is disposed in the horizontal direction on the top plate 10. An anode 18 is formed on the lower plate 14 provided with the discharging space 11, and an auxiliary anode 20 is formed on the lower plate 14 provided with the auxiliary discharge space 13. The anode 18 and the auxiliary anode 20 are connected to respective bus lines (not shown) arranged in the longitudinal direction on the lower plate 14. A current limiting resistor 22 is formed between the positive electrode 18 and the lower substrate 14 to suppress the runaway of the discharge current and the sputtering to the negative electrode 12 to greatly increase the service life.

In the DC-type discharge cell of this structure, the discharge occurs between the cathode 12 and the anode 18 and uses the secondary discharge of the secondary discharge cell to lower the discharge voltage of the discharge cell. In other words, the charged particles are generated by the auxiliary discharge generated in the cathode 12 and the auxiliary anode 20 of the auxiliary discharge cell. Subsequently, these charged particles move to the kitchen space 11 through a hole formed in the partition 16 between the kitchen space 11 and the auxiliary discharge space 13 to form the cathode 12 and the anode 18. Is used for display discharge.

As described above, since the brightness generated by the auxiliary discharge is blocked by the black matrix formed on the upper plate, the contrast is superior to the AC type PDP. In addition, in the AC type PDP, there is a period in which the discharge stops even during the time when the discharge voltage pulse is applied by the wall charges formed in the dielectric layer, while the DC type PDP generates continuous discharge during the time when the discharge voltage pulse is applied. By doing so, the discharge efficiency is excellent. However, the overall discharge efficiency of the PDP is low due to the energy loss caused by the secondary discharge and the resistance.

In addition, the PDP is dependent only on the low glow, which is poor in discharge efficiency because the size of the discharge cell is too small, that is, the distance between the electrodes is very short.

Referring to Fig. 2, a conventional glow discharge tube structure is shown.

In the glow discharge tube illustrated in FIG. 2, when the distance between the electrodes 24 and 26 is sufficiently long, the positive column 28B appears in the form of a tube on the side of the negative glow 24 and the negative glow 28 near the anode 24. It can be seen. The space between the boulows 28A and the Yangju wine 28B is a Faraday Dark Space. Here, when the distance between the electrodes 24 and 26 is shortened, the positive column 28B is extinguished, and when it becomes shorter, the sub glow 28A is reduced to reduce the brightness and the discharge efficiency. In particular, such a problem of low luminance discharge efficiency is intensified toward a high level, resulting in worse luminance and discharge rate. For this reason, in recent years, in order to increase the brightness and efficiency in a limited space of the discharge cell, a method of utilizing a positive light efficiency having good discharge efficiency by changing the discharge area or extending the discharge path has been attempted. However, when the distance between the electrodes is increased in order to lengthen the discharge path, the discharge voltage is increased, which leads to many difficulties such as the development of a high voltage driving integrated circuit (IC). Accordingly, there is a need for a discharge and drive mechanism capable of lengthening the discharge path through another discharge mechanism in the existing cell structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a direct current type PDP and a driving method thereof by applying a high frequency voltage to the motion path of the charged particles by the direct current discharge to increase the discharge efficiency of the charged particles.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a discharge cell structure of a conventional DC plasma display panel.

2 shows a conventional glow discharge tube.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a discharge cell structure of a direct current plasma display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a voltage waveform diagram for driving the discharge cell shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

<Brief description of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10, 30: top plate 12, 24, 32: cathode

14, 34: lower plate 16, 36: bulkhead

18, 26, 38: anode 20, 40: auxiliary anode

22: resistance 11, 31: the entire kitchen space

13, 33: auxiliary discharge space 28A: glow

28B: positive pole 44, 46: first and second high frequency electrodes

In order to achieve the above object, the DC-type PDP according to the present invention is formed between the first and second substrates, the cathode formed on the first substrate, and the first and second substrates disposed to face each other, the auxiliary discharge space And a partition wall for preparing a kitchen space, an anode formed on the second substrate on which the kitchen space is provided, an auxiliary anode formed on a second substrate on which the auxiliary discharge space is provided, and a top and bottom portions of the partition wall on which the kitchen space is provided. And first and second high frequency electrodes formed on the substrate, respectively.

In the DC-type PDP driving method according to the present invention, the auxiliary discharge is generated by the voltage applied to the cathode and the auxiliary anode, and the writing discharge is selectively generated according to the data pulse applied to the anode, and when the lighting discharge occurs. Sustaining discharge is generated by a sustain pulse applied to the cathode and the discharge path of the charged particles generated during the sustaining discharge is varied according to a high frequency voltage applied between the first and second high frequency electrodes to maintain the discharge. It is done.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention in addition to the above object will become apparent from the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a discharge cell structure of a direct current type PDP according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the discharge cells shown in FIG. 3 are arranged to face each other with the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 34 and the upper plate 30. ) Formed between the cathode 32 formed on the bottom plate, the anode 38 and the auxiliary anode 40 formed on the lower plate 34, and the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 32. The partition 36 which provides the discharge space 33 and the 1st and 2nd high frequency electrodes 44 and 46 which are formed in the upper and lower parts of the partition 36 which provide the kitchen space 31 are provided, respectively.

In the DC-type PDP shown in FIG. 3, the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 34, which are display surfaces of the image, are disposed to face each other, and the partition 36 is formed between the upper plate 30 and the lower plate 34 to form a kitchen space. 31 and an auxiliary discharge space 33 are provided. In addition, the partition wall 36 is formed in a lattice structure to serve to prevent erroneous discharge between adjacent cells due to the diffusion movement of the charged particles generated by the secondary discharge. On the upper plate 30, the cathode 32 is disposed in the horizontal direction. An anode 38 is formed on the lower plate 34 provided with the discharging space 31, and an auxiliary anode 40 is formed on the lower plate 34 provided with the auxiliary discharge space 33. The anode 38 and the auxiliary anode 40 are connected to respective bus lines (not shown) arranged in the longitudinal direction on the lower plate 34. A current limiting resistor 42 is formed between the anode 38 and the lower substrate 34 to suppress the runaway of the discharge current and the sputtering to the cathode 32. Each of the first and second high frequency electrodes 44 and 46 is formed at upper and lower portions of the partition wall 36 formed at both sides of the kitchen space 31. Phosphors (not shown) are applied to the surfaces of the partition walls 36 and around the anode 38 of the kitchen space 31.

Looking at the driving of the DC-type discharge cell of this structure, first, the secondary discharge is generated between the auxiliary anode 40 and the cathode 32 to generate the charged particles. Subsequently, the charged particles are supplied to the kitchen space 31 through the hole on the partition 36 and a voltage is applied between the cathode 32 and the anode 38 so that the discharge space exceeds the discharge starting voltage 31. Display discharge occurs. By this display discharge, electrons move from the cathode 32 to the anode 38 to excite gas atoms and molecules enclosed in the discharging space 31 to emit vacuum ultraviolet rays. At this time, most of the current in the resistor 42 of the anode 38 is lost to Joule heat. In addition, when a high frequency voltage is applied between the first and second high frequency electrodes 44 and 46 during the display discharge, the electric field of the kitchen space 31 is changed, and the change of the electric field causes the cathode 32 to the positive electrode ( 38, the direction of movement of the charged electrons is disturbed. As a result, the electrons in the kitchen space 31 move in a zigzag direction, thus moving a considerably long path. Accordingly, the amount of generation of vacuum ultraviolet rays is increased, thereby increasing the brightness and the discharge efficiency.

4 illustrates a voltage waveform for driving the discharge cell shown in FIG. 3.

First, when a scanning pulse is applied to the cathode 32, an auxiliary discharge pulse is applied to the auxiliary anode 40, an auxiliary discharge is generated, and a writing pulse is applied to the anode 38, thereby generating sufficient charged particles by writing discharge. Will be. Subsequently, the discharge is maintained by the sustain pulse applied to the cathode 32 at a constant cycle. At this time, the high-frequency voltage is applied to the first high-frequency electrode 44 and the center voltage Vb of the high-frequency voltage is applied to the second high-frequency electrode 46 to move the electrons from the cathode 32 to the anode 38 by the sustain discharge. By lengthening these paths, the increased vacuum ultraviolet phosphor emits light, thereby improving luminance and discharge efficiency. In this case, the high frequency voltage applied to the first high frequency electrode 44 is applied with a predetermined time difference from the sustain pulse applied to the cathode 32, thereby not affecting the start of the sustain discharge. In addition, the high frequency voltage and frequency applied to the first high frequency electrode 44 may prevent the charged particles from being lost by the sustain discharge (that is, the direct current discharge) into the partition wall. The vibration width of the electrons moving to is selected to be much smaller than the width of the kitchen space 31. Here, the high frequency voltage pulse may have all possible forms of waveforms, such as square waves or sinusoidal waves.

As described above, according to the DC-type PDP according to the present invention, by applying a high frequency voltage to the motion path of the charged particles caused by the DC-type discharge, the discharge path of the charged particles can be increased to improve the brightness and the discharge efficiency.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (3)

In a discharge cell of a direct current plasma display panel, First and second substrates disposed to face each other, A cathode formed on the first substrate, A partition wall formed between the first and second substrates to provide an auxiliary discharge space and a kitchen discharge space; An anode formed on the second substrate having the kitchen space; An auxiliary anode formed on the second substrate on which the auxiliary discharge space is provided; And a first high frequency electrode and a second high frequency electrode formed on upper and lower portions of the partition wall for providing the electric discharge space. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a phosphor coated on the surface of the partition surrounding the cathode and the electrical discharge space, And a discharge gas is sealed in the discharge space provided by the partition wall. In a method of driving a discharge cell of a direct current plasma display panel, The secondary discharge is generated by the voltage applied to the cathode and the auxiliary anode, and the writing discharge is selectively generated according to the data pulse applied to the anode; When the lighting discharge occurs, the sustain discharge is generated by the sustain pulse applied to the cathode, and the discharge path is maintained while the moving path of the charged particles generated during the sustain discharge is changed according to the high frequency voltage applied between the first and second high frequency electrodes. DC-type plasma display panel driving method comprising the step of.