KR100458592B1 - Method and apparatus to control drive-power for plasma display panel and a plasma display panel device having that apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatic power control of a plasma display panel, and to a plasma display panel apparatus having the apparatus, comprising a plurality of address electrodes, and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes arranged in pairs in a zigzag fashion. When controlling the automatic power of the plasma display panel, the load change rate between the current input data and the previous input data is calculated, and the calculated load change rate is compared with a predetermined predetermined number of thresholds to determine which range. Then, the luminance control speed which is the time at which the new luminance value corresponding to the determined range is applied is determined, and the sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the load ratio of the current data is output at the determined luminance control speed. By doing so, power consumption can be reduced.

Description

Method and apparatus for automatic power control of plasma display panel, plasma display panel device having the device {Method and apparatus to control drive-power for plasma display panel and a plasma display panel device having that apparatus}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a plasma display panel device, and more particularly, to an automatic power control method and device for a plasma display panel whose brightness control speed is changed according to a change in load factor, and a plasma display panel device including the device.

In general, since the plasma display panel has high power consumption due to its driving characteristics, an apparatus for controlling power consumption according to the load ratio of a frame to be displayed is required. As a method of controlling such power consumption, a method of limiting power consumption by using auto power control has been used.

1 shows a conventional automatic power control method. Referring to FIG. 1, the entire range of the load factor L is divided into n load rate ranges (0 to L ₁ , L ₁ to L ₂ , ..., L _n-1 to L _n ), and each load rate range ( The display-discharge times N _n , N _n-1 , ..., N ₁ corresponding to 0 to L ₁ , L ₁ to L ₂ , ..., L _n-1 to L _n are set. For example, in a frame in which the load factor is in the minimum range of 0 to L _1, the maximum number of display-discharge times N _n is applied. In contrast, the minimum number of display-discharge times N ₁ is applied to a frame in which the load ratio falls within the maximum range of L _n-1 to L _n .

According to the conventional power-control method as described above, when the screen is instantly switched when viewing a moving image, a problem of sudden change in luminance occurs, which causes deterioration of image quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method and apparatus for automatically controlling a plasma display panel for preventing a sudden change in luminance on a screen of a plasma display panel, and a plasma including the apparatus, in a method of controlling driving power of a plasma display panel. It is to provide a display panel device.

1 shows a conventional automatic power control method.

2 is a configuration diagram of a plasma display panel device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a configuration diagram of the control unit of FIG.

4 is an operation flowchart of an automatic power control method of a plasma display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a detailed view of the step of determining the luminance control speed of FIG.

6 is a graph showing power different from the load factor of the embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a diagram showing the number of sustain discharge times different from the load factor in the embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a view showing the results of measuring the power consumption in the prior art and the embodiment of the present invention through an experiment.

9 is a view showing a method of measuring the load change rate in the control unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a view showing a method of measuring the load change rate in the control unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a block diagram of a control unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

The automatic power control method of the plasma display panel according to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object,

A method for controlling automatic power of a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes paired with one another in pairs,

Calculating a load change rate between the current input data and the previous input data;

Comparing the calculated load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to determine which range it belongs to;

Determining a brightness control speed corresponding to the determined range;

And outputting sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the load ratio of the current data at the determined luminance control speed.

An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object,

An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes and a sustain electrode paired in a zigzag form.

An average signal level detector for measuring a load ratio of an image signal input from the outside;

A first memory configured to store a load ratio of the input image signal data;

A second memory for storing the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio;

The load change rate is calculated between the currently input data and the previous input data stored in the first memory, and the luminance control speed is determined by comparing the calculated load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds, and the load rate at the determined luminance control speed. A power control unit for outputting maintenance discharge information corresponding to the control unit;

And a video data processor for correcting and outputting a video signal.

A plasma display panel device according to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object,

A plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes paired with one another in a zigzag manner;

It corrects and outputs the external video signal, calculates the load change rate by comparing the load rate of the currently input video signal with the previous load rate, and compares the calculated load change rate with a certain number of thresholds, A controller which determines a luminance control speed and outputs sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to a load ratio of a video signal currently input at the determined luminance control speed;

An address data generator for generating address data corresponding to the correction data output from the controller and applying the address data to the address electrode of the plasma panel;

And a sustain scan pulse generator for generating sustain pulses and scan pulses corresponding to sustain discharge information from the controller, and applying the sustain pulses and scan pulses to the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes, respectively.

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the present invention may be easily implemented by those skilled in the art as follows.

2 is a configuration diagram of a plasma display panel device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plasma display panel device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plasma display panel 100, a controller 300, an address data generator 200, and a sustain scan pulse generator 400. .

The plasma display panel 100 includes a plurality of address electrodes and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes paired with each other in a zigzag form. The controller 300 corrects and outputs an external video signal, calculates a load change rate by comparing the load rate of the currently input video signal with a previous load rate, and compares the calculated load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to obtain new luminance. The luminance control speed, which is the time at which the value is applied, is determined, and the sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the load ratio of the video signal currently input at the determined luminance control speed is output. The address data generator 200 generates address data corresponding to the correction data output from the controller 300 and applies the address data to the address electrode of the plasma panel. The sustain scan pulse generator 400 generates sustain pulses and scan pulses corresponding to the sustain discharge information from the controller 300, and applies them to the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes.

3 illustrates an internal configuration of the controller of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the controller 300 includes an image data processor 310, a power controller 330, an average signal level detector 320, a first memory 340, and a second memory 350.

The image data processor 310 corrects and outputs an image signal. The first memory 340 stores the load rate of previous frames. The second memory 350 stores the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio. The average signal level detector 320 measures the load ratio of the image signal input from the outside and stores the load ratio in the first memory 340. The power controller 330 calculates a load change rate between the currently input data and the previous input data, compares the calculated load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds, and determines a luminance control speed which is a time for applying a new luminance value. The sustain discharge information corresponding to the current load factor is output at the luminance control speed.

Next, the method and apparatus for controlling automatic power of the plasma display panel according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration, and the operation of the plasma display panel apparatus including the apparatus will be described in detail.

First, an image signal including data components (R, G, B) and synchronization signals (Hsync, Vsync) is input from the outside.

Then, the image data processor 310 corrects the data components R, G, and B to implement the same luminance level.

On the other hand, the average signal level detection unit 320 measures the average signal level of the data components (R, G, B). The measured average signal level is simultaneously input to the power controller 330 and the first memory 340.

Then, the load change rate calculator 331 of the power controller 330 loads the load change rate from the load rate between the load rate currently measured by the average signal level detector 320 and previous input data already stored in the first memory 340. Calculate (S100).

At this time, the load change rate can be calculated by comparing the load rate of the current one frame and the average of the previous one frame or several frames as necessary.

Next, the APC controller 332 determines which range of the plurality of threshold values the calculated load change rate belongs to and determines a luminance control speed which is a time at which a new luminance value is determined (S200). At this time, the process of determining the luminance control speed will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

When the load change rate, which is the difference between the average signal levels between the frames, is smaller than the threshold value 1 (S210), the luminance control speed is set to V1 (S215).

When the load change rate is smaller than the threshold value 2 (S211), the luminance control speed is set to V2 (S216),

When the load change rate is small compared with the threshold value n-1 (S212), the luminance control speed is set to Vn-1 (S217).

When the load change rate is smaller than the threshold value n (S213), the luminance control speed is set to Vn (S217).

As described above, the load change rate is divided into n sections, and the luminance control speed is subdivided into n sections to determine the luminance control speed for the corresponding load change rate. At this time, as the load change rate is increased, the luminance control speed is also controlled to be faster, and if necessary, the most appropriate value is applied according to the experimental value, and the load change rate and the luminance control speed are inversely related.

When the luminance control speed is determined in this way, the timer 333 checks the time until the luminance control speed is reached, and when the luminance control speed is reached, the APC change flag inside the APC control unit 332 is set to 1 (S300). .

Then, the APC control unit 332 outputs the sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the current load ratio, and changes the next APC step by one step from the current APC step (S400).

On the other hand, if the APC change flag is not set to 1 because the luminance control speed is not reached, the APC control unit 332 does not output sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the current load factor, and maintains the next APC step as the current APC step. (S500).

Here, the APC control unit 332 changes in a safety operating area (SOA) when the APC step is changed.

Fig. 6 is a graph showing power consumed according to the load ratio, in which power is controlled in the stable operation region. Referring to FIG. 6, in the stable operation region, when the power consumption is 500W, the lower limit reference value is controlled at a load rate of 15% and the upper limit reference value at a load rate of 20 to 30%.

7 shows an algorithm applied to the APC control unit. Referring to Fig. 7, the entire range of the load factor L / R is represented by 100%, and the display-discharge times N0, N1, ..., N127 corresponding to each load rate range are set.

Even if the load ratio in the current frame, i.e., the average signal level, increases momentarily in a moving image, the number of sustain discharge pulses decreases slowly, and the luminance decreases slowly _.

In addition, when the average signal level suddenly decreases due to the screen switching or the like and leaves the stable operation region, the number of sustain discharge pulses can be directly moved to the lower limit reference value corresponding to the reduced average signal level to produce the magnetic brightness.

In more detail, if the load factor is higher than the upper limit reference value due to the screen change, the threshold value is to move to the target automatic power control (APC) step immediately when it is out of the stable operation range if the previous maintenance discharge count is maintained. This is the upper limit reference value, and the lower limit is the opposite concept.

That is, when the current load ratio is changed, if the previous number of sustain discharge pulses is kept out of the stable operation region, the number of sustain discharge pulses is controlled to a lower limit or an upper limit reference value.

That is, when the load ratio is increased, the number of sustain discharge pulses is controlled by the upper limit reference value, and when the load ratio is decreased, the number of sustain discharge pulses is controlled by the lower limit reference value.

On the other hand, when the amount of change in the average signal level is small, the number of display-discharges corresponding to the load ratio is applied as before. That is, when the load ratio changes, if the number of sustain discharge pulses is maintained, the number of sustain discharge pulses is set to converge to the lower limit reference value while maintaining a predetermined automatic power control step for a predetermined time.

That is, the number of sustain discharge times according to the load rate stored in the second memory 350 is designed to gradually converge from the upper limit reference value of the stable operation region to the lower limit reference value according to the load ratio.

Through this process, the APC controller 332 outputs sustain discharge information corresponding to the current load factor to the sustain scan pulse generator 400 at the determined brightness control speed.

Then, the sustain scan pulse generator 400 receives sustain discharge information, and obtains the sustain discharge pulse number corresponding to the load ratio from the second memory 350 at the corresponding brightness control rate, thereby generating and maintaining the sustain pulse and the scan pulse, respectively. It is applied to an electrode and a scanning electrode.

The address data generator 200 also generates address data corresponding to the correction data output from the image data processor 310 and applies the address data to the address electrode lines.

Then, the image data is displayed on the plasma display panel 100.

The time for which the new luminance value is applied is shortened when the change of the load factor is large, and long when the change of the load factor is small, so that the integrated power can be reduced as compared with the conventional method.

8 shows the values measured through experiments that the consumption strategy is saved.

Referring to Figure 8, it can be seen that the integrated power is considerably reduced as compared with the prior art. At this time, the measuring equipment used analog power meter, power consumption meter, CA-100, and the measuring panel is 42-inch S1.0 panel, and the measurement condition is the condition that applied gamma and error diffusion for 1 hour.

However, in the embodiment of the present invention, the plasma display panel device according to the embodiment uses a difference value between the average signal level of the current frame and the previous frame to determine the luminance control speed.

However, such a calculation method may give incorrect information on a specific screen. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating three frames in a video frame.

Referring to Fig. 9, the screen is actually changed, but the difference between the frames is zero.

Therefore, in order to reduce the error caused by using the difference between the average signal level of the current frame and the previous frame, one frame can be divided into a certain number of blocks, and the difference value of the average signal level for each block can be used. The designated method is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 10, a difference value is calculated by dividing a frame into nine and calculating a difference value for each block. The configuration of the controller 300 to which the method of FIG. 10 is applied is shown in FIG. 11 as a second embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11, the controller 300 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an image data processor 310, a power controller 330, an average signal level detector 320, a first memory 340, and a first memory 340. Two memory 350.

The image data processor 310 corrects and outputs an image signal. Nine block memories 1111 to 1119 store load rates of previous frames. The second memory 350 stores the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio. Nine average signal level detectors 1001 to 1009 measure load rates of image signals input from the outside for each block and store them in the block memory 340, respectively. The power control unit 330 calculates and adds a load change rate for each block between the currently input data and the previous input data, and compares the combined load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to apply a new luminance value. Determine and output sustain discharge information corresponding to the current load ratio at the determined luminance control speed.

The power control unit 330,

Nine load change rate calculation units 1211 to 1219 for calculating load change rates for each block between the current input data and the previous input data, an adder 334 that adds the nine load change rates, and the adder is added up. The APC control unit 332 may be configured to compare the load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to determine a luminance control speed, which is a time for applying a new luminance value, and to output maintenance discharge information corresponding to a current load ratio at the determined luminance control speed.

Herein, the control unit 300 according to the second embodiment includes nine average signal level detectors 1001 to 1009, load change rate calculators 1211 to 1219, and block memories 1111 to 1119, and nine load change rates. A summation unit 334 for summing up is added. In addition, the remaining components are the same as the previous embodiment and given the same reference numerals.

The example of subdividing such blocks into nine is shown only as an example and may be variously modified as necessary.

In terms of operation, it is almost similar to the above-described embodiment, and the average signal level detection units 1001 to 1009 detect the load ratios of the respective blocks shown in FIG. 10, and thus the nine load change rate calculation units 1211 to 1219 and the blocks. To the memory 1111 to 1119.

Then, the load change rate calculator 1211 to 1219 calculates and outputs the load change rate between the data of each block currently input and the respective data previously input.

Then, the adder 334 sums and outputs each load change rate output from the load change rate calculators 1211 to 1219.

The APC controller 332 then compares the combined load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to determine the luminance control speed, which is the time to apply the new luminance value, and output sustain discharge information corresponding to the current load ratio at the determined luminance control speed. do.

Since the second embodiment operates as described above, the change rate of the load is calculated in units of blocks, and thus it may correspond to minute changes in the screen.

The present invention as described above is not limited to the above embodiments, and may be modified and improved by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the claims.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, an automatic power control method and apparatus for a plasma display panel, which can reduce power consumption by differently applying a luminance control speed, which is a time at which a new luminance value is applied according to a load change rate, and an apparatus thereof It can provide a plasma display panel device including a.

Claims (14)

A method for controlling automatic power of a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes paired with one another in pairs, Calculating a load change rate between the current input data and the previous input data; Comparing the calculated load change rate with a predetermined number of thresholds to determine which range it belongs to; Determining a luminance control speed which is a time at which a new luminance value corresponding to the determined range is applied; And outputting sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to the load ratio of the current data at the determined brightness control rate. The method of claim 1, The determining of the brightness control speed may include: accelerating a new brightness control speed as the load change rate increases. The method of claim 1, The calculating of the load change rate is performed by dividing the currently input data into a plurality of blocks and calculating and adding a load change rate for each block. The method of claim 3, wherein Outputting the sustain discharge information, The upper and lower reference values are set to converge the entire range of the number of sustain discharge pulses to the lower limit reference value within the range, and when the load ratio is outside the stable operation range when the number of sustain discharge pulses is maintained, Is set to converge to an upper limit reference value when the load ratio increases, and to converge to a lower limit reference value when the load ratio decreases. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And generating and applying sustain pulses and scan pulses corresponding to the sustain discharge pulse information to the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes, respectively. An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes and a sustain electrode paired in a zigzag form. An average signal level detector for measuring a load ratio of an image signal input from the outside; A first memory configured to store a load ratio of the input image signal data; A second memory for storing the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio; Calculate the load change rate between the currently input data and the previous input data stored in the first memory, and determine the luminance control speed which is the time to apply the new luminance value by comparing the calculated load change rate with a certain number of thresholds. A power controller configured to output sustain discharge information corresponding to the load ratio at the determined luminance control speed; An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel including an image data processing unit for correcting and outputting an image signal. The method of claim 6, The power control unit A load change rate calculator for calculating a load change rate between the currently input data and the previous input data, And an APC controller configured to determine a luminance control speed corresponding to the load change rate and output sustain discharge information corresponding to a current load ratio at the determined luminance control speed. The method of claim 7, wherein The APC control unit, An automatic power control device for a plasma display panel, characterized in that the luminance control speed is increased as the load change rate increases. The method of claim 8, The APC control unit sets an upper limit reference value and a lower limit reference value to the entire range of the number of sustain discharge pulses and converges to a lower limit reference value within the range. The number of sustain discharge pulses is set to converge to an upper limit reference value when the load ratio is increased, and set to converge to a lower limit reference value when the load ratio is decreased. An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes and a sustain electrode paired in a zigzag form. An average signal level detector for dividing and measuring a load ratio of an externally input video signal into a plurality of blocks; A plurality of block memories for separately storing a plurality of load ratios output from the average signal level detector; A second memory for storing the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio; Luminance control, which is a time for calculating and adding a load change rate between a plurality of blocks of currently input data and previous input data stored in the plurality of block memories, and applying a new luminance value by comparing the combined load change rate with a predetermined number of threshold values. A power controller configured to determine a speed and output sustain discharge information corresponding to a current load factor at the determined luminance control speed; An automatic power control apparatus for a plasma display panel including an image data processing unit for correcting and outputting an image signal. The method of claim 10, The power control unit, A load change rate calculator for calculating a load change rate for each block between the currently input data and the previous input data; An adder for adding up the plurality of load change rates; An APC controller for comparing the load change rate summed by the adder with a predetermined number of thresholds to determine a luminance control rate, which is a time to apply a new luminance value, and output sustain discharge information corresponding to a current load rate at the determined luminance control rate; And a timer for measuring the brightness control speed. A plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes and a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes paired with one another in a zigzag manner; It corrects and outputs the external video signal, calculates the load change rate by comparing the load rate of the currently input video signal with the previous load rate, and compares the calculated load change rate with a certain number of thresholds, A controller which determines a luminance control speed and outputs sustain discharge pulse information corresponding to a load ratio of a video signal currently input at the determined luminance control speed; An address data generator for generating address data corresponding to the correction data output from the controller and applying the address data to the address electrode of the plasma panel; And a sustain scan pulse generator for generating sustain pulses and scan pulses corresponding to sustain discharge information from the controller, and applying the sustain pulses and scan pulses to the sustain electrodes and the scan electrodes, respectively. The method of claim 12, The control unit, An average signal level detector for dividing and measuring a load ratio of an externally input video signal into a plurality of blocks; A plurality of block memories for separately storing a plurality of load ratios output from the average signal level detector; A second memory for storing the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio; Luminance control, which is a time for calculating and adding a load change rate between a plurality of blocks of currently input data and previous input data stored in the plurality of block memories, and applying a new luminance value by comparing the combined load change rate with a predetermined number of threshold values. A power controller configured to determine a speed and output sustain discharge information corresponding to a current load factor at the determined luminance control speed; And a video data processor for correcting and outputting a video signal. The method of claim 12, The control unit, An average signal level detector for measuring a load ratio of an image signal input from the outside; A first memory configured to store a load ratio of the input image signal data; A second memory for storing the sustain discharge pulse number information according to the load ratio; Calculate the load change rate between the currently input data and the previous input data stored in the first memory, and determine the luminance control speed which is the time to apply the new luminance value by comparing the calculated load change rate with a certain number of thresholds. A power controller configured to output sustain discharge information corresponding to the load ratio at the determined luminance control speed; And a video data processor for correcting and outputting a video signal.