KR100521481B1 - Driving method of plasma display panel and plasma display device - Google Patents

Abstract

In the driving method of the plasma display panel, after a ramp voltage which rises gently in the reset period is applied, the final voltage of the ramp lamp voltage is lowered to a voltage capable of starting discharge in all discharge cells. Next, the difference between the voltage applied to the address electrode and the scan electrode of the discharge cell to be selected in the address period is made larger than the maximum discharge start voltage. This eliminates the problem of margin deterioration due to wall charge loss because it is not affected by the wall charges formed in the reset period, and the reset period can be shortened by lowering the reset discharge start voltage by reducing the intensity of the last sustain discharge. .

Description

Plasma display panel driving method and plasma display device {DRIVING METHOD OF PLASMA DISPLAY PANEL AND PLASMA DISPLAY DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a method of driving a plasma display panel (PDP).

A plasma display panel is a flat panel display device that displays characters or images using plasma generated by gas discharge, and tens to millions or more of pixels are arranged in a matrix form according to their size. First, a structure of a general plasma display panel will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

1 is a partial perspective view of a plasma display panel, and FIG. 2 shows an electrode arrangement diagram of the plasma display panel.

As shown in FIG. 1, the plasma display panel includes two glass substrates 1 and 6 facing each other apart. On the glass substrate 1, the scan electrode 4 and the sustain electrode 5 are formed in pairs and in parallel, and the scan electrode 4 and the sustain electrode 5 are covered with the dielectric layer 2 and the protective film 3. have. A plurality of address electrodes 8 are formed on the glass substrate 6, and the address electrodes 8 are covered with the insulator layer 7. The address electrode 8 and the partition 9 are formed on the insulator layer 7 between the address electrodes 8. In addition, the phosphor 10 is formed on the surface of the insulator layer 7 and on both sides of the partition wall 9. The glass substrates 1 and 6 are disposed to face each other with the discharge space 11 therebetween so that the scan electrode 4, the address electrode 8, the sustain electrode 5, and the address electrode 8 are orthogonal to each other. The discharge space 11 at the intersection of the address electrode 8 and the paired scan electrode 4 and the sustain electrode 5 forms a discharge cell 12.

As shown in Fig. 2, the electrode of the plasma display panel has a matrix structure of n_m. In the column direction, address electrodes A ₁ -A _m are arranged, and in the row direction, n rows of scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n are arranged in pairs.

As a method of driving a conventional plasma display panel, there is a method described in US Pat. No. 6,294,875 to Kurata et al. The driving method of '875 is a method of dividing one waveform into eight subfields and then different waveforms applied in the reset period of the first subfield and the second to eighth subfields.

As shown in Fig. 3, each subfield includes a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period. In the reset period of the first subfield, a ramp voltage gradually rising from the V _p voltage smaller than the discharge start voltage to the V _r voltage exceeding the discharge start voltage is first applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n . While this ramp voltage is rising, weak discharge occurs from the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n to the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n , respectively. By this discharge, negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n , and positive wall charges are stored on the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n . Referring to FIG. 1, wall charges are formed on the surface of the protective film 3 of the scan electrode 4 and the sustain electrode 5, but are described below as being formed on the scan electrode 4 and the sustain electrode 5 for convenience of description.

Subsequently, a ramp voltage gently falling to 0 V is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n at a voltage V _q lower than the discharge start voltage. Then, the ramp voltage is weak from the sustain electrodes X _1- X _n and the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _{n due} to the wall voltage formed in the discharge cells. Discharge occurs. This discharge partially erases wall charges formed in the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n , the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n , and the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m , and sets them to a state suitable for addressing. do. Similarly, referring to FIG. 1, wall charges are formed on the surface of the insulator layer 7 of the address electrode 8, but are represented below as being formed on the address electrode 8 for convenience of description.

Next, in the address period, a positive voltage V _w is applied to the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m of the discharge cells to be selected, and 0 V is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n . Then, between the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m and the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n by the wall voltage and the positive voltage V _w caused by the wall charges formed in the reset period. ) And the address electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n occur. This discharge accumulates positive wall charges in the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and negative wall charges in the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n and the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m . In the discharge cells in which the wall charges are accumulated by the address discharge, sustain discharge occurs by a sustain pulse applied in the sustain period.

Next, the voltage level of the last sustain pulse applied to the scan electrodes Y _1- Y _n in the sustain period of the first subfield is equal to the voltage of V _r in the reset period, and V is applied to the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n . _The voltage V _r -V _s corresponding to the difference between the _r voltage and the sustain voltage V _s is applied. Then, in the discharge cells selected in the address period, discharge occurs from the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n to the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m by the wall voltage formed by the address discharge, and the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n. Sustain discharge (X ₁ -X _n ) is generated from? This discharge corresponds to the discharge generated by the rising ramp voltage in the reset period of the first subfield. In the discharge cells that are not selected, there is no address discharge, so no discharge occurs.

In the subsequent reset period of the second subfield, a voltage V _h is applied to the sustain electrodes X _1- X _n , and a ramp voltage gently falling from the voltage V _q to 0 V is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n . . That is, a voltage equal to the falling ramp voltage applied in the reset period of the first subfield is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n . Then, a weak discharge occurs in the discharge cell selected in the first subfield, and no discharge occurs in the discharge cell that is not selected.

In the subsequent reset period of the remaining subfields, the same waveform as the reset period of the second subfield is applied. Meanwhile, in the eighth subfield, an erase period is formed after the sustain period. In the erase period, a ramp voltage that rises slowly from 0 V to V _e is applied to the sustain electrodes X _1- X _n . The wall charges formed in the discharge cells are erased by this lamp voltage.

In such a conventional drive waveform, since addressing in the address period using the internal wall voltage is performed sequentially for all the scan electrodes, there is a problem that the internal wall voltage is lost in the scan electrode which is selected later. This loss of wall voltage eventually worsens the margin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a method of driving a plasma display panel that can reduce and address an internal wall voltage dependency.

In addition, the present invention provides a method of driving a plasma display panel that reduces the voltage at which discharge occurs in the falling reset period and shortens the reset period.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a plasma display panel, wherein a plurality of first and second electrodes are formed side by side on a first substrate, and intersect the first and second electrodes. A method of driving a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes formed on a second substrate, wherein a discharge cell is formed by the adjacent first, second and address electrodes.

In at least one subfield,

During the reset period, gradually reducing a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage of the address electrode from the voltage of the first electrode from the first voltage to the second voltage; During the address period, applying a third voltage and a fourth voltage to the address electrode and the first electrode of a discharge cell to be selected among the discharge cells; And sustain discharge in the sustain period, the discharge cell selected in the address step;

The second voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to half of the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period,

It is preferable that the width of at least one of the sustain discharge pulses applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period is smaller than the width of the other sustain discharge pulses.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a plasma display panel, wherein a plurality of first and second electrodes are formed on a first substrate in parallel with each other, and a plurality of first and second electrodes are formed on a second substrate and intersect the first and second electrodes. A method of driving a plasma display panel including a first address electrode, and a discharge cell formed by adjacent first, second and address electrodes,

In at least one subfield,

During the reset period, gradually reducing a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage of the address electrode from the voltage of the first electrode from the first voltage to the second voltage; During the address period, applying a third voltage and a fourth voltage to the address electrode and the first electrode of a discharge cell to be selected among the discharge cells; And sustain discharge in the sustain period, the discharge cell selected in the address step;

The second voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to half of the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period,

It is preferable that the voltage magnitude of at least one of the sustain discharge pulses applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period is smaller than the voltage magnitude of the other sustain discharge pulses.

Reducing the voltage of the first electrode to a voltage having the difference between the voltage of the first electrode and the address electrode as the first voltage at the final voltage applied to the first electrode in the sustain period of the previous subfield. It may include.

At this time, the second voltage is substantially less than or equal to the negative value of the voltage corresponding to the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period,

It is preferable that the voltage corresponds to a voltage corresponding to the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period.

In addition, the at least one sustain discharge pulse preferably includes a sustain discharge pulse last applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period.

The difference between the third voltage and the fourth voltage is preferably equal to or greater than the discharge start voltage.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a plasma display device includes a first substrate, a plurality of first and second electrodes formed on the first substrate, and a second substrate facing and spaced apart from the first substrate. A plurality of third electrodes formed on the second substrate in a direction crossing the second electrodes, and the first electrodes to discharge the discharge cells formed by the adjacent first, second and third electrodes; A driving circuit for supplying a driving voltage to the second electrode and the third electrode,

The drive circuit,

The sustain discharge intensity occurring in the at least one discharge cell during the sustain period is made smaller than the sustain discharge intensity occurring in the other discharge cells.

To this end, the driving circuit,

In the sustain period, the voltage magnitude of the sustain discharge pulse applied to the first electrode or the second electrode of the at least one discharge cell is smaller than the voltage magnitude of the other sustain discharge pulse,

In the sustain period, the width of the sustain discharge pulse applied to the first electrode or the second electrode of the at least one discharge cell may be smaller than the width of the other sustain discharge pulses.

In this case, the at least one discharge cell preferably includes a discharge cell to which the last sustain discharge pulse is applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the specification.

A method of driving a plasma display panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, a method of driving a plasma display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4. In the following description, reference numerals denoted by the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m , the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n , and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n denote the address electrodes, the scan electrodes, and the sustain electrodes. The same voltage is applied, and the display of the address electrode A _i and the scan electrode Y _j indicates that only a portion of the address electrode and the scan electrode are applied.

4 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 4, the drive waveform according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period. In the plasma display panel, a scan / hold driving circuit (not shown) and an address electrode A ₁ -which apply driving voltages to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n in each period. An address driving circuit (not shown) for applying a driving voltage to A _m ) is connected. The driving circuit and the plasma display panel are connected to form one plasma display device.

The reset period is a period in which the wall charges formed in the sustain period are removed, and in the reset period of the first subfield, a main reset waveform is applied to remove and accumulate wall charges in all discharge cells and reset the subfield after the second subfield. In the period, an auxiliary reset waveform is applied to remove only wall charges of the discharge cells in which the discharge occurred in the previous subfield by removing the wall charges without accumulating the wall charges in the discharge cells. The address period is a period for selecting a discharge cell to be displayed among the discharge cells, and the sustain period is a period for discharging the discharge cell selected in the address period.

First, in the reset period of the first subfield, a ramp voltage that gradually rises from the Vs voltage to the Vset voltage exceeding the discharge start voltage is applied to the scan electrode Y in the period where the main reset is applied. While this lamp voltage is applied, weak discharge occurs from the scan electrode Y to the address electrode A and the sustain electrode X, respectively. By this discharge, negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrode Y, and positive wall charges are accumulated on the address electrode A and the sustain electrode X.

Next, a ramp voltage gradually decreasing from the Vs voltage to the Vnf voltage is applied to the scan electrode Y. At this time, a reference voltage (assuming 0 V in FIG. 4) is applied to the address electrode A, and the sustain electrode X is biased to the Ve voltage. When the discharge start voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode in the discharge cell is referred to as Vfay voltage, the last voltage Vnf of the falling ramp voltage is a voltage corresponding to -Vfay.

In general, when the voltage between the scan electrode and the address electrode or between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode is higher than the discharge start voltage in the discharge cell, discharge occurs between the scan electrode and the address electrode or between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. In particular, when the ramp voltage is gently applied as in the first embodiment of the present invention and discharge occurs, the wall voltage inside the discharge cell is also reduced at the same rate as the ramp lamp voltage. Since this principle is described in detail in US Patent No. 5,745,086, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

_Hereinafter , with reference to FIG. 5, the discharge characteristics when the ramp voltage falling down to the -V _fay voltage is applied will be described.

5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a falling ramp voltage and a wall voltage when a falling ramp voltage is applied to a discharge cell. In FIG. 5, the scan electrode and the address electrode will be described, and a negative charge and a positive charge are accumulated on the scan electrode and the address electrode, respectively, before the falling ramp voltage is applied, so that a certain amount of wall voltage V ₀ is formed. Assume that

As shown in FIG. 5, when the difference between the wall voltage V _wall and the voltage V _y applied to the scan electrode exceeds the discharge start voltage V _fay while the voltage applied to the scan electrode is slowly decreased. Discharge occurs. As described above, when discharge occurs, the wall voltage V _wall inside the discharge cell decreases at the same speed as the falling ramp voltage V _y . In this case, the difference between the falling ramp voltage V _y and the wall voltage V _wall maintains the discharge start voltage V _fay . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the voltage V _y applied to the scan electrode decreases to the -V _fay voltage, the wall voltage V _wall between the address electrode and the scan electrode in the discharge cell becomes 0V.

However, since the discharge start voltage is different depending on the characteristics of each discharge cell, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the voltage V _y applied to the scan electrodes is determined from the scan electrodes from the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m in all the discharge cells. (Y ₁ -Y _n ) can be made large enough to cause a discharge. In this case, all of the discharge cells include discharge cells in an area (effective display area) that may affect when displaying a screen on the plasma display panel.

That is, as shown in Equation 1, the difference between the voltage 0V applied to the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m and the voltage V _nf applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n (V _{AY, reset} ) Among the discharge cells, the discharge start voltage V _fay is greater than the discharge start voltage (V _{f, MAX} , hereinafter referred to as 'maximum discharge start voltage') of the highest. At this time, if the magnitude of the voltage V _nf (| V _nf |) is too large than the maximum discharge initiation voltage (V _{f, MAX} ) _{, a} negative wall voltage is formed. Therefore, the magnitude of the voltage V _nf (| V _nf |) is the maximum discharge initiation. It is preferable that the voltage V _{f and MAX} be the same.

As such, when a ramp voltage that drops to the Vnf voltage is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n , the wall voltage is removed from all the discharge cells. If the magnitude of the Vnf voltage (| Vnf |) is set to the maximum discharge start voltage (V _{f, MAX} ), the discharge start voltage (V _f ) is negative in the discharge cell smaller than the maximum discharge start voltage (V _{f, MAX} ). Wall voltage can be generated. That is, negative wall charges may be formed on the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m and negative wall charges may be formed on the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n . At this time, the generated wall voltage becomes a voltage capable of solving the nonuniformity between the discharge cells in the address period.

Subsequently, in the address period, the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n are _first maintained at the reference voltage (0 V) and the V _e voltage, respectively, and then scanned to select the discharge cells to be displayed. Voltages are applied to the electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and the address electrodes A ₁ -A _m . That is, first, the negative voltage VscL is applied to the scan electrode Y ₁ of the first row, and the positive voltage VscH is applied to the address electrode A _i located in the discharge cell to be displayed in the first row. Is authorized. In Fig. 4, the VscL voltage is set at the same level as the Vnf voltage in the reset period.

Then, as shown in Equation 2, the difference between the voltage V _{AY and address} of the address electrode A _i and the scan electrode Y ₁ in the selected discharge cell in the address period is always the maximum discharge start voltage V _f , _MAX . It becomes bigger.

Therefore, in the discharge cell formed by the address electrode A _{i to} which the VscH voltage is applied and the scan electrode Y _{1 to} which the VscL voltage is applied, between the address electrode A _i and the scan electrode Y ₁ and the sustain electrode ( An address discharge occurs between X ₁ ) and the scan electrode Y ₁ . As a result, positive wall charges are formed on the scan electrode Y ₁ and negative wall charges are formed on the sustain electrode X ₁ . A negative wall charge is also formed on the address electrode A _i .

Next, while applying the VscL voltage to the scan electrode Y _{2 of} the second row, the VscH voltage is applied to the address electrode A _i located in the discharge cell to be displayed in the second row. Then, as described above, the address discharge occurs in the discharge cell formed by the address electrode A _i to which the VscH voltage is applied and the scan electrode Y _{2 to} which the VscL voltage is applied, thereby forming wall charges in the discharge cell. Similarly, the VscH voltage is applied to the address electrodes positioned in the discharge cells to be displayed while sequentially applying the VscL voltage to the scan electrodes Y ₃ -Y _n in the remaining rows, thereby forming wall charges.

In the sustain period, first, the reference voltage (0V) is applied to the sustain electrodes (X ₁ -X _n ) while applying the V _s voltage to the scan electrodes (Y ₁ -Y _n ). Then, in the discharge cell selected in the address period, the positive wall charge and the sustain electrode X of the scan electrode Y _j formed in the address period at the voltage between the scan electrode Y _j and the sustain electrode X _j are at the voltage V _{s. Since} the wall voltage due to the negative wall charge of _j ) is added, the discharge start voltage V _fxy between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode is _exceeded . Therefore, sustain discharge occurs between scan electrode Y _j and sustain electrode X _j . A negative wall charge and a positive wall charge are formed in the scan electrode Y _j and the sustain electrode X _j of the discharge cell in which the sustain discharge has occurred.

The next scanning electrode (Y ₁ -Y _n) 0V is applied is applied with a voltage V _s to the sustain electrodes (X ₁ -X _n). In the discharge cell in which the sustain discharge has occurred previously, the positive wall charge and the scan electrode of the sustain electrode X _j formed at the sustain discharge before the voltage between the sustain electrode X _j and the scan electrode Y _j are equal to the voltage V _s. Since the wall voltage due to the negative wall charge of (Y _j ) is added, the discharge start voltage V _fxy between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode is _exceeded . Therefore, the scan electrode occurs and the sustain discharge between (Y _j) and the sustain electrode (X _j), maintaining the scan electrode of the discharge cell the discharge takes place (Y _j) and the sustain electrode (X _j), the respective amounts of the wall charges and the negative Wall charges are formed.

Thereafter, in the same manner, the voltage V _s and 0 V are alternately applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n to continue sustain discharge. The last sustain discharge occurs in a state where a voltage V _s is applied to the scan electrodes Y ₁ -Y _n and 0 V is applied to the sustain electrodes X ₁ -X _n . After the last sustain discharge, subfields starting from the reset period described above are continued.

Next, in the reset period of the second subfield, the ramp is gradually lowered from the voltage Vs to the voltage Vnf to the scan electrode Y after the last sustain pulse applied in the sustain period of the first subfield in the period in which the auxiliary reset is applied. Voltage is applied. At this time, as in the reset period of the first subfield, the reference voltage 0V is applied to the address electrode A, and the sustain electrode X is biased to the Ve voltage. That is, the same voltage as the falling ramp voltage applied in the reset period of the first subfield is applied to the scan electrode (Y). Then, weak discharge occurs in the discharge cell selected in the first subfield, and no discharge occurs in the discharge cell that is not selected. At this time, in the reset period of the second subfield, as in the reset period of the first subfield, the wall charge existing between the scan electrode Y and the address electrode A is completely erased. In other words, weak discharge occurs only in the cell selected in the first subfield by the reset period of the second subfield, and the wall charge existing between the scan electrode and the address electrode is completely erased.

Since the waveforms applied to the address period and the sustain period of the second subfield are the same as the first subfield, the description thereof will be omitted below. Here, the same waveform as the second subfield may be applied to the third subfield to the eighth subfield, and the same waveform as the first subfield is applied to any subfield among the third subfield to the eighth subfield. Can be.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, by making the voltage difference between the address electrode and the scan electrode of the discharge cell to be displayed in the address period larger than the maximum discharge start voltage, the address discharge is not generated even in the reset period. Happens. Therefore, since the address discharge is not affected by the wall charges formed in the reset period, the problem of margin deterioration due to the wall charges disappears.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the VscL voltage and the Vnf voltage can be supplied from the same power supply, so that the circuit for driving the scan electrode is simplified.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the reference voltage is assumed to be 0 V. However, the reference voltage may be another voltage. And Va voltage and VscL If the voltage difference can be made larger than the maximum discharge start voltage, the VscL voltage may be different from the Vnf voltage.

Next, the relationship between the discharge start voltage V _fay between the address electrode and the scan electrode, the discharge start voltage V _fxy and the V _s voltage between the sustain electrode and the scan electrode described in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. do.

The discharge in a plasma display panel is determined by the amount of secondary electrons released when a cation strikes the cathode, which is called a γ process. Therefore, the discharge initiation voltage is higher when an electrode covered with a material having a lower secondary electron emission coefficient (γ) acts as a cathode than when an electrode covered with a material having a lower secondary electron emission coefficient (γ) acts as a cathode. low. By the way, in the three-electrode plasma display panel, the address electrode formed on the rear substrate is covered with phosphor for color expression, and the scan electrode and sustain electrode formed on the front substrate are covered with a protective film of MgO component. The MgO passivation layer has a high secondary electron emission coefficient while the phosphor layer has a low secondary electron emission coefficient. In addition, since the scan electrode and the sustain electrode are formed symmetrically, the address electrode and the scan electrode are formed asymmetrically, so that the discharge start voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode acts as the anode and the cathode. May vary.

That is, the discharge start voltage V _fay when the address electrode covered with the phosphor acts as the anode and the scan electrode covered with the dielectric layer acts as the cathode is used when the address electrode acts as the cathode and the scan electrode acts as the anode. It is lower than the discharge start voltage V _fya . And generally between the address electrodes, the discharge initiation voltage (V _fay) when the positive electrode, the starting discharge when the address electrode is the cathode voltage (V _fya) and the scan electrodes and the sustain start discharge between the electrode voltage (V _fxy) mathematics Equation 3 holds. Of course, this relationship may vary depending on the state of the discharge cell.

In the reset period and the address period, since the scan electrode acts as the cathode, the discharge start voltage V _fay between the address electrode and the scan electrode is represented by the equation (4) from the relationship in the equation (3). Since the sustain discharge should not occur in the discharge cells not addressed in the address period, the V _s voltage is also lower than the discharge start voltage V _fxy between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode as shown in Equation (5).

In the first embodiment of the present invention, since the wall voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode is close to 0 V in the reset period, in the discharge cells that are not addressed in the address period, between the scan electrode and the address electrode and the sustain electrode in the sustain period. Discharge should not occur continuously even between address electrodes. In other words, when discharge occurs continuously, V _s voltage is applied to the scan electrode to cause discharge between the scan electrode and the address electrode, and when the positive wall charge is formed on the address electrode, V _{s is} applied to the sustain electrode. The discharge occurs between the sustain electrode and the address electrode even when a voltage is applied. However, since the sustain electrode and the scan electrode are symmetrical electrodes, the discharge start voltage between the sustain electrode and the address electrode is equal to the V _fay voltage, and is maintained when positive wall charges are accumulated on the sustain electrode by the discharge of the scan electrode and the address electrode. The wall voltage formed on the electrode and the address electrode cannot exceed the V _fay voltage. Therefore, in order that no discharge occurs when the voltage V _s is applied to the sustain electrode after the positive wall charge is formed on the sustain electrode by the discharge between the scan electrode and the address electrode, the relationship of Equation 6, that is, the V _fay voltage is V _s / Need to be greater than 2 voltages.

Based on these relations given by the expressions 4 to 6, V _fay voltage V _s / 2, and more needs to be set to a high voltage, and therefore lower than the constant voltage than V _fxy voltage both V _fay voltage and V _s the voltage V _fay voltage Can be determined near the V _s voltage. In other words, the relationship as shown in equation (7) holds. As measured experimentally, ΔV has a voltage between 0 and 30V.

In FIG. 4, the voltage V _e applied to the sustain electrodes X _1- X _n in the reset period and the address period is expressed as a positive voltage. If the discharge can occur between scan electrode Y _j and sustain electrode X _j by the discharge between scan electrode Y _j and address electrode A _i in the address period, the voltage V _e may be another voltage. . For example, the V _e voltage may be 0 V or a negative voltage.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the voltage applied to the address electrode in the reset period is described as 0 V. However, the wall voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode is determined by the difference between the voltages applied to the address electrode and the scan electrode. Therefore, if the difference between the voltage applied to the address electrode and the scan electrode satisfies the same relationship as in the embodiment of the present invention, the voltage applied to the address electrode and the scan electrode can be set differently.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, a voltage in the form of a lamp is applied to the scan electrode in the reset period. However, in addition to the lamp, another type of voltage capable of controlling wall charge while generating a weak discharge is applied to the scan electrode. May be authorized. This type of voltage is a voltage whose voltage level changes gradually over time.

Thus, according to the present invention, since the address discharge is not affected by the wall charges formed in the reset period, the problem of margin deterioration due to the wall charges disappears. Since the amount of discharge in the reset period is reduced in the discharge cells that do not emit light, the contrast ratio is improved. In addition, the maximum voltage applied to the plasma display panel may be lowered.

On the other hand, in the first embodiment of the present invention, while applying a ramp waveform gradually falling from the last discharge voltage voltage (V _S ) to the voltage (Vnf) in the reset period, the reset final voltage while the slope of the falling ramp is kept constant Lowered Vnf. Therefore, the reset period takes a lot of time.

However, since the auxiliary reset waveform serves to erase the wall charges formed in the sustain period, reducing the amount of wall charges accumulated in the second half of the sustain period can lower the Y voltage at the point where the reset discharge starts. In addition, when the reset discharge start voltage is low, the reset period can be shortened by rapidly lowering the voltage of the Y electrode to a voltage at which the discharge starts to occur before applying the auxiliary reset waveform, and then applying a ramp voltage gradually falling to the Y electrode. have.

In order to lower the reset discharge start voltage in this manner, the intensity at which the last sustain discharge occurs in the previous sustain period may be reduced. When the sustain discharge intensity decreases, since wall charges are accumulated on each electrode in the discharge cell, the voltage at which discharge starts is lowered accordingly.

There are two ways to reduce the sustain discharge intensity, and to reduce the sustain discharge voltage and the sustain discharge pulse width.

6 and 7 show voltage waveforms in the second half of the sustain period according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a decrease in the width of the last sustain discharge pulse applied to the sustain electrode Y. 8 lowers the voltage of the last sustain discharge pulse applied to the sustain electrode (Y).

8 and 9, the same effect can be obtained by reducing the width of the sustain discharge pulse applied to the scan electrode X or lowering the voltage of the sustain discharge pulse immediately before the last sustain discharge pulse applied to the sustain electrode Y. You can get it.

It is also possible to change the relative voltage between the electrodes without directly changing the sustain discharge pulse applied to the sustain electrode Y or the scan electrode X.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present invention defined in the following claims are also provided. It belongs to the scope of rights.

As described above, according to the present invention, since it is not affected by the wall charges formed in the reset period, the problem of deterioration of the margin due to the loss of the wall charges is eliminated.

In addition, the reset period can be shortened by reducing the intensity of the last sustain discharge to lower the reset discharge start voltage.

1 is a partial perspective view of a typical plasma display panel.

2 shows an electrode arrangement diagram of a typical plasma display panel.

3 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to the prior art.

4 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a falling ramp voltage and a wall voltage when a falling ramp voltage is applied to a discharge cell.

6 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a driving waveform diagram of a plasma display panel according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (11)

A plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes formed on the first substrate, and a plurality of address electrodes formed on the second substrate and crossing the first and second electrodes, respectively; A method of driving a plasma display panel in which discharge cells are formed by two electrodes and an address electrode, In at least one subfield, During the reset period, gradually reducing a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage of the address electrode from the voltage of the first electrode from the first voltage to the second voltage; During the address period, applying a third voltage and a fourth voltage to the address electrode and the first electrode of a discharge cell to be selected among the discharge cells; And In the sustain period, sustain discharge of the discharge cell selected in the address step, The second voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to half of the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period, The width of at least one of the sustain discharge pulses applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period is smaller than the width of the other sustain discharge pulses. Driving method of plasma display panel. A plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes formed on the first substrate, and a plurality of address electrodes formed on the second substrate and crossing the first and second electrodes, respectively; A method of driving a plasma display panel in which discharge cells are formed by two electrodes and an address electrode, In at least one subfield, During the reset period, gradually reducing a voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage of the address electrode from the voltage of the first electrode from the first voltage to the second voltage; During the address period, applying a third voltage and a fourth voltage to the address electrode and the first electrode of a discharge cell to be selected among the discharge cells; And In the sustain period, sustain discharge of the discharge cell selected in the address step, The second voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to half of the difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period, The voltage magnitude of at least one of the sustain discharge pulses applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period is smaller than that of the other sustain discharge pulses. Driving method of plasma display panel. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Reducing the voltage of the first electrode to a voltage having a difference between the voltage of the first electrode and the address electrode as the first voltage at a final voltage applied to the first electrode in a sustain period of a previous subfield. The driving method of the plasma display panel further comprising. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The second voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to a difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge in the sustain period. Driving method of plasma display panel. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The at least one sustain discharge pulse includes a sustain discharge pulse last applied to the first electrode or the second electrode in the sustain period. Driving method of plasma display panel. The method of claim 1, The difference between the third voltage and the fourth voltage is equal to or greater than the discharge start voltage Driving method of plasma display panel. First substrate, A plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes formed on the first substrate, respectively; A second substrate facing away from the first substrate, A plurality of third electrodes formed on the second substrate in a direction crossing the first and second electrodes, and A driving circuit for supplying a driving voltage to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode to discharge the discharge cells formed by the adjacent first, second, and third electrodes; The drive circuit, In at least one subfield, During the reset period, the voltage obtained by subtracting the voltage of the third electrode from the voltage of the third electrode is gradually decreased to the first voltage, the discharge cells to be selected among the discharge cells are discharged during the address period, and the selected ones during the organic period. Discharge discharge cells, The first voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to half of a difference between voltages applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge during the sustain period, During the sustain period, the sustain discharge intensity occurring in at least one discharge cell is less than the sustain discharge intensity occurring in other discharge cells. Plasma display device. The method of claim 7, wherein The first voltage is substantially equal to or less than a negative value of a voltage corresponding to a difference between the voltage applied to the first electrode and the second electrode for the sustain discharge during the sustain period. Plasma display device. The method of claim 7, wherein The drive circuit, The voltage magnitude of the sustain discharge pulse applied to the first electrode or the second electrode of the at least one discharge cell in the sustain period is smaller than the voltage magnitude of the other sustain discharge pulse. Plasma display device. The method of claim 7, wherein The drive circuit, The width of the sustain discharge pulse applied to the first electrode or the second electrode of the at least one discharge cell in the sustain period is smaller than the width of the other sustain discharge pulse. Plasma display device. The method of claim 9 or 10, The at least one discharge cell comprises a discharge cell to which a last sustain discharge pulse is applied; Plasma display device.