KR100590019B1 - Plasma display device and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plasma display device and a driving method thereof for applying a predetermined number of sustain pulses alternately to scan electrodes and sustain electrodes in the sustain period of each subfield. In the present invention, the temperature of the plasma display panel is sensed, and if the detected temperature is room temperature, the scan electrode and the sustain pulse overlap each other in the sustain period of each subfield. If the sensed temperature is high or low, the sustain pulses applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode do not overlap in the sustain period of each subfield. By doing this, stable sustain discharge can be caused even at low or high temperatures.

PDP, discharge, sustain, low temperature, high temperature

Description

Plasma display device and driving method thereof {PLASMA DISPLAY DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF}

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

2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a driving waveform diagram at room temperature of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a driving waveform diagram at a high temperature or a low temperature of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display device, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for driving a plasma display panel (PDP).

Plasma display devices are flat display devices that display characters or images using plasma generated by gas discharge, and dozens to millions or more of pixels are arranged in a matrix form according to their size.

In general, a plasma display panel is driven by dividing one frame into a plurality of subfields, and gray levels are expressed by a combination of subfields. Each subfield consists of a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period. The reset period serves to erase the wall charges formed by the previous sustain discharge and to set up the wall charges in order to stably perform the next address discharge. The address period is a period in which a wall charge is accumulated in a cell (addressed cell) that is turned on by selecting a cell that is turned on and a cell that is not turned on in the panel. The sustain period is a period in which sustain discharge is performed to actually display an image in the addressed cells.

In order to increase the luminance in the plasma display device, as many sustain pulses should be applied as possible during one frame. To this end, conventionally, sustain pulses alternately applied to the scan electrode and the dielectric electrode are superimposed.

However, at low temperatures, for example, below about 15 degrees Celsius or less, when the sustain pulses applied to the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes overlap, the alternating wall charges between the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes are not smooth and the sustain discharge becomes unstable.

In addition, even when the sustain pulses overlap at high temperatures, for example, 60 degrees Celsius or more, alternating wall charges between the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes are not smooth, and thus sustain discharges become unstable, resulting in side discharge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a plasma display device and a driving method thereof for preventing mis-discharge during sustain periods at low or high temperatures.

A plasma display device according to an aspect of the present invention for solving this problem,

A plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes, and a sustain electrode;

A temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the plasma display panel;

If the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit is higher than the first temperature, the scan electrode driving signal and the sustain electrode driving signal are output so that the sustain waveforms applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode overlap each other in the sustain period of each subfield. A controller configured to output a scan electrode driving signal and a sustain electrode driving signal so that a sustain waveform applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode does not overlap when the temperature is less than the first temperature;

A scan electrode driver for applying a sustain reset waveform to the scan electrodes in the sustain period of each subfield according to the scan electrode drive signal of the controller;

And a sustain electrode driver for applying a sustain reset waveform to the sustain electrode in the sustain period of each subfield according to the sustain electrode drive signal of the controller.

The driving method of the plasma display device according to an aspect of the present invention for solving this problem,

In the sustain period of each subfield, a sustain waveform which rises from the first voltage to the second voltage, maintains the second voltage for a predetermined period, and falls back to the first voltage, is applied alternately to the first electrode and the second electrode. As a driving method of a plasma display device,

Sensing a temperature of the plasma display panel;

If the sensed temperature is higher than a first temperature, applying the sustain waveform to the second electrode while the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode;

If the sensed temperature is less than or equal to the first temperature, after the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode, applying the sustain waveform to the second electrode.

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 device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Referring to FIG. 1, a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a temperature sensor 600, a plasma display panel 100, a controller 200, an address electrode driver 300, and a scan electrode driver ( And a sustain electrode driver (hereinafter, referred to as an 'X electrode driver') 500. The plasma display panel 100 includes a plurality of address electrodes A1-Am arranged in the column direction, a plurality of sustain electrodes (hereinafter referred to as 'X electrodes') (X1-Xn) and scans arranged in the row direction. Electrodes (hereinafter referred to as 'Y electrodes') Y1-Yn. The X electrodes X1-Xn are formed corresponding to the respective Y electrodes Y1-Yn, and generally have one end connected in common to each other. The plasma display panel 100 includes a glass substrate (not shown) in which the X and Y electrodes X1-Xn and Y1-Yn are arranged, and a glass substrate (not shown) in which the address electrodes A1-Am are arranged. Is done. The two glass substrates are disposed to face each other with the discharge space therebetween so that the Y electrodes Y1-Yn and the address electrodes A1-Am and the X electrodes X1-Xn and the address electrodes A1-Am are orthogonal to each other. At this time, the discharge space at the intersection of the address electrodes A1-Am and the X and Y electrodes X1-Xn and Y1-Yn forms a discharge cell. The temperature detector 600 detects and outputs a temperature of the plasma display panel 100 or an ambient temperature.

The controller 200 receives the image data and outputs an address driving signal, an X electrode driving signal and a Y electrode driving signal, and receives the image signal to generate subfield data and output the subfield data as an address electrode driving signal. At this time, if it is determined that the sensed temperature is low or high temperature, the controller 200 controls the Y electrode driving signal and the X electrode so that the sustain pulses alternately applied to the Y electrode and the X electrode do not overlap each other in the sustain period of each subfield. Generate a drive signal.

The address electrode driver 300 receives an address electrode driving signal from the controller 200 and applies a display data signal for selecting a discharge cell to be displayed to each address electrode A1-Am. The X electrode driver 500 receives an X electrode driving signal from the controller 200 and applies a driving voltage to the X electrodes X1 to Xn. The Y electrode driver 400 receives the Y electrode driving signal from the controller 200 and applies a driving voltage to the Y electrodes Y1-Yn.

Next, the operation of the plasma display device according to the embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration will be described in detail.

2 is an operation flowchart of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the temperature detector 600 detects and outputs a temperature around the plasma display panel 100 or an internal temperature (S201).

Then, the controller 200 determines whether the sensed temperature is at room temperature, for example, whether the sensed temperature is between about 15 degrees Celsius and about 60 degrees Celsius (S202). The temperature is not a high temperature or a low temperature at room temperature. For example, the low temperature may be about 15 degrees Celsius or less, and the high temperature may be about 60 degrees or more. At this time, the standard of low temperature was minus 15 degrees Celsius, but if necessary, it can be transformed from minus 10 degrees Celsius to minus 20 degrees or other ranges, and the reference temperature for judging high temperature was 60 degrees Celsius, but 55 degrees Celsius to 65 degrees Celsius. It can be determined between or in a wider range.

As a result of the determination, if the temperature is room temperature, the control unit 200 generates, for example, the Y electrode driving signal and the X electrode driving signal so that the sustain pulses applied alternately to the Y electrode and the X electrode in the sustain period are superimposed on each subfield. The signal is generated as subfield data to generate an address electrode driving signal (S203).

Then, the Y electrode driver 400, the X electrode driver 500, and the address electrode driver 500 generate the waveform of FIG. 3 according to the Y electrode driving signal, the X electrode driving signal, and the address electrode driving signal, respectively. It is applied to the Y electrode, the X electrode and the address electrode.

3 is a driving waveform diagram at room temperature of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a reset waveform including a rising period and a falling period is applied to the Y electrode during the reset period, in which the sustain electrodes X1 to Xn and the address electrodes A1 to Am are referred to as reference voltages (here, 0V). Is assumed to be applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn with a voltage gradually rising from the Vr voltage to the Vset voltage. In the falling period, a voltage slowly falling from the voltage Vq to the voltage Vn is applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, and the reference voltage 0V is applied to the address electrodes A1 to Am, and the sustain electrodes X1 to Yn. Xn) is applied to the Ve voltage. In this case, another type of reset waveform may be applied as necessary.

Next, in the address period, in order to select a discharge cell, a scan pulse having a Vsc voltage is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, and a plurality of discharge cells formed by the scan electrode to which the Vsc voltage is applied are to be selected. An address pulse having Va voltage is applied to the address electrode passing through the discharge cell. Then, address discharge occurs in the discharge cells formed by the address electrode to which the Va voltage is applied and the scan electrode to which the Vsc voltage is applied, thereby forming a positive wall charge on the scan electrode and a negative wall charge on the sustain electrode. Is formed.

Next, in the sustain period, the sustain waveforms are alternately applied to the Y electrodes Y1 to Yn and the X electrodes X1 to Xn, and the discharge cells selected in the address period are sustained and discharged. The sustain waveform is a sustain voltage (Vs at 0V). After rising to), the sustain voltage is maintained for a certain period (W), and then the waveform drops to 0V again. For example, when the sustain voltage is increased from 0V to the sustain voltage Vs at the Y electrode and the sustain voltage is maintained for a predetermined period W, a waveform rising from 0V to the sustain voltage Vs is applied to the X electrode. The sustain voltage Vs is maintained at the X electrode while the Y electrode falls from the sustain voltage Vs to 0V. In FIG. 3, three sustain discharge pulses are applied to the Y electrode and two to the X electrode in the sustaining period for convenience, but these may be variously changed as necessary, and the number of sustain pulses is determined according to the weight and load ratio of the subfield. As a result, a sustain pulse is alternately applied to the Y electrodes Y1 to Yn and the X electrodes X1 to Xn.

In addition, when the sustain waveform is applied, discharge cells not selected in the address period do not have address discharge, and thus no discharge occurs.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S202 that the temperature is low or high, the control unit 200, for example, so that the sustain pulses alternately applied to the Y electrode and the X electrode in each sustain period do not overlap each other. The Y electrode driving signal and the X electrode driving signal are generated, and the image signal is generated as the subfield data to generate the address electrode driving signal (S204). The Y electrode driver 400, the X electrode driver 500, and the address electrode driver 500 apply the waveform shown in FIG. 4 to each electrode of the plasma display panel according to each driving signal.

4 is a driving waveform diagram at a high temperature or a low temperature of a plasma display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the driving signal is applied to each electrode in the reset period and the address period as shown in FIG. 3, and in the sustain period, the sustain waveform is alternately superimposed on the Y electrodes Y1 to Yn and the X electrodes X1 to Xn. The discharge cells selected in the address period and sustain discharge. For example, if the sustain voltage is increased from 0V to the sustain voltage (Vs) at the Y electrode, and the sustain voltage is maintained for a predetermined period (W), then the drop is completed again at 0V. The rising waveform is applied. Then, after a certain time has passed since the waveform falling from the sustain voltage (Vs) to 0V is applied to the X electrode, the waveform rises from 0V to the sustain voltage (Vs) at the Y electrode again and the sustain voltage is maintained for a predetermined period (W). After that, the waveform is applied to finish falling back to 0V. At this time, the sustain waveforms are alternately applied to the X and Y electrodes with a predetermined time depending on the number of sustain pulses. Here, the predetermined time is a time to avoid overlapping, it can be adjusted as needed. In FIG. 4, since the sustain waveforms applied to the Y electrode and the X electrode do not overlap with each other in FIG. 3, a small number of sustain pulses are applied during the same period, while a smooth sustain discharge is realized.

As shown in Fig. 4, when the sustain waveforms applied to the Y electrode and the X electrode do not overlap in the sustain period of each subfield at low or high temperatures, the wall charges of the X and Y electrodes are alternated even if the movement of the charge is somewhat dull or fast. This is smoothly performed, and sustain discharge smoothly occurs in the discharge cells selected in the address period.

By this process, the corresponding image data is displayed on the plasma display panel 100.

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 configuration of the present invention, it is possible to provide a plasma display device and a driving method thereof capable of smoothly performing sustain discharge even at a low temperature or a high temperature to implement a screen having an improved image quality.

Claims (7)

A plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes, and a sustain electrode; A temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the plasma display panel; If the temperature detected by the temperature sensing unit is higher than the first temperature, the scan electrode driving signal and the sustain electrode driving signal are output so that the sustain waveforms applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode overlap each other in the sustain period of each subfield. A controller configured to output a scan electrode driving signal and a sustain electrode driving signal so that a sustain waveform applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode does not overlap when the temperature is less than the first temperature; A scan electrode driver for applying a sustain reset waveform to the scan electrodes in the sustain period of each subfield according to the scan electrode drive signal of the controller; And a sustain electrode driver for applying a sustain reset waveform to the sustain electrode in the sustain period of each subfield according to the sustain electrode drive signal of the controller. The method of claim 1, And the first temperature is between -10 degrees Celsius and -20 degrees Celsius. The method of claim 2, If the sensed temperature is greater than or equal to the second temperature higher than the first temperature, the control unit applies a scan waveform to one of the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, and then applies a sustain waveform to the other electrode. A plasma display device for outputting a drive signal. The method of claim 3, And wherein the second temperature is between 55 and 65 degrees Celsius. In the sustain period of each subfield, a sustain waveform which rises from the first voltage to the second voltage, maintains the second voltage for a predetermined period, and falls back to the first voltage, is applied alternately to the first electrode and the second electrode. As a driving method of a plasma display device, Sensing a temperature of the plasma display panel; If the sensed temperature is higher than a first temperature, applying the sustain waveform to the second electrode while the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode; And applying the sustain waveform to the second electrode after the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode when the sensed temperature is less than or equal to the first temperature. The method of claim 5, And driving the sustain waveform to the second electrode after the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode when the sensed temperature is higher than a second temperature higher than the first temperature. Way. The method of claim 6, After the sustain waveform is applied to the first electrode, applying the sustain waveform to the second electrode, The first electrode is applied to the second electrode after a predetermined time after the sustain waveform which rises from the first voltage to the second voltage and maintains the second voltage for a predetermined period and then falls back to the first voltage is applied to the first electrode. And applying a sustain waveform that maintains the second voltage for a predetermined period of time after rising from the voltage to the second voltage and then falls back to the first voltage.

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