KR20060086774A - Driving apparatus and method for plasma display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof. The present invention provides a driving margin of a plasma display panel by applying a reset waveform having a nonlinear characteristic to a scan electrode during a reset period, thereby effectively initializing discharge cells. The present invention provides a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof for increasing the quality of the plasma display panel.

In the plasma display panel driving apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period, and a predetermined voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode in each period. An apparatus for driving a plasma display panel which represents an image, the apparatus comprising: a reset waveform control unit for applying a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform that rises or falls nonlinearly to the scan electrode during a reset period.

In the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention, a plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset section, an address section, and a sustain section, and a predetermined voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode in each section. In the method of driving a plasma display panel representing an image, a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform that rises or falls nonlinearly to the scan electrode is applied to the scan electrode during the reset period.

Description

Plasma display panel driving apparatus and method {Driving Apparatus and Method for Plasma Display Panel}

1 is a view showing the structure of a typical plasma display panel.

2 is a diagram illustrating a method of expressing image gradation of a conventional plasma display panel.

3 is a view showing a driving waveform of a conventional plasma display panel.

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating nonlinear discharge characteristics between a scan electrode and a sustain electrode;

5 is a view showing a driving device of a plasma display panel according to the present invention;

6 is a view showing a driving waveform of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

7 illustrates driving waveforms of a plasma display panel according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

8 illustrates driving waveforms of a plasma display panel according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof, and more particularly, to driving a plasma display panel by applying a reset waveform having a nonlinear characteristic to a scan electrode during a reset period, thereby effectively initializing discharge cells. The present invention relates to a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof for securing a margin and improving the quality of the plasma display panel.

In general, a plasma display panel forms a unit cell with a space between partition walls formed between a front substrate and a rear substrate, and each cell includes neon (Ne), helium (He), or a mixture of neon and helium (Ne +). A main discharge gas such as He) and an inert gas containing a small amount of xenon are filled. When discharged by a high frequency voltage, the inert gas generates vacuum ultraviolet rays and emits phosphors formed between the partition walls to realize an image. Such a plasma display panel has a spotlight as a next generation display device because of its thin and light configuration.

1 illustrates a structure of a general plasma display panel. As shown, the plasma display panel is coupled in parallel with the front substrate 100, which is the display surface on which the image is displayed, and the rear substrate 110 forming the rear surface with a predetermined distance therebetween.

The front substrate 100 is a scan electrode 101 (Y electrode) and a sustain electrode 102 (Z electrode), that is, a transparent electrode formed of a transparent ITO material to discharge each other in one discharge cell and maintain light emission of the cell. And the scan electrode 101 and the sustain electrode 102 provided as a bus electrode b made of a metal material are formed in pairs. The scan electrode 101 and the sustain electrode 102 are covered by one or more dielectric layers 103 which limit the discharge current and insulate the electrode pairs, and the magnesium oxide top surface of the dielectric layer 103 to facilitate the discharge conditions. A protective layer 104 on which (MgO) is deposited is formed.

The rear substrate 110 is arranged such that a plurality of discharge spaces, that is, barrier ribs 111 of a stripe type (or well type) for forming discharge cells are maintained in parallel. In addition, a plurality of address electrodes 112 (X electrodes) that perform address discharge to generate vacuum ultraviolet rays are disposed in parallel with the partition wall 111. On the upper side of the rear substrate 110, R, G, and B phosphors 113 which emit visible light for image display during address discharge are coated. A white dielectric 114 is formed between the address electrode 112 and the phosphor 113 to protect the address electrode 112 and reflect visible light emitted from the phosphor 113 to the front substrate 100.

A method of implementing gray levels of an image in such a plasma display panel is shown in FIG. 2.

2 is a diagram illustrating a method of implementing image grayscale of a conventional plasma display panel. As shown, a gray level display method of a conventional plasma display panel divides one frame into several subfields having different number of emission times, and each subfield has a reset period (RPD) for discharging all cells and a discharge. It is divided into an address period APD for selecting a cell to be used and a sustain period SPD for implementing gray scale according to the number of discharges. For example, when the image is to be displayed with 256 gray levels, a frame period (16.67 ms) corresponding to 1/60 second is divided into eight subfields SF1 to SF8, and eight subfields SF1 to SF8) Each is subdivided into a reset period, an address period and a sustain period.

The reset period and the address period of each subfield are the same for each subfield. The address discharge for selecting the cell to be discharged is caused by the voltage difference between the address electrode and the transparent electrode which is the scan electrode. The sustain period is increased at a rate of 2 ⁿ ( ^where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) in each subfield. In this way, since the sustain period is different in each subfield, the gray scale of the image is expressed by adjusting the sustain period of each subfield, that is, the number of sustain discharges. Looking at the driving waveform according to the driving method of the plasma display panel as shown in FIG.

3 is a view illustrating a driving waveform according to a driving method of a conventional plasma display panel. As shown, the plasma display panel is driven by being divided into a reset period for initializing all cells, an address period for selecting a cell to be discharged, and a sustain period for maintaining discharge of the selected cell.

In the reset period, a rising ramp waveform Ramp-up is simultaneously applied to all scan electrodes in the setup period. This rising ramp waveform causes a weak dark discharge within the full discharge cells. By this setup discharge, positive wall charges are accumulated on the address electrode and the sustain electrode, and negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrode.                         

In the set-down period, after the rising ramp waveform is supplied, the ramp ramp starts to fall from the positive voltage lower than the peak voltage of the rising ramp waveform and falls to a specific voltage level below the ground (GND) level voltage. By generating a weak erase discharge in the cells, the wall charges excessively formed in the scan electrode are sufficiently erased.

By this set-down discharge, wall charges such that the address discharge can stably occur remain uniformly in the cells.

The negative scan signal is sequentially applied to the scan electrodes in the address period, and the positive data signal is applied to the address electrode in synchronization with the scan signal. As the voltage difference between the scan signal and the data signal and the wall voltage generated in the reset period are added, address discharge is generated in the discharge cell to which the data signal is applied. In the cells selected by the address discharge, wall charges are formed such that a discharge can occur when the sustain voltage Vs is applied. The sustain electrode is supplied with a positive voltage Vzb during the set down period and the address period so as to reduce the voltage difference with the scan electrode so as to prevent erroneous discharge from the scan electrode.

In the sustain period, a sustain signal Su is alternately applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrodes. In the cell selected by the address discharge, as the wall voltage and the sustain signal in the cell are added, a sustain discharge, that is, a display discharge occurs between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode every time the sustain signal is applied.

In this way, the driving process of the plasma display panel in one subfield is completed.                         

However, in consideration of the sophisticated discharge mechanism of the plasma display panel, the driving process of the plasma display panel in such a subfield has various problems. Take a look at the connection.

As shown in FIG. 3, the address electrode and the sustain electrode maintain the ground when a ramp voltage rising linearly is applied to the scan electrode in the reset period.

At this time, a counter discharge is generated between the scan electrode and the address electrode, and a surface discharge is generated between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, so that negative wall charges are accumulated at the scan electrode and positive wall charges are accumulated at the sustain electrode and the address electrode.

However, the discharge in such a reset period, in particular, the surface discharge between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode has a nonlinear characteristic due to the structure of the electrode.

4 is a diagram schematically illustrating non-linear discharge characteristics between a scan electrode and a sustain electrode.

As shown in FIG. 4, due to the spatial structure of the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, the intensity of the discharge becomes weaker as the distance from the electrode increases.

In other words, the closer the distance between the electrode and the discharge generation point is, the greater the intensity of the electric field between the two electrodes becomes, thereby increasing the intensity of the discharge and increasing the amount of wall charge accumulated on each electrode (d1).

On the other hand, the farther the distance between the electrode and the discharge generation point is, the smaller the intensity of the electric field between the two electrodes is. As a result, the intensity of the discharge becomes weaker, thereby reducing the amount of wall charges accumulated in each electrode (d3).

In summary, wall charges tend to be concentrated at a point where the distance between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode is close.

Such a phenomenon results in narrowing the generation range of subsequent address discharges and sustain discharges, thereby lowering the driving margin of the plasma display panel and lowering the brightness and ultimately damaging the quality of the plasma display panel. Act as a factor.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention applies a reset waveform having a non-linear characteristic to the scan electrode during the reset period to initialize the discharge cells efficiently, thereby securing the driving margin of the plasma display panel and increasing the luminance of the plasma display panel. An object of the present invention is to provide a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel and a driving method thereof.

In the plasma display panel driving apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset period, an address period, and a sustain period, and each of the subfields is predetermined to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode. A driving apparatus of a plasma display panel which displays an image by applying a voltage waveform of a reset waveform control unit for applying a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform that rises or falls nonlinearly to a scan electrode during a reset period. It is characterized by including.

The nonlinear voltage waveform may be applied to the scan electrode in at least one of a setup section and a set down section of the reset section.

The nonlinear voltage waveform is characterized by being a sinusoidal voltage waveform.

In the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention, a plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset section, an address section, and a sustain section, and a predetermined voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode in each section. In the method of driving a plasma display panel representing an image, a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform that rises or falls nonlinearly to the scan electrode is applied to the scan electrode during the reset period.

The nonlinear voltage waveform may be applied to the scan electrode in at least one of a setup section and a set down section of the reset section.

The nonlinear voltage waveform is characterized by being a sinusoidal voltage waveform.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a view showing a driving device of a plasma display panel according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel according to the present invention includes a data driver 52 for supplying data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm of the plasma display panel, and the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn. Scan driver 53 for driving the NELTA), a sustain driver 54 for driving the sustain electrode Z serving as a common electrode, a timing controller 51 for controlling each of the drivers 52, 53, and 54, and each driver And a driving voltage generator 55 for supplying driving voltages to the 52, 53 and 54.

The data driver 52 is subjected to inverse gamma correction and error diffusion by an inverse gamma correction circuit, an error diffusion circuit, and the like not shown, and then data mapped to a subfield pattern preset by the subfield mapping circuit is supplied. The data driver 52 samples and latches data under the control of the timing controller 51 and supplies the data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm.

The scan driver 53 generates a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform that nonlinearly rises or falls on the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn to initialize the full screen during the reset period under the control of the timing controller 51. And a reset waveform control section 53a to be applied.

After the reset voltage waveform including the nonlinear voltage waveform which rises or falls nonlinearly by the reset waveform control unit 53a is continuously supplied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, during the address period to select the scan line. The negative scan pulse is sequentially supplied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn. In addition, the scan driver 53 supplies a sustain pulse to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn to allow sustain discharge to occur in a cell selected in the address period during the sustain period.

The sustain driver 54 supplies the positive DC bias voltage Vzb to the sustain electrode for at least a part of the reset period under the control of the timing controller 51, and then alternately operates with the scan driver 53 during the sustain period. To supply a sustain pulse to the sustain electrode.

The timing controller 51 receives the vertical / horizontal synchronization signal and generates timing control signals CTRX, CTRY, and CTRZ required for each driving unit, and outputs the timing control signals CTRX, CTRY, and CTRZ. 54, the respective drive units 52, 53, 54 are controlled. The timing control signal CTRX applied to the data driver 52 includes a sampling clock for sampling data, a latch control signal, an energy recovery circuit, and a switch control signal for controlling on / off time of the driving switch element. The timing control signal CTRY applied to the scan driver 53 includes a switch control signal for controlling the on / off time of the energy recovery circuit and the drive switch element in the scan driver 53. The timing control signal CTRZ applied to the sustain driver 54 includes a switch control signal for controlling the on / off time of the energy recovery circuit and the driving switch element in the sustain driver 54.

The driving voltage generator 55 includes a setup voltage Vst set to a voltage of a rising ramp waveform, a scan reference voltage Vsc supplied to the scan electrode during an address period, a sustain voltage Vs of a sustain pulse, and a data voltage Va. And various driving voltages required by each of the driving units 52, 53, and 54.

Hereinafter, the operation principle of the plasma display panel driving apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.                     

6 is a view showing a driving waveform of the plasma display panel driving apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the apparatus for driving a plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the plasma display panel includes a reset period for initializing all cells, an address period for selecting a cell to be discharged, and a selected period. It is driven by being divided into a sustain period for maintaining the discharge of the cell.

First, in the reset period, a non-linearly rising set-up voltage is simultaneously applied to all the scan electrodes. This non-linearly rising set-up voltage results in a weak dark discharge within the full discharge cells. By this setup discharge, positive wall charges are accumulated on the address electrode and the sustain electrode, and negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrode.

Subsequently, in the set down period in which the non-linearly decreasing set down voltage is applied, the address electrode maintains the positive wall charge as it is, and erases the positive wall charge of the sustain electrode through the discharge between the sustain electrode and the scan electrode. The sustain electrode and the scan electrode divide a large amount of negative charges accumulated in the substrate.

By this set down discharge, wall charges such that the address discharge can stably occur remain uniformly in the cells.

Next, when the positive data pulse voltage is applied to the address electrode in the address period and the negative scan pulse voltage is applied in synchronization with the scan electrode, the voltage difference between the address electrode and the scan electrode and the address electrode due to the wall charge formed during the reset period. The address discharge is generated by adding the wall voltage between the pole and the pole before scanning.

As such, the present invention applies a reset voltage waveform including a non-linear voltage waveform that rises or falls non-linearly to the scan electrode during the reset period, thereby uniformizing the distribution of wall charges accumulated on the electrode, thereby further address discharge and sustain thereafter. The present invention provides a plasma display panel driving apparatus that efficiently discharges, secures a driving margin of the plasma display panel, and improves the overall brightness of the plasma display panel by improving the brightness of the plasma display panel. .

On the other hand, the positive polarity voltage Vzb is supplied to the sustain electrode such that the voltage difference between the scan electrode is reduced during the set down period and the address period such that erroneous discharge with the scan electrode does not occur.

Next, a sustain pulse voltage is alternately applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrodes in the sustain period. In the cell selected by the address discharge, as the wall voltage and the sustain pulse voltage in the cell are added, a sustain discharge, that is, a display discharge occurs between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode every time the sustain pulse voltage is applied.

In this way, the driving process of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention in one subfield is completed.

In the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the non-linear voltage waveform applied to the scan electrode during the reset period is scanned in at least one of the setup period and the set-down period of the reset period. It is preferably applied to the electrode.

In addition, in the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the nonlinear voltage waveform applied to the scan electrode during the reset period is preferably a sine wave voltage waveform.

As described above in detail, the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention applies a reset waveform having a non-linear characteristic to the scan electrode during the reset period, thereby efficiently initializing the discharge cells. The present invention provides a driving apparatus for a plasma display panel to secure a driving margin of the plasma display panel and to improve luminance of the plasma display panel.

The driving waveforms of the plasma display panel driving apparatus according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are basically the same as the driving waveforms of the plasma display panel driving apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The detailed description is omitted since it operates under the same operation principle.

Hereinafter, a method of driving a plasma display panel according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

6 illustrates a driving waveform of the plasma display panel driving method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the method of driving a plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the plasma display panel includes a reset period for initializing all cells, an address period for selecting a cell to be discharged, and a selected period. It is driven by being divided into a sustain section for maintaining the discharge of the cell.

First, in the reset period, a non-linearly rising set-up voltage is simultaneously applied to all the scan electrodes. This non-linearly rising set-up voltage results in a weak dark discharge within the full discharge cells. By this setup discharge, positive wall charges are accumulated on the address electrode and the sustain electrode, and negative wall charges are accumulated on the scan electrode.

Subsequently, in the set down period in which the non-linearly decreasing set down voltage is applied, the address electrode maintains the positive wall charge as it is, and erases the positive wall charge of the sustain electrode through the discharge between the sustain electrode and the scan electrode. The sustain electrode and the scan electrode divide a large amount of negative charges accumulated in the substrate.

By this set down discharge, wall charges such that the address discharge can stably occur remain uniformly in the cells.

Next, when the positive data pulse voltage is applied to the address electrode in the address period and the negative scan pulse voltage is applied in synchronization with the scan electrode, the voltage difference between the address electrode and the scan electrode and the address electrode due to the wall charge formed during the reset period. The address discharge is generated as the wall voltage between the and scan electrodes is added.

As such, the present invention applies a reset voltage waveform including a non-linear voltage waveform that rises or falls non-linearly to the scan electrode during the reset period, thereby uniformizing the distribution of wall charges accumulated on the electrode, thereby further address discharge and sustain thereafter. The present invention provides a method of driving a plasma display panel that efficiently discharges and secures a driving margin of the plasma display panel, and thereby improves the overall brightness of the plasma display panel by improving the brightness of the plasma display panel.

On the other hand, the positive polarity voltage Vzb is supplied to the sustain electrode such that the voltage difference between the scan electrode is reduced during the set down period and the address period such that erroneous discharge with the scan electrode does not occur.

Next, a sustain pulse voltage is alternately applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrodes in the sustain period. In the cell selected by the address discharge, as the wall voltage and the sustain pulse voltage in the cell are added, a sustain discharge, that is, a display discharge occurs between the scan electrode and the sustain electrode every time the sustain pulse voltage is applied.

In this way, the driving process of the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention in one subfield is completed.

In the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the non-linear voltage waveform applied to the scan electrode during the reset period is scanned in at least one of the setup period and the set-down period of the reset period. It is preferably applied to the electrode.

In the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the non-linear voltage waveform applied to the scan electrode during the reset period is a sinusoidal voltage waveform.

As described in detail above, the plasma display panel driving method according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention applies a reset waveform having a non-linear characteristic to a scan electrode during a reset period, thereby efficiently initializing the discharge cells. A driving method of a plasma display panel is provided, while ensuring a driving margin of the plasma display panel.

The driving waveforms of the plasma display panel driving method according to the second and third embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are basically the driving waveforms of the plasma display panel driving method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The detailed description is omitted since it operates under the same operation principle.

As described above, the technical configuration of the present invention described above will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention.

Therefore, the exemplary embodiments described above are to be understood as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims rather than the detailed description, and the meaning and scope of the claims and All changes or modifications derived from the equivalent concept should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

As described above in detail, the present invention applies a reset waveform having a non-linear characteristic to the scan electrode during the reset period to initialize the discharge cells efficiently, thereby securing a driving margin of the plasma display panel and A driving method of a plasma display panel for improving luminance and a driving method thereof are provided.

Claims (6)

A plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset section, an address section, and a sustain section, and in each section, a driving device of a plasma display panel which displays an image by applying a predetermined voltage waveform to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode. In During the reset period And a reset waveform controller configured to apply a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform rising or falling nonlinearly to the scan electrode. The method of claim 1,  And wherein the non-linear voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode in at least one of a setup section and a set down section of the reset section. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The nonlinear voltage waveform is a driving device of the plasma display panel, characterized in that the sinusoidal voltage waveform. A method of driving a plasma display panel in which a plurality of subfields having different emission counts are divided into a reset section, an address section, and a sustain section, and a predetermined voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode, the sustain electrode, and the address electrode in each section to express an image. In During the reset period And a reset voltage waveform including a nonlinear voltage waveform rising or falling nonlinearly to the scan electrode. The method of claim 4, wherein  And wherein the non-linear voltage waveform is applied to the scan electrode in at least one of a setup period and a set down period of the reset period. The method according to claim 4 or 5, And the nonlinear voltage waveform is a sinusoidal voltage waveform.

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