KR20060109546A - Plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A plasma display device and a driving method thereof are provided to stabilize discharge of a plasma display panel by increasing the width of scan pulse in a high gray scale sub field if an APL(Average Picture Level) is high and increasing the width of the scan pulse in a low gray scale sub field if the APL is low. A plasma display device includes a plasma display panel(800) having plural scan and sustain electrodes(Y1~Yn,Z) and plural address electrodes(X1~Xm) crossing the scan and sustain electrodes; driving units(802,803,804) for driving the electrodes; and a scan pulse control unit(801) for making the width of scan pulse applied to at least one of plural scan electrode groups including at least one scan electrode, different from the width of scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode groups according to a scanning order in one sub field of a frame by controlling the driving unit.

Description

Plasma display device and driving method thereof

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

2 is a view for explaining an arrangement structure of electrodes in a typical plasma display panel.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of implementing image gradation of a conventional plasma display panel.

4 is a view illustrating a driving waveform according to a driving method of a conventional plasma display panel.

5 is a view for explaining in more detail the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the address period in the conventional drive waveform.

6 is a diagram for explaining the width of a scan pulse applied to each scan electrode in an address period in a conventional drive waveform;

7 illustrates a width of a scan pulse applied to a scan electrode in each subfield of a frame in the conventional driving waveform of FIG. 7.

8 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a plasma display device of the present invention;

9 is In order to explain the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention, the scan electrodes Y ₁ to Yn formed in the plasma display panel are divided into four scan electrode groups.

Fig. 10 is a view for explaining a first embodiment of the method for driving a plasma display panel of the present invention.

11 is a view for explaining the width of the scan pulse adjusted in accordance with the scanning order in more detail.

Fig. 12 is a view for explaining an example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a view for explaining another example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of dividing scan electrodes formed on a plasma display panel into scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes;

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an average picture level (APL). FIG.

Fig. 16 is a view for explaining a second embodiment of the method for driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a view for explaining an example of adjusting widths of scan pulses in accordance with an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame; FIG.

FIG. 18 is a view for explaining another example of adjusting widths of scan pulses according to an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields within one frame; FIG.

19 is a view for explaining the width of a scan pulse in the remaining subfields except the low gray level subfield;

Fig. 20 is a view for explaining an example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the second embodiment of the method of driving a plasma display panel of the present invention.

Fig. 21 is a view for explaining another example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

Fig. 22 is a view for explaining an example where the average image level APL is high in the second embodiment of the method of driving a plasma display panel of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a view for explaining an example of adjusting widths of scan pulses in accordance with an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame; FIG.

24 is a diagram for explaining another example of adjusting the width of a scan pulse in accordance with an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame.

25 is a diagram for explaining the width of a scan pulse in the remaining subfields except for the high gray level subfield;

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

800: plasma display panel 801: scan pulse control unit

802: data driver 803: scan driver

804: sustain driver 805: drive voltage driver

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly, to a plasma display device and a driving method thereof for adjusting a width of a scan pulse in consideration of a scan order or an average image level (APL).

In general, a plasma display panel is a partition wall formed between a front panel and a rear panel to form one unit cell, and each cell includes neon (Ne), helium (He), or a mixture of neon and helium (Ne + He) and An inert gas containing the same main discharge gas and a small amount of xenon is 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 in FIG. 1, a plasma display panel includes a front panel in which a plurality of sustain electrode pairs formed by pairing a scan electrode 102 and a sustain electrode 103 are arranged on a front glass 101 that is a display surface on which an image is displayed. The rear panel 110 on which the plurality of address electrodes 113 are arranged so as to intersect the plurality of sustain electrode pairs on the back glass 111 forming the back surface 100 and the rear surface is coupled in parallel with a predetermined distance therebetween. .

The front panel 100 is made of a scan electrode 102 and a sustain electrode 103, that is, a transparent electrode (a) formed of a transparent ITO material and a metal material to mutually discharge and maintain light emission of the cells in one discharge cell. The scan electrode 102 and the sustain electrode 103 provided as the bus electrode b are included in pairs. The scan electrode 102 and the sustain electrode 103 are covered by one or more upper dielectric layers 104 that limit the discharge current and insulate the electrode pairs, and to facilitate the discharge conditions on the upper dielectric layer 104 top surface. A protective layer 105 on which magnesium oxide (MgO) is deposited is formed.

The rear panel 110 is arranged such that a plurality of discharge spaces, that is, barrier ribs 112 of a stripe type (or well type) for forming discharge cells are maintained in parallel. In addition, a plurality of address electrodes 113 which perform address discharge to generate vacuum ultraviolet rays are arranged in parallel with the partition wall 112. On the upper side of the rear panel 110, R, G, and B phosphors 114 which emit visible light for image display during address discharge are coated. A lower dielectric layer 115 is formed between the address electrode 113 and the phosphor 114 to protect the address electrode 113.

In the plasma display panel having such a structure, a plurality of discharge cells are formed in a matrix arrangement. Such a discharge cell is formed at a point where the scan electrode or the sustain electrode intersects the above-described address electrode. The electrode arrangement for forming the plurality of discharge cells in a matrix array structure is as follows.

2 is a view for explaining an arrangement structure of electrodes in a general plasma display panel.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in a typical plasma display panel 200, for example, scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and sustain electrodes Z1 to Zn are arranged side by side, and address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed to intersect with each other. do.

A predetermined driving signal is applied to each of the electrodes of the plasma display panel 200 having such an arrangement structure to implement an image.

A method of implementing image gradation in a general plasma display panel having such a structure is shown in FIG. 3.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of implementing image grayscale of a conventional plasma display panel.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the conventional method of expressing a gray level of a plasma display panel, a frame is divided into several subfields having different number of light emission times, and each subfield is again configured as a reset period (RPD) for initializing all cells. ) Is divided into an address period APD for selecting a cell to be discharged and a sustain period SPD for implementing gradation according to the number of discharges. For example, when displaying an image with 256 gray levels, a frame period (16.67 ms) corresponding to 1/60 second is divided into eight subfields SF1 to SF8 as shown in FIG. 3, and eight subfields. Each of the SFs SF1 to SF8 is divided 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.

4 is a diagram illustrating a driving waveform according to a driving method of a conventional plasma display panel.

As shown in Fig. 4, the plasma display panel erases the reset period for initializing all the cells, the address period for selecting the cells to be discharged, the sustain period for maintaining the discharge of the selected cells, and the wall charges in the discharged cells. It is divided into an erase period for driving.

In the reset period, the rising ramp waveform Ramp-up is applied to all the scan electrodes at the same time in the setup period. This rising ramp waveform causes 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.

During the set-down period, after the rising ramp waveform is supplied, the falling ramp waveform (Ramp-down) 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 inside, the wall charges excessively formed in the scan electrode are sufficiently erased. By this set-down discharge, wall charges such that address discharge can be stably generated remain uniformly in the cells.

In the address period, the negative scan pulses are sequentially applied to the scan electrodes, and the positive data pulses are applied to the address electrodes in synchronization with the scan pulses. As the voltage difference between the scan pulse and the data pulse and the wall voltage generated in the reset period are added, address discharge is generated in the discharge cell to which the data pulse 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 polarity voltage Vz during the set down period and the address period so as to reduce the voltage difference with the scan electrode so as to prevent mis-discharge with the scan electrode.

In the sustain period, a sustain pulse Su is applied to the scan electrode and the sustain electrodes alternately. In the cell selected by the address discharge, as the wall voltage and the sustain pulse 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 is applied.

After the sustain discharge is completed, in the erase period, a voltage of an erase ramp waveform Ramp-ers having a small pulse width and a low voltage level is supplied to the sustain electrode to erase the wall charge remaining in the cells of the full screen.

The scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the address period in the driving waveform is described in more detail as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 illustrates a scan pulse applied to a scan electrode in an address period in a conventional driving waveform in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the conventional driving waveform, scan pulses are sequentially applied to each scan electrode according to the arrangement order of the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a scan pulse is first applied to the Y1 scan electrode having the fastest arrangement order on the plasma display panel, and then a scan pulse of Y1 is applied to the Y2 scan electrode which is the next order.

Here, the widths of the scan pulses applied to the above-described scan electrodes Y1 to Yn are all set to the same, and the widths of the conventional scan pulses are as follows.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a width of a scan pulse applied to each scan electrode in an address period in a conventional driving waveform.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the driving waveform according to the conventional method of driving the plasma display panel, the widths of the scan pulses applied to the respective scan electrodes Y1 to Yn are set to be the same. For example, assuming that the width of the scan pulse applied to the Y1 scan electrode is W as shown in FIG. 6, the width of the scan pulse applied to the Y2 scan electrode is W and the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yn scan electrode is W.

As described above, if the widths of the scan pulses applied to the Y1 scan electrode with the faster scan order and the Yn scan electrode with the late scan order are the same on the plasma display panel as described above, Yn scan with a relatively late scan order is performed. There is a problem that the address discharge becomes unstable at the electrode. The reason why the address discharge becomes unstable in the Yn scan electrode is as follows.

In the electrode array structure of FIG. 2 described above, since the scan order of the Y1 scan electrode is relatively fast, the address discharge by the Y1 scan electrode occurs within a relatively fast time after the reset discharge occurring in the reset period. On the contrary, since the Yn scan electrode has a relatively late scan order, address discharge by the Yn scan electrode occurs after a relatively long time after the reset discharge occurring in the reset period.

On the other hand, immediately after the reset discharge, there are many priming particles generated by the reset discharge in the discharge cell. However, the number of such priming charges decreases with time in the discharge cell. Accordingly, as described above, in the case of the Yn electrode in which the address discharge occurs after a relatively long time after the reset discharge due to the relatively late scanning order, the address discharge may be caused by the lack of the number of priming charges present in the discharge cells. It does not weaken or even cause an address discharge. As a result, the address discharge becomes unstable in the Yn scan electrode having a relatively slow scan order.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, the width of the entire scan pulse is increased to stabilize the address discharge when the scan order is late, such as the aforementioned Yn scan electrode.

However, this method of increasing the width of the scan pulse unconditionally results in increasing the length of the address period. Accordingly, the length of the sustain period following the address period is reduced, and thus, the number of sustain pulses is reduced, resulting in a decrease in luminance realized when the plasma display panel is driven.

In addition, in the driving waveform according to the driving method of the conventional plasma display panel, the width of the scan pulse is the same in all subfields.

FIG. 7 illustrates a width of a scan pulse applied to a scan electrode in each subfield of a frame in the conventional driving waveform of FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the driving waveform according to the conventional plasma display panel driving method, assuming that one frame includes eight subfields, each subfield, that is, the eighth subfield from the first subfield. The scan pulse width is equal to W in all subfields up to the field.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 7, when one frame is divided into a plurality of subfields, each subfield has different weights, and thus gray level values are different. For example, one frame is divided into a subfield that implements a relatively high gradation due to a high weight and a subfield that implements a relatively low gradation by a low weight. Here, since the above-described subfields that implement the high gray level, for example, the eighth subfield as shown in FIG. 7 are relatively large in weight, are selected more frequently when the screen of the plasma display panel is bright, whereas the first subfield is relatively Since the weight is small, it is more frequently selected when the screen of the plasma display panel is dark. In other words, when the screen is bright, the eighth subfield having a relatively large weight is frequently selected, but the first subfield is not likely to be selected. Accordingly, when the screen is bright, even when the width of the scan pulse in the first subfield having a relatively low weight is relatively small, the entire discharge of the plasma display panel can be maintained in a stable state. However, in the related art, by applying the same scan pulse width to all subfields in a frame including subfields having different frequencies selected according to the difference in brightness of the screen, the length of the address period is unnecessarily increased, By reducing the length of the sustain period, there is a problem of causing a decrease in the number of sustain pulses and thus reducing the brightness of the plasma display panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma display device and a method of driving the same, which stabilize address discharge by adjusting the width of scan pulses applied to each scan electrode according to a scan order.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to adjust the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to the average image level (APL) of the present invention, so that a stable address discharge occurs even if the length of the address period is reduced. And a driving method thereof.

The present invention for achieving the above object is to control a plasma display panel including a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes, a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrodes and sustain electrodes, a driver and a driver for driving the electrodes The width of the scan pulse applied to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in one or more subfields of the frame according to the scanning order is the width of the scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode groups. It characterized in that it comprises a scan pulse controller to be different from.

Here, the above-described scan pulse controller is characterized in that at least one scan electrode group of the plurality of scan electrode groups includes a plurality of scan electrodes, the scanning order of the plurality of scan electrodes included in the scan electrode group is continuous in time. do.

The scan pulse controller may include a plurality of scan electrode groups including a first scan electrode group and a second scan electrode group having a slower scanning order than the first scan electrode group, and the scan pulse applied to the first scan electrode group. The width may be smaller than the width of the scan pulse applied to the second electrode group.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that the number of the scan electrode group is two or more, or less than the total number of scan electrodes.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that each scan electrode group includes the same number of scan electrodes.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that at least one of each scan electrode group includes a different number of the scan electrodes than other scan electrode groups.

In addition, the scan pulse control unit may apply scan pulses having the same width to all scan electrodes included in the same scan electrode group.

The scan pulse controller may be configured such that a difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses that are continuous in time and different in pulse width from among scan pulses applied to the plurality of scan electrode groups is the same.

The scan pulse controller may be configured such that a difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses which are continuous in time and different in pulse width from among scan pulses applied to the plurality of scan electrode groups is different from each other.

In addition, the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object is a plasma display panel for driving a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes crossing the scan electrode and the sustain electrode; A driving apparatus for driving electrodes, comprising: a driving unit for driving electrodes, and controlling the driving unit to apply to one or more scan electrode groups among a plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in a scan order in one or more subfields of a frame The scan pulse controller may include a scan pulse controller configured to have a width different from that of a scan pulse applied to another scan electrode group.

In addition, the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes that intersect the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, in one or more subfields of the frame The width of the scan pulse applied to at least one scan electrode group among the plurality of scan electrode groups including at least one scan electrode may be different from the width of the scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode group according to the scanning order.

In addition, the driving method of the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object is a frame in the driving method of a plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, The width of the scan pulse applied to at least one scan electrode group among the plurality of scan electrode groups including the at least one scan electrode in one or more subfields of the scan field is different from the width of the scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode group. It features.

In addition, the plasma display device of the present invention for achieving the above object is a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, a plurality of address electrodes that intersect the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, a driver and a driver for driving the electrodes The control unit may include a scan pulse controller configured to adjust a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to an average image level APL in at least one subfield of the frame.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the same subfield are all the same.

The scan pulse control unit may increase the width of the scan pulse of the low gray level subfield among the subfields as the average image level APL of the frame decreases.

The scan pulse control unit may increase the width of the scan pulses of the remaining subfields except the low gray level subfields as the average image level APL of the frame decreases.

The scan pulse control unit may include a plurality of low gray level subfields, and the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of low gray level subfields are the same.

In addition, the scan pulse controller may include a plurality of low gray level subfields, and at least one of the plurality of low gray level subfields may have different widths of the other low gray level subfields and the scan pulse.

The low gray level subfield may be a subfield having the number of sustain pulses of 20% or less of the number of sustain pulses of the subfield having the most sustain pulses in one frame.

The scan pulse control unit may increase the width of the scan pulse of the high gray level subfield among the subfields as the average image level APL of the frame increases.

In addition, the scan pulse controller may reduce the width of the scan pulses of the remaining subfields except the high gray level subfield as the average image level APL of the frame increases.

The scan pulse controller may be configured to have a plurality of high gray level subfields, and the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of high gray level subfields may be the same.

The scan pulse controller may include a plurality of high gray level subfields, and at least one of the plurality of high gray level subfields may have different widths of the other high gray level subfields and the scan pulse.

The high gray level subfield may be a subfield having the number of sustain pulses of 20% or more of the total number of sustain pulses supplied in one frame.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that the difference between the widths of the scan pulses of two consecutive subfields having scan pulses of different pulse widths among the subfields of the frame are the same.

In addition, the scan pulse controller is characterized in that the difference between the widths of the scan pulses of two consecutive subfields having scan pulses of different pulse widths among the subfields of the frame are different from each other.

In addition, the driving apparatus of the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object is a plasma display panel for driving a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes crossing the scan electrode and the sustain electrode; A driving apparatus for driving electrodes, comprising: a driving unit for driving electrodes and a scan pulse control unit for controlling a driving unit to adjust a width of a scan pulse applied to a scan electrode according to an average image level APL in one or more subfields of a frame. It is characterized by including.

In addition, the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes that intersect the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, in one or more subfields of the frame The width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode is adjusted according to the average image level APL.

In addition, the driving method of the plasma display panel of the present invention for achieving the above object is a frame in the driving method of a plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode, The width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode is adjusted according to the average image level APL in one or more subfields of.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a driving apparatus and method of a plasma display panel of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8 is a view for explaining the structure of the plasma display device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, the plasma display apparatus of the present invention includes scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and sustain electrodes Z, and a plurality of address electrodes X1 to Xm intersecting the scan electrodes and sustain electrodes Z. As shown in FIG. And a combination of at least one subfield in which a driving pulse is applied to the address electrodes X1 to Xm, the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, and the sustain electrode Z in the reset period, the address period and the sustain period. The plasma display panel 800 representing an image made of a frame, the data driver 802 for supplying data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm formed on the plasma display panel 800, and the scan electrodes Y1 to A scan driver 803 for driving Yn, a sustain driver 804 for driving the sustain electrodes Z serving as a common electrode, and a plasma display panel 800 for driving A scan pulse controller 801 for controlling the time scan driver 803, and a drive voltage generator 805 for supplying a driving voltage required for each of the drivers 802, 803, and 804.

As described above, the plasma display apparatus of the present invention represents an image made of a frame by a combination of at least one subfield in which a driving pulse is applied to the address electrode, the scan electrode, and the sustain electrode in the reset period, the address period, and the sustain period. And dividing the frame into a plurality of subfield groups, and controlling each of the driving units 802, 803, and 804 in the plurality of subfield groups to include one or more scan electrodes in one or more subfields of the frame in a scanning order. The width of the scan pulse applied to at least one scan electrode group of the scan electrode group of is different from the width of the scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode group. The reason for adjusting the width of the scan pulse in this way is made clear in the following description. In addition, the meaning of the above-mentioned scan electrode group is also clarified in the following description of the driving method of the plasma display panel.

Here, the above-described plasma display panel 800 is bonded to the front panel (not shown) and the rear panel (not shown) at regular intervals, and a plurality of electrodes, for example, scan electrodes (Y1 to Yn) and sustain. The electrodes Z are formed in pairs, and the address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed to intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrode Z.

The data driver 802 is subjected to inverse gamma correction and error diffusion by an inverse gamma correction circuit, an error diffusion circuit, and the like, and then data mapped to each subfield is supplied by the subfield mapping circuit. The data driver 802 samples and latches data in response to a data timing control signal CTRX from a timing controller (not shown), and then supplies the data to the address electrodes X1 to Xm.

The scan driver 803 supplies the rising ramp waveform Ramp-up and the falling ramp waveform Ramp-down to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn during the reset period under the control of the scan pulse controller 801. In addition, the scan driver 803 sequentially supplies the scan pulse Sp of the scan voltage (-Vy) to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn during the address period under the control of the scan pulse controller 801, and maintains the sustain period. In the meantime, the sustain pulse SUS is supplied to the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn.

The sustain driver 804 supplies a bias voltage of the sustain voltage Vs to the sustain electrodes Z during a period in which a ramp ramp down occurs and an address period under the control of a timing controller (not shown). Alternately with the scan driver 803 during the sustain period, the sustain pulse SUS is supplied to the sustain electrodes Z.

The scan pulse controller 801 generates a timing control signal CTRY for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 803 in the reset period, the address period, and the sustain period, and transmits the timing control signal CTRY to the scan driver ( The scan driver 803 is controlled by supplying it to 803. In particular, the scan driver 801 controls the scan driver 803 described above in one or more subfields of the frame and applies the scan driver 803 to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in a scanning order. The width of the scan pulse to be different from the width of the scan pulse applied to the other scan electrode group.

The data control signal CTRX described above includes a sampling clock for latching data, a latch control signal, a switch control signal for controlling on / off time of the energy recovery circuit and the driving switch element. The scan control signal CTRY includes an energy recovery circuit in the scan driver 803 and a switch control signal for controlling on / off time of the driving switch element. The sustain control signal CTRZ includes energy in the sustain driver 804. A switch control signal for controlling the on / off time of the recovery circuit and the drive switch element is included.

The driving voltage generator 805 generates a setup voltage Vsetup, a scan common voltage Vscan-com, a scan voltage -Vy, a sustain voltage Vs, a data voltage Vd, and the like. These driving voltages may vary depending on the composition of the discharge gas or the structure of the discharge cell.

Although not shown, another plasma display device of the present invention has the same structure as the plasma display device of the present invention shown in FIG. However, the scan pulse controller 801 generates a predetermined control signal for controlling the operation timing and synchronization of the scan driver 803 in the address period, and supplies the timing control signal to the scan driver 803 to scan driver 803. ), As well as the scan driver 803 for controlling a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to an average picture level (APL) in one or more subfields of the frame. ) Is applied.

The function of another plasma display device of the present invention having such a structure will become more apparent in the following description of the driving method.

Looking at the various embodiments of the driving method performed by the plasma display device of the present invention having such a structure as follows.

First, the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention divides the scan electrodes on the plasma display panel into a plurality of scan electrode groups, and scans at an address period in at least one scan electrode group of the divided scan electrode groups. The width of the scan pulse applied to the electrode is different from that of the other scan electrode groups. To this end, an example of a method of dividing the scan electrodes into a plurality of scan electrode groups will be described as follows.

9 is In order to explain the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention, the scan electrodes Y ₁ to Yn formed in the plasma display panel are divided into four scan electrode groups.

As shown in FIG. 9, the scan electrodes Y ₁ to Yn of the plasma display panel 900 are, for example, Ya electrode groups Ya ₁ to Ya (n) / 4) 901 and Yb electrode groups Yb. (n + 1) / 4 to Yb (2n) / 4) 902; Yc electrode group (Yc (2n + 1) / 4 to Yc (3n) / 4) 903 and Yd electrode group Yd (3n +1) / 4 to Yd (n)) 904. The number of scan electrode groups described above may be set between 2 ≦ N ≦ (n−1) when the number of scan electrodes is at least two to less than the maximum number of scan electrodes, that is, the total number of scan electrodes is n. have.

Here, all scan electrodes included in one scan electrode group have a continuous scan order. In other words, a predetermined number of scan electrodes are bundled and set as a scan electrode group in the scanning order. For example, in the case of FIG. 9, the Ya scan electrode group includes a scan electrode from the Ya1 scan electrode to the Ya (n / 4) scan electrode, and the Yb scan electrode group is a Yb ((n + 1) / 4) scan electrode. To Yb (2n / 4) scan electrodes, where the scan order is the Ya1 scan electrode of the Ya scan electrode group, the fastest is Ya2, and then the scan order is Ya3 ... Ya ((n-1) / 4), Ya (n / 4), Yb ((n + 1) / 4) ... Yb ((2n-1) / 4), Yb (2n / 4 ).

In FIG. 9, the number of scan electrodes included in each scan electrode group 901, 902, 903, and 904 is the same, but the number of scan electrodes included in each scan electrode group 901, 902, 903, and 904 is the same. It is also possible to set the different from each other. The number of scan electrode groups can also be adjusted. As described above, an example of changing the number of scan electrodes included in each scan electrode group or adjusting the number of scan electrode groups will be described in detail later.

A first embodiment of a driving method of a plasma display panel in which scan electrodes of a plasma display panel are divided into a plurality of scan electrode groups and driven by dividing into four scan electrode groups as shown in FIG. 9 is as follows.

10 is a view for explaining a first embodiment of a method of driving a plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention includes four scan electrode groups, that is, a Ya scan electrode group and a Yb scan, as shown in FIG. 9. When dividing into an electrode group, a Yc scan electrode group, and a Yd scan electrode group, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in one or more of the four scan electrode groups described above is adjusted according to the scanning order. That is, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode from one or more of the four scan electrode groups is different from that of the other scan electrode groups.

For example, assuming that scan electrodes are arranged in the same order as in FIG. 9 on the plasma display panel, and scan pulses are sequentially applied according to the arrangement order as shown in FIG. 9, the scan order in FIG. The scan pulse applied to the Ya scan electrode group including the scan electrodes from the fast Y1 scan electrode to the Ya1 scan electrode, that is, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes from the Y1 scan electrode to the Ya1 scan electrode is the smallest as W1.

Next, a scan pulse applied to the Yb scan electrode group including the scan electrodes from the Yb1 scan electrode to the Yb (n / 4) scan electrode, which is later than the scan electrodes included in the Ya scan electrode group, that is, Yb1. The width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode from the scan electrode to the Yb (n / 4) scan electrode is W2 larger than the above-described W1. In this manner, the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yc electrode group is W3 larger than the above-described W2, and the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yd electrode group is W4 larger than the above-described W3. In other words, the relationship W1 < W2 < W3 < W4 is established between the aforementioned scan pulses.

Thus, scan pulses having a relatively small pulse width are applied to a scan electrode group having a relatively fast scan order, and scan pulses having a relatively large pulse width are applied to a scan electrode group having a relatively slow scan order. same.

The fact that the scan order is fast means that the address discharge occurs within a relatively fast time after the reset discharge occurring in the reset period. In addition, immediately after the reset discharge, there are many priming particles generated by the reset discharge in the discharge cell. As a result, an address discharge of sufficient intensity is generated even when a scan pulse having a relatively small pulse width is applied to the scan electrode having a faster scan order.

On the other hand, the late scan order means that the address discharge occurs after a relatively long time after the reset discharge occurring in the reset period. Here, the number of the priming charges described above is reduced in the discharge cell over time. Accordingly, a scan pulse having a relatively large pulse width is applied to a scan electrode where an address discharge occurs after a relatively long time after the reset discharge due to a relatively slow scan order, thereby reducing the number of priming charges present in the discharge cell. The shortage prevents the address discharge from weakening or even preventing the address discharge from occurring.

As described above, the scan pulse whose pulse width is adjusted in accordance with the scanning order will be described in more detail as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for describing a width of a scan pulse adjusted according to a scan order in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 11, the width of the scan pulse applied to the Ya scan electrode group including the scan electrodes having a relatively fast scan order is W1, and the scan order is later than that of the Ya scan electrode group described above. The width of the scan pulse applied to the Yb scan electrode group is set to W2 rather than W1 described above. In this manner, the widths of the scan pulses applied to the Yc scan electrode group and the Yd scan electrode group are determined, and the difference in pulse widths between the scan pulses may be set to be the same or different from each other.

First, an example in which the difference in width between scan pulses having different pulse widths is the same will be described with reference to FIG. 12.

12 is a view for explaining an example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 12, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses in which the scan order is continuous and having different pulse widths are all set equal. For example, assuming that the width of the scan pulse applied to the Ya scan electrode group is W, the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yb scan electrode group is W + d, and the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yc scan electrode group is W. The width of the scan pulse applied to the + 2d, Yd scan electrode group is W + 3d. That is, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses in which the scan order is continuous and the pulse widths are all the same is d.

Alternatively, the difference between two scan pulse widths in which the scan order is continuous and the pulse widths are different may be set differently. Looking at such a driving waveform, it is shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining another example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 13, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses in which the scan order is continuous and having different pulse widths is set different from each other. For example, assuming that the width of the scan pulse applied to the Ya scan electrode group is W, the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yb scan electrode group is W + d, and the width of the scan pulse applied to the Yc scan electrode group is W. The width of the scan pulse applied to the + 3d and Yd scan electrode groups is W + 7d. That is, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses in which the scan order is continuous and the pulse widths are different from each other is d or 2d or 4d.

In the above description, only one example of driving the scan electrodes on the plasma display panel by dividing the scan electrodes into a plurality of scan electrode groups including the same number of scan electrodes is illustrated and described. A different number of scan electrodes may be included. An example of classifying scan electrode groups is as follows.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for describing an example of dividing scan electrodes formed on a plasma display panel into one or more scan electrode groups including different numbers of scan electrodes.

As shown in FIG. 14, assuming that the total number of scan electrodes of the plasma display panel 1400 is 100, such scan electrodes Y ₁ to Y ₁₀₀ may be, for example, Ya scan electrode groups Y ₁ to Y ₁₀ ( 1401, Yb scan electrode groups (Y11 to Y15) 1402, Yc scan electrode groups (Y16) 1403, Yd scan electrode groups (Y17 to Y60) 1404, and Y scan electrode groups (Y61 to Y100) ( 1405). As described above, each scan electrode group includes a different number of scan electrodes.

Here, the aforementioned Yc scan electrode group is a scan electrode group including only one scan electrode, that is, one Y16 scan electrode, and unlike one scan electrode group, one scan electrode forms one scan electrode group.

As described above, except in the case where one scan electrode forms one scan electrode group, all scan electrodes included in the scan electrode group have a continuous scan order. In other words, in the case where one scan electrode group includes a plurality of scan electrodes, for example, Y1, Y2, and Y3 scan electrodes, the scan order of the Y1 scan electrode, the Y2 scan electrode, and the Y3 scan electrode in the scan electrode group are different. It is continuous.

Here, when a plurality of scan electrodes are included in one scan electrode group, all scan electrodes included in the scan electrode group have a continuous scan order as shown in FIG. 9. In other words, a predetermined number of scan electrodes are bundled and set as a scan electrode group in the scanning order.

Here, each scan electrode group includes a different number of scan electrodes. Alternatively, only a predetermined number of scan electrode groups selected from the plurality of scan electrode groups may include a different number of scan electrodes from other scan electrode groups. For example, in the case of FIG. 14, the Ya scan electrode group includes 10 scan electrodes in which the scan order is continuous, and the Yb scan electrode group includes another 10 scan electrodes in the scan order which is continuous. The Yc scan electrode group, the Yd scan electrode group, the Ye scan electrode group, and the Yf scan electrode group each include 20 scan electrodes each having a continuous scan order.

In the scan electrode groups classified as described above, the width of the scan pulse is adjusted according to the scanning order as shown in FIG. 10. Since the method for adjusting the scan pulse width in the scan electrode group has already been described in detail with reference to FIG. 10, redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

As described in detail above, a relatively small pulse width scan pulse is applied to a scan electrode group having a fast scan order, and a relatively large pulse width scan pulse is applied to a scan electrode group having a late scan order. While suppressing an increase in the length of the entire address period in the subfield of, the discharge of the entire plasma display panel is stabilized by preventing the address discharge from becoming unstable due to the lack of priming particles in the scan electrode group having a late scanning order.

In the first embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention, the width of the scan pulse applied from one or more scan electrode groups in one subfield is adjusted according to the scanning order. It is also possible to adjust the width of the scan pulses of one or more subfields according to the overall screen brightness of the display panel. This driving method is the same as the second embodiment of the driving method of the plasma display panel of the present invention.

The second embodiment of the driving method of the plasma display panel of the present invention adjusts the width of the scan pulses of one or more subfields according to the overall screen brightness of the plasma display panel, that is, the average image level (APL). In order to facilitate understanding of the second embodiment of the method, the above-described average image level APL will first be described with reference to FIG. 15.

15 is a diagram for explaining an average picture level (APL).

As shown in FIG. 15, the number of sustain pulses decreases as the value of the average image level APL increases, and the number of sustain pulses increases as the value of the average image level APL decreases. For example, when an image is displayed only on a portion of a relatively small area on the screen of the plasma display panel, that is, when the area where the image is displayed is relatively small (in this case, the APL level is relatively small). Since the number of discharge cells contributing to the display is relatively small, a relatively large number of sustain pulses are applied to each of the discharge cells contributing to the image display, thereby reducing the total amount of power consumption of the plasma display panel. In addition, the overall image quality of the plasma display panel is improved by increasing the luminance of the portion where the image is displayed.

On the contrary, when the image is displayed only in a relatively large area on the screen of the plasma display panel, that is, when the area where the image is displayed is relatively large (in this case, the APL level is relatively large), it contributes to the image display. Since the number of discharge cells is relatively large, a relatively small number of sustain pulses are applied to each of the discharge cells contributing to the image display, thereby reducing the total power consumption of the plasma display panel.

In this way, when an image is displayed in a relatively large area on the screen of the plasma display panel, power consumption is reduced by reducing the number of sustain pulses supplied to each discharge cell, and also relatively on the screen of the plasma display panel. When an image is displayed in a small area, the number of sustain pulses supplied to each discharge cell is increased to compensate for the decrease in overall luminance, thereby reducing power consumption while suppressing the decrease in luminance realized in the entire plasma display panel. will be.

A second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel according to the present invention to which the average image level is applied will be described with reference to FIG. 16.

16 is a view for explaining a second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 16, the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention adjusts the pulse width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to the average image level APL in one or more subfields of the frame. do. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, when the average image level is low, that is, when the area of the image is displayed on the screen of the plasma display panel is small (the number of sustain pulses applied to one discharge cell per unit gray scale is large). A subfield that implements low gradation due to a low weight in a frame of (hereinafter, referred to as a low gradation subfield), for example, the width W1 of a scan pulse applied from the first subfield to the scan electrode is transferred from the other subfield to the scan electrode. It is made larger than the width W2 of the applied scan pulse.

For example, assuming that one frame includes eight subfields as shown in FIG. 16, the width W1 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the first subfield among these subfields is changed to another subfield, that is, the second subfield. The width W2 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the subfield from the field to the eighth subfield is made larger.

As such, the reason why the width of the scan pulse in the low gray level subfield that implements the low gray level is relatively higher in one frame having a lower average picture level APL than the other subfields is because In the low case, since the area on which the image is displayed on the screen of the plasma display panel is relatively small, the low gray level subfield that implements the low gray level with low weight is selected more frequently than the high gray level subfield. Therefore, the width of the scan pulse of the low gray level subfield, which is more frequently selected when the average image level APL is low, is increased to stabilize the total discharge of the plasma display panel.

Also, the scan pulse is increased in a frequency subfield selected in a frame including subfields having different frequencies selected according to the difference of the average image level APL, and the scan is performed in a subfield selected in a low frequency. By reducing the width of the pulse, it is possible to stabilize the total discharge of the plasma display panel while preventing the decrease in the luminance of the plasma display panel due to the decrease in the number of sustain pulses caused by the increase in the length of the unnecessary address period.

Here, it is preferable that scan pulses applied to all subfields in one frame have the same pulse width.

Here, in FIG. 16, the number of low gray level subfields in which the width of the scan pulse is larger than the other subfields in one frame when the average image level APL is relatively small is set to one. It is also possible to include a plurality of low gray level subfields in the drawing. Referring to FIG.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an example in which the widths of scan pulses are adjusted in accordance with an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame.

As shown in FIG. 17, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes of the first, second, and third subfields in one frame is different from that of the other subfields, that is, the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 subfields. Greater than the scan pulse. The case of FIG. 17 is a case where the average image level APL is relatively low as shown in FIG. 16, and a low gradation subfield that is frequently selected when the average image level APL is relatively low, that is, the first, The width of the scan pulses in the 2 and 3 subfields is made larger than the other subfields.

Here, the aforementioned low gray level subfield may be set based on the number of sustain pulses. For example, the low gray level subfield is preferably a subfield having the number of sustain pulses of 20% or less of the number of the sustain pulses of the subfield having the most sustain pulses in one frame. For example, assuming that a subfield having the most sustain pulses in one frame has a total of 1000 sustain pulses, a subfield having 200 or less sustain pulses is set as a low gray level subfield. Applying this criterion to FIG. 17, the first, second, and third subfields of FIG. 17 are subfields having 200 or less sustain pulses.

In the above-described driving waveform of FIG. 17, the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address periods of the plurality of subfields set to the low gray level subfield are all set to be the same, but differently, the plurality of subs set to the low gray level subfield are different. The widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address period in the field may be set differently. This will be described with reference to FIG. 18.

FIG. 18 is a diagram for describing another example of adjusting widths of scan pulses according to an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame.

As shown in FIG. 18, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes of the first, second, and third subfields in one frame is the other subfield, that is, the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 subfields. The scan pulses are larger than the scan pulses, and, unlike FIG. 17, the widths of the scan pulses of the first subfield, the widths of the second subfields, and the widths of the third subfields are different from each other. Here, the subfields having different widths of the scan pulses, that is, the first, second, and third subfields larger than the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields, are low gray level subfields.

Here, even in the first, second, and third subfields, in which the width of the scan pulse is relatively large, the width of the scan pulse of the first subfield having the smallest gray scale value is the largest with W1, and then the second subfield. The scan pulse of has a width of W2, and the scan pulse of the scan pulse of the third subfield then has a width of W3. Further, the scan pulses of the remaining subfields, i.e., the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, subfields have a width of W4 smaller than the aforementioned W1 or W2 or W3.

Here, in FIG. 18, only a plurality of low gray subfields have different scan pulse widths in the case where there are a plurality of low gray subfields, but differently, a predetermined number of low gray subfields among the plurality of low gray subfields is different. May be selected and the width of the scan pulse in the selected low gray level subfield may be different from other low gray level subfields. For example, referring to FIG. 18, the width of the scan pulse of the first subfield among the low gradation subfields is W1, and the width of the scan pulse of the remaining low gradation subfields, that is, the second and third subfields. May be set equal to W2.

In the above description of the first embodiment of the driving method of the present invention, only the case where the widths of the scan pulses are set smaller than the low gray level subfield and the same in all the subfields except the low gray level subfield among the subfields of one frame is set to be the same. Although illustrated and described, one or more other subfields other than the low gray level subfield may have scan pulses having different pulse widths, which will be described with reference to FIG. 19.

19 is a diagram for describing a width of a scan pulse in the remaining subfields except the low gray level subfield.

As shown in FIG. 19, one or more subfields in the remaining subfields except the low gray level subfield in one frame have scan pulses having different pulse widths.

For example, as shown in FIG. 19, the width of the scan pulse of the fourth subfield having the smallest gray scale value is the largest among the remaining subfields except for the low gray level subfield, and the width of the next scan subfield of the fifth subfield is Wa. Wb smaller than Wa described above, and in this manner the width of the scan pulse of the eighth subfield is Wc smaller than Wa or Wb described above. The width Wa or Wb or Wc of this scan pulse is smaller than W1 or W2 or W3 in FIG. 18 described above.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 16, 17, 18, and 19, the difference in pulse widths between scan pulses having different pulse widths in one frame may be set to be the same or different. First, a case in which the difference in pulse widths between scan pulses having different pulse widths in one frame is the same is illustrated in FIG. 20.

20 is a view for explaining an example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 20, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses having different pulse widths are all set the same. For example, in this case, when the average picture level (APL) is relatively low, two scans having different pulse widths when the width of the scan pulse of the low gray level subfield is larger than the other subfields in one frame The difference in pulse widths between the pulses, for example, the difference in pulse widths between the scan pulse width W1 of the first subfield and the scan pulse width W2 of the second subfield, and the scan pulse width W2 and the third subfield of the second subfield. The difference in the pulse width between the scan pulse width W3 of the field and the difference in the pulse width between the scan pulse width W3 of the third subfield and the width W4 of the scan pulse of the fourth subfield are the same. In the case where the width of the scan pulse is different for each subfield in the remaining subfields except for the low gray level subfield in FIG. 19, the difference between Wa and Wb and the difference between Wb and Wc are the same.

In more detail, assuming that the width of the scan pulse applied in the first subfield is W as shown in FIG. 20, the width of the scan pulse applied in the second subfield is W + d and the scan pulse applied in the third subfield. Is the width of W + 2d, and the width of the scan pulse applied in the fourth subfield is W + 3d. The difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses having different pulse widths is all equal to d.

Unlike this, the difference between two scan pulse widths having different pulse widths may be set differently from each other. The driving waveforms are as follows.

21 is a view for explaining another example of the difference in pulse width between scan pulses in the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 21, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses having different pulse widths is set differently from each other. 21 is basically the same except that the difference in pulse width between the scan pulse and the case of FIG. 20 is different.

For example, assuming that the width of the scan pulse applied in the first subfield is W, the width of the scan pulse applied in the second subfield is W + d, and the width of the scan pulse applied in the third subfield is W. + 3d, the width of the scan pulse applied in the fourth subfield is W + 7d. That is, the difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses having different pulse widths is different from each other by d or 2d or 4d.

Meanwhile, although only the case where the average image level APL is low has been described and described above, a case where the average image level APL is high will be described with reference to FIG. 22.

FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining an example where the average image level APL is high in the second embodiment of the method of driving the plasma display panel of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 22, the second embodiment of the method for driving the plasma display panel of the present invention adjusts the pulse width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to the average image level APL in one or more subfields of the frame. In this case, when the aforementioned average image level (APL) is high, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the address period in the high gray level subfield that is relatively high in weight and high gray level is larger than other subfields. .

For example, as described above, when the average image level APL is high, that is, when the area of the image is displayed on the screen of the plasma display panel is large (the number of sustain pulses applied to one discharge cell per unit gray scale is small). The subfield that implements high gradation in one frame (which is called high gradation subfield), for example, the width W2 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the eighth subfield It is made larger than the width W1 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode.

For example, assuming that one frame is composed of eight subfields as shown in FIG. 22, the width W2 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the eighth subfield among these subfields is changed to another subfield, that is, the first subfield. The width W1 of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in the subfield from the field to the seventh subfield is made larger.

As such, the reason why the width of the scan pulse in the high gradation subfield that implements the high gradation is higher than that of the other subfields in one frame having the high average image level APL is higher than the other subfields. In the case where the image is displayed on the screen of the plasma display panel in the case of high, the high gray level subfields having high weight are selected more frequently than the low gray level subfield. Therefore, the width of the scan pulse of the high gradation subfield, which is more frequently selected when the average image level APL is high, is increased to stabilize the total discharge of the plasma display panel.

In addition, the scan pulse is increased in the high frequency subfield selected in a frame including subfields having different frequencies selected according to the difference of the average image level (APL), and the scan in the low selected frequency subfield is performed. By reducing the width of the pulse, it is possible to stabilize the total discharge of the plasma display panel while preventing the decrease in the luminance of the plasma display panel due to the decrease in the number of sustain pulses caused by the increase in the length of the unnecessary address period.

Here, it is preferable that scan pulses applied to all subfields in one frame have the same pulse width.

Here, in FIG. 22, the number of high gray level subfields is set to be one frame larger than the other subfields in one frame when the average image level APL is relatively high. It is also possible to include a plurality of high gray level subfields within the apparatus. A driving method thereof will be described with reference to FIG. 23.

FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining an example in which the widths of scan pulses are adjusted in accordance with an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields in one frame.

As shown in FIG. 23, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes of the sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields in one frame is different from that of the other subfields, that is, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 subfields. Greater than the scan pulse. The case of FIG. 23 is a case where the average image level APL is relatively high as shown in FIG. 22, and a high gradation subfield that is frequently selected when the average image level APL is relatively high, that is, the sixth, The width of the scan pulses in the 7, 8 subfields is made larger than the other subfields.

Here, the aforementioned high gray level subfield may be set based on the number of sustain pulses. For example, such a high gray level subfield is preferably a subfield having the number of sustain pulses of 20% or more of the total number of sustain pulses supplied in one frame. For example, assuming a total of 2000 sustain pulses in one frame, a subfield having more than 400 sustain pulses is set as a high gray subfield. Applying this criterion to FIG. 23, the sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields of FIG. 23 are subfields having 400 or more sustain pulses.

In the above-described driving waveforms of FIG. 23, the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes are set to be the same in the address periods of the plurality of subfields set as the high gray level subfields. The widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the address period in the field may be set differently. Looking at it as shown in FIG.

FIG. 24 is a diagram for describing another example of adjusting widths of scan pulses according to an average image level APL in a plurality of subfields within one frame.

As shown in FIG. 24, the width of the scan pulse applied to the scan electrodes of the sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields in one frame is different from that of the other subfields, that is, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 subfields. The scan pulse is larger than the scan pulse. Here, unlike in FIG. 23, the width of the scan pulse of the sixth subfield, the width of the seventh subfield, and the width of the eighth subfield are different from each other. Here, the subfields having different widths of the scan pulses, that is, the sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields larger than the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth subfields, are high gray level subfields.

Here, even within the sixth, seventh, and eighth subfields of which the width of the scan pulse is relatively large, the width of the scan pulse of the eighth subfield having the largest gray value is the largest as W4, and the next seventh subfield. The scan pulse of has a width of W3, and the scan pulse of the scan pulse of the sixth subfield has a width of W2. Further, the scan pulses of the remaining subfields, that is, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth subfields, have a width of W1 smaller than the above-described W4 or W3 or W2.

Here, in FIG. 24, only the high gray subfields have different scan pulse widths in the case where there are a plurality of high gray subfields. However, a different number of high gray subfields among the plurality of high gray subfields is different. You can select and select the width of the scan pulse in this high gray subfield different from other high gray subfields. For example, referring to FIG. 24, the width of the scan pulse of the eighth subfield among the high gray level subfields is W3, and the width of the scan pulse of the remaining high gray level subfields, that is, the sixth and seventh subfields. May be set equal to W2.

In the above description of the second embodiment of the driving method of the present invention, only the case where the widths of the scan pulses are set smaller than the high gray subfield and the same in all the subfields except the high gray subfield among the subfields of one frame is set to be the same. Although illustrated and described, one or more other subfields except the high gray level subfield may have scan pulses having different pulse widths, which will be described with reference to FIG. 25.

FIG. 25 is a diagram for describing a width of a scan pulse in the remaining subfields except for the high gray level subfield.

As shown in FIG. 25, one or more subfields in the remaining subfields except the high gray level subfield in one frame have scan pulses having different pulse widths.

For example, as shown in FIG. 25, the width of the scan pulse of the first subfield having the smallest gray scale value is the smallest as Wa among the remaining subfields except for the high gray level subfield, and the width of the scan pulse of the second subfield is smaller than Wa. Wb larger than Wa described above, and in this manner the width of the scan pulse of the fifth subfield is Wc larger than Wa or Wb described above. The width Wa or Wb or Wc of this scan pulse is smaller than W2 or W3 or W4 in FIG. 24 described above.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 22, 23, 24, and 25, a difference in pulse widths between scan pulses having different pulse widths within one frame may be set to be the same or different. First, in the case where the difference in pulse widths between scan pulses having different pulse widths in one frame is the same as in FIG. 20 described above, overlapping description will be omitted.

In addition, in the case where the difference between two scan pulse widths having different pulse widths is set to be different from each other, the description that is the same as in the case of FIG. 21 described above and overlaps will be omitted.

As described in detail above, when the average image level APL is low according to the size of the average image level APL, a scan pulse having a relatively large pulse width is applied in the low gray level subfield, and the average image level APL is applied. In this case, by applying a scan pulse having a relatively large pulse width in the high gradation subfield, it is possible to prevent an increase in the length of the address period while maintaining a stable state of the entire discharge of the plasma display panel.

As such, the technical configuration of the present invention described above can 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 appended claims rather than the foregoing detailed description, and the meaning and scope of the claims are as follows. 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 in detail above, the present invention adjusts the width of a scan pulse applied to a plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in one subfield according to the scanning order, and also provides an average image level (APL). By increasing the scan pulse width in the high gradation subfield when the average image level is high, and increasing the width of the scan pulse in the low gradation subfield when the average image level is low, the entire discharge of the plasma display panel is stabilized. By reducing the length of the address period, the number of sustain pulses applied in the sustain period is increased, thereby increasing the luminance realized when the plasma display panel is driven.

Claims (29)

A plasma display panel including a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the plurality of scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes; A driving unit for driving the electrodes; And By controlling the driving unit, a width of a scan pulse applied to one or more scan electrode groups among a plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in one or more subfields of a frame is applied to another scan electrode group. A scan pulse controller configured to be different from a width of the scanned pulse; Plasma display device comprising a. The method of claim 1, The scan pulse controller At least one scan electrode group of the plurality of scan electrode groups includes a plurality of scan electrodes, and the scanning order of the plurality of scan electrodes included in the scan electrode group is continuous in time. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller The plurality of scan electrode groups includes a first scan electrode group and a second scan electrode group having a slower scanning order than the first scan electrode group, and the width of the scan pulse applied to the first scan electrode group is equal to the first scan electrode group. Plasma display device to be smaller than the width of the scan pulse applied to the two electrode group. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And the number of scan electrode groups is two or more and less than or equal to the total number of scan electrodes. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And each scan electrode group includes the same number of scan electrodes. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And at least one of each of the scan electrode groups includes a different number of scan electrodes than other scan electrode groups. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And scanning pulses having the same width to all the scan electrodes included in the same scan electrode group. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And a difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses that are temporally continuous and have different pulse widths among scan pulses applied to the plurality of scan electrode groups. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The scan pulse controller And a difference in pulse widths between two scan pulses which are continuous in time and different in pulse width from among the scan pulses applied to the plurality of scan electrode groups. A driving apparatus of a plasma display panel for driving a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. A driving unit for driving the electrodes; By controlling the driving unit, a width of a scan pulse applied to one or more scan electrode groups among a plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more scan electrodes in one or more subfields of a frame is applied to another scan electrode group. A scan pulse controller configured to be different from a width of the scanned pulse; Driving apparatus for a plasma display panel comprising a. A plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. In one or more subfields of the frame, the widths of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more of the scan electrodes are equal to the widths of the scan pulses applied to the other scan electrode groups. Plasma display panel characterized in that different. A driving method of a plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. In one or more subfields of the frame, the widths of the scan pulses applied to one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups including one or more of the scan electrodes are equal to the widths of the scan pulses applied to the other scan electrode groups. A method of driving a plasma display panel characterized by another thing. A plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode; A driving unit for driving the electrodes; And A scan pulse controller configured to control the driver to adjust a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to an average image level APL in at least one subfield of a frame; Plasma display device comprising a. The method of claim 13, The scan pulse controller And the widths of the scan pulses applied to the scan electrodes in the same subfield are the same. The method of claim 13, The scan pulse controller And the width of the scan pulse of the low gray level subfield among the subfields increases as the average image level APL of the frame decreases. The method of claim 15, The scan pulse controller And the width of the scan pulse of the remaining subfields other than the low gray level subfield decreases as the average image level APL of the frame decreases. The method of claim 15, The scan pulse controller And a plurality of low gray level subfields, and widths of scan pulses of the plurality of low gray level subfields are the same. The method of claim 15, The scan pulse controller And the plurality of low gray level subfields, wherein at least one of the plurality of low gray level subfields has a width different from that of another low gray level subfield and a scan pulse. The method of claim 15, The low gradation subfield is And a subfield having a number of the sustain pulses of 20% or less of the number of the sustain pulses of the subfield having the most sustain pulses in one frame. The method of claim 13, The scan pulse controller And the width of a scan pulse of a high gradation subfield among the subfields increases as the average image level APL of the frame increases. The method of claim 20, And a scan pulse width of the remaining subfields other than the high gray level subfield is reduced. The method of claim 20, The scan pulse controller And the plurality of high gray subfields, and the widths of the scan pulses of the plurality of high gray subfields are the same. The method of claim 20, The scan pulse controller And the plurality of high gray level subfields, wherein at least one of the plurality of high gray level subfields has a width different from that of another high gray level subfield and a scan pulse. The method of claim 20, The high gradation subfield is And a subfield having the number of sustain pulses of 20% or more of the total number of sustain pulses supplied in one frame. The method of claim 13, The scan pulse controller And a difference in widths of scan pulses of two consecutive subfields having scan pulses of different pulse widths among the subfields of the frame. The method of claim 13, The scan pulse controller And a difference in widths of scan pulses of two consecutive subfields having scan pulses of different pulse widths among the subfields of the frame are different from each other. A driving apparatus of a plasma display panel for driving a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. A driving unit for driving the electrodes; A scan pulse controller configured to control the driver to adjust a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to an average image level APL in at least one subfield of a frame; Driving apparatus for a plasma display panel comprising a. A plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. And adjusting a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode according to an average image level APL in at least one subfield of a frame. A driving method of a plasma display panel comprising a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrode and the sustain electrode. And a width of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in accordance with an average image level APL in at least one subfield of a frame.

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