US3808501A - Driving circuit for a plasma display panel comprising pnp and npn transistors - Google Patents

Driving circuit for a plasma display panel comprising pnp and npn transistors Download PDF

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US3808501A
US3808501A US00306843A US30684372A US3808501A US 3808501 A US3808501 A US 3808501A US 00306843 A US00306843 A US 00306843A US 30684372 A US30684372 A US 30684372A US 3808501 A US3808501 A US 3808501A
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electrodes
generating means
pnp
high frequency
transistors
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T Iwakawa
A Yano
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NEC Corp
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Nippon Electric Co Ltd
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/296—Driving circuits for producing the waveforms applied to the driving electrodes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09G—ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION
    • G09G3/00—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
    • G09G3/20—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
    • G09G3/22—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources
    • G09G3/28—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels
    • G09G3/288—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels
    • G09G3/297—Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters using controlled light sources using luminous gas-discharge panels, e.g. plasma panels using AC panels using opposed discharge type panels

Definitions

  • BSHMCT A circuit arrangement for driving a plasma display 30]
  • Foreign Application Pribrity Data panel comprises PNP and NPN transistors respectively N 17 197] J 46 92088 coupled to first and second electrodes of the panel. apan Responsive to control signals selected PNP transistors are turned on to deliver high frequency pulses from a [52] US CL 315/169 307/255 gig DC.
  • This invention relates to a driving circuit for a plasma display panel and, more particularly, to a circuit arrangement responsive to control signals for driving a plasma display panel from an electric power source in accordance with time division principles.
  • a plasma display panel generally comprises a thin glass plate having a plurality of bores at predetermined places and two thin glass plates closely disposed on both sides of the perforated glass plate.
  • the three stacked glass plates are sealed together around the periphery thereof.
  • the inside of the bores is evacuated and then filled with neon or a like inert gas or gases.
  • Line (column) and row electrodes, called an electrode matrix in their ensemble, are arranged on the respective sides of the stacked glass plates in a manner such that the line and row electrodes cross each other at the locations of the bores.
  • a panel in practical use may comprise a relatively thick glass plate instead of each of the outside two of the abovementioned three glass plates; line and row electrodes disposed on the inside surfaces of the respective relatively thick glass plates; and thin glass or other dielectric films coated on the exposed faces of the line and row electrodes.
  • the central glass plate may be dispensed with.
  • a plasma display panel may comprise a plurality of paired segment electrodes instead of the matrix type electrode.
  • such a plasma display panel comprises a plurality of opposing electrodes arranged to define a coplanar array of plasma discharge cells on both sides of the array at the outside of the cells, with each pair of the opposing electrodes arranged in registration either with a cell or with several preselected cells.
  • a plasma present panel may be driven to display a desired display in a time division fashion.
  • the panel may be assumed to have matrix type electrodes.
  • either the line or the row electrodes are line-scanned by a group of several successive pulses of a predetermined height.
  • a similar group of pulses is applied with the reversed polarity to the selected one of the opposing electrodes. Discharge occurs thereby through the cell or cells sandwiched between the selected electrodes.
  • the wave form of the discharge current fiowing through the plasma discharge cell depends on the output impedance of the driving circuit for the plasma display panel and that the luminance of the discharge depends on the form of the discharge current. If the output impedance is sufficiently small compared with the impedance of the cell in the state of discharge, the form of the discharge current is determined only by the'characters of the cell. For ex ample, the discharge current is of the form of a pulse having a peak and a pulse width of about 0.1 microsecend. In a case where the output impedance of the driving circuit is relatively large, the discharge current is suppressed by the voltage drop introduced by the output impedance to lower the peak value of the discharge current and to widen the pulse width.
  • the current wave form further depends on that slope of the pulse voltage which appears at the start of the discharge. If the slope is steeper, the peak value of the current becomes higher. On the other hand, the luminance of the discharge is almost proportional to the peak value of the discharge current. Accordingly, it is desirable that the driving circuit for applying the pulse voltage to the cells be of low output impedance and that the'slope of the discharge starting pulse be as great as possible.
  • a circuit arrangement for driving a plasma display panel having first electrodes and opposing second electrodes from an electric power source and control signal generating means comprises a plurality of PNP transistors and a like number of NPN transistors.
  • the collector electrodes of the PNP transistors are coupled to the respective first electrodes.
  • the collector electrodes of the NPN transistors are coupled to the respective second electrodes.
  • the control signal generating means generates control signals having high frequency components which are selectively applied to a pair of the PNP and NPN transistors to make the pair turn on (i.e., conduct).
  • the selected pair of PNP and NPN transistors cooperates to deliver high frequency pulse voltage from the power source means to the first and second electrodes coupled to their collector electrodes.
  • the driving circuit While supplying the high frequency pulses across a selected plasma discharge cell of the plasma display panel, the driving circuit presents only negligible output impedance because of the conduction of the selected NPN and NPN transistors.
  • FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c are timing diagrams depicting high frequency pulses used to start and sustain gas discharge through a plasma discharge cell of a plasma display panel;
  • FIG. 2 graphically illustrates a typical relation between the peak discharge current flowing through a plasma discharge cell and the luminance of the cell
  • FIG. 3 graphically illustrates the luminance of a plasma discharge cell versus the output impedance of typical driving circuits therefor.
  • FIGS. 4 through 6 depict several embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIGS. la, 1b, and 1c the wave forms of pulses to be applied to a selected one of the electrodes of a plasma display panel will be discussed in greater detail before describing several preferred embodiments of the instant invention.
  • a train of pulses shown in FIG. la consists of pulses that rise from zero potential to a predetermined positive level V
  • FIG. lb Another train depicted in FIG. lb consists of pulses that go negative from the predetermined level V to zero potential.
  • the plasma discharge cell interposed between the electrode pair is supplied with a train of pulses having an effective absolute value of 2V as shown in FIG. 1c.
  • gas discharge occurs through the cell and is sustained if the value V is higher than the firing voltage of the cell.
  • the discharge ceases if the value V is lower than two times the discharge sustaining voltage of the cell. This is because the sum of the pulse voltage V applied to only one of the electrodes and the reversed voltage resulting from the charges produced by the previous gas discharge on the dielectric films is then lower than the firing voltage. It is thus possible by reducing the difference between the firing voltage and the discharge sustaining voltage of the cells and minimizing the deviations in the electric characteristics of the cells to widen the range of that pulse height V which provides the display when coincidently applied to a pair of the line and row electrodes but does not when applied only to either one of the pair.
  • the luminance of the display is substantially linearly proportional to the peak value of the discharge current flowing through the cells, as has already been described.
  • a curve (a) represents the relationship between the luminance of the display and the output impedance of the driving circuit in case both levels, namely, the pulse output level and a pulse interval level, are derived by the driving circuit with the same impedance.
  • Another curve (b) is for the case where the output impedance for one of the levels is similar to that for the curve (a) and the output impedance for the other level approaches zero. It is thus preferable that the output impedance for at least one of the pulse trains be as low as possible to obtain sufficient display luminance.
  • a circuit arrangement connected to a DC. power source 11 and a control signal generator 12, drives a plasma display panel having opposing electrodes, such as, for example, row electrodes 13 and line electrodes 14.
  • the DC. power source 11 supplies a DC. voltage of the above-mentioned voltage V to a first conductor 16 with respect to a second conductor 17 which is grounded as shown.
  • the control signal generator 12 produces a continuous train of positive going pulses d), a similar train of negative going pulses 71 a time division pulse train of cyclical positive going pulses t and t and negative going cell selection pulses, such as a and b. Description will later appear in more detail as to the control pulses produced by the control signal generator 12.
  • the first embodiment comprises a plurality of PNP switching transistors Q1, and On coupled to the respective row electrodes 13 and an eqgal number of NPN switching transistors Q1, and On coupled to the respective line electrodes 14.
  • Each of the switching transistors 01, and Q1, and On is adapted to switch a relatively high DC. voltage and has an emitter, a collector, and a base ele ctrode.
  • the e nitter electrodes of the PNP transistors Q1, and On are connected directly to the first conductor 16.
  • the collector electrodes of the PNP transistors Q1, and On are connected direct to the associated row electrodes 13 and to the second conductor 17 through resistors 21, respectively.
  • the emitter electrodes of the NPN transistors Q1, and On are connected direct to the second conduc t or 17.
  • the coflector electrodes of the NPN transistors Q1, and On are connected directly to the associated line electrodes 14 and to the first conductor 16 through resistors 22, respectively.
  • the first embodiment further comprises a plurality of NPN auxiliary transistors Q'l, and Q'n and a like number of PNP auxiliary transistors Q'l, and Q'n, each having an emitter, a collector, and a base electrode.
  • the emitter ele ctrodes of the NPN auxiliary transistors Q'l, and Q'n are connected directly to the second conductor 17.
  • the collector electrodes of these transistors are connected to a third conductor 23 of the collector voltage V through resistors 24, respectively.
  • the emitter electrodes of the PNP auxiliary transistors Q'l, and Q'n are connected directly to the third conductor 23.
  • the collector electrodes of these transistors are connected to the second conductor 17 through resistors 25, respectively.
  • the base electrodes of the PNP switching transistors Q1 through On are connected to the first conductor 16 through resistors 26, respectively, and to the respective co llector electrodes of the NPN auxiliary transistors Q'l through O'n through capacitors 27, respectively.
  • the base elecare connected to the collector electrodes of the PNP auxiliary transistors Q'l through Q'n through resistor and capacitor parallel circuits 28, respectively.
  • the first embodiment still further comprises a plurality of positive logic AND circuits Al, and An, each comprising a first diode 31, a second diode 32, and a resistor 33 connected to the third conductor 23, and a similar number of negative logic AND circuits A], and An, each comprising a first diode 36, a second diode 37, and a resistor 38 connected to the second conductor 17.
  • Each of the AND circuits A1 through An and Al through An thus serves in effect as a two-input AND circuit having a first and a second input terminal.
  • the first input terminals of the positive and negativ e logic AND circuits A1 through An and Al through An provided by the first diodes 31 and 36 are simultaneously supplied with the positive and negative going pulses d; and 4), respectively.
  • the second input terminals of the positive logic AND circuits provided by the second diodes 32 are cyclically supplied with the time division pulses t through t,
  • the second input terminals of the negative logic AND circuits A] through An similarly provided by the second diodes 36 are selectively supplied with the cell selection pulses, such as a and b.
  • the base el ectrodes of the NPN auxiliary transistors Q'l through Q'n are coupled to the output terminals of the positive logic AND circuits A1 through An through resistor and capacitor parallel circuits 39, respectively.
  • the base electrodes of the PNP auxiliary transistors Q'l through Q'n are connected directly to the output terminals of the respective negative logic AND circuits Al through An.
  • the positive logic AND circuits A1 through An are responsive to the positive going high frequency pulses d) and the time division pulses 2, through t for producing cyclically appearing groups of high frequency pulses. These pulses are current-amplified by the respective NPN auxiliary transistors 6'1 through-Q'n to be supplied to the base electrodes of the corresponding PNP switching transistors 01 through Qn. Supplied with the capacitively coupled negatively going high frequency components, the PNP switching transistors 01 through On are turned on in a time division fashion (by the 2,, t pulses) to intermittently deliver the voltage V from the DC. power source 11 to the'coupled row electrodes 13.
  • a high frequency voltage of the value V is applied across a plasma discharge cell or cells (not shown) placed between at least one of the line conductors 14 that is intermittently grounded in response to the address pulse, and one of the row conductors 13 that is intermittently supplied with the voltage V in response to one of the time division pulses t through t in coincidence with which the address pulse is supplied to the selected at lezgt one of the negative logic AND circuits A1 through An.
  • the output impedance of the row drive circuit forthe high frequency pulses supplied cyclically in groups to the row electrodes 13, and that of the line drive circuit for the intermittent grounding of the selected line electrode(s) 14 are extremely low, being almost zero, because the participant ones of the s witching transistors 01 through On and 01 through Qn are turned on.
  • positive going address pulses may be supplied to the selected one(s) of the positive logic AND circuits A1 through An instead of the time division pulses t, through I so that desired cell or cells may be supplied with the high frequency pulses in combination with the negative going address pulses a, b, and others.
  • the first embodiment provides sufficient luminance of the display by virtue of the low output impedance.
  • the capacitors 27 should be capable of withstanding a voltage greater than the voltage V because the capacitors 27 are supplied with the voltage V when the associated PNP switching transistor 01 through Qn turns on.
  • the time constant dependent on the resistor 26 and the capacitor 27 should be sufficiently greater than the width of the high frequency pulse qb. It is necessary, moreover, that the resistance of the collector resistors 21 be selected in such a manner that the time constant dependent on the resistance of each of the resistors 21 and the capacitance that exists between the associated one of the row electrodes 13 and other electrodes be smaller than the interval of the high frequency pulses d).
  • the potential of the associated row electrode 13, which in principle is clamped by its collector resistor to the ground potential and in fact decreases exponentially to ground should substantially attain the zero potential before the PNP switching transistor is turned on by the next subsequent one of the high frequency pulses d).
  • the resistance of the collector resistors 21 should be appreciably large to reduce the power consumed in the resistors 21 when the transistors Q1 through Qn are cyclically turned on.
  • each of the row electrodes 13 and the others of the electrodes 13 and 14 is 30 pF and that the frequency and the pulse width of the high frequency pulses d) are 50 kHz and 5 microseconds, respectively.
  • the resistance of each of the collector resistors 21 may be kilohms.
  • the time constant in question is then 3 microseconds, which is sufficiently smaller than the interval of 15 microseconds of the high frequency pulses (1).
  • a circuit arrangement according to a second embodiment of the pr esent inventio i comprises NPN switching transistors Q1, and On and PNP switching transistors Q1, a nd On.
  • the e mitter electrodes of the NPN transistors Q1 through Qn are connected direct to the second conductor 17.
  • the collector electrodes of these transistors are connected direct to the respective row electrodes 13 and to the first conductor 16 through resistors 41, respectively.
  • the emitter electrodes of the PNP transistors Q1 through On are directly connected to the first conductor 16.
  • the collector electrodes of these transistors are connected directly to the respective line electrodes 14 and to the second conductor 17 through resistors 42, respectively.
  • the second embodiment further comprises positive logic AND circuits A1, and An, each comprising diodes 44 and 45 and a resistor 46 connected to the third conductor 23.
  • Negative logic AND circuits Al, and An each comprises diodes 47 and 48, and a resistor 49 connected to the second conductor 17.
  • first input terminals of the positive logic AND circuits Al through An are simultaneously supplied with the positive going high frequency pulses d).
  • the second input terminals of these AND circuits are supplied with the positive going time division pulses through t, in a time division fashion.
  • the fi r st input terrr inals of the negative logic AND circuits Al through An are supplied with the negative going high frequency pulses that appear in coincidence with the positive going ones (i).
  • the second input terminals of these latter AND circuits are selectively supplied with negative going cell selection or address pulses a, b, and so forth that appear in coincidence with the desired ones of the time division pulses t thr ough t,,.
  • the base electrodes of the NPN transistors Q1 through Qn are connected to the output terminals of the positive logic AND circuits A1 through An through resistor and capacitor parallel circuits 51, respectively.
  • the base electrodes of the PNP transistors Q1 through Qn are connected to the output terminals of the negative logic AND circuits A1 through An through capacitors 52, respectively.
  • the negative going high frequency pulses a; appearing within the negative cycle of one of the address pulses a, b, and others intermittently turn the related at least one of the PNP transistors 01 through Qn on to apply the voltage V to the associated at least one of the line electrodes l 4 at the frequency of the high frequency pulses 4a or d).
  • the cyclically selected one of the NPN transistors and at least one of the PNP transistors selected in coincidence with the cyclically selected NPN transistor cooperate to apply high frequency component of the control signals across the selected cell or cells. It is thus possible to drive the switching transistors 1 through an and 01 through Qn v v ithout the a lxiliary transistors 0'] through Qn and Ql through Qn for current amplifying the output signals of the AND circuits Al through An and Al through An if the output impedance of the control signal generator 12 is sufficiently small.
  • the emitter electrodes ofthe NPN switching transistors are simultaneously suppli ed with the negative going high frequency pulses
  • the collector electrodes of these NPN transistors are connected directly to the respective row electrodes 13 and to the first conductor 16 through resistors 41, respectively.
  • the base electrodes of these NPN transistors, connected to the second conductor 17 through resistors 55, are cyclically supplied with the positive going time division pulses t, through t, through resistors 56, respectively.
  • the emitter electrodes of the PNP transistors are connected direct to the first conductor 16.
  • the collector electrodes of the PNP transistors are connected direct to the respective line electrodes 14 and to the second conductor 17 through resistors 42, respectively.
  • the base electrodes of the PN P transistors are connected through capacitors 52 to those collector electrodes of the NPN auxiliary transistors, respectively, whichare connected in common to the third conductor 23 through resistors 61, respectively.
  • the emitter electrodes of the NPN auxiliary transistors are simultaneously supplied with the negative going high frequency pulses
  • the base electrodes of these NPN transistors are connected to the second conductor 17 through resistors 62, respectively, and selectively supplied with the positive going cell selection or address pulses a, b, and the like through resistors 63, respectively.
  • the NPN switching transistors 01 through Qn concurrently serve as AND circuits conditioned by the negative going high frequency pulses 4) and the positive going time division pulses t through t,,. More particularly, the negative going high frequency pulses d) intermittently reduce the emitter potential of these NPN transistors substantially to the zero level. Also, the positive going time division pulses t, through t raise the base potential of these NPN transistors to cyclically apply forward voltage to the baseemitter junctions of the NPN transistors. In this manner, the NPN switching transistors cyclically and intermittently turn on to supply the voltage V to the associated one of the row electrodes 13 at the frequency of the high frequency component of the control signals.
  • the NPN auxiliary transistors Ql through Qn serve as AND circuits are operative i n response to the negative going high frequency pulses 4) and the positive going address pulses a, b, and so forth. These NPN transistors further effect the current amplifying function.
  • the base and emitter electrodes of these NPN transistors are selectively supplied with the high frequency pulses d) and the address pulse, respectively, the NPN transistors turn on, amplify the high frequency pulses and apply the current amplifled pulses to the base electrode of the associated PNP transistor to intermittently turn the selected PNP transistor on.
  • each of the NPN switching transistors 61 through 6n and the concurrently selected one or ones of the PNP transistors 01 through On cooperate to apply the voltage V to the associated pair or pairs of the electrodes 13 and 14 at the frequency of the high frequency component of the control signals.
  • the circuit shown in FIG. 6 is advantageous in applications where the output impedances of the control signal generator 12 supplying the positive going time division pulses through t and the positive going address pulses a, b and so on are relatively large.
  • a circuit arrangement for making electric power source means and control signal generating means cooperate to drive a plasma display panel including a coplanar array of plasma discharge cells, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes being disposed on both sides of said array at the outside of said cells, wherein the improvement comprises a plurality of PNP transistors coupled to'the respective ones of said first electrodes and a like number of NPN transistors coupled to the respective ones of said second electrodes, said PNP and NPN transistors being further coupled to said power source means and said control signal generating means and cooperatively producing a high frequency voltage to apply said voltage to a pair of the electrodes selected one each from said first and second electrodes in response to control signals generated by said control signal generating means, said power source means including a first and a second conductor between which a DC.
  • each of said PNP and NPN transistors including an emitter, a collector, and a base electrode
  • said control signal generating means comprises high frequency pulse generating means and address pulse generating means
  • the emitter electrodes of said PNP transistors are connected direct to said first conductor
  • the collector electrodes of said PNP transistors are connected to the respective ones of said first electrodes directly and to said second conductor through resistors, respectively
  • the emitter electrodes of said NPN transistors are connected direct to said second conductors
  • the collector electrodes of said NPN transistors are connected to the respective ones of said second electrodes directly and to said first conductor through resistors, respectively
  • the base electrodes of said PNP and NPN transistors are coupled to said high frequency pulse generating means and said address pulse generating means whereby one of said PNP transistors and one of said NPN transistors selected by an address pulse generated by said address pulse generating means cooperatively amplify high frequency pulses generated by said high frequency pulse generating means to deliver the amplified high frequency pulses to a pair of the electrodes connected direct to the collector electrodes of the selected PNP and NPN transistors, wherein: said high frequency pulse generating means comprises first and second high frequency pulse generating means for successively simultaneously producing first and second high frequency pulses, respectively, said address pulse generating means comprises first and second address pulse generating means for successively simultaneously producing first and second address pulses, respectively, and said arrangement further comprises AND circuits, each comprising a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the output terminals being coupled to the respective base electrodes of said PNP and NPN transistors, the first input terminals of the AND circuits coupled to said PNP and NPN transistors being connected to said
  • each of the base electrodes of said PNP transistors is connected to said first conductor through a resistor and to the output terminal of the AND circuit through a capacitor, the time constant dependent on the last-mentioned resistor and said capacitor being greater than the width of the first high frequency pulse.
  • a circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the AND circuits coupled to said PNP and NPN transistors are positive logic AND circuits and negative logic AND circuits, respectively, each of the output terminals of said positive logic AND circuits being coupled to the base electrode of the PNP transistor through an inverter circuit for inverting the signal produced at the output terminal of the positive logic AND circuit, each of the output terminals of said negative logic AND circuits-being coupled to the base electrode of the NPN transistor through an'inverter circuit for inverting the signal produced at the output terminal of the negative logic AND circuit.
  • a circuit arrangement for making electric power source means and control signal generating means cooperate to drive a plasma display panel including a coplanar array of plasma discharge cells, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes, said first and second electrodes being disposed on both sides of said array at the outside of said cells, wherein the improvement comprises a plurality of PNP transistors coupled to the respective ones of said first electrodes, and a like number of NPN transistors coupled to the respective ones of said second electrodes, said PNP and NPN transistors being further coupled to said power source means and said control signal generating means and cooperatively producing a high frequency voltage to apply said voltage to a pair of the electrodes selected one each from said first and second electrodes in response to control signals generated by said .control signal generating means, said power source means including a first and a-second' conductor between which a DC. power is developed, each of said PNP and NPN transistors including an emitter, a collector, and a base electrode, wherein:
  • control signal generating means comprises high frequency pulse generating means for producing high frequency pulses, first address pulse generating means, and second address pulse generating means, said first and second address pulse generating means successively and simultaneously producing first and second address pulses, respectively,
  • said arrangement further comprises AND circuits, each comprising a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal,
  • the emitter electrodes of said PNP transistors being connected direct to said first conductor, the collector electrodes of said PNP transistors being connected to the respective ones of said first electrodes directly and to said second conductor through resistors, respectively, the base electrodes of said PNP transistors being coupled to the respective output terminals of said AND circuits,
  • the collector electrodes of said NPN transistors being connected to the respective ones of said second tively supplied with said first and second address pulses, respectively.
  • each of said AND circuits comprises an NPN transistor including an emitter, a collector, and a base electrode, the emitter electrode serving as said first input terminal, the collector electrode serving as said output terminal, the base electrode serving as said second input terminal.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
  • Control Of Gas Discharge Display Tubes (AREA)
US00306843A 1971-11-17 1972-11-15 Driving circuit for a plasma display panel comprising pnp and npn transistors Expired - Lifetime US3808501A (en)

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JP9208871A JPS5521355B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-11-17 1971-11-17

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3869644A (en) * 1972-08-22 1975-03-04 Nippon Electric Co Pulses of the same or an opposite polarity to electrodes of a plasma display panel
US3987337A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-10-19 Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Plasma display panel having additional discharge cells of a larger effective area and driving circuit therefor
US4001868A (en) * 1974-11-14 1977-01-04 International Business Machines Corporation Latching driver circuit and structure for a gas panel display
US4002946A (en) * 1974-11-14 1977-01-11 International Business Machines Corporation Latching driver circuit for a gas panel display

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1067177B (it) * 1975-07-07 1985-03-12 Nippon Electric Co Circuito per il pilotaggio di un pannello di visualizzazione a scarica in gas
US4450441A (en) * 1981-08-27 1984-05-22 Person Herman R Dot matrix plasma display and method for driving same
USRE33520E (en) * 1981-08-27 1991-01-15 Dale Electronics, Inc. Dot matrix plasma display and method for driving same
CN111212693B (zh) 2017-09-11 2023-07-04 纽约州立大学研究基金会 用于使用电动屏障的自清洁太阳能电池板的系统和方法

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US3987337A (en) * 1974-02-07 1976-10-19 Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Plasma display panel having additional discharge cells of a larger effective area and driving circuit therefor
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5521355B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1980-06-09
JPS4856348A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-08-08
DE2256528A1 (de) 1973-06-07

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