Method and apparatus for driving surface discharge plasma display panel

Abstract

A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel has a reset step of applying a pulse of a first voltage to paired first and second electrodes, a write step of applying a pulse of a second voltage to second and third electrodes corresponding to cells to be turned ON, and a sustain discharge step of applying an AC pulse of a fourth voltage to the paired first and second electrodes. The pulse of the first voltage is so set that it is higher than a first discharge start voltage, a third voltage caused by the discharge is higher than the first discharge start voltage, and the first, second, and third electrodes have the same potential after the application of the pulse of the first voltage. Therefore, an address discharge of the surface discharge plasma display panel can be caused by a wide range of voltages, and display quality of the panel can be improved.

I claim:  
     
       1. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel having a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart and facing each other, and first electrodes, second electrodes, and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates, said first electrodes being arranged in parallel with said second electrodes, said third electrodes being arranged orthogonal to said first electrodes and said second electrodes, said first electrodes and said second electrodes intersecting with said third electrodes to form respective intersections which each define a corresponding cell that can be selectively turned ON and OFF, a discharge being produced in a respective cell when a first discharge start voltage is applied to the respective cell, wherein said method comprises: 
       a reset step of applying a pulse of a first voltage to the respective cell, and thereby cause an accumulation of wall charges in the respective cell, the pulse of the first voltage being higher than the first discharge start voltage, a third voltage being caused by the wall charges and being higher than the first discharge start voltage, and said first, second and third electrodes have the same potential after the application of the pulse of the first voltage;  
       a write step of applying a pulse of a second voltage to said second and third electrodes to select cells to be turned ON; and  
       a sustain discharge step of applying an AC pulse of a fourth voltage to said first and second electrodes.  
     
     
       2. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , said first and second substrates defining a cavity, and said plasma display panel comprising a wall charge accumulating dielectric layer covering the surfaces of said first and second electrodes, a phosphor formed over said second substrate, and a discharge gas sealed in the cavity, wherein: 
       said reset step causes a discharge between said first and second electrodes and uniformly distributes wall charges over said dielectric layer;  
       said write step causes a discharge between said second and third electrodes, so that predetermined quantities or more of first and second wall charges of opposite polarities are accumulated on said dielectric layer on said first and second electrodes, respectively, in said cells to be turned ON;  
       said sustain discharge step turns ON said cells in which the sum of said third voltage between said first and second wall charges and said fourth voltage having the same polarity as said third voltage exceeds the first discharge start voltage, and alternates the opposite polarity wall charges accumulated on the corresponding cell; and  
       said reset step, said write step, and said sustain discharge step are repeatedly performed so that the polarity of the AC pulse in said sustain discharge step is opposite to the polarity of the pulse of said first voltage in said reset step.  
     
     
       3. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  2 , said method further comprising: 
       applying an erase pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and gently rises to said first and second electrodes after the application of the pulse of said first voltage during a reset period, to add the voltage of said erase pulse to said first and second wall charges that have not been erased by the pulse of said first voltage due to abnormalities in said cells, thereby discharging and erasing remnant wall charges.  
     
     
       4. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  3 , wherein said method integrates and amplifies said first and second wall charges that have not been erased by the pulse of said first voltage due to abnormalities in said cells, said method further comprising: 
       applying a pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and has an opposite polarity to said first voltage, to said first and second electrodes in an interval between the pulse of said first voltage and said erase pulse; and  
       applying a pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and has the same polarity as said first voltage to said first and second electrodes in an interval between the pulse of said first voltage and said erase pulse, the polarity of said erase pulse is inverted with respect to the polarity of said first voltage, thereby erasing more of the remnant wall charges with said erase pulse.  
     
     
       5. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the potential of said third electrodes is substantially equal to the average of the potential of said first and second electrodes during the application of the pulse of said first voltage. 
     
     
       6. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  5 , further comprising: 
       generating the pulse of said first voltage during said reset step by setting said second electrodes to a ground level and applying a pulse of a positive voltage to said first electrodes.  
     
     
       7. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  5 , further comprising: 
       setting the potential of said third electrodes to a ground level during the application of the pulse of said first voltage.  
     
     
       8. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the potential of said first, second, and third electrodes is at the ground level before and after the application of the pulse of said first voltage. 
     
     
       9. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , wherein a second discharge start voltage applied to said second and third electrodes initiates a discharge and, in said write step, said second voltage is greater that said second discharge start voltage, said write step further comprising: 
       applying a pulse of a fifth voltage Vs to said first and second electrodes, where  
       
         
           Vsmin<=Vs<Vfxymin,  
         
       
       and Vsmin is a functional minimum for said fourth voltage and Vfxymin is said first discharge start voltage.  
     
     
       10. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  9 , wherein the fifth voltage is close to said first discharge start voltage. 
     
     
       11. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  9 , wherein the width of the pulse of said second voltage is narrower than that of the pulse of said fifth voltage. 
     
     
       12. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  9 , wherein: 
       the pulse of said second voltage is a positive pulse applied to said third electrodes when the potential of said second electrodes is negative with respect to the ground level and said third electrodes are at the ground level; and  
       the pulse of said fifth voltage is a negative pulse applied to said second electrodes when the potential of said first electrodes is equalized with the potential of said third electrodes.  
     
     
       13. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  12 , wherein the potential of said second electrodes is about ¼ to ¾ of said fifth voltage. 
     
     
       14. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , wherein, in said sustain discharge step, the potential of said third electrodes is positive with respect to the ground level. 
     
     
       15. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  14 , further comprising: 
       simultaneously applying a positive pulse to said first and second electrodes before the pulse of said fourth voltage is applied in said sustain discharge step, the positive pulse having a potential difference with respect to said third electrodes of approximately ¼ to ¾ of said fourth voltage.  
     
     
       16. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , wherein an output end of a drive circuit connected to the third electrodes is provided with high impedance in said sustain discharge step. 
     
     
       17. A method of driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       simultaneously subjecting all said cells to said reset step;  
       sequentially subjecting said second electrodes to said write step; and  
       simultaneously subjecting each of said first and second electrodes to said sustain discharge step.  
     
     
       18. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel having a first substrate and a second substrate spaced apart and facing each other, and first electrodes, second electrodes, and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates, said first electrodes being arranged in parallel with said second electrodes, said third electrodes being arranged orthogonal to said first electrodes and said second electrodes, said first electrodes and said second electrodes intersecting with said third electrodes to form respective intersections which each define a corresponding cell that can be selectively turned ON and OFF, a discharge being produced in a respective cell when a first discharge start voltage is applied to the respective cell, wherein said apparatus comprises: 
       reset means for applying a pulse of a first voltage to a respective cell, and thereby cause an accumulation of wall charges in the respective cell, the pulse of the first voltage being higher than the first discharge start voltage, a third voltage being caused by the wall charges and being higher than the first discharge start voltage, and said first, second and third electrodes have the same potential after the application of the pulse of the first voltage;  
       write means for applying a pulse of a second voltage to said second and third electrodes to select cells to be turned ON; and  
       sustain discharge means for applying an AC pulse of a fourth voltage to said first and second electrodes.  
     
     
       19. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , said first and second substrates defining a cavity, and said plasma display panel comprising a wall charge accumulating dielectric layer covering the surfaces of said first and second electrodes, a phosphor formed over said second substrate, and a discharge gas sealed in the cavity, wherein: 
       said reset means causes a discharge between said first and second electrodes and uniformly distributes wall charges over said dielectric layer;  
       said write means causes a discharge between said second and third electrodes, so that predetermined quantities or more of first and second wall charges of opposite polarities are accumulated on said dielectric layer on said first and second electrodes, respectively, in said cells to be turned ON;  
       said sustain discharge means turns ON said cells in which the sum of said third voltage between said first and second wall charges and said fourth voltage having the same polarity as said third voltage exceeds the first discharge start voltage, and alternates the opposite polarity wall charges accumulated on the corresponding cell; and  
       said reset means, said write means, and said sustain discharge means are repeatedly operated so that the polarity of the AC pulse applied by said sustain discharge means is opposite to the polarity of the pulse of said first voltage applied by said reset means.  
     
     
       20. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  19 , further comprising: 
       means for applying an erase pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and gently rises to said first and second electrodes after the application of the pulse of said first voltage during a reset period, to add the voltage of said erase pulse to said first and second wall charges that have not been erased by the pulse of said first voltage due to abnormalities in said cells, thereby discharging and erasing remnant wall charges.  
     
     
       21. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  20 , wherein the polarities of said first and second wall charges that have not been erased by the pulse of said first voltage due to abnormalities in said cells are integrated and amplified by said apparatus, said apparatus further comprising: 
       means for applying a pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and has an opposite polarity as said first voltage, to said first and second electrodes in an interval between the pulse of said first voltage and said erase pulse; and  
       means for applying a pulse that is lower than said first discharge start voltage and has the same polarity as said first voltage to said first and second electrodes in an interval between the pulse of said first voltage and said erase pulse, the polarity of said erase pulse is inverted with respect to the polarity of said first voltage, thereby erasing more of the remnant wall charges with said erase pulse.  
     
     
       22. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein the potential of said third electrodes is substantially equal to the average of the potential of said first and second electrodes during the application of the pulse of said first voltage. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  22 , wherein said reset means further comprises: 
       means for generating the pulse of said first voltage by setting said second electrodes to a ground level and applying a pulse of a positive voltage to said first electrodes.  
     
     
       24. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  22 , further comprising: 
       means for setting the potential of said third electrodes to a ground level during the application of the pulse of said first voltage.  
     
     
       25. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein the potential of said first, second, and third electrodes is at the ground level before and after the application of the pulse of said first voltage. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein a second discharge start voltage applied to said second and third electrodes initiates a discharge and said second voltage of the pulse applied by said write means is greater than said second discharge start voltage said write means further comprising: 
       means for applying a pulse of a fifth voltage Vs to said first and second electrodes, where  
       
         
           Vsmin<=Vs<Vfxymin,  
         
       
       and Vsmin is a functional minimum for said fourth voltage, and Vfxymin is said first discharge start voltage.  
     
     
       27. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  26 , wherein the fifth voltage is close to said first discharge start voltage. 
     
     
       28. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  26 , wherein the width of the pulse of said second voltage is narrower than that of the pulse of said fifth voltage. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  26 , wherein: 
       the pulse of said second voltage is a positive pulse applied to said third electrodes when the potential of said second electrodes is negative with respect to the ground level and said third electrodes are at the ground level; and  
       the pulse of said fifth voltage is a negative pulse applied to said second electrodes when the potential of said first electrodes is equalized with the potential of said third electrodes.  
     
     
       30. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  29 , wherein the potential of said second electrodes is about ¼ to ¾ of said fifth voltage. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein, when said sustain discharge means applies said AC pulse, the potential of said third electrodes is positive with respect to the ground level. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  31 , further comprising: 
       means for simultaneously applying a positive pulse to said first and second electrodes before the pulse of said fourth voltage is applied by said sustain discharge means, the positive pulse having a potential difference with respect to said third electrodes of approximately ¼ to ¾ of said fourth voltage.  
     
     
       33. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein an output end of a drive circuit connected to the third electrodes is provided with high impedance in the sustain discharge means. 
     
     
       34. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , further comprising: 
       means for simultaneously subjecting all said cells to said reset means;  
       means for sequentially subjecting said second electrodes to said write means; and  
       means for simultaneously subjecting each of said first and second electrodes to said sustain discharge means.  
     
     
       35. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  18 , wherein: 
       said first electrode receives an output of an X-common driver, said second electrodes receive outputs of Yi-drive circuits, and said third electrodes receive outputs of Aj-drive circuits; and  
       said Yi-drive circuits are connected to a Y-common driver, said second electrodes are driven by a positive pulse during a sustain discharge period, and said second electrodes are driven by negative pulses during an address period.  
     
     
       36. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  35 , wherein said Y-common driver comprises a first switching means for preventing an unnecessary current flow into said Yi-drive circuits caused by using said positive and negative pulses. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus for driving a surface discharge plasma display panel as claimed in claim  36 , further comprising a second switching means which controls said first switching means by applying said negative pulses to said second electrodes through said Yi-drive circuits. 
     
     
       38. A method of driving a plasma display panel having first and second substrates spaced apart from each other, first, second and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates, a plurality of cells being between the first and second substrates, each cell having a discharge gas enclosed therein and being selectively turned ON and OFF, a voltage being applied to at least one electrode of the electrode pair to cause a discharge in a respective cell of the plurality of cells, the method comprising the steps of: 
       ( a )  for each cell, applying a voltage to at least one electrode of the electrode pair to cause a first discharge in the cell, the first discharge having a strength which causes first wall charges of different polarities to accumulate in the cell with a voltage difference between the first wall charges, wherein the voltage difference causes a self - erase discharge which neutralizes the first wall charges;    
       ( b )  for each cell selected to be turned ON, applying a voltage to at least one electrode of the electrode pair to cause a second discharge in the cell, the second discharge causing second wall charges to be accumulated in the cell; and    
       ( c )  for each cell selected to be turned ON, applying AC pulses to the electrode pair to cause a third discharge in the cell, the third discharge being a sustain discharge.    
     
     
       39. A method as in claim  38 , wherein step ( a )  is performed before step  ( b ),  and step  ( b )  is performed before step  ( c ).  
     
     
       40. A method as in claim  39 , further comprising the step of: 
         repeating steps  ( a ), ( b )  and  ( c ),  in order.    
     
     
       41. A method as in claim  38 , wherein the step ( a )  further comprises, after causing the first discharge, the step of:    
       
         equalizing potentials of the electrodes of the electrode pair.  
       
     
     
       42. A method as in claim  38 , wherein 
       
         the electrode pair includes first and second electrodes formed on the first substrate,  
       
       
         the plasma display panel further includes a plurality of third electrodes, each third electrode, together with the electrode pair, defining a respective cell of the plurality of cells, each third electrode formed on one of the group consisting of the first and second substrates,  
       
       
         for each cell, first and second voltages are applied, respectively, to the first and second electrodes, and a third voltage is applied to the third electrode defining the cell, to cause a discharge in the cell, and  
       
         the step  ( a )  further comprises the steps of, for each cell,    
       ( a )(   1   )  setting the first and second electrodes to the first and second voltages, respectively, and the third electrode defining the cell to the third voltage, to cause the first discharge, and    
       ( a )(   2   )  after causing the first discharge, equalizing the voltages of the first and second electrodes and the third electrode defining the cell.    
     
     
       43. A method of driving a plasma display panel having first and second substrates spaced apart from each other, first, second and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates and a cell, comprising the steps of: 
         applying a reset pulse voltage to the cell which causes a self - erase discharge in the cell, the self - erase discharge neutralizing first wall charges accumulated in the cell by a first discharge, the first wall charges increasing a voltage difference in the cell; and    
       
         applying a write pulse voltage to the cell after applying the reset pulse voltage, the write pulse voltage causing second wall charges to accumulate in the cell causing a sustain discharge when applying a sustain pulse.  
       
     
     
       44. A plasma display panel comprising: 
       
         first and second substrates;  
       
       
         first, second and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates, wherein said first and second electrodes intersect with said third electrode to define a cell;  
       
         a self - erase means for applying a reset pulse voltage to a respective cell to cause a self - erase discharge in the respective cell, the self - erase discharge neutralizing first wall charges accumulated in the respective cell by a first discharge, the first wall charges increasing a voltage difference in the respective cell; and    
         a write means for applying a write pulse voltage to the respective cell after the reset pulse voltage causes a self - erase discharge, the write pulse voltage causing second wall charges for causing a sustain discharge when applying a sustain pulse.    
     
     
       45. A method of driving a cell of a plasma display having first and second substrates spaced apart from each other and first, second and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates, comprising the steps of: 
       ( a )  creating a first discharge in the cell, the first discharge causing first wall charges of different polarities to accumulate in the cell with a voltage difference between the first wall charges, the voltage difference causing a self - erase discharge which neutralizes the first wall charges, the first wall charges increasing a voltage difference in the cell;    
       ( b )  creating a second discharge in the cell after the first wall charges are neutralized, the second discharge causing second wall charges to be accumulated in the cell; and    
       ( c )  applying AC pulses to the cell after the second discharge causes the second wall charges to be accumulated, the AC pulses causing a sustain discharge in the cell.    
     
     
       46. A method of driving a plasma display panel having first and second substrates spaced apart from each other and first, second and third electrodes arranged between said first and second substrates and having a plurality of cells, each cell having a discharge gas enclosed therein and being selectively turned ON and OFF, a voltage being applied to cause a discharge in a respective cell of the plurality of cells, the method comprising the steps of: 
       ( a )  applying a voltage to each cell to cause an accumulation of first wall charges of different polarities which causes a self - erase discharge to neutralize the first wall charges;    
       ( b )  applying a voltage to each cell to be turned ON to cause second wall charges to be accumulated in the cell; and    
       ( c )  applying pulses to each cell selected to be turned ON to cause a sustain discharge.