Method for driving a gas-discharge panel

Abstract

When performing the line-sequential addressing for setting the state of each of the cells arranged in rows and columns that constitute a display screen, discharge is generated that has intensity in accordance with display data corresponding to each of all cells belonging to the selected row for each selection of the row. Thus, the priming effect in the following discharge is generated.

1. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel in which line-sequential addressing is performed for setting a state of cells arranged in rows and columns, the method comprising generating a discharge in all cells of a selected row, irrespective of a state to be set in each of the cells for each selection of the row in addressing, an intensity of the discharge in each of the cells of the selected row being set in accordance with state setting data corresponding to each of the cells of the selected row. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the intensity is set to either a first intensity for cells to be lit during the line-sequential addressing by applying a voltage in the cells to be lit to achieve restart of a discharge in a light sustaining operation or a second intensity for cells not to be lit during the line-sequential addressing by applying a voltage in the cells not to be lit to prohibit restart of a discharge in the light sustaining operation. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas-discharge panel includes scanning electrodes for selecting respective rows and data electrodes for selecting respective columns crossing the rows at respective cells, the scanning electrodes and the data electrodes being covered with a dielectric layer for providing wall voltage, a discharge space being continuous over an entire length of each of the columns, the method further comprising:
 applying a preparation pulse to the cells of the selected row before performing the addressing to set a wall voltage of each cell to a predetermined level to perform an addressing preparation;    generating the discharge in a first intensity for cells to be lit during the line-sequential addressing by applying a voltage in the cells to be lit to increase a wall charge level set after the applied preparation pulse to achieve restart of the discharge in a light sustaining operation; and    generating the discharge in a second intensity for cells not to be lit during the line-sequential addressing by applying a voltage in the cells not to be lit to decrease a wall charge level set after the applied preparation pulse to prohibit restart of the discharge in the light sustaining operation.    
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 biasing each of the data electrodes to a first potential or a second potential in accordance with the state setting data of one row synchronizing with a row selection by an independent potential control with respect to each of the scanning electrodes.    
     
     
       5. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel in which line-sequential addressing is performed for setting a state of cells arranged in rows and columns so as to constitute a display screen, the method comprising generating a discharge in all cells of a selected row, irrespective of a state to be set in each of the cells for each selection of the row in addressing, an intensity of the discharge in each of the cells of the selected row being set in accordance with state setting data corresponding to each of the cells of the selected row. 
     
     
       6. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel having a display screen including cells arranged in rows and columns, a scanning electrode for selecting a corresponding row and a data electrode for selecting a corresponding column crossing at a corresponding cell, one of the scanning electrode and the data electrode being covered with a dielectric layer for providing wall voltage, a discharge space being continuous over an entire length of each of the columns, the method comprising:
 performing line-sequential addressing to control the wall voltage of all cells of the screen in accordance with binary display data and sustaining by applying an alternating voltage to all cells of a selected row, repeatedly; and    generating a discharge having either a first or a second intensity depending on the display data corresponding to each of the cells of the selected row for each selection of the row in the addressing.    
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 applying a preparation pulse to the cells of the selected row before performing the addressing so as to perform an addressing preparation for setting the wall voltage of each cell to a predetermined level;    generating the discharge having a first intensity for cells to be lit in the addressing so as to make a level of the wall voltage set in the addressing preparation increase to a sufficient level to regenerate a discharge in a light sustaining operation; and    generating the discharge having a second intensity for cells not to be lit in the addressing so as to make the level of the wall voltage set in the addressing preparation decrease to a level such that a discharge cannot restart in the sustaining operation.    
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 biasing each of the data electrodes to a first potential or a second potential in accordance with the display data of one row synchronizing with the row selection by an independent potential control with respect to each of the scanning electrodes.    
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 applying a voltage to an electrode gap of the cells generating a discharge in the addressing, in the addressing preparation the voltage increasing from a first set value to a second set value, so as to adjust the wall voltage of the electrode gap by generating plural discharges or a continuous discharge in a rising period of the voltage.    
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 applying a preparation pulse to the cells of the selected row before performing the addressing so as to perform an addressing preparation for setting the wall voltage of each cell to a predetermined level;    generating the discharge having a first intensity for cells to be lit in the addressing so as to make a level of the wall voltage set in the addressing preparation maintain a sufficient level to regenerate a discharge in a light sustaining operation; and    generating the discharge having a second intensity for cells not to be lit in the addressing so as to make the level of the wall voltage set in the addressing preparation decrease to a level such that a discharge cannot restart in the sustaining operation.    
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 biasing each of the data electrodes to a first potential or a second potential in accordance with the display data of one row synchronizing with the row selection by an independent potential control with respect to each of the scanning electrodes.    
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 applying a voltage to an electrode gap of the cells generating a discharge in the addressing, in the addressing preparation the voltage increasing from a first set value to a second set value, so as to adjust the wall voltage of the electrode gap by generating plural discharges or a continuous discharge in a rising period of the voltage.    
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 biasing each of the data electrodes to a first potential or a second potential in accordance with the display data of one row synchronizing with the row selection by an independent potential control with respect to each of the scanning electrodes.    
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the discharge is generated one time in the cells of the selected row in the addressing. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the row selection is performed in a order such that in a second row selection and after the second row selection the discharge in a former row selection become effective as a priming discharge. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 dividing the rows of the screen into a group of odd rows and a group of even rows;    addressing each group by time sharing; and    applying a voltage to all cells of the latter group between the addressing of the former group and the addressing of the latter group, so as to generate a priming discharge.    
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 disposing one or more auxiliary electrodes that are similar to the scanning electrode at the outside of the screen in a row direction; and    applying a voltage to the one or more auxiliary electrodes in the addressing for generating a priming discharge before a first row selection.    
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 dividing the rows of the screen into a group of odd rows and a group of even rows; addressing each group by time sharing; and    applying a voltage to the one or more auxiliary electrodes close to the row that is selected first in the latter group between the addressing of the former group and the addressing of the latter group, so as to generate the priming discharge.    
     
     
       19. A display device comprising:
 a gas-discharge panel having a display screen including cells arranged in rows and columns, and having a structure in which a scanning electrode for selecting a corresponding row and a data electrode for selecting a corresponding column cross each other at a corresponding cell, at least one of the scanning electrode and data electrode is covered with a dielectric layer for providing a wall voltage, and a discharge space is continuous over an entire length of each of the columns;    a drive circuit performing line-sequential addressing to control the wall voltage of all cells of the display screen in accordance with binary display data, and sustaining by applying the alternating voltage to all cells of a selected row, wherein the drive circuit generates a discharge having either a first intensity or a second intensity depending on the display data corresponding to each of the cells of the selected row for each selection of the row as the addressing.    
     
     
       20. The display device according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a drive circuit that applies a voltage to an electrode gap of the cells generating a discharge in the addressing, in an addressing preparation, the voltage increasing from a first set value to a second set value, the drive circuit adjusting the wall voltage of the electrode gap by generating plural discharges or a continuous discharge in a rising period of the voltage as the addressing preparation.    
     
     
       21. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel in which point-sequential addressing is performed for setting a state of cells arranged in rows and columns, the method comprising:
 generating a discharge in a selected cell, irrespective of a state to be set in the cell for each selection in the addressing, an intensity of the discharge in the cell being set in accordance with state setting data corresponding to the cell.    
     
     
       22. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel in which a plurality of discharge cells each having a memory function produced by a wall charge are arranged in a matrix, the method comprising:
 applying a predetermined preparation pulse to all of the discharge cells arranged in the matrix, simultaneously, so as to set a wall charge of each of the discharge cells to a predetermined level;    addressing to make the discharge cells of the matrix forming the wall charge perform line-sequential addressing discharges;    displaying by applying a predetermined sustain pulse to the discharge cells arranged in the matrix, so as to make the addressed discharge cells perform sustain discharges; and    the addressing including generating a discharge in the discharge cells of the matrix, wherein a discharge of a first intensity is generated in the discharge cells to be addressed by applying a voltage producing a discharges having a level sufficient to store sufficient wall charge for restarting the discharges in the displaying, while a discharge of a second intensity is generated in the discharge cells not to be addressed, the second intensity lowering a level of the wall charge set in the applying to a level that disables restarting the discharge in the displaying.    
     
     
       23. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel in which a plurality of discharge cells, each having a memory function produced by a wall charge, are arranged in a matrix, the method comprising:
 applying a preparation pulse, simultaneously to all of the discharge cells arranged in the matrix to set a wall charge of each of the discharge cells to a first level; and    addressing the discharge cells to perform line-sequential addressing discharges, the addressing including generating a first intensity discharge or a second intensity discharge in the discharge cells of the matrix, wherein a first intensity discharge is generated in the discharge cells to be lit by applying a voltage in the discharge cells to be lit to increase the wall charge level to a second level greater than the first level set after the applied preparation pulse to achieve restart of a discharge in a light sustaining operation and a second intensity discharge is generated in the discharge cells not to be lit by applying a voltage in the discharge cells not to be lit to lower a wall charge level to a third level less than the first level set after the applied preparation pulse to prohibit restart of a discharge in the light sustaining operation.    
     
     
       24. A method for driving a gas-discharge panel having a display screen including cells arranged in rows and columns, a scanning electrode for selecting a corresponding row and a data electrode for selecting a corresponding column crossing at a corresponding cell, the scanning electrode making a main electrode pair with a third electrode at respective corresponding cells, at least two of the two electrodes making the main electrode pair and the data electrode being covered with a dielectric layer for providing wall voltage, the method comprising:
 performing an addressing preparation to initialize the wall voltage of all cells of the screen, performing line-sequential addressing to control the wall voltage of all cells of the screen in accordance with binary display data and sustaining by applying an alternating voltage to all cells of a selected row, repeatedly;    applying a voltage to at least one of electrode gaps of the cells generating a discharge in the addressing, in the addressing preparation the voltage increasing from a first set value to a second set value, so as to adjust the wall voltage of the electrode gap by generating plural discharges or a continuous discharge in a rising period of the voltage; and    setting the voltage to be applied to the electrode gap to which the increasing voltage is applied higher than the second set value irrespective of a value of display data, when a scanning pulse for selecting a corresponding row is applied to the scanning electrode in the addressing.    
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the electrode gap to which the increasing voltage is applied is the electrode gap of the main electrode pair. 
     
     
       26. The method according to  claim 24 , wherein a discharge space of the gas-discharge panel is continuous over an entire length of each of the columns. 
     
     
       27. A method for driving a plasma display panel in which an address electrode and a pair of main electrodes including a scan electrode define a display cell, and displaying a frame which includes a plurality of subfields, at least one subfields having an addressing preparation period and an addressing period, the method comprising: applying a voltage changing with time between the address electrode and the scan electrode in the addressing preparation period and attained voltage of the voltage is equal to or less than the discharge starting voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode; applying an address voltage to the address electrode and a scan voltage to the scan electrode during the addressing period, wherein the voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode during the addressing period is greater than the attained voltage during the addressing preparation period. 
     
     
       28. A method for driving a plasma display panel in which an address electrode and a pair of main electrodes including a scan electrode define a display cell, and displaying a frame which includes a plurality of subfields, at least one subfields having an addressing preparation period and an addressing period, the method comprising: applying a first voltage changing to positive direction and a second voltage changing to negative direction to the scan electrode applying an address pulse to address electrode and a scan pulse to the scan electrode wherein attained voltage between the main electrodes during applying the first voltage is greater than discharge start voltage between the main electrodes, and attained voltage between the main electrodes during applying the second voltage which is less than the discharge starting voltage. 
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the amount of the wall voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode is equal to  0 v after the voltage is applied in the addressing preparation period. 
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the amount of the wall voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode is equal to  0  volts after the voltage changing with time is applied in the addressing preparation period when the attained voltage of the ramp voltage with time is equal to the discharge starting voltage between the address electrode and the scan electrode. 
     
     
       31. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the voltage applied to the address electrode is relatively positive to the voltage applied to the scan electrode in the addressing preparation period. 
     
     
       32. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the voltage applied to the address electrode is relatively positive to the voltage applied to the scan electrode in the addressing period. 
     
     
       33. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the voltage changing with time includes ramp waveform, obtuse waveform and step- like waveform.   
     
     
       34. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein during the addressing period the pulse width applied to the address electrode is not greater than 1 μs. 
     
     
       35. A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the first voltage attains to positive voltage and the second voltage attains to negative voltage. 
     
     
       36. A method according to  claim 28 , wherein a polarity of voltage applied between the pair of main electrodes when the first voltage is applied are opposite to a polarity of voltage applied between the pair of main electrodes when the second voltage is applied. 
     
     
       37. A method according to  claim 28 , wherein a polarity of voltage applied between the address electrode and the scan electrode when the first voltage is applied are opposite to a polarity of voltage applied between the address electrode and the scan electrode when the second voltage is applied. 
     
     
       38. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein during the addressing preparation period adjustment of wall voltage is performed for both the electrode gap between the main electrodes and the electrode gap between the address electrode and the scan electrode. 
     
     
       39. A method for driving a plasma display panel in which addressing is performed for cells arranged in rows and columns to be lit, the method comprising: applying at least a pulse changing voltage with time to cause discharge in the cell before the addressing is performed; applying an addressing pulse to the cells to be lit; wherein the pulse applied in the cell before the addressing has voltage which is not greater than the discharge start voltage in the cell. 
     
     
       40. A method for driving a plasma display panel according to  claim 42 , wherein the pulse changing voltage with time is ramp waveform, obtuse waveform, or step- like waveform.   
     
     
       41. A method for driving a plasma display panel according to  claim 39 , wherein the addressing pulse has pulse width of  1  μs which enables the addressing. 
     
     
       42. A method for driving a plasma display panel according to  claim 39 , wherein the addressing pulse is applied to each one of every two rows. 
     
     
       43. A method for driving a plasma display panel according to  claim 39 , wherein the discharge caused by the pulse changing voltage with time supplies priming particle to the cell.