Plasma display system

Claim 2

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a group of first electrodes and a group of second electrodes disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering the surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first driver circuit applied to said first electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals, a second driver circuit coupled to said second electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals, a scanning control means for applying a first signal successively to said input terminals of said first driver circuit for a predetermined period at a predetermined interval, said first driver circuit including means for producing a group of first voltage pulses in response to said first signal and means for applying said first voltage pulses successively to said first electrodes, said first voltage pulses having a predetermined first amplitude with a predetermined polarity, said first amplitude being smaller than a firing voltage of the cells, a signal means for selectively applying a second signal to at least one of said input terminals of said second driver circuit for said predetermined period in synchronism with said first signal, said second driver circuit including means for producing at least one second voltage pulse of an amplitude smaller than said firing voltage in response to said second signal and means for applying said second voltage pulse to said second electrode group so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, said first alternating voltage having a second amplitude with one and opposite polarities, said second amplitude being larger than said firing voltage, means for applying a third signal simultaneously to all of said input terminals of said first driver circuit, said first driver circuit further including means for producing a third voltage pulse and means for applying said third voltage pulse to a plurality of said first electrodes, and means for applying a fourth signal to all of said input terminals of said second driver circuit in synchronism with said third signal, said second driver circuit further including means for producing a fourth voltage pulse and means for applying said fourth voltage pulse to a plurality of said second electrodes so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said plurality of first electrodes and said plurality of second electrodes, said second alternating voltage having an amplitude larger than said firing voltage and a frequency lower than that of said first alternating voltage so that the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage is smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses, respectively.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second, third and fourth pulses have said predetermined polarity.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third voltage pulse is applied to all of said first electrodes at the same time while said fourth voltage pulse is applied to all of said second electrodes in synchronism with said third voltage pulse.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third voltage pulse is successively applied to a group of a plurality of said first electrodes associated with a respective figure group while said fourth voltage pulse is applied to all of said second electrodes in synchronism with said third voltage pulse .

Claim 7

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a first electrode group and a second electrode group disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first means for applying a group of first voltage pulses to said first electrode group for a predetermined period in a time-division mode at a predetermined interval, second means for applying a group of second voltage pulses to selected electrodes in said second electrode group for a time of said period in synchronism with said first voltage pulses so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, the amplitude of said first alternating voltage being larger than the firing voltage of said cell, third means for periodically applying a third voltage pulse simultaneously to a plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, and fourth means for applying a fourth voltage pulse to said second electrode group in synchronism with said third voltage pulse so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said second electrode group and said plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, the amplitude of said second alternating voltage being large enough to discharge said cells regardless of said first alternating voltage, the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage being smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage so that the contrast of brightness between said selected cells discharged due to said first alternating voltage and the cells discharged due to said second alternating voltage be high, whereby delay in initial discharge is reduced.

Claim 8

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a first electrode group and a second electrode group disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first means for applying a group of first voltage pulses to said first electrode group for a predetermined period in a time-division mode at a predetermined interval, second means for applying a group of second voltage pulses to selected electrodes in said second electrode group for a time of said period in synchronism with said first voltage pulses so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, the amplitude of said first alternating voltage being larger than the firing voltage of said cell, third means for periodically applying a third voltage pulse simultaneously to a plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, and fourth means for applying a fourth voltage pulse to said second electrode group in synchronism with said third voltage pulse so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said second electrode group and said plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, the amplitude of said second alternating voltage being large enough to discharge said cells regardless of said first alternating voltage, the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage being smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage so that the contrast of brightness between said selected cells discharged due to said first alternating voltage and the cells discharged due to said second alternating voltage be high, whereby delay in initial discharge is reduced.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses, respectively.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said second, third and fourth pulses have said predetermined polarity.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said third voltage pulse is applied to all of said electrodes at the same time whiel said fourth voltage pulse is applied to all of said second electrodes in synchronism with said third voltage pulse.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said third voltage pulse is successively applied to a group of a plurality of said first electrodes associated with a respective figure group while said fourth voltage pulse is applied to all of said second electrodes in synchronism with said third voltage pulse.

Claim 13

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a group of first electrodes and a group of second electrodes disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering the surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first driver circuit coupled to said first electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals, a second driver circuit coupled to said second electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals. a scanning control means for applying a first signal successively to said input terminals of said first driver circuit for a predetermined period at a predetermined interval, said first driver circuit including means for producing a group of first voltage pulses in response to said first signal and means for applying said first voltage pulses successively to said first electrodes, said first voltage pulses having a predetermined first amplitude with a predetermined polarity, said first amplitude being smaller than a firing voltage of the cells, a signal means for selectively applying a second signal to at least one of said input terminals of said second driver circuit for said predetermined period in synchronism with said first signal, said second driver circuit including means for producing at least one second voltage pulse of an amplitude smaller than said firing voltage in response to said second signal and means for applying said second voltage pulse to said second electrode group so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, said first alternating voltage having a second amplitude with one and opposite polarities, said second amplitude being larger than said firing voltage, means for applying a third signal simultaneously to all of said input terminals of said first driver circuit, said first driver circuit further including means for producing a third voltage pulse and means for applying said third voltage pulse to a plurality of said first electrodes, means for applying a fourth signal to all of said input terminals of said second driver circuit in synchronism with said third signal, said second driver circuit further including means for producing a fourth voltage pulse and means for applying said fourth voltage pulse to a plurality of said second electrodes so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said plurality of first electrodes and said pluralityof second electrodes, said second alternating voltage having an amplitude larger than said firing voltage and a frequency lower than that of said first alternating voltage so that the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage is smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage, and wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses and the same predetermined polarity as said first voltage pulses.

Claim 14

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a group of first electrodes and a group of second electrodes disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering the surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first driver circuit coupled to said first electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals, a second driver circuit coupled to said second electrodes and having a plurality of input terminals. a scanning control means for applying a first signal successively to said input terminals of said first driver circuit for a predetermined period at a predetermined interval, said first driver circuit including means for producing a group of first voltage pulses in response to said first signal and means for applying said first voltage pulses successively to said first electrodes, said first voltage pulses having a predetermined first amplitude with a predetermined polarity, said first amplitude being smaller than a firing voltage of the cells, a signal means for selectively applying a second signal to at least one of said input terminals of said second driver circuit for said predetermined period in synchronism with said first signal, said second driver circuit including means for producing at least one second voltage pulse of an amplitude smaller than said firing voltage in response to said second signal and means for applying said second voltage pulse to said second electrode group so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, said first alternating voltage having a second amplitude with one and opposite polarities, said second amplitude being larger than said firing voltage, means for applying a third signal simultaneously to all of said input terminals of said first driver circuit, said first driver circuit further including means for producing a third voltage pulse and means for applying said third voltage pulse to a plurality of said first electrodes, means for applying a fourth signal to all of said input terminals of said second driver circuit in synchronism with said third signal, said second driver circuit further including means for producing a fourth voltage pulse and means for applying said fourth voltage pulse to a plurality of said second electrodes so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said plurality of first electrodes and said pluralityof second electrodes, said second alternating voltage having an amplitude larger than said firing voltage and a frequency lower than that of said first alternating voltage so that the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage is smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage, and wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses and the same predetermined polarity as said first voltage pulses.

Claim 15

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a first electrode group and a second electrode group disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first means for applying a group of first voltage pulses to said first electrode group for a predetermined period in a time-division mode at a predetermined interval, second means for applying a group of second voltage pulses to selected electrodes in said second electrode group for a time of said period in synchronism with said first voltage pulses so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, the amplitude of said first alternating voltage being larger than the firing voltage of said cell, third means for periodically applying a third voltage pulse simultaneously to a plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, fourth means for applying a fourth voltage pulse to said second electrode group in synchronism with said third voltage pulse so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said second electrode group and said plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, the amplitude of said second alternating voltage being large enough to discharge said cells regardless of said first alternating voltage, the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage being smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage so that the contrast of brightness between said selected cells discharged due to said first alternating voltage and the cells discharged due to to said second alternating voltage be high, whereby delay in initial discharge is reduced, and wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses and the same predetermined polarity as said first voltage pulses.

Claim 16

An external electrode type plasma display apparatus comprising a first electrode group and a second electrode group disposed in an opposed relation to each other by the intermediary of a discharging gas to form cells therebetween, a dielectric coating covering surface of the electrodes of at least one group exposed to said gas, a first means for applying a group of first voltage pulses to said first electrode group for a predetermined period in a time-division mode at a predetermined interval, second means for applying a group of second voltage pulses to selected electrodes in said second electrode group for a time of said period in synchronism with said first voltage pulses so as to produce a first alternating voltage between the electrodes associated with a selected cell in combination with said first voltage pulses, the amplitude of said first alternating voltage being larger than the firing voltage of said cell, third means for periodically applying a third voltage pulse simultaneously to a plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, fourth means for applying a fourth voltage pulse to said second electrode group in synchronism with said third voltage pulse so as to produce a second alternating voltage between said second electrode group and said plurality of electrodes in said first electrode group, the amplitude of said second alternating voltage being large enough to discharge said cells regardless of said first alternating voltage, the number of discharging times due to said second alternating voltage being smaller than that due to said first alternating voltage so that the contrast of brightness between said selected cells discharged due to said first alternating voltage and the cells discharged due to to said second alternating voltage be high, whereby delay in initial discharge is reduced, and wherein said second, third and fourth voltage pulses have substantially the same amplitude as said first amplitude of said first voltage pulses and the same predetermined polarity as said first voltage pulses.