JPH0685112B2 - Gas discharge panel - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Outline] The present invention relates to a surface discharge type gas discharge panel in which display cells and selected cells are separated and sustain electrode pairs of the display cells are divided into blocks for matrix addressing. , When the sustain electrode of another block adjacent to another block is driven to display on the cell column being displayed with the electrode (boundary electrode) sandwiched between the electrode blocks as one sustain electrode, The gas discharge panel is characterized in that only the boundary electrodes are divided into odd-numbered and even-numbered electrodes belonging to each block so as to be driven with a waveform different from that of the electrodes and commonly connected.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an electrode structure of a gas discharge panel, and more particularly to a new electrode connection structure of a gas discharge panel capable of stable matrix driving of a surface discharge type gas discharge panel having a third electrode.

[Conventional technology]

The present inventors have already proposed Japanese Patent Application No. 60-160952 regarding an improved structure of a surface discharge type gas panel in which a display cell and a selection cell are separated.
(Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-022352).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate on the electrode supporting side of the proposed conventional surface discharge panel, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the panel.

In these figures, a plurality of pairs of sustain electrodes 2, 3 and the like, which are a set of two, are laterally arranged on a lower glass substrate 1 which functions as an electrode supporting substrate, and a dielectric layer made of a low melting point glass is formed on the sustain electrode pairs. A plurality of selection electrodes 5 (address electrodes), etc., extending in the vertical direction are provided via a partition wall 4 composed of a body layer 6 and a bank-shaped insulating layer.

A surface layer 9 made of magnesium oxide (MgO) and having a thickness of several thousand angstroms is formed on the upper electrode for selection, and a gas space b surrounded by a transparent upper substrate 7 for covering the surface layer 9.
Is provided.

5 and 6 show a so-called matrix address electrode structure for completing display drive of such a surface discharge panel with a small number of drive elements and drive waveforms of a display method of the above-mentioned panel.

In FIG. 5, a plurality of pairs of sustain electrodes are divided into three groups for performing matrix address. Specifically, the X-side sustain electrodes (corresponding to the sustain electrodes 2 in FIG. 3) are three each (x11, x1
2, x13), (x21, x22, x23), (x31, x32, x33) etc. are connected in common, and the sustain electrodes on the Y side (corresponding to electrode 3 in Fig. 3) are in each group. Same rank electrode comrades (y11, y12, y1
3), (y21, y22, y23), (y31, y32, y33) and other electrodes in parentheses are commonly connected. Of the electrodes divided into groups here,
Electrode block X1, X with only adjacent X electrodes commonly connected
2, X3, and the common connection of the same-order electrodes in each block is called an electrode bundle Y1, Y2, Y3. Select electrode
A1 to A5 correspond to the selection electrode 5 in FIG.

In the conventional display operation, stable display may be difficult in the cell group on the electrode located at the boundary of the electrode block.

That is, FIG. 5 shows a state in which display discharge is occurring in the display cell indicated by a large circle on the sustain electrode, but except for the sustain electrode pairs x13-y31 and x21-y12, for the sake of simplification of description. , It is assumed that no cell is being displayed.

Apply opposite polarity voltage waveforms Wx and Wy to the electrode block X2 and electrode bundle Y1 at the same timing in the section indicated by LAS in FIG. 6 to perform one sustain electrode pair full lighting operation for preparation of erase address. It is assumed that This makes the electrode pair x2
All display cells indicated by large circles on 1-y12 are applied with a voltage higher than the ignition voltage and discharge occurs.

(At this time, only one of the waveforms of the pulses Wx, Wy is applied to the sustain electrode pairs x22-y22, x23-y32 and x11-y11, x31
-y13 does not light because it does not reach the lighting voltage. This is called semi-selection, and is a means often used when selecting a specific cell by a matrix address. Further, in the selective erasing period DES which will be described later, the erasing discharge voltage is not reached except the sustain electrode pair to which the erasing pulses As and Ay, which are two pairs, are applied, and thus the erasing is not performed. ) The discharge of all the cells on the sustain electrode pair x21, y12 thus generated occurs in the sustain pulse S during the next sustain period SS.
Discharge is maintained and stabilized by x and Sy.

The next section ES is a period for performing an erase address for erasing the non-display discharge.First, in order to specify the selected block in the erase preparation period shown by BSS, the wall charges are inverted to the selected sustain electrodes that perform the display address. Add inversion pulse Ax. That is, this inversion pulse Ax is added to one of the electrode pairs to be selected for display (in this case, the X-side electrode block X2), and X2
The polarity of the wall charges accumulated on the electrode side is reversed to the other Y electrode side. As a result, only the sustain electrode of the electrode block has a polarity capable of responding to the polarity of the next drive waveform (for details, see Japanese Patent Application No. 59-190090 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-067094)). During the erase address period, the erase address pulse As to the select electrodes A2 and A4 and the erase pulse paired with the above pulse to the electrode bundle Y1 corresponding to the display cells (cells hatched in a large circle) that are scheduled to be hidden. Ay
And are applied simultaneously.

As a result of the pair drive, the non-display-scheduled cells on the electrode pair x21-y12 are driven by the non-display selection pulse As and the corresponding pulse Ay to select the electrodes A2, A weak erase discharge E is caused in a selected cell (black circled circle) defined by A4 and Y sustain electrode y12,
As a result, the wall charges of the adjacent display cells are consumed and the display disappears. However, the erase discharge is not generated in the display cells to be displayed, to which the erase address pulse As is not applied on the same sustain electrode. Therefore, when the sustain pulses Sx and Sy are alternately input in the stabilization sustain period shown in the next section DS, the sustain discharge continues as shown at the point F and the display light emission is maintained.

When the above operation is performed over all the electrodes in order from the electrodes x11 and y11, one display screen is formed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the electrode structure of the conventional gas discharge panel, the display cell in display having the other sustain electrode sandwiched between the electrode blocks, for example, the sustain electrode pair in the existing display adjacent to the block X2 to be driven, x13-y31. There has been a problem that the above display cell hinders stable sustain discharge.

That is, the wall charge of the cell being displayed interferes with the charge generated during the erase address preparation period BSS of the display-unnecessary cell of the adjacent selected sustain electrode pair x21-y12 and is insufficient to maintain the discharge. Since the amount of electric charge is increased, the operation margin is small, the lighting is unstable in some cases, and the display tends to be lit, erased, or blinking.

As a result of research, this phenomenon was found only in the display cell at the boundary of the electrode block and was found to be a problem peculiar to the boundary cell. Detailed analysis revealed that a gas discharge panel having the following electrode structure of the present invention for preventing interference of wall charges may be used.

[Means for solving problems]

In the electrode structure of the gas discharge panel of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, one of a plurality of adjacent pairs of sustain electrode pairs constituting a display cell of a surface discharge panel in which a display cell and a selected cell are separated. The sustain electrodes x11, x12, and x13 are commonly connected to form one electrode block, and the electrodes are sequentially divided into a plurality of electrode blocks.

Also, the other sustain electrodes y3a1, y3b1 etc. belonging to the outermost sustain electrode pair, which are located at the boundaries between the electrode blocks, are divided into those belonging to odd-numbered blocks and those belonging to even-numbered blocks and commonly connected (Y3A, And Y3B). Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the other sustain electrode y3a1 (or y3b1) of the outermost line of the odd (even) block has a cancel pulse Sa that cancels the influence of the erase preparation pulse Ax in the erase address preparation period BSS. The electrode configuration is capable of applying

[Action]

It is assumed that line-at-a-time driving is sequentially performed from the sustain electrodes shown in the upper part of FIG.
For simplification, the sustain electrode pair x13-y3a1 (belonging to the electrode block X1) having the electrode y3a1 sandwiched between the blocks X1 and X2 as one sustain electrode ends the display operation, and the next Sustain electrode pair x21-y1 that performs display drive at the beginning of electrode block X2
2 indicates that all cells are driven for lighting in the erase address preparation period BSS section of FIG. 2, and then the non-display cells on the electrode pair are erase-addressed.

That is, when the erasing preparation inversion pulse Ax is applied to the electrode block X2 to which one of the sustain electrodes x21 belongs, the wall charges of the cells that are lit only in that block are inverted, and the condition that only the polarity of the pulse applied next responds Or a stable erase address is realized. At this time, the electric charges moving in the gas space are attracted by the electrolysis to move, and the wall charges of the cells on the adjacent block boundary electrode y3a1 are tried to be reduced.
The relative potential canceling cancel pulse Sa applied to the electrode y3a1 can bring the electrode potential to the same potential as the adjacent address electrode x21 so as not to combine with the upper wall charges. As a result, since the potential gradient between the boundary electrode y3a1 and the adjacent electrode x21 disappears, the charge on the electrode x21 and the electrode y3a
The charges on 1 do not work together.

Therefore, since the wall charges necessary for memory display are kept sufficiently present when the sustain pulse is applied next, the unstable lighting state which is the first problem is not taken.

〔Example〕

The following is a detailed description of one embodiment of the electrode structure of the gas discharge panel of the present invention, using FIG. 1 electrode connection diagram and FIG. 2 drive waveform diagram for explaining the operation.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of adjacent X sustain electrodes (x1
1, x12, x13), (x21, x22, x23), ... (x41, x42, x4
3) The electrodes shown in brackets are commonly connected to block X1,
The fact that it becomes X2, ..., X4 is the same as the conventional example. The other sustain electrodes are connected to one electrode in each block in the same order as the first order and the second order are commonly connected to form an electrode bundle Y1 and Y2. Only the electrodes of the third rank are divided into an electrode bundle Y3A in which electrodes belonging to odd-numbered blocks are commonly connected and an electrode bundle Y3B in which electrodes belonging to even-numbered blocks are commonly connected.

For the electrodes connected in this way, line simultaneous address, that is, after all display cells on one set of sustain electrodes are turned on, only unnecessary display cells are erased, and it is as if the address on one sustain electrode pair It is assumed that a method for forming one display screen of this device by sequentially scanning from the upper sustain electrode to the lower sustain electrode in FIG. 1 in a manner as if the cells to be displayed are displayed at one time.

It will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 that this display drive can be realized using the panel of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an electrode connection diagram of a panel of the present invention having a block X1 which has already been driven for display and blocks X2, X3, X4 which are about to be driven for display.

Only cells on sustain electrode x13-y3a1 for simplicity of explanation,
Assuming that there are cells that are lit and marked with large circles and cells that have not been lit and that are not lit, the sustain electrode pair x21-y12 that is to be addressed next is indicated by LAS in FIG. It is assumed that all display cells on the sustain electrodes are lit by applying pulses Wx and Wy which can be lit to the sustain electrode pairs during the all-cell lighting period on the sustain electrodes.

Then, in the period SS, sustain pulses Sx and Sy are applied multiple times to stabilize the discharge of the lit display cells, and in the next erase preparation period BSS, the wall charge inversion pulse Ax for stable address is applied to the electrode block X2. Thus, the wall charges are inverted, and only the X2 electrode block is brought into a state in which a charge bias capable of responding to the polarity of the sum of the erase address pulses As and Ay is formed.

That is, if the erase voltage is applied to the display unnecessary cell as it is, not only the discharge to be erased normally on the electrodes x21-y12,
Discharge may be induced between x21-y3a1 located at a position similar to the above sustain electrode pair, and in that case, the amount of wall charges for displaying cells during sustain discharge is reduced by interference,
As a result, the display disappears, resulting in an unstable state.

As described above, although the erase address is performed as it is, it is the same as that of the conventional example, but in the present invention, the electrodes of odd number and even number are selectively used to prevent the decrease of the wall charge amount of the boundary electrode.

That is, the electrode bundles Y1, Y belonging to the block X2 for display selection
2 and an electrode bundle Y3A (Y3B) composed of electrodes sandwiched between electrode blocks and divided into odd and even blocks, a waveform Y1 that does not cancel the inversion pulse Ax and a waveform Y3A that has a cancel pulse Sa. Apply to each electrode.

Then, the electrode y3a1 belonging to the electrode bundle Y3A at the block boundary
Also, since the cancel pulse Sa having the same polarity as the inversion pulse Ax can be applied, it is possible to make an equipotential between the boundary electrode y3a1 and the electrode x21 during the display address drive without electric charge transfer.

At this time, the waveform examples Y2 and Y3B having no cancel pulse Sa are applied to the electrode bundle Y3B belonging to the other block boundary to bring them into the same operating state as the normal selected intra-block electrode.

The cancel pulse Sa causes the boundary electrode y3a1 and the adjacent electrode x21 to be at substantially the same potential when the pulse is applied, and therefore the electric charge on the electrode does not move and is not consumed. Stable sustain discharge continues between the sustain electrode pairs due to the pulses Sx and Sy, and the display continues.

Although the cancel pulse is applied when the erase address is performed in the above embodiment, it goes without saying that the bias pulse may be similarly applied to the adjacent electrode even in the case of the write address.

Further, in the present embodiment, only the electrodes between the electrode blocks are divided into two sets belonging to the odd and even blocks, but all the electrode bundles may be divided into the odd and even blocks, or only the boundary electrodes of the electrode bundle. Needless to say, they can be used in the same way even if they are taken out separately.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the electrode structure of the gas discharge panel of the present invention, the surface discharge type in which the display cells and the selected cells are separated and the electrodes of the display cells are divided into blocks to enable matrix addressing. In the panel, it is possible to obtain a display panel in which the already-lit display cells on the boundary line of the electrode block are not deprived of the wall charges by the erase address discharge of the adjacent all-lit display preparation cells, and thus are not erased. .

By implementing the electrode structure of this gas discharge panel, the operation margin for maintaining the display is greatly expanded from several volts by the conventional method to 20 or more volts by this method, and it is possible to provide a gas discharge panel display device which performs extremely high quality display. I was able to. As described above, the present invention is extremely effective in practical use.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is an electrode connection diagram of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a drive waveform diagram of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a substrate perspective view of a surface discharge panel, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the panel. FIG. 5 is a conventional electrode connection diagram, and FIG. 6 is a drive waveform diagram of the conventional method. In FIGS. 1 and 2, X1, X2, X3, and X4 are X sustain electrode blocks that form an electrode block, Y1 and Y2 are Y electrode bundles in which electrodes are arranged in each block, and Y3A and Y3B are odd electrodes. Block, Y electrode bundle existing in the electrode block boundary at the electrode block boundary, Wx, Wy are write pulses for all cells in the column to generate display discharge in the sustain electrode pair, Sx, Sy are sustain pulses, Ax is inversion pulse, Sa is a cancel pulse that prevents adjacent discharge, and As and Ay are erase address pulses.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate on one of which defines a gas-filled space.
A plurality of sustain electrode pairs forming a pair are arranged so as to be covered with an insulating layer, and a plurality of selecting electrodes are arranged above the respective sustain electrode pairs in a direction intersecting the sustain electrodes. A gas discharge cell having a selection discharge cell formed at the intersection of one sustain electrode of each pair and each selection electrode and a display discharge cell formed between the pair of sustain electrodes adjacent to each selection discharge cell. In the panel, one sustain electrode (x11, x12, x13, ..., x21, x22, x23, ...) included in a plurality of adjacent pairs of sustain electrodes is commonly connected to the electrode block (X1, X2, ...) and the other sustain electrodes (y11, y12, y13,
.., y21, y22, y23, ...) are commonly connected between the electrode blocks and correspond to the X and Y matrix addresses as an electrode bundle (Y1, Y2, ...), and at least the outermost side of the electrode block is maintained. The other sustain electrode (y3a1, y) that belongs to the electrode pair and is located at the boundary between the electrode blocks.
3b1, ...) belonging to an odd electrode block (y3a1, y
3a2, ...) and those belonging to even blocks (y3b1, y3b
2, ...) are commonly connected to each other so that different driving voltages can be applied to each gas discharge panel.