Abstract:
The invention provides a plasma display panel including a number of first display units and a number of second display units, wherein the first and second display units are composed of plural sustaining electrodes, scanning electrodes, data electrodes. The sustaining electrodes and scanning electrodes form at least two adjacent electrode combinations, namely the first electrode combination and the second electrode combination, wherein each electrode combination includes one sustaining electrode and one scanning electrode. Data electrodes are disposed along a direction approximately orthogonal to these sustaining electrodes and scanning electrodes. The first display unit corresponds to the first primary color and is controlled by the first data electrode and the first electrode combination while the second display unit corresponds to the second primary color and is controlled by the first data electrode and the second electrode combination. The first display unit and the second display unit are adjacent and alternately arranged.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 091134238, filed Nov. 25, 2002. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to a plasma display panel, and more particularly to a plasma display panel with common data electrodes. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Plasma display panel (PDP) whose display characteristics are far better than that of cathode ray tube (CRT) due to the features of big size, wide view angle, high resolution and full-colored image display etc., has drawn considerable attention in recent years. 
     Refer to FIG. 1, which is a three-dimensional diagram of a conventional plasma display panel. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate  102  and a rear substrate  108  with a number of alternately arranged sustaining electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y being disposed on the front substrate  102  wherein a number of transparent electrodes (not shown) can be formed and defined before the formation of the above sustaining electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y. The transparent electrodes whose patterns are determined according to their designs would not be described in detail. The above sustaining electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y are covered by a dielectric layer  104 , while the dielectric layer  104  is covered by a protection layer  106 , which is composed of magnesium oxide and is used to protect sustaining electrodes X, scanning electrodes Y and the dielectric layer  104 . Moreover, a number of data electrodes A are disposed on the rear substrate  108  and are covered by a dielectric layer  116 , wherein data electrodes A are orthogonal to sustaining electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y A number of barrier ribs  112  are disposed on the rear substrate  108  along the direction of data electrodes A with a number of fluorescent layers  110  covering between every two adjacent barrier ribs  112 . 
     The cavity between the front substrate  102  and the rear substrate  108  is a discharge space filled with discharge gas, which is a mixture of neon and xenon. A display unit is defined by a sustaining electrode X and a scanning electrode Y, both are disposed on the front substrate  102 , together with their corresponding data electrode A, which is disposed on the rear substrate  108 . Therefore, a number of display units arranged in matrix can be defined on a plasma display panel by the sustaining electrodes X, scanning electrodes Y and data electrodes A. By exciting the gas in the discharge, the excited gas will emit ultraviolet rays. The fluorescent layer  110  will emit visible light after absorbing ultraviolet rays of specific wavelengths. 
     Refer to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram illustrating the relation between several display units of horizontal arrangement and each electrode in the plasma display panel shown in FIG.  1 . Display units of different colors can be obtained by forming fluorescent layers corresponding to different colors between adjacent barrier ribs. As shown in FIG. 2, data electrodes A 1 , A 2  and A 3  are used to control red display units R 1  and R 2 , green display units G 1  and G 2 , blue display units B 1  and B 2  respectively. The driving method for these display units includes the following steps. First, during an erasing period, erase displaying data for all display units. Next, during an addressing period, sequentially scan scanning electrodes Y 1  and Y 2 , and select the display units to be lighted by enabling data electrodes A 1  to A 3 . After that, during a discharge sustaining period, the selected display units will be lighted continuously by providing an alternating voltage between the sustaining electrode X 1  and scanning electrode Y 1 , and the sustaining electrode X 2  and scanning electrode Y 2 . 
     In addition to the display unit of horizontal arrangement as shown in FIG. 2, display units can also be disposed in triangle arrangement. Refer to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional relations between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode. The display units of triangle arrangement are achieved by means of honeycomb type barrier ribs  302 . Take the adjacent and alternately arranged display units green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  for example. Green display unit G 2  is controlled by data electrode A 2  and scanning electrode Y 1  while red display unit R 3  is controlled by data electrode A 1  and scanning electrode Y 1 . When scanning electrode Y 1  is scanned, green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  can be respectively selected by data electrodes A 1  and A 2 . 
     Conventionally, the adjacent and alternately arranged display units must be controlled by different data electrodes, so a large number of data electrodes are required in order to control display units. Since a large number of data electrodes are required, the cost of a conventional plasma display panel is increased. Besides, the manufacturing process becomes more complicated due to the narrow space between adjacent data electrodes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a plasma display panel, which controls two adjacent and alternately arranged display units using common data electrodes. By reducing the required number of data electrodes, the manufacturing cost can be further lowered. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a plasma display panel including a plurality of sustaining electrodes, scanning electrodes, data electrodes, the first display unit and the second display unit. These sustaining electrodes and scanning electrodes form at least two adjacent electrode combinations, namely the first electrode combination and the second electrode combination, wherein each electrode combination includes a sustaining electrode and a scanning electrode. Data electrodes are disposed along a direction approximately orthogonal to these sustaining electrodes and scanning electrodes. The first display unit corresponds to the first primary color and is controlled by the first data electrode and the first electrode combination while the second display unit corresponds to the second primary color and is controlled by the first data electrode and the second electrode combination, wherein the first display unit and the second display unit are adjacent and alternately arranged. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional diagram of a conventional plasma display panel; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relation between several display units of horizontal arrangement and each electrode of a plasma display panel as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mutual relationship between plural display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the fourth embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the fifth embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the sixth embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIGS. 10A to  10 C are schematic diagrams illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the seventh embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The spirit of the invention lies in using a data electrode to control two adjacent and alternately arranged display units to reduce the required number of data electrodes and further lower the manufacturing cost down. 
     The First Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram illustrating a mutual relationship between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the first embodiment of the invention. The plasma display panel according to the invention includes a number of sustaining electrodes X, a number of scanning electrodes Y, a number of data electrodes A and a number of display units. Take sustaining electrodes X 1  to X 2 , scanning electrode Y 1 , data electrodes A 1  to A 2 , red display units R 1  to R 3 , green display units G 1  to G 3  and blue display units B 1  to B 3  for example. Sustaining electrode X 1  and scanning electrode Y 1  form the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ) while sustaining electrode X 2  and scanning electrode Y 1  form the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 1 ). Data electrodes A 1  to A 2  are disposed along a direction approximately orthogonal to sustaining electrodes X 1  to X 2  and scanning electrode Y 1 . Each display unit is separated by a barrier rib, wherein the barrier rib can be a honeycomb type barrier rib  402  with display units being arranged in the form of a honeycomb. 
     For example, green display unit G 2  is controlled by data electrode A 1  and the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ) while red display unit R 2  is controlled by data electrode A 2  and the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ); red display unit R 3  is controlled by data electrode A 1  and the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 1 ) while blue display unit B 3  is controlled by data electrode A 2  and the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 1 ). Display units lined up in a row alternate with display units lined up in adjacent rows, i.e., display units arranged in two adjacent rows but correspond to the same data electrode will not be lined up in the same straight line, but rather, these display units have relative displacement along horizontal direction. For example, green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3 , the corresponding display units of data electrode A 1 , are adjacent and alternately arranged display units with relative displacement existing along horizontal direction. In FIG. 4, green display unit G 2  is disposed between red display unit R 3  and blue display unit B 3 . 
     By disposing data electrodes in locations passing through two adjacent and alternately arranged display units, the invention uses only one data electrode to control two adjacent and alternately arranged display units to reduce the required number of data electrodes. In the first embodiment of FIG. 4, data electrodes are of linear type and are orthogonal to these sustaining electrodes and scanning electrodes. 
     Since two adjacent and alternately arranged display units are controlled by the same data electrode and scanning electrode, the display units need to be lighted individually during two driving procedure. The driving method for the plasma display panel of the invention is exemplified below using green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  as an example. First, during an erasing period, erase display data for all display units. Next, during the first addressing period, sequentially scan scanning electrodes Y, and select the display units to be lighted by enabling data electrodes A. For instance, when scanning electrode Y 1  is enabled, select green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  at the same time by enabling data electrode A 1 . After that, during the first discharge sustaining period, continuously light one of the two selected display units. For instance, by providing an alternating voltage to the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ), only the selected green display unit G 2  is lighted continuously. Similarly, within the second addressing period, sequentially scan scanning electrodes Y, and select the display unit to be lighted by enabling data electrodes A. For instance, when scanning electrode Y 1  is enabled, select again green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  at the same time by enabling data electrode A 1 . After that, during the second discharge sustaining period, continuously light one of the two selected display units. For instance, by providing an alternating voltage to the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 1 ), only the selected red display unit R 3  is lighted continuously. Thus, the two adjacent and alternately arranged display units can be light respectively. 
     The color differentiation of the eyes depends on the accumulated duration of color illumination. Although green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  are lighted at different time points, this driving method still achieves the same display performance with that of a conventional plasma display panel due to the visual accumulation effect. 
     In the invention, data electrodes are not limited to the linear type as shown in FIG.  4 : data electrodes of bent types also would do. Various patterns of bent type data electrodes are disclosed in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 below. 
     The Second Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 5, a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the second embodiment of the invention. In the second embodiment, data electrodes are composed of line segments disposed along two different directions, for example, line segment  502  along the first direction and line segment  504  along the second direction, wherein line segments  502 ,  504  and  506  are linked sequentially. The joint linking line segment  502  and line segment  504  is disposed in green display unit G 2  while the joint linking line segment  504  and line segment  506  is disposed in red display unit R 3 . 
     The Third Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 6, a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the third embodiment of the invention. In the third embodiment, data electrodes are composed of line segments disposed in along three different directions, for example, line segments  602  and  610  of along the first direction, line segments  604  and  608  of along the second direction, and line segment  606  of along the third direction, wherein line segments  602 ,  604 ,  606 ,  608  and  610  are linked sequentially. The joint linking line segment  602  and line segment  604  as well as the joint linking line segment  604  and line segment  606  are disposed in green display unit G 2 , while the joint linking line segment  606  and line segment  608  as well as the joint linking line segment  608  and line segment  610  are disposed in red display unit R 3 . 
     The Fourth Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 7, a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. In the fourth embodiment, data electrodes are of wave type with the crest section  704  and trough section  706  being disposed in green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  respectively. 
     The driving methods used in the second to the fourth embodiments are the same with that used in the first embodiment and are not reiterated here. 
     The Fifth Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 8, a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the fifth embodiment of the invention. The barrier rib used in the plasma display panel according to the invention is not limited to the honeycomb type barrier rib as shown in FIG.  4 . Barrier ribs of other types, approximate polygonal type or approximate circular type for example, will also achieve the object of the invention by alternately arranging display units of two adjacent rows. As shown in FIG. 8, the barrier rib according to the invention can also be an alternating grid type barrier rib  802 . In this embodiment, each display unit approximates a rectangular while display units in two adjacent rows are alternately arranged. 
     The Sixth Embodiment 
     Refer to FIG. 9, a schematic diagram illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the sixth embodiment of the invention. In the first embodiment of FIG. 4, scanning electrode Y 1  is shared by green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3 . According to the spirit of the invention, display units in different rows can be controlled by different scanning electrodes. As it is shown in FIG. 9, green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  can be controlled by scanning electrode Y 1  and Y 2  respectively. Sustaining electrode X 1  and scanning electrode Y 1  form the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ) while sustaining electrode X 2  and scanning electrode Y 2  form the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 2 ). The driving method according to the embodiment is exemplified below. First, sequentially scan scanning electrodes Y 1  and Y 2 . Next, by enabling data electrode A 2 , select green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  when scanning electrodes Y 1  and Y 2  have been respectively enabled. Last, provide an alternating voltage to the first electrode combination (X 1 +Y 1 ) and the second electrode combination (X 2 +Y 2 ) respectively, so the selected display units green display unit G 2  and red display unit R 3  can be lighted continuously. 
     The Seventh Embodiment 
     Refer to FIGS. 10A to  10 C, three schematic diagrams illustrating a relation between several display units of triangle arrangement and each electrode according to the seventh embodiment of the invention. Apart from linear type design, data electrodes in the seventh embodiment according to the invention can be designed to have a number of protrusions which are disposed in corresponding display units. Take data electrode A 1  for example. Data electrode A 1  has a number of rectangular protrusions, rectangular protrusion  1002 G and  1002 R for instance, wherein  1002 G and  1002 R extends to the center of green display unit G 2  and the center of red display unit R 3  respectively. Thus the data electrodes can have better driving ability to the display units. 
     Apart from rectangular type, protrusions can have various types of design as well, the ring type and the semi-circular type as shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C for instance. In FIG. 10B, ring protrusions  1004 G and  1004 R extends to the center of green display unit G 2  and the center of red display unit R 3  respectively; in FIG. 10C, semi-circular protrusions  1006 G and  1006 R extends to the center of green display unit G 2  and the center of red display unit R 3  respectively. 
     The plasma display panel disclosed in above embodiments according to the invention uses common data electrodes for the control of two adjacent and alternately arranged display units, reducing the required number of data electrodes and lowering the manufacturing cost accordingly. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.