Patent Publication Number: US-6211865-B1

Title: Driving apparatus of plasma display panel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a driving apparatus of a plasma display panel. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As a flat display apparatus, a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a PDP) of an AC (alternating current discharge) type is known. 
     Although the AC type plasma display panel performs a display by supplying various pulses to row electrodes and column electrodes which are arranged so as to perpendicularly cross each other, there is a problem that a high-withstand voltage transistor which can withstand a potential difference of a power source has to be used in a pulse generating circuit. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention has been made to solve the problem described above, and it is an object of the invention to provide a driving apparatus of a plasma display panel in which a plurality of driving pulses having different polarities can be supplied to the same row electrodes of a PDP by a transistor having a relatively low withstanding voltage. 
     According to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a driving apparatus of a plasma display panel, comprising: column electrode driving means for supplying pixel data pulses corresponding to pixel data to a plurality of column electrodes arranged in the vertical direction of the plasma display panel; and row electrode driving means for supplying first pulses of a predetermined polarity and second pulses of a polarity different from the predetermined polarity to a plurality of row electrodes which cross the column electrodes and are arranged in the horizontal direction, wherein the column electrode driving means has: a first pulse generating circuit for generating the first pulses and supplying them to a first line; a second pulse generating circuit for generating the second pulses and supplying them to the row electrodes; and a switching element which is turned on at least for a period of time during which the first pulse generating circuit generates the first pulses, thereby connecting the first line and the row electrodes. 
     According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a driving apparatus of a plasma display panel, comprising: column electrode driving means for supplying pixel data pulses corresponding to pixel data to a plurality of column electrodes arranged in the vertical direction of the plasma display panel; and row electrode driving means for supplying first pulses of a predetermined polarity and second pulses of a polarity different from the predetermined polarity to a plurality of row electrodes arranged in the horizontal direction which crosses the column electrodes, wherein the row electrode driving means has: a first pulse generating circuit for generating the first pulses and supplying them to a first line; a first switching element which is turned on at least for a period of time during which the first pulse generating circuit generates the first pulses, thereby connecting the first line and the row electrodes; a second pulse generating circuit for generating the second pulses and supplying them to a second line; and a second switching element which is turned on at least for a period of time during which the second pulse generating circuit generates the second pulses, thereby connecting the second line and the row electrodes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic construction of a plasma display apparatus; 
     FIGS. 2A to  2 F are diagrams showing timings of row electrode driving signals by a driving apparatus in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a construction of a conventional pulse driving circuit for generating a reset pulse RPy and a maintaining pulse IPy; 
     FIGS. 4A to  4 G are diagrams showing timings of respective gate signals when the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy are generated by the conventional pulse driving circuit; 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a whole construction of a plasma display apparatus including a driving apparatus according to the invention; 
     FIGS. 6A to  6 F are diagrams showing timings of the row electrode driving signals by the driving apparatus in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a construction of a pulse driving circuit based on the driving apparatus of the invention; 
     FIGS. 8A to  8 G are diagrams showing timings of respective gate signals when the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy are generated by the pulse driving circuit shown in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a construction of the pulse driving circuit based on the invention in which an MOS transistor Q 7  is shown by an equivalent circuit; 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another constructional example of the pulse driving circuit based on the driving apparatus of the invention; and 
     FIGS. 11A to  11 I are diagrams showing timings of respective gate signals when the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy are generated by the pulse driving circuit shown in FIG.  10 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An example of a conventional plasma display apparatus will now be described with reference to the drawings prior to an explanation of an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic construction of a plasma display apparatus including a driving apparatus for driving the AC type PDP. 
     In FIG. 1, in a PDP  10 , row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  and row electrodes X 1  to X n  in which a pair of X and Y construct a row electrode pair corresponding to the rows (the first to n-th rows) of one screen are formed. Further, column electrodes D 1  to D m  serving as column electrodes which perpendicularly cross those row electrode pairs and correspond to the columns (the first to m-th columns) of one screen so as to sandwich a dielectric layer and a discharge space (they are not shown) are formed. In this instance, one discharge cell is formed at a crossing portion of one row electrode pair (X, Y) and one column electrode D. A driving apparatus  1  converts a supplied video signal into pixel data of N bits of every pixel, converts the pixel data into m pixel data pulses every row in the PDP  10 , and supplies the pulses to the column electrodes D 1  to D m  of the PDP  10 . Further, the driving apparatus  1  forms row electrode driving signals including a reset pulse RPx, reset pulse RPy, a priming pulse PP, a scanning pulse SP, a maintaining pulse IPx, maintaining pulse IPy, and an erasing pulse EP at timings as shown in FIGS. 2A to  2 F and supplies those signals to the row electrode pairs (Y 1  to Y n , X 1  to X n ) of the PDP  10 . 
     In FIGS. 2A to  2 F, the driving apparatus  1  first generates the reset pulse RPx of a positive voltage and supplies it to all of the row electrodes X 1  to X n  and, simultaneously, generates the reset pulse RPy of a negative voltage and supplies it to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n , respectively (all-resetting process). 
     By supplying the reset pulses, all of the discharge cells of the PDP  10  are discharged and excited, so that charged particles are generated. After completion of the discharge, wall charges of a predetermined amount are uniformly formed in the dielectric layers of all of the discharge cells. 
     Subsequently, the driving apparatus  1  generates pixel data pulses DP 1  to DP m  of a positive voltages corresponding to pixel data of every row and sequentially supplies the pulses to the column electrodes D 1  to D m  every row, Further, the driving apparatus  1  generates a scanning pulse SP each having a negative voltage and a relatively small pulse width at the same timing as that at which the pixel data pulses DP 1  to DP m  are supplied to the column electrodes D 1  to D m . The driving apparatus sequentially supplies the scanning pulses SP to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  as shown in FIGS. 2C to  2 E. At this time, among the discharge cells existing in the row electrodes to which the scanning pulses SP were supplied, the discharge occurs in the discharge cell to which the pixel data pulse of a high voltage was supplied, so that most of the wall charges are lost. Since no discharge occurs in the discharge cell to which the pixel data pulse is not supplied, the wall charges remain as they are. That is, whether the wall charges remain in each discharge cell or not is determined in accordance with the pixel data pulse supplied to the column electrode. This means that the pixel data has been written to each discharge cell in response to the supply of the scanning pulse SP. The driving apparatus  1  supplies priming pulses PP of a positive voltage as shown in FIGS. 2C to  2 E to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  just before the scanning pulses SP of a negative voltage are supplied to the row electrodes Y (pixel data writing process). 
     By the supply of the priming pulses PP, the charged particles which were obtained by the all-resetting operation and were decreased together with the elapse of time are formed again in a discharge space of the PDP  10 . The writing of the pixel data by the supply of the scanning pulses SP is executed in a period of time while the charged particles exist. 
     The driving apparatus  1  continuously supplies the maintaining pulses IPy of the positive voltage to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n , respectively, and successively supplies the maintaining pulses IPx of the positive voltage to the row electrodes X 1  to X n  at timings deviated from the supplying timings of the maintaining pulses IPy, respectively (maintaining discharging process). 
     The discharge cell in which the wall charges remain as they are repeats the discharge light emission and maintains the light emitting state for a period of time while the maintaining pulses IPx and IPy are alternately supplied. 
     The driving apparatus  1  generates the erasing pulses EP of the negative voltage and simultaneously supplies them to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n , thereby erasing the wall charges remaining in each discharge cell (wall charge erasing process). 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a construction of the pulse driving circuit for generating the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy among the various driving pulses. 
     In FIG. 3, a p-channel type MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor Q 1  in a maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 1  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “1”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 1  is equal to “0”, the MOS transistor Q 1  is turned on and supplies a potential of a positive side terminal of a DC power source B 1  to a line  2 . A negative side terminal of the DC power source B 1  is connected to the ground. Further, a capacitor C 1  whose one end is connected to the ground is provided for the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120 . An n-channel type MOS transistor Q 2  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 2  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  is equal to “1”, the transistor Q 2  is turned on and supplies the electric potential on the line  2  to another end of the capacitor C 1  through a diode D 1  and a coil L 1 . An n-channel type MOS transistor Q 3  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 3  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is equal to “1”, the transistor Q 3  is turned on and supplies the electric potential generated at the other end of the capacitor C 1  onto the line  2  via a diode D 2  and a coil L 2 . A p-channel type MOS transistor Q 4  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 4  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “1”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 4  is equal to “0”, the transistor Q 4  is turned on and pulls the electric potential on the line  2  into the ground potential via a diode D 3 . 
     An n-channel type MOS transistor Q 5  in a reset pulse generating circuit  103  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 5  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 5  is turned on and supplies an electric potential at a negative side terminal of a DC power source B 2  onto the line  2  through a resistor R 1 . A positive side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is connected to the ground. An n-channel type MOS transistor Q 6  is turned off when a logic level of a gate signal GT 6  supplied to its gate terminal is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 6  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 6  is turned on and pulls the electric potential on the line  2  into the ground potential through a diode D 4 . 
     The diodes D 1  to D 4  are provided to prevent a reverse current. 
     FIGS. 4A to  4 G are diagrams showing respective supplying timings of the gate signals GT 1  to GT 6  when the reset pulses RPy and maintaining pulses IPy as shown in FIGS. 2C to  2 E are generated, respectively. 
     As shown in FIG. 4E, the MOS transistor Q 5  is first turned on in response to the gate signal GT 5  at the logic level “1”. A negative electric potential generated at the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is, therefore, applied to the line  2  and the reset pulse RPy having a negative voltage as shown in FIG. 4G is generated. 
     As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, since the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and, further, the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0”, the maintaining pulse IPy of a positive voltage shown in FIG. 4G is generated. That is, in response to the gate signal GT 3  at the logic level “1”, the MOS transistor Q 3  is turned on and the current according to the charges accumulated in the capacitor C 1  flows onto the line  2  through the MOS transistor Q 3 , diode D 2 , and coil L 2 . The level of the row electrode driving signal on the line  2 , therefore, gradually rises as shown in FIG.  4 G. The MOS transistor Q 1  is subsequently turned on in response to the gate signal GT 1  at the logic level “1”. The positive electric potential at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  is, thus, applied to the line  2  and the maintaining pulse IPy having a positive voltage as shown in FIG. 4G is generated. The MOS transistor Q 2  is subsequently turned on in response to the gate signal GT 2  at the logic level “1”, so that the current according to the charges charged in the PDP  10  flows into the capacitor C 1  through the MOS transistor Q 2 , diode D 1 , and coil L 1 . The level of the maintaining pulse IPy gradually drops as shown in FIG. 4G by the charging operation of the capacitor C 1 . 
     As mentioned above, the reset pulse generating circuit  103  and maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  generate driving pulses (reset pulse RPy, maintaining pulse IPy) having different polarities and those driving pulses are applied onto the common line  2  at different timings. 
     In the construction shown in FIG. 3, the MOS transistors Q 1  and Q 5  are serially connected between the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  and the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2 . Further, the MOS transistors Q 2  (Q 3 ) and Q 5  are serially connected between capacitor C 1  for generating almost the same electric potential as that of the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  and the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2 . 
     There is, consequently, a problem such that as MOS transistors Q 1  to Q 3  and Q 4  shown in FIG. 3, transistors having a high withstanding voltage which can endure a potential difference between the potential at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  and the negative side terminal potential of the DC power source B 2  have to be used. 
     An embodiment of the invention will now be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a whole construction of a plasma display apparatus including a driving apparatus according to the invention. 
     In FIG. 5, an A/D converter  11  samples a supplied analog video signal, converts it into pixel data of N bits every pixel, and supplies it into a memory  13 . A panel drive control circuit  12  detects a horizontal sync signal and a vertical sync signal included in the video signal, generates various signals as will be explained hereinafter on the basis of the detection timings, and supplies them to the memory  13 , a row electrode driver  100 , and a column electrode driver  200 , respectively. 
     The memory  13  sequentially writes the pixel data in response to a write signal supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12 . The memory  13  further reads out the pixel data written as mentioned above every row of a PDP (plasma display panel)  20  in response to a read signal supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  and supplies them to the column electrode driver  200 . 
     The row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  and row electrodes X 1  to X n  in which a row electrode pair corresponding to each row (the first row to the n-th row) of one screen is constructed by a pair of X and Y are formed in the PDP  20 . Further, column electrodes D 1  to D m  serving as column electrodes corresponding to each column (the first column to the m-th column) of one screen are formed so as to perpendicularly cross the row electrode pairs and sandwich a dielectric layer and a discharge space (not shown). In this instance, one discharge cell is formed at an intersecting portion between one row electrode pair (X, Y) and one column electrode D. 
     The column electrode driver  200  generates the pixel data pulses DP 1  to DP m  corresponding to each of the pixel data of one row which are supplied from the memory  13  and supplies those pulses to the column electrodes D 1  to D m  of the PDP  20  as shown in FIGS. 6A to  6 F in response to a pixel data pulse applying timing signal supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12 , respectively. 
     In response to various timing signals which are supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12 , the row electrode driver  100  generates a row electrode X driving signal including the reset pulse RPx and maintaining pulse IPx as shown in FIG.  6 B and simultaneously supplies it to the row electrodes X 1  to X n  of the PDP  20 , respectively. In accordance with the various timing signals supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12 , the row electrode driver  100  generates a row electrode Y driving signal including the reset pulse RPy of a negative voltage, priming pulse PP of a positive voltage, scanning pulse SP of a negative voltage, maintaining pulse IPy of a positive voltage, and erasing pulse EP of a negative voltage as shown in FIGS. 6C to  6 E and supplies it to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  of the PDP  20 , respectively. 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a construction of a pulse driving circuit based on the driving apparatus of the invention formed so as to generate the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy among the above various driving pulses, respectively. The construction shown in FIG. 7 is provided in the row electrode driver  100 . 
     In FIG. 7, the p-channel type MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor Q 1  in the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  is turned off when the logic level of the gate signal GT 1  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “1”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 1  is equal to “0”, the MOS transistor Q 1  is turned on and the electric potential at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  is applied onto a line  150 . The negative side terminal of the DC power source B 1  is connected to the ground. Further, the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  has the capacitor C 1  one end of which is connected to the ground. The n-channel type MOS transistor Q 2  is turned off when the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 2  is turned on and an electric potential on the line  150  is applied to the other end of the capacitor C 1  via the diode D 1  and coil L 1 , thereby charging the capacitor C 1 . The n-channel type MOS transistor Q 3  is turned off when the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 3  is turned on and the electric potential discharged from the other end of the capacitor C 1  is applied onto the line  150  via the diode D 2  and coil L 2 . When the logic level of the gate signal GT 4  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “1”, the p-channel type MOS transistor Q 4  is turned off. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 4  is equal to “0”, the MOS transistor Q 4  is turned on, thereby pulling the electric potential on the line  150  into the ground potential. 
     The n-channel type MOS transistor Q 5  in the reset pulse generating circuit  130  is turned off when the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 5  is turned on applies the electric potential at the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  onto a line  300  through the resistor R 1 . The positive side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is connected to the ground. 
     A p-channel type MOS transistor Q 7  serving as a switching device is turned on when a logic level of a gate signal GT 7  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0”, thereby connecting the lines  150  and  300 . In this instance, the row electrode driving signal generated on the line  150  is supplied to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  of the PDP  20  through the line  300 , respectively. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 7  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 7  is turned off, thereby disconnecting the lines  150  and  300 . In this instance, only the row electrode driving signal generated on the line  300  is supplied to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  of the PDP  20 , respectively. 
     FIGS. 8A to  8 G are diagrams showing the timings of the gate signals GT 1  to GT 5  and GT 7  and waveforms of the row electrode driving signals which are generated on the line  300  in response to those gate signals GT. 
     FIGS. 8A to  8 G are diagrams showing supplying timings of the gate signals GT 1  to GT 5  and GT 7  when the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy as shown in FIGS. 6A to  6 F are generated, respectively. 
     As shown in FIG. 8E, the MOS transistor Q 5  shown in FIG. 7 is first turned on in response to the gate signal GT 5  at the logic level “1”. The negative electric potential generated at the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is, therefore, applied onto the line  300  through the resistor R 1 . The reset pulse RPy of the negative voltage as shown in FIG. 8G is supplied to the row electrode Y of the PDP  20 . In this instance, a waveform of a front edge portion of the reset pulse RPy becomes gentle owing to the operation of the resistor R 1 . For this period of time, since the gate signal GT 7  at the logic level “1” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 7  shown in FIG. 7, the MOS transistor Q 7  is OFF. For at least a period of time while the reset pulse RPy is generated, the lines  150  and  300  are in a disconnected state. 
     As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, subsequently, since the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and, further, the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0”, the maintaining pulse IPy of the positive voltage as shown in FIG. 8G is generated. That is, the MOS transistor Q 3  is first turned on in response to the gate signal GT 3  at the logic level “1”. The current according to the charges accumulated in the capacitor C 1  flows onto the line  150  through the MOS transistor Q 3 , diode D 2 , and coil L 2 . In this instance, since the gate signal GT 7  at the logic level “0” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 7  as shown in FIG. 8F, the MOS transistor Q 7  is turned on, thereby connecting the lines  150  and  300 . The level of the row electrode driving signal on the line  300  gradually rises as shown in FIG.  8 G. Subsequently, the MOS transistor Q 1  is turned on in response to the gate signal GT 1  at the logic level “1”, so that the positive electric potential at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  is applied onto the line  300  through the line  150  and MOS transistor Q 7 . The maintaining pulse IPy having the positive voltage as shown in FIG. 8G is generated. The MOS transistor Q 2  is subsequently turned on in response to the gate signal GT 2  at the logic level “1”. The current according to the charges charged in the PDP  20  flows into the capacitor C 1  through the MOS transistor Q 2 , diode D 1 , and coil L 1 . By the charging operation of the capacitor C 1  as mentioned above, the level of the maintaining pulse IPy gradually drops as shown in FIG.  8 G. 
     As mentioned above, in the pulse driving circuit shown in FIG. 7, the MOS transistor Q 7  which is turned on for at least a period of time when the maintaining pulse is supplied to the row electrode is provided between the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  and reset pulse generating circuit  130 . 
     According to the above construction, the number of MOS transistors which are serially connected between the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  and the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  and, further, between the capacitor C 1  for generating almost the same electric potential as that at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1  and the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is increased by only one stage corresponding to only the MOS transistor Q 7 . 
     The withstanding voltage per stage of the MOS transistor can be, consequently, reduced as compared with that in the conventional construction as shown in FIG.  3 . The MOS transistor Q 7  shown in FIG. 7 is equivalently constructed, as shown in FIG. 9, by a switch SW 7  for connecting or disconnecting the lines  150  and  300  in accordance with the gate signal GT 7  and a parasitic diode D 17  formed in the forward direction from the line  300  to the line  150 . 
     In this instance, the parasitic diode D 17  prevents the current which reversely flows from the ground potential to the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  of the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  through a parasitic diode of the MOS transistor Q 4 . 
     That is, the diode D 3  for prevention of the reverse current flow used in the construction in FIG. 3 for the purpose of the above function is unnecessary in the construction shown in FIG.  7 . 
     In the above embodiment, to improve the withstanding voltage, the MOS transistor Q 7  which is turned on at least for a period of time of generation of the maintaining pulse is provided on the line  150  as an output line of the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120 . A MOS transistor for improvement of the withstanding voltage can be also provided for an output line of each pulse generating circuit. 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a construction of a pulse driving circuit realized in consideration of the above problem. 
     The description of the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  and MOS transistor Q 7  shown in FIG. 10 is omitted here because they are the same as those shown in FIG.  7  mentioned above. 
     In FIG. 10, the n-channel type MOS transistor Q 5  in a reset pulse generating circuit  140  is turned off when the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0” on. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 5  is turned on, thereby applying the electric potential at the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  onto a line  400  through the resistor R 1 . The positive side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is connected to the ground. Further, an n-channel type MOS transistor Q 8  in the reset pulse generating circuit  150  is turned off when the logic level of a gate signal GT 8  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “0”. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 8  is equal to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 8  is turned on, thereby pulling an electric potential on the line  400  into the ground potential through the resistor R 2 . 
     An n-channel type MOS transistor Q 9  serving as a switching device is turned on when the logic level of a gate signal GT 9  supplied from the panel drive control circuit  12  is equal to “1”, thereby connecting the lines  400  and  300 . In this instance, a row electrode driving signal generated on the line  400  is supplied to the row electrodes Y 1  to Y n  of the PDP  20  through the line  300 , respectively. When the logic level of the gate signal GT 9  is equal to “0”, the MOS transistor Q 9  is turned off, thereby disconnecting the lines  400  and  300 . 
     FIGS. 11A to  11 I are diagrams showing supplying timings of the gate signals GT 1  to GT 5  and gate signals GT 7  to GT 9  for generating the reset pulse RPy and maintaining pulse IPy in the construction shown in FIG. 10, respectively. 
     As shown in FIG. 11E, first, the MOS transistor Q 5  in the reset pulse generating circuit  140  shown in FIG. 10 is turned on in response to the gate signal GT 5  at the logic level “1”. The negative potential generated at the negative side terminal of the DC power source B 2  is, thus, applied onto the line  400  through the MOS transistor Q 5  and resistor R 1 . For this period of time, since the gate signal GT 9  at the logic level “1” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 9  shown in FIG. 10, the MOS transistor Q 9  is ON. The electric potential applied onto the line  400 , therefore, is supplied to the line  300  via the MOS transistor Q 9  and the reset pulse RPy of the negative voltage as shown in FIG. 11I is applied to the row electrode Y of the PDP  20 . As shown in FIGS. 11E and 11G, when the logic level of the gate signal GT 5  is switched from “1” to “0” and the logic level of the gate signal GT 8  is switched from “0” to “1”, the MOS transistor Q 5  is switched to OFF and the MOS transistor Q 8  is switched to ON, respectively. Since the MOS transistor Q 8  is switched to ON, the reset pulse RPy of the negative voltage generated on the line  300  as shown in FIG. 11I is gradually pulled into the ground potential. 
     For a period of time when the reset pulse RPy is supplied to the row electrode Y of the PDP  20  through the line  400 , MOS transistor Q 9 , and line  300 , the gate signal GT 7  at the logic level “1” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 7 . For this period, therefore, the lines  150  and  300  serving as an output line of the maintaining pulse generating circuit  120  are disconnected. 
     As shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C, since the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and the logic level of the gate signal GT 3  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0” and, further, the logic level of the gate signal GT 2  is sequentially switched to “0”→“1”→“0”, the maintaining pulse IPy of the positive voltage as shown in FIG. 11I is generated. That is, the MOS transistor Q 3  is first turned on in response to the gate signal GT 3  at the logic level “1” and the current according to the charges accumulated in the capacitor C 1  flows onto the line  150  through the MOS transistor Q 3 , diode D 2 , and coil L 2 . In this instance, as shown in FIG. 11F, since the gate signal GT 7  at the logic level “0” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 7 , the MOS transistor Q 7  is turned on and the lines  150  and  300  are connected. The level of the row electrode driving signal on the line  300 , consequently, gradually rises as shown in FIG.  11 I. Subsequently, the MOS transistor Q 1  is turned on in response to the gate signal GT 1  at the logic level “1”. The positive potential at the positive side terminal of the DC power source B 1 , therefore, is applied onto the line  300  through the line  150  and MOS transistor Q 7  and the maintaining pulse IPy having the positive voltage as shown in FIG. 11I is generated. The MOS transistor Q 2  is subsequently turned on in response to the gate signal GT 2  at the logic level “1”. The current according to the charges charged in the PDP  20 , therefore, flows into the capacitor C 1  through the MOS transistor Q 2 , diode D 1 , and coil L 1 . By the charging operation of the capacitor C 1  mentioned above, the level of the maintaining pulse IPy gradually drops as shown in FIG.  11 I. For a period of time when the maintaining pulse IPy is applied to the row electrode Y of the PDP  20  through the line  150 , MOS transistor Q 7 , and line  300 , the gate signal GT 9  at the logic level “1” is supplied to the MOS transistor Q 9 . For this interval, thus, the lines  400  and  300  serving as an output line of the reset pulse generating circuit  150  are disconnected. 
     In the pulse driving circuit shown in FIG. 10, the MOS transistor (Q 7 , Q 9 ) which is turned on for at least a period of time when each pulse generating circuit generates the driving pulse is provided for each output line of the pulse generating circuit ( 120 ,  140 ). 
     According to the above construction, therefore, the number of stages of the MOS transistors which are serially connected between the pulse generating circuits is further increased by only one stage (corresponding to the MOS transistor Q 9 ), so that the withstanding voltage of each MOS transistor can be set to a value lower than that in the construction shown in FIG.  7 .