Patent ID: 7088312

Claim:
A plasma display, comprising: a plasma display panel, which includes: first and second substrates arranged to face each other; scanning electrodes and common electrodes alternately provided with each other on a side of said first substrate facing said second substrate and extending in a first direction; and data electrodes provided on a side of said second substrate facing said first substrate and extending in a second direction across said first direction; data drivers which apply data pulse to said data electrodes; a control circuit which controls operation of said data drivers based on a video signal; a temperature detector for detecting a temperature around said data drivers and for generating a temperature signal when said temperature exceeds a previously set specified temperature; a total power detector for detecting a sum of currents supplied from said data drivers to said data electrodes within a time span which is greater than or equal to one sub-field and less than one frame, and for generating a total power control signal when said sum of currents exceeds a predetermined current level; an individual power detector for detecting an individual current supplied from at least one data driver among said data drivers to said data electrode, and for generating an individual power control signal in response to said temperature signal when said individual current exceeds a predetermined current level; and a protection signal output circuit which outputs a first protection signal to restrain an operation of said data drivers to said control circuit in response to said total power control signal and which outputs a second protection signal to restrain an operation of said at least one data driver to said control circuit in response to said individual power control signal.