Patent ID: 7616174

Claim:
An apparatus for driving a plasma display panel having first and second electrodes formed therein to apply a falling waveform to the first electrode, comprising: a sustain driver for applying a sustain discharge voltage to the first electrode; a first transistor having a first main terminal coupled to the sustain driver and a second main terminal coupled to the first electrode; a second transistor having a first main terminal coupled to the first electrode and a second main terminal coupled to a first voltage source that supplies a first voltage level; and a third transistor having a first main terminal coupled between the sustain driver and the first main terminal of the first transistor and a second main terminal coupled to a second voltage source that supplies a second voltage level, wherein the second and third transistors allow a voltage at the first electrode to fall with a two-step falling ramp waveform from a third voltage level to the second voltage level and then from the second voltage level to the first voltage level.