Patent ID: 7768475

Claim:
Image display device comprising: a plasma display panel comprising a first plate provided with at least two arrays of coplanar electrodes (Y, Y′) that are coated with a dielectric layer and a second plate provided with an array of electrodes (X) called address electrodes that are coated with a dielectric layer, forming between them a two-dimensional set of elementary discharge regions corresponding to pixels or subpixels of the images to be displayed, said regions being filled with a discharge gas and each being positioned at the point where an address electrode (X) crosses a pair or group of electrodes formed by an electrode of each coplanar array, each elementary discharge region being subdivided into: a coplanar discharge region comprising a portion of the space between the plates that is located above the coplanar electrodes traversing this elementary region and between these electrodes, and each of said coplanar electrodes extending over its width between an edge called the internal edge, facing another of said coplanar electrodes, and an edge called the external edge at the limit of said coplanar discharge region; at least two matrix discharge regions, each comprising a portion of the space between the plates that is located at the place where one of said coplanar electrodes crosses the address electrode traversing this elementary region, and being located closer to the external edge than the internal edge of said coplanar electrode with which this matrix discharge region is associated; and drive means for controlling the discharges in this panel, which are designed to generate, during display phases called sustain phases, series of a plurality of sustain voltage pulses between electrodes of said pairs or groups of coplanar electrodes so as to be able to cause discharges in coplanar regions of the elementary discharge regions traversed by these coplanar electrodes, wherein either said drive means for controlling the discharges are also designed so that, during any said sustain phase, the potential of the address electrodes is maintained at a value suitable for causing, before and at the start of each sustain pulse, a matrix discharge between the address electrodes and the electrodes of one of the coplanar arrays traversing said elementary discharge regions; or said drive means for controlling the discharges are also designed to generate, before each sustain pulse of any said sustain phase, a matrix voltage pulse between the address electrodes and the electrodes of one of the coplanar arrays traversing said elementary discharge regions so as to cause a discharge in the matrix regions corresponding to the electrodes of said coplanar array.