Patent ID: 6947015

Claim:
A method of controlling a display panel having a plurality of cells and a plurality of electrode lines, each of the electrode lines applying a sustain pulse to a group of the plurality of cells, the method comprising: detecting data on a number of cells addressed in each of the electrode lines; computing an operation current of each cell in the group for each electrode line under an assumption that the sustain pulse has a predetermined voltage; comparing each of the operating currents computed with a reference value to provide a result; and setting a voltage for the sustain pulse on the basis of the results, wherein the voltage of the sustain pulse is set to be higher for a particular electrode line than the predetermined voltage if the operation current computed is smaller than the reference value, wherein the voltage of the sustain pulse is set to be lower for a particular electrode line than the predetermined voltage if the operation current computed is greater than the reference value, and wherein the voltage of the sustain pulse is set to the predetermined voltage if the operation current computed is equal to the reference value; and wherein each of the preceding steps are executed successively for a sub-field period and the sustain pulse is applied to the electrode lines at the voltages set during the sub-field period.