Patent ID: 6930657

Claim:
An organic EL element drive circuit for an organic EL display panel including a plurality of matrix-arranged organic EL elements, comprising: a plurality of current sources provided correspondingly to a plurality of anode connection lines connected to anode sides of said organic EL elements, respectively; a plurality of drive circuits provided correspondingly to a plurality of cathode connection lines connected to cathode sides of said organic EL elements, for sequentially scanning said cathode connection lines and sinking currents flowing out from said cathode connection lines to a predetermined biasing line, respectively; and a discharge circuit for discharging electric charges of said organic EL elements by connecting said anode connection lines to said predetermined biasing line or a predetermined constant voltage line for a constant time, one of the plurality of said cathode connection lines, which is to be scanned and connected to at least one of said drive circuits, being connected to said predetermined biasing line by said at least one drive circuit, at least one of the remaining drive circuits, which is connected to at least one of said cathode connection lines scanned one or a plurality of lines ahead of said cathode connection line to be scanned, applying a voltage for reverse-biasing said organic EL elements to said cathode connection lines associated therewith, the plurality of said drive circuits connected to the remaining cathode connection lines connecting said cathode connection lines associated therewith to said predetermined biasing line for the constant time.