Full color surface discharge type plasma display device

Abstract

A matrix display panel of first and second substrates having respective main surfaces in parallel and opposed relationship has parallel address electrodes and respective continuous phosphor stripes arranged within corresponding elongated cavities on the main surface of the first substrate, extending in a first direction. Display electrodes on the main surface of the second substrate extend in a second, transverse direction and cross the address electrodes and respective phosphor stripes, each display electrode defining a display line of pixels. A driving system drives the panel in accordance with color image data defining successive color images to be displayed in respective, successive image frames, the color image data of each frame defining respective relative brightness gradation levels and comprising a plurality of subframes wherein lines are concurrently activated in each subframe and each subframe includes an addressing period for addressing a pixel by selectively applying a write pulse to each selected one of the pixels, the write pulse forming a memory medium in a selected one of all the pixels, a display period for lighting said addressed pixel by a concurrent application of sustain pulses to all the pixels, each subframe being allocated with a predetermined number of the sustain pulses so as to weight a gradation to said respective subframe, wherein a gradation of visual brightness of the lit pixel is determined by selectively operating the subframe for each of the pixels for each frame.