Method for driving a flat-type display device

Abstract

A method for driving a flat-type display device which includes a cathode panel having first electrodes and second electrodes and an anode panel, the cathode panel and the anode panel having spacers is provided. The method includes the steps of: in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device, determining a normalized first current from a first current by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas near the spacers, and determining a normalized second current from a second current by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers; and in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device, setting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas on the basis of the normalized first current and normalized second current so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas near the spacers and not near the spacers are substantially the same.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state of application of a voltage to a first electrode in a method for driving a flat-type display device in Example 1, Example 2, or Example 4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of application of a voltage to the first electrode in the method for driving a flat-type display device in Example 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of application of a voltage to the first electrode in the method for driving a flat-type display device in Example 7.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the state of application of a voltage to the first electrode in the method for driving a flat-type display device in Example 7.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state of application of a voltage to the first electrode in an example of variation on the method for driving a flat-type display device in Example 8.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view of a flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 composed of a cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end view of the flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 composed of an example of variation on the cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary end view of the flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 composed of another example of variation on the cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary end view of the flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 composed of a cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element having a focusing electrode.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary end view of the flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 composed of an example of variation on the cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element having a focusing electrode.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary end view of the flat-type display device in Examples 1 to 9 comprised of another example of variation on the cold cathode field emission display device having a Spindt-type cold cathode field emitter element having a focusing electrode.

FIG. 12 is a view diagrammatically showing an arrangement of a barrier, a spacer, and fluorescent regions in an anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 13 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the barrier, spacer, and fluorescent regions in the anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 14 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the barrier, spacer, and fluorescent regions in the anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 15 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the barrier, spacer, and fluorescent regions in the anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 16 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the barrier, spacer, and fluorescent regions in the anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 17 is a view diagrammatically showing the arrangement of the barrier, spacer, and fluorescent regions in the anode panel constituting the flat-type display device.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual fragmentary end view of a related art flat-type display device composed of a cold cathode field emission display device having a flat-type cold cathode field emitter element.

FIG. 19 is a partial, diagrammatic exploded perspective view of a cathode panel and an anode panel in a cold cathode field emission display device.

FIG. 20A is a graph diagrammatically showing an anode current flowing between the electron emitter area and the anode electrode due to the electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas, and FIG. 20B is a graph diagrammatically showing a change with time in the conditions of electron emission from the electron emitter areas.

Claims

1. A method for driving a flat-type display device which includes: (A) a cathode panel having M strip-form first electrodes extending in a first direction and N strip-form second electrodes extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and having N×M electron emitter areas composed of overlap regions between the first electrodes and the second electrodes; and(B) an anode panel having a fluorescent region and an anode electrode,the cathode panel and the anode panel being joined together at their edges through a joint member,the cathode panel and the anode panel having therebetween spacers extending in the first direction arranged in P rows,the method comprising the steps of:in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device, determining a normalized first current INor—near by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas near the spacers and by measuring a first current Inear carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas, anddetermining a normalized second current INor—far by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers and by measuring a second current Ifar carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas; andin the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device, setting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas on the basis of the normalized first current INor—near and normalized second current INor—far so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas near the spacers and the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers are substantially the same.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein (P-1) first electrode groups are disposed between one spacer and another spacer wherein each first electrode group is composed of Q first electrodes, where, in the Q first electrodes, R (R≧1) first electrode(s) constitutes or constitute electron emitter areas near one spacer and R′ (R′≧1) first electrode(s) constitutes or constitute electron emitter areas near another spacer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:determining a normalized first current INor—near(r) by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas composed of the first electrodes of from the 1st first electrode nearest the one spacer to the R-th first electrode and the (Q-R′+1)-th through Q-th first electrodes every each first electrode, and by measuring a first current Inear(r) (wherein r=1, 2, . . . , R, and Q-R′+1, . . . , Q-1, Q) carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas,determining a normalized second current INor—far by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas composed of the (R+1)-th through (Q-R′)-th first electrodes, and by measuring a second current Ifar—sum carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas; andsetting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas every each first electrode constituting the electron emitter areas near the spacers so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas comprised of the first electrodes and the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers are substantially the same.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the operations of measuring the first currents Inear(r) in the respective (P-1) first electrode groups are performed simultaneously in the (P-1) groups, and the normalized first current INor—near(r) is determined from the sum Inear—sum(r) of (P-1) first currents Inear(r) from the individual first electrode groups, and wherein the normalized second current INor—far is determined from the sum Ifar—Gsum of (P-1) second currents Ifar—sum from the individual first electrode groups.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein (P-1) first electrode groups are disposed between one spacer and another spacer wherein each first electrode group is comprised of Q first electrodes, where, in the Q first electrodes, R (R≧1) first electrode(s) constitutes or constitute electron emitter areas near one spacer and R′ (R′≧1) first electrode(s) constitutes or constitute electron emitter areas near another spacer, wherein the method comprises the steps of:determining a normalized first current INor—near by non-display-driving simultaneously the electron emitter areas composed of the first electrodes of from the 1st first electrode nearest the one spacer to the R-th first electrode and the (Q-R′+1)-th through Q-th first electrodes, and by measuring a first current Inear—sum carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas,determining a normalized second current INor—far by non-display-driving simultaneously the electron emitter areas composed of the (R+1)-th through (Q-R′)-th first electrodes, and by measuring a second current Ifar—sum carried by electrons emitted from the electron emitter areas; andsetting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas so that in the R+R′ first electrodes constituting the electron emitter areas near the spacers, the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas composed of the first electrodes and the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers are substantially the same.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the operations of measuring the first currents Inear—sum in the respective (P-1) first electrode groups are performed simultaneously in the (P-1) groups, and the normalized first current INor—near is determined from the sum Inear—Gsum of (P-1) first currents Inear—sum from the individual first electrode groups, and wherein the normalized second current INor—far is determined from the sum Ifar—Gsum of (P-1) second currents Ifar—sum from the individual first electrode groups.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device is a predetermined period of time from the start of power supply to the flat-type display device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device is a predetermined period of time from the termination of power supply to the flat-type display device.

8. The method according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of, in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device: measuring a first current Inear carried by electrons which are emitted from the electron emitter areas and collide with the anode electrode by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas near the spacers, and measuring a second current Ifar carried by electrons which are emitted from the electron emitter areas and collide with the anode electrode by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers.

9. The method according to claim 8, which satisfies the relationship: 0.05≦VA—test/VA≦0.5, where VA—test represents a voltage applied to the anode electrode in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device, and VA represents a voltage applied to the anode electrode in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cathode panel further includes a focusing electrode, wherein the method comprises the steps of, in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device:measuring a first current Inear carried by electrons which are emitted from the electron emitter areas and collide with the focusing electrode by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas near the spacers, and measuring a second current Ifar carried by electrons which are emitted from the electron emitter areas and collide with the focusing electrode by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a non-display driving time TOP—test of the electron emitter areas in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device is longer than a display driving time Top of the electron emitter areas in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device.

12. The method according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of: determining a reference normalized second current IInt—Nor—far, and,in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device, setting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas based on the reference normalized second current IInt—Nor—far and normalized second current INor—far and the normalized first current INor—near and normalized second current INor—far so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas near the spacers and the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers are substantially the same.

13. The method according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of: determining a reference normalized first current IInt—Nor—near, and,in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device, setting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas based on the reference normalized first current IInt—Nor—near and normalized first current INor—near and the normalized first current INor—near and normalized second current INor—far so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas near the spacers and the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers are substantially the same.