Luminescent display panel drive unit and drive method thereof

[0002] The present invention relates to a unit for driving a luminescent display panel using a capacitive luminescent element, such as an organic electro-luminescent element.

[0003] As a display which attains low power dissipation, high-quality display, and lower profile, an electro-luminescent display, in which a plurality of organic electro-luminescent elements are arranged in a matrix pattern, has attracted attention. As shown in FIG. 1, the organic electro-luminescent element is formed by means of stacking, on a transparent substrate 100 such as a glass plate on which a transparent electrode 101 is formed, at least one organic function layer 102 which is made up of an ion transport layer, a light-emitting layer; and a positive hole transport layer, and a metal electrode 103. A positive voltage is applied to the anode of the transparent electrode 101, and a negative voltage is applied to the cathode of the metal electrode 103. A d.c. current is applied across the transparent electrode 101 and the metal electrode 103, wherewith the organic function layer 102 illuminates. Use of an organic compound which can be expected to exhibit a superior luminous characteristic embodies a practicable electro-luminescent display.

[0004] The organic electro-luminescent element (hereinafter referred to simply as an “EL element”) can be electrically expressed as an equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen from the drawing, the EL element can be replaced with a capacitive component C and a diode component E which is connected in shunt with the capacitive component and has a diode characteristic. For this reason, the organic electro-luminescent element is considered to be a capacitive luminescent element. When a light-emitting d.c. drive voltage is applied across electrodes of the organic electro-luminescent element, electric charge is stored in the capacitive component C. When the light-emitting d.c. drive voltage exceeds a barrier voltage or threshold illumination voltage unique to the EL element, an electric current starts flowing from the electrode (i.e., the anode of the diode component E) to the organic function layer, which also acts as a light-emitting layer, whereupon the organic electro-luminescent element illuminates at an intensity proportional to the electric current.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 3, the characteristic of the EL element concerning a voltage V, a current I, and luminance L is analogous to that of a diode. The current I is considerably small at a voltage lower than the threshold illumination voltage V_thand abruptly increases at a voltage higher than the threshold illumination voltage V_th. The electric current I is substantially proportional to the luminance L. When a drive voltage exceeding the threshold illumination voltage V_this applied to the EL element, the EL element illuminates at an intensity proportion to the electric current corresponding to the drive voltage. If the drive voltage to be applied to the EL element is below the threshold illumination voltage V_thno drive current flows through the EL element, and hence the luminous intensity of the EL element remains substantially zero.

[0006] A passive matrix drive method has hitherto been known as a method of driving a luminescent display panel using a plurality of EL elements. FIG. 4 shows an example structure of a driver device of passive matrix drive type for driving a luminescent display panel. In a luminescent display panel, “n” cathode lines (i.e., metal electrodes) B₁to B_nare arranged in parallel with each other so as to extend in the lateral direction, and “m” anode lines (i.e., transparent electrodes) A₁to A_mare arranged in parallel with each other so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. In respective intersections (a total number of “n×m”) between the cathode lines and the anode lines, light-emission layers of EL elements E₁to E_mare sandwiched. The EL elements E₁to E_m, which serve as pixels, are arranged in a matrix pattern and are positioned in respective intersections between the anode lines A to A_hand the cathode lines B₁to B_n. One end of the EL element (i.e., the anode of the diode component E of the equivalent circuit) is connected to the anode line, and the other end of the EL element (i.e., the cathode of the diode component E of the equivalent circuit) is connected to the cathode line. The cathode line is connected to and activated by a cathode line scanning circuit 1, and the anode line is connected to and activated by an anode line drive circuit 2.

[0007] The cathode line scanning circuit 1 has scan switches 5₁to 5_nassigned to respective cathode lines B₁to B_nfor determining respective electric potentials thereof. Each of the scanning switches 51 to 5nconnects to a corresponding cathode line either a reverse bias voltage (e.g., 10 volts) produced from a supply voltage, or a ground potential (e.g., 0 volt).

[0008] The anode drive circuit 2 has current sources 2₁to 2_m(e.g., constant-current sources) for supplying a drive current to respective EL elements, and drive switches 6₁to 6_m, which are assigned to the anode lines A₁to A_m. The drive switches 6₁to 6_msupply a current to the respective anode lines A₁to A_nby means of switching operations. A voltage source, such as a constant-voltage source, can be used as a drive source. The previously-described current-luminance characteristic is stable against temperature variations, whereas a voltage-luminance characteristic is unstable against temperature variations. For this reason, a current source (a source circuit which is to be controlled such that the amount of supply current assumes a desired value) is commonly used. The amount of current supplied from current sources 2₁to 2_mis the amount of current required for sustaining a state in which an EL element illuminates at desired instantaneous luminance (this state will hereinafter be referred to as a “steady luminous state”). When the EL element is in a steady luminous state, electric charge corresponding to the amount of supply current is charged into the capacitive component C of the EL element. The voltage across the EL element assumes a specified value Ve corresponding to instantaneous luminance (hereinafter referred to as a “specified illumination voltage”).

[0009] The anode lines A₁to A_mare connected to an anode line reset circuit 3. The anode line reset circuit 3 has shunt switches 7₁to 7_massigned to respective anode lines A₁to A_m. The anode lines A₁to A_mare brought into ground potential by means of selection of the shunt switches 7₁to 7_m. The cathode line scanning circuit 1, the anode line drive circuit 2, and the anode line reset circuit 3 are connected to an illumination control circuit 4.

[0010] The illumination control circuit 4 controls the cathode line scanning circuit 1, the anode line drive circuit 2, and the anode line reset circuit 3, to thereby display a video in accordance with a video signal supplied from an unillustrated video signal generation system. The illumination control circuit 4 sends a scanning line selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 1, to thereby perform operations for selecting a cathode line corresponding to a horizontal scanning period of a video signal and setting the thus-selected cathode line to ground potential. The scanning switches 5₁to 5_nare switched so as to apply a reverse bias voltage Vcc to the remaining cathode lines. The reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied from the constant-voltage line connected to the cathode line, in order to prevent illumination of EL elements connected to intersections between the anode line through which a drive current is flowing and cathode lines which are not selected for scanning, which would otherwise be caused by crosstalk. Here, the reverse bias voltage Vcc is usually set equal to the specified illumination voltage Ve. During each horizontal scanning period, the scanning switches 5₁to 5_nare sequentially switched to ground potential. The cathode line set to ground potential acts as a scanning line which enables illumination of an EL element connected to the cathode line.

[0011] The anode line drive circuit 2 controls illumination of the scanning line. The illumination control circuit 4 produces a drive control signal indicating a timing at which and a period of time during which the EL element connected to the scanning line is illuminated in accordance with the pixel information represented by a video signal. In accordance with the drive control signal, the anode line drive circuit 2 switches some of the drive switches 6₁to 6_m, thereby supplying a drive current to EL elements in accordance with pixel information by way of the anode lines A₁to A_m. The EL elements through which the drive current flows illuminate in accordance with the pixel information.

[0012] The anode line reset circuit 3 is reset in response to a reset control signal output from the illumination control circuit 4. The anode line reset circuit 4 turns on some of the shunt switches 7₁to 7_mcorresponding to the anode lines, which lines are represented by the reset control signal and are to be reset, and turns off the remaining shunt switches.

[0013] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 232074/1997 filed by the present inventor describes a drive method for a passive matrix luminescent display panel, in which a reset operation is performed for causing discharge of the electric charges stored in each of EL elements arranged into a matrix pattern immediately before scanning lines are switched (the method is hereinafter referred to as a “reset drive method”). The reset drive method is for speeding up illumination of an EL element when a scanning line is switched. The reset drive method for a passive matrix luminescent display panel will be described by reference to FIGS. 4 through 6.

[0014] Driving operations which will be described hereinbelow and are shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 are directed to a case where, after EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1have been illuminated by means of scanning a cathode line B₁, EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2are illuminated by means of scanning a cathode line B₂. In order facilitate explanations, illuminating EL elements are depicted by diode symbols, and nonilluminating EL elements are depicted by capacitor symbols. The reverse bias voltage Vcc applied to the cathode lines B₁to B_nis equal to the specified illumination voltage Ve of the EL element; that is, 10 volts.

[0015] In FIG. 4, only a scanning switch 5₁is switched to a ground potential of 0 volt, thereby scanning the cathode line B₁. The reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines B₂to B_nby way of the scanning switches 5₂to 5_n. The anode line A₁is connected to a current source 2₁by way of a drive switch 6₁, and the anode line A₂is connected to a current source 2₂by way of a drive switch 6₂. The remaining anode lines A₃to A_mare brought into a ground potential of 0 volt by means of shunt switches 7₃to 7_m. In connection with the circuit diagram shown in FIG. 4, only the EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1are forwardly biased, and a drive current flows into the EL elements E_1,1, and E_2,1from respective current sources 2₁and 2₂, as depicted by arrows. As a result, solely the EL elements E_1.1and E_2,1are illuminated. In this state, nonilluminating and hatched EL elements E_3,2to E_m,nare charged with a polarity such as that illustrated in the drawing.

[0016] The following reset control operation is performed immediately before a scanning operation is performed for causing the next EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate from the steady luminous state shown in FIG. 4. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, all drive switches 6₁to 6_mare released, and all the scanning switches 5₁to 5_nand all the shunt switches 7₁to 7_mare brought into a ground potential of 0 volt. Further, all the anode lines A₁to A_mand cathode lines B₁to B_nare temporarily shunted to a ground potential of 0 volt, thus resetting the entire display. If the entire display is reset, all the anode and cathode lines are brought to a single voltage of 0. The electric charges stored in the EL elements are discharged by way of the route depicted by the arrows provided in the drawing. Thus, all the electric charges stored in the EL elements become momentarily empty.

[0017] After the electric charges stored in all the EL elements have been fully discharged, only the scanning switch 5₂corresponding to the cathode line B₂is switched to 0 volt, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby scanning the cathode line B₂. Simultaneously, the drive switches 6₂and 6₃are closed, thereby connecting the current sources 2₂and 2₃to corresponding anode lines. The shunt switches 7₁and 7₄through 7_mare turned on, thus bringing anode lines A₁and A₄through A_mto 0 volt.

[0018] As mentioned above, according to the reset drive method, illumination is controlled by means of repetition of a scanning mode during which any of the cathode lines B₁to B_nare made active, and a subsequent reset mode. The display is brought into the scanning mode and the reset mode every horizontal scanning period (1H). If the display is brought directly into the state shown in FIG. 6 from the state shown in FIG. 4, the drive current supplied from the current source 2₃flows to an EL element E_3,2and is consumed by means of canceling the reverse electric charges (illustrated in FIG. 4) stored in the EL elements E_3,3to E_3,n. For these reasons, time is consumed for bringing the EL element E_3.2into a steady luminous state (bringing the voltage across the EL element E_3,2to the specified luminous voltage Ve).

[0019] When the above-described reset control operation is performed, the anode lines A₂and A₃assume potentials close to Vcc at the moment at which the scanning line is switched to the cathode line B₂. A charge current flows into EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2not only from the current sources 2₂and 2₃but also from a plurality of routes such as constant-voltage sources connected to cathode lines B₁and B₃to B_n. Parasitic capacitance is charged with the charge current, and the specified luminous voltage Ve is momentarily reached. Thus, the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2can instantaneously enter a steady luminous state. During a period of time in which the cathode line B₂is scanned, the amount of current supplied from the current source is set to the minimum amount of current required for maintaining the EL element in a steady luminous state at the specified luminous voltage Ve. Therefore, the electric current supplied from the current sources 2₂and 2₃flows into solely the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2. Thus, all the electric current is dissipated by illumination of the EL elements. As a result, the display is sustained in a luminous state shown in FIG. 6.

[0020] As has been described above, according to the known reset drive method, before illumination of the next scanning lines is controlled, all the cathode and anode lines are temporarily connected and reset to a ground potential of 0 volts or a voltage equal to the reverse bias voltage Vcc. Consequently, when the current scanning line has been switched to the next scanning line, there can be speeded up the charging of the EL elements to the specified luminous voltage Ve, as well as the rise and illumination of EL elements, which are connected to the scanning line and are to be illuminated.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when some cathode lines are scanned by means of application of ground potential thereto, the voltage Vcc is applied to the cathode lines which are not scanned. Further, ground potential is applied to anode lines to which an electric current is not supplied from a current source. More specifically, in the case of the circuit diagram shown in FIG. 4, a reverse bias voltage substantially equal to the voltage Vcc is applied between the anode and cathode of each of the EL elements E_3,2to E_m,n. In the case of the circuit diagram shown in FIG. 6, a reverse bias voltage substantially equal to the voltage Vcc is applied between the anode and cathode of each of the EL elements E_1,1, E_4,1to E_m,1, E_1,3to E_1,n, and E_4,3to E_m,n. The EL elements to which the reversely-biased voltage Vcc is applied are charged. The thus-charged electric charges are discharged for supplying ground potential to the cathode lines as well as for supplying an electric current from a current source. The electric charges that are charged in and discharged from the EL elements do not contribute to illumination of EL elements at all and are wasted. Power dissipation due to the charging and discharging operations of the EL elements increases in proportion to the number of EL elements. Therefore, useless power dissipation increases as the display area of a display panel increases.

[0022] The present invention is aimed at providing a luminescent display panel drive unit capable of diminishing useless power dissipation that does not contribute to illumination.

[0023] To this end, the present invention provides a luminescent display panel drive unit including

[0024] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0025] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0026] control means for setting a scanning period during which a single scanning line is selected from the plurality of scanning lines in accordance with a scan timing of an input video signal, for specifying a light-emission drive line assigned to the capacitive luminescent element which is connected to the single scanning line and is to be illuminated in accordance with the input video signal during the scanning period, and for setting a reset period during an interval between scanning periods;

[0027] scanning means for applying a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage of the capacitive luminescent element to the single scanning line during the scanning period, for applying a second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage to scanning lines other than the single scanning line, and for applying the second potential to all the scanning lines during the reset period; and

[0028] drive means for supplying a drive current to the illumination drive line for forwardly applying, during the scanning period, a positive voltage higher than the illumination threshold voltage to the capacitive luminescent element to be illuminated, for applying a third potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage to the drive lines other than the illumination drive line, and for supplying during the reset period a fourth potential equal to the second potential to all the drive lines.

[0029] Further, according to the present invention, a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage is applied to a single scanning line selected for scanning, during a scanning period. A second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the scanning lines other than the single scanning line. A fourth potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the plurality of drive lines other than an illumination drive line connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated. Consequently, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except the single scanning line and drive lines except the illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0030] Accordingly, the present invention provides a luminescent display panel drive unit including

[0031] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0032] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0033] control means for setting a scanning period during which a single scanning line is selected from the plurality of scanning lines in accordance with a scan timing of an input video signal, for specifying a light-emission drive line assigned to the capacitive luminescent element which is connected to the single scanning line and is to be illuminated in accordance with the input video signal during the scanning period, for setting a reset period during an interval between scanning periods, and for specifying, as a non-reset drive line, at least the drive line having connected thereto the capacitive luminescent element to remain unilluminated during the scanning periods before and after the reset period;

[0034] scanning means for applying a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage of the capacitive luminescent element to the single scanning line during the scanning period, for applying a second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage to scanning lines other than the single scanning line, and for applying the second potential to all the scanning lines during the reset period; and

[0035] drive means for supplying a drive current to the illumination drive line for forwardly applying, during the scanning period, a positive voltage higher than the illumination threshold voltage to the capacitive luminescent element to be illuminated, for applying a third potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage to the drive lines other than the illumination drive line, for supplying during the reset period a fourth potential equal to the second potential to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and for applying the third potential to the non-reset drive line.

[0036] According to the present invention, a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage is applied to a single scanning line selected for scanning, during a scanning period. A second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the scanning lines other than the single scanning line. A fourth potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the plurality of drive lines other than an illumination drive line connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated. Consequently, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except the single scanning line and drive lines except the illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0037] Further, during the reset period, there is specified as a non-reset drive line at least the drive line connected to the capacitive luminescent element which is to remain unilluminated during the scanning periods before and after the reset period, and the second potential is applied to all the scanning lines. Moreover, a fourth potential equal to the second potential is applied to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and a third potential is applied to the non-reset drive line. The electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to a non-reset drive line by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0038] Further, accordingly, the present invention provides a luminescent display panel drive unit including

[0039] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0040] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and connected to the scanning lines and rive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0041] control means for setting a scanning period during which a single scanning line is selected from the plurality of scanning lines in accordance with a scan timing of an input video signal, for specifying a light-emission drive line assigned to the capacitive luminescent element which is connected to the single scanning line and is to be illuminated in accordance with the input video signal during the scanning period, for setting a reset period during an interval between scanning periods, and for specifying, as anon-reset drive line, only the drive line having connected thereto the capacitive luminescent element to remain unilluminated during the scanning periods before and after the reset period;

[0042] scanning means for applying a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage of the capacitive luminescent element to the single scanning line during the scanning period, for applying a second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage to scanning lines other than the single scanning line, and for applying the second potential to all the scanning lines during the reset period; and

[0043] drive means for supplying a drive current to the illumination drive line for forwardly applying, during the scanning period, a positive voltage higher than the illumination threshold voltage to the capacitive luminescent element to be illuminated, for applying a third potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage to the drive lines other than the illumination drive line, for supplying during the reset period a fourth potential equal to the second potential to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and for applying the third potential to the non-reset drive line.

[0044] According to the present invention, a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage is applied to a single scanning line selected for scanning, during a scanning period. A second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the scanning lines other than the single scanning line. A fourth potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the plurality of drive lines other than an illumination drive line connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated. Consequently, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except the single scanning line and drive lines except the illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0045] Further, during the reset period, there is specified as a non-reset drive line only the drive line connected to the capacitive luminescent element which is to remain unilluminated during the scanning periods before and after the reset period, and the second potential is applied to all the scanning lines. Moreover, a fourth potential equal to the second potential is applied to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and a third potential is applied to the non-reset drive line. The electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to a non-reset drive line by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0046] The present invention also provides a luminescent display panel drive unit including

[0047] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0048] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0049] control means for setting a scanning period during which a single scanning line is selected from the plurality of scanning lines in accordance with a scan timing of an input video signal, for specifying a light-emission drive line assigned to the capacitive luminescent element which is connected to the single scanning line and is to be illuminated in accordance with the input video signal during the scanning period, for setting a reset period during an interval between scanning periods, and for specifying, as a non-reset drive line, only the drive line having connected to the capacitive luminescent element to remain unilluminated during the scanning period subsequent to the reset period;

[0050] scanning means for applying a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage of the capacitive luminescent element to the single scanning line during the scanning period, for applying a second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage to scanning lines other than the single scanning line, and for applying the second potential to all the scanning lines during the reset period; and

[0051] drive means for supplying a drive current to the illumination drive line for forwardly applying, during the scanning period, a positive voltage higher than the illumination threshold voltage to the capacitive luminescent element to be illuminated, for applying a third potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage to the drive lines other than the illumination drive line, for supplying during the reset period a fourth potential equal to the second potential to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and for applying the third potential to the non-reset drive line.

[0052] According to the present invention, a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage is applied to a single scanning line selected for scanning, during a scanning period. A second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the scanning lines other than the single scanning line. A fourth potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the plurality of drive lines other than an illumination drive line connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated. Consequently, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except the single scanning line and drive lines except the illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0053] Further, during the reset period, there is specified as a non-reset drive line only the drive line connected to the capacitive luminescent element which is to remain unilluminated during a scanning period subsequent to the reset period, and the second potential is applied to all the scanning lines. Moreover, a fourth potential equal to the second potential is applied to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and a third potential is applied to the non-reset drive line. The electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to non-reset drive line by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0054] Further, the present invention provides a luminescent display panel drive unit including

[0055] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0056] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and are connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0057] determination means for distinguishing, as real scanning lines from the plurality of scanning lines, scanning lines which are connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated during each scanning period;

[0058] control means which sequentially specifies one scanning line from the real scanning lines and specifies light-emission drive lines assigned to the capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated every time one scanning line is specified, the luminescent elements being connected to the specified scanning line; and

[0059] drive means for forwardly supplying a drive current to the capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated, by way of the scanning line and the light-emission drive line every time one scanning line is specified.

[0060] Further, the present invention also provides a method of driving a luminescent display panel including

[0061] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0062] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and are connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the method comprising the steps of:

[0063] distinguishing, as real scanning lines from the plurality of scanning lines, scanning lines which are connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated during each scanning period;

[0064] sequentially specifying one scanning line from the real scanning lines and specifies light-emission drive lines assigned to the capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated every time one scanning line is specified, the luminescent elements being connected to the specified scanning line; and

[0065] forwardly supplying a drive current to the capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated, by way of the scanning line and the light-emission drive line every time one scanning line is specified.

[0066] By means of the configuration embodied by the present invention, scanning lines to which capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated are connected are scanned, and the remaining scanning lines are not scanned. Useless power dissipation can be diminished, by the amount corresponding to the power required for scanning the scanning lines to which capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated are not connected.

[0067] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an EL element;

[0068] FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit of the EL element;

[0069] FIG. 3 is a plot schematically showing a drive voltage-current-luminous brightness characteristic of the EL element;

[0070] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for describing a reset drive method applied to a known luminescent display panel drive unit using EL elements;

[0071] FIG. 5 is a block diagram for describing a reset drive method applied to a known luminescent display panel drive unit using EL elements;

[0072] FIG. 6 is a block diagram for describing a reset drive method applied to a known luminescent display panel drive unit using EL elements;

[0073] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a luminescent display panel drive unit according to the present invention;

[0074] FIG. 8 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of the drive unit shown in FIG. 7;

[0075] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for describing an illumination drive operation performed by a light-emission control circuit;

[0076] FIG. 10 is an illustration showing the relationship between scanning periods and reset periods;

[0077] FIG. 11 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0078] FIG. 12 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0079] FIG. 13 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0080] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a luminescent display panel drive unit according to the present invention;

[0081] FIG. 15 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of the drive unit shown in FIG. 14;

[0082] FIG. 16 is a flowchart for describing an illumination drive operation performed by a light-emission control circuit;

[0083] FIG. 17 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 16;

[0084] FIG. 18 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 16;

[0085] FIG. 19 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 16;

[0086] FIG. 20 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of the drive unit shown in FIG. 7;

[0087] FIG. 21 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0088] FIG. 22 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0089] FIG. 23 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 9;

[0090] FIG. 24 is a flowchart for describing another example of illumination drive operation performed by a light-emission control circuit;

[0091] FIG. 25 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 24;

[0092] FIG. 26 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 24;

[0093] FIG. 27 is a block diagram for describing the illumination drive operation shown in FIG. 24;

[0094] FIG. 28 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a luminescent display panel drive unit according to the present invention;

[0095] FIG. 29 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of the drive unit shown in FIG. 7;

[0096] FIG. 30 is a flowchart for describing a light-emission determination operation performed by a control circuit;

[0097] FIG. 31 is a flowchart for describing a light-emission drive operation performed by a control circuit;

[0098] FIG. 32 is an illustration showing an example of scanning operation performed by the drive unit shown in FIG. 7;

[0099] FIG. 33 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of a luminescent panel drive unit according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0100] FIG. 34 is a block diagram for describing the light-emission determination operation shown in FIG. 33;

[0101] FIG. 35 is a block diagram specifically showing a luminescent display panel, a cathode line scanning circuit, and an anode line drive circuit of a luminescent panel drive unit according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0102] FIG. 36 is a block diagram for describing the light-emission determination operation shown in FIG. 35.

[0103] An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0104] FIG. 7 schematically shows the configuration of a display which is embodied by application of the present invention to a luminescent display panel using EL elements as capacitive luminescent elements. The display comprises a capacitive luminescent display panel 11; a light-emission control section 12; a cathode line scanning circuit 13; an anode drive circuit 14; and an anode line potential output circuit 15.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 8, the luminescent display panel 11 comprises a plurality of EL elements E_I,j(1≦i≦m, 1≦j≦n). As in the case of the EL elements shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the plurality of EL elements are arranged in a matrix pattern at respective intersections between anode lines A₁to A_mserving as drive lines and cathode lines B₁to B_nserving as scanning lines. The EL elements are connected to the scanning lines and the drive lines. In other words, the EL elements are located at respective intersections between a plurality of drive lines extending substantially in parallel with each other and a plurality of scanning lines extending substantially at right angles to the drive lines. Each of the EL elements is connected to the scanning line and the drive line. The EL elements E_I,jshown in FIG. 8 are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0106] In the luminescent display panel 11, the cathode lines B₁to B_nare connected to the cathode line scanning circuit 13, and the anode lines A₁to A_mare connected to the anode line drive circuit 14. The cathode line scanning circuit 13 has scanning switches 16₁to 16_nassigned to the respective cathode lines B₁to B_n. Each of the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nsupplies to a corresponding cathode line ground potential or a reverse bias voltage Vcc. Under control of the light-emission control section 12, the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nare sequentially switched to ground potential every horizontal scanning period. Accordingly, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0107] The anode line drive circuit 14 has current sources 17₁to 17_mand drive switches 18₁to 18_m. Each of the drive switches 18₁to 18_mcorresponds to a changeover switch having two stationary contacts and a neutral position. An electric current is supplied from one of the current sources 17₁to 17_mto a corresponding anode line by way of one of the two stationary contacts. Further, a voltage Vcc is supplied by way of the remaining stationary contact. The voltage Vcc is supplied from an unillustrated voltage source.

[0108] The anode line potential output circuit 15 has potential application switches 19₁to 19_mand voltage sources 20₁to 20_m, which are provided so as to correspond to the respective anode lines A₁to A_m. A voltage V_Ldevelops between the positive and negative terminals of each of the voltage sources 20₁to 20_m. The voltage V_Lis lower than and close to a threshold illumination voltage V_th. Switching operations of each of the potential application switches 19₁to 19_mare controlled by the light-emission control section 12. When the potential application switches 19₁to 19_mare in an ON state, the positive terminals of the respective voltage sources 20₁to 20_mare connected to the anode lines A₁to A_m. The negative terminals of the voltage sources 20₁to 20_mare grounded.

[0109] The light-emission control section 12 controls the cathode line scanning circuit 13, the anode line drive circuit 14, and the anode line potential output circuit 15 so as to cause the luminescent display panel to display an image in accordance with a video signal supplied from an unillustrated video signal generation system. Such a control operation is performed while being divided into a reset period and a scanning period.

[0110] The light-emission control section 12 sends a scanning line selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 13 during the scanning period. The scanning switches 16₁to 16_nare switched such that one from the cathode lines B₁to B_ncorresponding to the horizontal scanning period of a video signal is selected and set to ground potential and such that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines. In order to prevent illumination of EL elements connected to the intersections between the anode lines to which the drive current is applied and the cathode lines which are not selected for scanning, which would otherwise be caused by crosstalk, a constant-voltage source (not shown) connected to the cathode lines supplies the reverse bias voltage Vcc. Since the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nare sequentially switched to ground potential during every horizontal scanning period, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of the EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0111] The light-emission control section 12 produces a drive control signal indicating that one among the EL elements connected to a scanning line is to be illuminated, at any timing and for any period of time, in accordance with pixel information represented by a video signal during a scanning period. The thus-produced drive control signal is delivered to the anode line drive circuit 14. In response to the drive control signal, the anode line drive circuit 14 switches, to the current source side, the one among the drive switches 18₁to 18_massigned to the anode line connected to the EL elements to be illuminated. By way of the corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, a drive current corresponding to the pixel information is supplied to the EL elements. The remaining drive switches 18 are switched to neutral positions. The anode line potential output circuit 15 turns off some of the potential application switches 20₁to 20_mcorresponding to anode lines connected to EL elements to be illuminated, in accordance with the drive control signal. The remaining potential application switches are turned on, and the voltage V_Lis supplied to corresponding anode lines.

[0112] The light-emission control section 12 produces a reset signal during a reset period, and the thus-produced reset signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 13, the anode line drive circuit 14, and the anode line potential output circuit 15. The cathode line scanning circuit 13 performs a control operation for switching the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nsuch that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to all the cathode lines B₁to B_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line drive circuit 14 performs a control operation for switching the drive switches 18₁to 18_nsuch that a voltage Vcc is applied to the anode lines A₁to A_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line potential output circuit 15 turns off the potential application switches 20₁to 20_min accordance with the reset signal.

[0113] The internal circuit of the light-emission control circuit 12 is configured as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, a synch separation circuit 41 extracts horizontal and vertical synch signals from a supplied input video signal. The thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals are supplied to a timing pulse signal generation circuit 42. On the basis of the thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals, the timing pulse signal generation circuit 42 produces a synch signal timing pulse signal. The thus-produced synch signal timing pulse signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter 43, a control circuit 45, and a scan timing signal generation circuit 47. The analog-to-digital converter 43 converts an input video signal into digital pixel data on a per-pixel basis, in synchronism with the synch signal timing pulse signal. The input video signal is supplied to the memory 44. The control circuit 45 supplies a write signal and a read signal, which are synchronized with the synch signal timing pulse signal, to the memory 44 according to a drive method to be described later. In response to the write signal, the memory 44 sequentially captures the pixel data supplied from the analog-to-digital converter 43. Further, in response to the read signal, the memory 44 sequentially reads pixel data stored therein and supplies the thus-read pixel data to an output processing circuit 46 provided in a subsequent stage. The scan timing signal generation circuit 47 produces various timing signals for controlling a scanning switch and a drive switch and delivers the thus-produced signals to the cathode line scanning circuit 13 and the output processing circuit 46. As a result, the scan timing signal generation circuit 47 supplies a scan selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 13. In synchronism with a timing signal output from the scan timing signal generation circuit 47, the output processing circuit 46 supplies, to the anode line drive circuit 14 and the anode line potential output circuit 15, a drive control signal corresponding to the pixel data supplied from the memory 44. During a reset period, the control circuit 45 supplies a reset signal to the anode line drive circuit 14 and the anode lines potential output circuit 15 by way of the output processing circuit 46, as well as to the cathode line scanning circuit 13 by way of the scan timing signal generation circuit 47.

[0114] The drive operation of the capacitive luminescent display panel performed by the control circuit 45 of the light-emission control section 12 will now be described by reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 9.

[0115] The control circuit 45 executes a light-emission control routine for every horizontal scanning period of the supplied pixel data. In the light-emission control routine, pixel data corresponding to a horizontal scanning period are acquired from RAM 44 (step S1). In accordance with pixel information represented by the pixel data corresponding to a horizontal scanning period, the scan selection control signal and the drive control signal are supplied (step S2).

[0116] The scan selection control signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 13. The cathode line scanning circuit 13 switches, to ground, a scanning switch (a single scanning switch 16_sin the range of 16₁to 16_n, where “S” designates a numeral in the range of 1 to “n”) assigned to one of the cathode lines B₁to B_n, which cathode line corresponds to the current horizontal scanning period represented by the scan selection control signal.

[0117] The drive control signal is supplied to the anode line drive circuit 14 and the anode line potential output circuit 15. In the anode line drive circuit 14, a drive switch (any one of the drive switches 18₁to 18_m) is switched to a second stationary contact connected to a current source (i.e., the corresponding one of the current sources 17₁to 17_m). Here, the drive switch is assigned to one of the anode lines A₁to A_m,_which anode line is connected to an EL element to be illuminated Luring the current horizontal scanning period represented by the drive control signal. Drive switches 18 assigned to the remaining anode lines A are switched to the first stationary contacts connected to voltage sources (corresponding ones of voltage sources 20₁to 20_m). The anode line potential output circuit 15 turns off some of the potential application switches (some of the application switches 19₁to 19_m) corresponding to anode lines connected to the EL elements to be illuminated, during the current horizontal scanning period represented by the drive control signal. The potential application switches corresponding to the remaining anode lines are turned on.

[0118] For example, in a case where the drive switch 18₁is switched to a current source 17₁, a drive current flows from the current source 17₁to a drive switch 18₁, the anode line A₁, an EL element E_1,sa cathode line B_s, a scanning switch 16_s, and ground. The EL element E_1,sto which the drive current is supplied illuminates in accordance with the pixel data.

[0119] If the drive switch switched to the neutral position is assigned 18₃, the potential application switch 19₃is turned on. The voltage Vcc is applied to an anode line A₃from a voltage source 20₃by way of the potential application switch 19₃. The voltage VCC-V_Lis applied to EL elements E_3,1to E_3,nexclusive of an EL element E_3,s.

[0120] After having performed processing pertaining to step S2, the control circuit 45 determines whether or not a preset scanning period T has elapsed (step S3). The scanning period T is set in accordance with, for example, brightness information included in the pixel data and a preset horizontal scanning period. The scanning period is determined through use of an unillustrated internal counter.

[0121] The control circuit 45 produces a reset signal if the scanning period T has elapsed (step S4). The reset signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 13, the anode line drive circuit 14, and the anode line potential output circuit 15. The cathode line scanning circuit 13 switches the movable contacts of all the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line drive circuit 14 switches the movable contacts of all the drive switches 18₁to 18_nto the stationary contacts of Vcc in accordance with the reset signal. The anode line potential output circuit 15 turns off the potential application switches 20₁to 20_m, in accordance with the reset signal. As a result, a voltage Vcc develops between the terminal of each of the EL elements i,j, and the electric charge stored in the EL elements is discharged.

[0122] The reset period may be constant or may change in accordance with the scanning period T.

[0123] After having performed processing pertaining to step S5, the control circuit 45 terminates the light-emission control routine and Enters a standby state until the next horizontal scanning period begins. Even during a period in which the control circuit 45 awaits the beginning of the next horizontal scanning period, processing pertaining to steps S1 to S4 is repeated. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the scanning period and the scanning period of the light-emission drive operation.

[0124] By reference to FIGS. 11 through 13, next will be described a case where, after a cathode line B₁has been scanned by means of the control operation of the control circuit 45, to thereby cause elements E_1.1and E_2.1to illuminate, a cathode line B₂is scanned, to thereby cause elements E_2.2and E_3.2to illuminate. In order to facilitate explanations, illuminating EL elements shown in FIGS. 11 through 13 are depicted by diode symbols, and nonilluminating EL elements are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0125] In connection with FIG. 11, only a scanning switch 16₁is switched to a ground potential of 0 volt, thereby scanning a cathode line B₁. A reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines B₂to B_nby way of corresponding scanning switches 16₂to 16_n. Simultaneously, the anode line A₁is connected to the current source 17₁by way of the drive switch 18₁, and the anode line A₂is connected to the current source 17₂by way of the drive switch 18₂. The drive switches 18₃to 18_mare placed in neutral positions. The voltage V_Lis applied to the remaining anode lines A₃to A_mby way of the potential application switches 19₃to 19_m. In the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 11, only the EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1are forwardly biased, and a drive current flows into the EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1from the current sources 17₁and 17₂, as designated by arrows. As a result, only the elements E_1,1and E_2,1are illuminated. In an illuminated state, a reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of nonilluminating and hatched EL elements E_3,2to E_m,n. The EL elements E_3,2to E_m,nare charged with illustrated polarities, respectively. Since the voltage Vcc-V_Lis sufficiently low, the electric charges stored in the EL element are smaller than those charged in an EL element of a known flat display panel. Although the voltage V_Lis forwardly applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of the hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_3.1to E_m.i, the voltage V_Lis lower than the illumination threshold voltage V_th, and hence the EL elements E_3.1to E_m.iremain unilluminated and are charged solely.

[0126] If the illuminated state of the EL elements shown in FIG. 11 have been effected for only the scanning period T, a reset control operation is performed before there is effected the next scanning operation for causing the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate. As shown in FIG. 12, all the drive switches 18₁to 18₃and all the scanning switches 16₁to 16_nare switched to the potential Vcc. Since all the potential application switches 19₁to 19_mare turned off, the positive lines A₁to A₃and the negative lines B₁to B_nare made equal to the potential Vcc. Through such a reset control operation, all the anode and cathode lines are made equal to the potential Vcc. The electric charge stored in the EL elements are discharged by way of the path such as that designated by an arrow, whereby the electric charge stored in all the EL elements disappears immediately.

[0127] When the next horizontal scanning period beings after the electric charges stored in the EL elements have been discharged to zero, only a scanning switch 16₂corresponding to a cathode line B₂is switched to 0 voltage, thus scanning the cathode line B₂. Simultaneously, the drive switches 18₂and 18₃are switched to the current sources 17₂and 17₃, and the output terminals of the current sources are connected to the corresponding anode lines. Further, the remaining drive switches 18₁and 18₄to 18_mare switched to neutral positions. The potential application switches 19₁to 19₄to 19_mare turned, to thereby impart the potential V_Lto the anode lines A₁and A₄to A_m. In connection with the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 13, only the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2are forwardly biased, so that a drive current flows from current sources 17₂and 17₃to the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2thereby causing only the elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate. In such an illuminated state, the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lis applied, in a reversely-biased manner, between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_1,1, E_1,3to E_1,n, E_4,1to E_m,1, and E_4,3to E_m,n. The EL elements are charged with polarities, as illustrated. Since the voltage VCC-V_Lis sufficiently low, the electric charge stored in the EL elements is smaller than that stored in EL elements of a known display. Although the voltage VCC-V_Lis forwardly applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_1,1and E_4,1to E_m,1. Since the voltage V_Lis lower than the illumination threshold voltage V_th, the EL elements E_1,2and E_4,2to E_m,2remain unilluminated and are charged only.

[0128] As mentioned above, the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lapplied to the nonilluminating EL elements during the scanning period is lower than that employed in the known display panel.

[0129] In the previous embodiment, the first potential is made equal to ground potential, and the second and fourth potentials are set to a potential Vcc which is substantially equal to the specified illumination voltage Ve of a capacitive luminescent element. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

[0130] Although in the previous embodiment the anode line drive circuit 14 and the anode line potential output circuit 15 are formed separately, there may be formed the anode line drive circuit 14 including the configuration of the anode line potential output circuit 15 without formation thereof.

[0131] In the previous embodiment the reset period is set so as to follow the scanning period during the light-emission control operation. However, the reset period may be set such that the scanning period follows the reset period.

[0132] The present invention also provides a luminescent display panel-drive unit including

[0133] a plurality of drive lines and a plurality of scanning lines, which intersect each other; and

[0134] a plurality of capacitive luminescent elements which are provided in respective intersections between the drive lines and the scanning lines and connected to the scanning lines and drive lines and which have polarities, the drive unit comprising:

[0135] control means for setting a scanning period during which a single scanning line is selected from the plurality of scanning lines in accordance with a scan timing of an input video signal, for specifying a light-emission drive line assigned to the capacitive luminescent element which is connected to the single scanning line and is to be illuminated in accordance with the input video signal during the scanning period, for setting a reset period during an interval between scanning periods, and for specifying, as a non-reset drive line, only the drive line having connected to the capacitive luminescent element to remain unilluminated during the scanning period subsequent to the reset period;

[0136] scanning means for applying a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage of the capacitive luminescent element to the single scanning line during the scanning period, for applying a second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage to scanning lines other than the single scanning line, and for applying the second potential to all the scanning lines during the reset period; and

[0137] drive means for supplying a drive current to the illumination drive line for forwardly applying, during the scanning period, a positive voltage higher than the illumination threshold voltage to the capacitive luminescent element to be illuminated, for applying a third potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage to the drive lines other than the illumination drive line, for supplying during the reset period a fourth potential equal to the second potential to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line, and for applying the third potential to the non-reset drive line.

[0138] According to the present invention, a first potential lower than an illumination threshold voltage is applied to a single scanning line selected for scanning, during a scanning period. A second potential higher than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the scanning lines other than the single scanning line. A fourth potential slightly lower than the illumination threshold voltage is applied to the plurality of drive lines other than an illumination drive line connected to capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated. Consequently, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except the single scanning line and drive lines except the illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0139] Further, during the reset period, there is specified as a non-reset drive line only the drive line connected to the capacitive luminescent element which is to remain unilluminated during a scanning period subsequent to the reset period, and the second potential is applied to all the scanning lines. Moreover, a fourth potential equal to the second potential is applied to the plurality of drive lines exclusive of the non-reset drive line. As a result, the electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to non-reset drive line by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held during the current reset period without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0140] Further, an embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0141] FIG. 14 schematically shows the configuration of a display which is embodied by application of the present invention to A luminescent display panel using EL elements as capacitive luminescent elements. The display comprises a capacitive luminescent display panel 211; a light-emission control section 212; a cathode line scanning circuit 213; and an anode drive circuit 214.

[0142] As shown in FIG. 15, the luminescent display panel 211 comprises a plurality of EL elements E_I,j(1≦i≦m, 1≦j≦n). As in the case of the EL elements shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the plurality of EL elements are arranged in a matrix pattern at respective intersections between anode lines A₁to A_mserving as drive lines and cathode lines B₁to B_nserving as scanning lines. The EL elements are connected to the scanning lines and the drive lines. In other words, the EL elements are located at respective intersections between a plurality of drive lines extending substantially in parallel with each other and a plurality of scanning lines extending substantially at right angles to the drive lines. Each of the EL elements is connected to the scanning line and the drive line. The EL elements E_I,jshown in FIG. 15 are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0143] In the luminescent display panel 211, the cathode lines B₁to B_nare connected to the cathode line scanning circuit 213, and the anode lines A₁to A_mare connected to the anode line drive circuit. 214. The cathode line scanning circuit 213 has scanning switches 216₁to 216_nassigned to the respective cathode lines B₁to B_n. Each of the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nsupplies to a corresponding cathode line ground potential or a reverse bias voltage Vcc. Under control of the light-emission control section 212, the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nare sequentially switched to ground potential every horizontal scanning period. Accordingly, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0144] The anode line drive circuit 214 has current sources 217₁to 217_m, drive switches 218₁to 218_m, and voltage sources 220₁to 220_m, which are provided so as to correspond to the anode lines A₁to A_m. A voltage V_Ldevelops between the positive and negative terminals of each of the voltage sources 220₁to 220_m. The voltage V_Lis lower than and close to the threshold illumination voltage V_th. Each of the drive switches 218₁to 218_mcorresponds to a changeover switch having three stationary contacts. A moving contact of each of the drive switches 218₁to 218_mis connected to a corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to A_m. A first stationary contact of each of the drive switches 218₁to 218_mis connected to a positive terminal of a corresponding one of the voltage sources 220₁to 220_m. A second stationary contact of each of the drive switches 218₁to 218_mis connected to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the current sources 217₁to 217_m. Further, a voltage Vcc is applied to the third stationary contact of each of the drive switches 218₁to 218_m. The negative terminal of each of the voltage sources 220₁to 220_mis connected to ground. Moreover, the voltage Vcc is output from an unillustrated voltage source.

[0145] The light-emission control section 212 controls the cathode line scanning circuit 213 and the anode line drive circuit 214, so as to cause the luminescent display panel 211 to display an image in accordance with a video signal supplied from an unillustrated video signal generation system. Such a control operation is performed while being divided into a reset period and a scanning period.

[0146] The light-emission control section 212 produces a reset signal during a reset period, and the thus-produced reset signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 213 and the anode line drive circuit 214. The cathode line scanning circuit 213 performs a control operation for switching the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nsuch that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to all the cathode lines B₁to B_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line drive circuit 214 performs a control operation for switching the drive switches 218₁to 218_nsuch that a voltage Vcc is applied to the anode lines A₁to A_nin accordance with the reset signal. As will be described later, the drive switches 218₁to 218_mare controlled such that a voltage V_Lis applied to the anode lines not connected to the EL elements which have been illuminated during the previous scanning period or which are to illuminate during the current scanning period (i.e., non-reset drive lines).

[0147] The light-emission control section 212 sends a scanning line selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 213 during the scanning period. The scanning switches 216₁to 216_nare switched such that any one of the cathode lines B₁to B_ncorresponding to the horizontal scanning period of a video signal is selected and set to ground potential and such that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines. In order to prevent illumination of EL elements connected to the intersections between the anode lines to which the drive current is applied and the cathode lines which are not selected for scanning, which would otherwise be caused by crosstalk, a constant-voltage source (not shown) connected to the cathode lines supplies the reverse bias voltage Vcc. Since the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nare sequentially switched to ground potential during every horizontal scanning period, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of the EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0148] The light-emission control section 212 produces a drive control signal indicating that one among the EL elements connected to a scanning line is to be illuminated, at any timing and for any period of time, in accordance with pixel information represented by a video signal during a scanning period. The thus-produced drive control signal is delivered to the anode line drive circuit 214. In response to the drive control signal, the anode lines drive circuit 214 switches, to the current source side, the ones among the drive switches 218₁to 218_massigned to the anode line connected to the EL elements to be illuminated. By way of the corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, a drive current corresponding to the pixel information is supplied to the EL elements. The remaining drive switches 18 are switched to the first stationary contacts, and the voltage V_Lis supplied to the drive switches from the voltage sources 220₁to 220_m.

[0149] The internal circuit of the light-emission control circuit 212 is configured as shown in FIG. 14. As shown in FIG. 14, a such separation circuit 241 extracts horizontal and vertical synch signals from a supplied input video signal. The thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals are supplied to a timing pulse signal generation circuit 242. On the basis of the thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals, the timing pulse signal generation circuit 242 produces a synch signal timing pulse signal. The thus-produced synch signal timing pulse signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter 243, a control circuit 245, and a scan timing signal generation circuit 247. The analog-to-digital converter 243 converts an input video signal into digital pixel data on a per-pixel basis, in synchronism with the synch signal timing pulse signal. The input video signal is supplied to the memory 244. The control circuit 245 supplies a write signal and a read signal, which are synchronized with the synch signal timing pulse signal, to the memory 244 according to a drive method to be described later. In response to the write signal, the memory 244 sequentially captures the pixel data supplied from the analog-to-digital converter 243. Further, in response to the read signal, the memory 244 sequentially reads pixel data stored therein and supplies the thus-read pixel data to an output processing circuit 246 provided in a subsequent stage. The scan timing signal generation circuit 247 produces various timing signals for controlling a scanning switch and a drive switch and delivers the thus-produced signals to the cathode line scanning circuit 213 and the output processing circuit 246. As a result, the scan timing signal generation circuit 247 supplies a scan selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 213. In synchronism with a timing signal output from the scan timing signal generation circuit 247, the output processing circuit 246 supplies, to the anode line drive circuit 214, a drive control signal corresponding to the pixel data supplied from the memory 244. During a reset period, the control circuit 245 supplies a reset signal to the anode line drive circuit 214 by way of the output processing circuit 246, as well as to the cathode line scanning circuit 213 by way of the scan timing signal generation circuit 247.

[0150] The drive operation of the capacitive luminescent display panel performed by the control circuit 245 of the light-emission control section 212 will now be described by reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 16.

[0151] The control circuit 245 executes a light-emission control routine for every horizontal scanning period of the supplied pixel data. In the light-emission control routine, pixel data corresponding to a horizontal scanning period are acquired (step S201). A determination is made as to whether or not an anode line (non-reset drive line) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period is included in the anode lines to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during a current scanning period in accordance with the pixel data (step S202). When the voltage V_Lhas been applied to an anode line during the previous scanning period and is to be applied to the anode line during the current scanning period, all the EL elements connected to the anode line remain extinct during both the previous and current scanning periods. In connection with the determination, a determination may be made as to whether or not a drive switch which have been switched to the first stationary contact during the previous scanning period is included in the drive switches to be switched to the first stationary contact during the current scanning period.

[0152] If there is no anode line to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during either the previous scanning period and is to be applied during current scanning period, there is issued a reset signal for applying a voltage Vcc to all the positive lines A₁to A_mand all the cathode lines B₁to B_n(step S203). In contrast, if there is an anode line to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and is to be applied during the current scanning period, there is produced a reset signal for releasing the anode line, for applying the voltage V_Lto the anode line, and for applying the voltage Vcc to the remaining positive lines and all the cathode lines B₁to B_n(step S204). The reset signal is supplied to the cathode line scanning circuit 213 and the anode line drive circuit 214.

[0153] In the case of the reset signal produced in step S203, the cathode line scanning circuit 213 switches movable contacts of all the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nto the stationary points of voltage Vcc in accordance with the reset signal. In accordance with the reset signal, the anode line drive circuit 214 switches the movable contacts of all the drive switches 218₁to 218_nto the third stationary contacts of voltage Vcc. As a result, the voltage developing across each EL element E_I,jbecomes equal to the voltage Vcc, thereby discharging the electric charges stored in the EL elements.

[0154] In the case of the reset signal produced in step S204, the cathode line scanning circuit 213 switches the movable contacts of all the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nto the stationary contacts of voltage Vcc in accordance with the reset signal. In the anode line drive circuit 214, drive switches corresponding to the anode lines—to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and is to be applied during the current scanning period—are switched to the fourth stationary contact. The drive switches corresponding to the remaining anode lines are switched to third stationary contacts of voltage Vcc. Provided that there is an anode line A_k(“k” corresponds to at least one numeral in the range of 1 through “mm”) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, a voltage developing across EL elements E_I,jexcluding the EL element E_k,jbecomes equal to the voltage Vcc. The electric charges stored in the EL elements are discharged. A voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied between the terminals of each of the EL element E_k.jconnected to the anode line A_kin a reversely-biased manner.

[0155] The reset period may be constant or may vary in length in accordance with a scanning period T.

[0156] The control circuit 245 produces a scan selection control signal and a drive control signal in accordance with pixel information represented by the pixel data, which data have been captured in step S201 and correspond to a single horizontal scanning period (step S205).

[0157] The scan selection control signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 213. The cathode line scanning circuit 213 switches, to ground, a scanning switch (a single scanning switch 216_Sin the range of 216₁to 216_n, where “S” designates a numeral in the range of 1 to “n”) assigned to one of the cathode lines B₁to B_n, which cathode line corresponds to the current horizontal scanning period represented by the scan selection control signal.

[0158] The drive control signal is supplied to the anode line drive circuit 214. In the anode line drive circuit 214, a drive switch (any one of the drive switches 218₁to 218_m) is switched to a second stationary contact connected to a current source (i.e., the corresponding one of the current sources 217₁to 217_m). Here, the drive switch is assigned to one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, which anode line is connected to an EL element to be illuminated during the current horizontal scanning period represented by the drive control signal. Drive switches 218 assigned to the remaining anode lines A are switched to the first stationary contacts connected to voltage sources (corresponding ones of voltage sources 220₁to 220_m).

[0159] For example, in a case where the drive switch 218₁is switched to a current source 217₁, a drive current flows from the current source 217₁to a drive switch 218₁, the anode line A₁, an EL element E_1,s, a cathode line B_s, a scanning switch 216_S, and ground. The EL element E_1,sto which the drive current is supplied illuminates in accordance with the pixel data.

[0160] If the drive switch switched to the first contact is assigned 218₃, the voltage V_Lis applied to an anode line A₃from a voltage source 220₃by way of a drive switch. The voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied to EL elements E_3,1to E_3,nexclusive of an EL element E_3,sin a reversely-biased manner. The voltage V_Llower than the illumination threshold voltage V_this forwardly applied to the EL element E_3,s, wherewith the EL elements E_3,1, to E_3,nare charged with an applied voltage.

[0161] After having performed processing pertaining to step S205, the control circuit 245 determines whether or not a preset scanning period T has elapsed (step S206). The scanning period T is set in accordance with, for example, brightness information included in the pixel data and a preset horizontal scanning period. The scanning period is determined through use of an unillustrated internal counter.

[0162] If the scanning period T has elapsed, processing proceeds to step S207, where the control circuit 245 produces a drive stop signal, to thereby terminate the light-emission control routine. The control circuit 245 enters a stand-by state until the next horizontal scanning period begins. When the next horizontal scanning period begins, processing pertaining to steps S201 to S207 is repeated. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between a reset period and a scanning period T, which are required for the foregoing illumination and drive operations. The scanning period T shown in FIG. 10 designates a period starting from the end of the reset period to the start of the next horizontal scanning period. As mentioned above, if the scanning period T continues to the start of the next horizontal scanning period, steps S206 and S207 may be omitted.

[0163] By reference to FIGS. 17 through 19, next will be described a case where, after a cathode line B₁has been scanned by means of the control operation of the control circuit 245, to thereby cause elements E_1.1and E_2.1to illuminate, a cathode line B₂is scanned, to thereby cause elements E_2.2and E_3.2to illuminate. In order to facilitate explanations, illuminating EL elements shown in FIGS. 17 through 19 are depicted by diode symbols, and nonilluminating EL elements are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0164] In connection with FIG. 17, only a scanning switch 216₁is switched to a ground potential of 0 volt, thereby scanning a cathode line B₁. A reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines B₂to B_nby way of corresponding scanning switches 216₂to 216_n. Simultaneously, the anode line A₁is connected to the current source 217₁by way of the drive switch 218₁, and the anode line A₂is connected to the current source 217₂by way of the drive switch 218₂. The voltage V_Lis applied to the remaining anode lines A₃to A_mby way of the drive switches 218₃to 218_m. In the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 17, only the EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1are forwardly biased, and a drive current flows into the EL elements E_1,1, and E_2,1from the current sources 217₁and 217₂, as designated by arrows. As a result, only the elements E_1,1, and E_2,1are illuminated. In an illuminated state, a reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of nonilluminating and hatched EL elements E_3,2to E_m,n. The EL elements E_3,2lo E_m,nare charged with illustrated polarities, respectively. Since the voltage VCC-V_Lis sufficiently low, the electric charges stored in the EL element are smaller than those charged in an EL element of a known flat display panel. Although the voltage V_Lis forwardly applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of the hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_3.1to E_m.i, the voltage V_Lis lower than the illumination threshold voltage V_th, and hence the EL elements E_3.1to E_m.iremain unilluminated and are charged solely.

[0165] If the illuminated state of the EL elements shown in FIG. 17 have been effected for only the scanning period T, a reset control operation is performed before illumination of the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2during the next horizontal scanning period. As shown in FIG. 18, the drive switches 218₁to 218₃and all the scanning switches 216₁to 216_nare switched to the potential Vcc. Accordingly, the positive lines A₁to A₃and the negative lines B₁to B_nare made equal to the potential Vcc. Through such a reset control operation, the electric charges stored in the respective EL elements E_1,1to E_3,nare discharged by way of the path designated by arrows in the drawing, wherewith the electric charges stored in all the EL elements become momentarily zero. Even during the current scanning period, no drive current for illumination purpose is supplied to the anode lines A₄to A_m. Hence, the anode lines A₄to A_mare released by way of drive switches 218₄to 218_m. Accordingly, the voltage Vcc is applied to the cathode of each of the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,n. The anodes of the EL elements A_4,1to E_m,nare commonly connected to respective anode lines A₄to A_m. Therefore, there is discharged the electric charge that has been stored in the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,1as a result of forward application of the voltage V_Lduring the scanning period shown in FIG. 17. An electric current further flows into and are charged into the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,1. The electric charge that has been stored during the scanning period shown in FIG. 17 are held in the EL elements E_4,2to E_m,nexclusive of the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,1. Consequently, the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,1are equally charged with the polarities such as those shown in FIG. 18.

[0166] When the next horizontal scanning period beings after the electric charges stored in the EL elements E_1,1to E_3,nhave been discharged to zero, only a scanning switch 216₂corresponding to a cathode line B₂is switched to 0 volt, thus scanning the cathode line B₂. Simultaneously, the drive switches 218₂and 218₃are switched to the current sources 217₂and 2₁₇₃, and the output terminals of the current sources 217₂and 217₃are connected to the corresponding anode lines A₂and A₃. The remaining drive switches 218₁and 218₄to 218_mare switched to the first stationary contact of potential V_L, and the voltage V_Lis supplied to the anode lines A₁and A₄through A_m. In connection with the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 19, only the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2are forwardly biased, so that a drive current flows from current sources 217₂and 217₃to the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2, thereby causing only the elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate. In such an illuminated state, the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lis applied across the anode and cathode electrodes of each of hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_1,1, E_1,3to E_1,n, E_4,1to E_m,1, and E_4,3to E_m,n. The EL elements E_1,1, and E_1,3to E_1,nare newly charged with polarities, as illustrated. Since the electric charges are held in the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,n, the electric charge are continuously sustained without application of a voltage VCC-V_Leven when the voltage VCC-V_Lis applied to the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,n.

[0167] As mentioned above, the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lapplied to the nonilluminating EL elements during the scanning period is lower than that employed in the known display panel. The electric charges which are charged by the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Land do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those which arise in the conventional display panel. In connection with anode lines (non-reset drive lines) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, none of the EL elements are connected to the non-reset drive line illuminate during the previous and current scanning periods. The electric charges charged with the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lare held without being discharged during the current reset period. Therefore, in the foregoing example, the total of electric charge charged with the reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lduring the current scanning period can be diminished by the amount of electric charge corresponding to that stored in the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,n.

[0168] In the previous embodiment, the first potential is made equal to ground potential, and the second and fourth potentials are set to a potential Vcc which is substantially equal to the specified illumination voltage Ve of a capacitive luminescent element. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

[0169] Of the anode lines to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during a single horizontal scanning period (i.e., a current scanning period), the anode line to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period is specified as a non-reset drive line by the light-emission control routine in the previous embodiment. Alternatively, the anode lines to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during a single horizontal scanning period may be specified as non-reset drive lines. In such a case, in step S202 a determination may be made as to whether or not there is an anode line to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period.

[0170] Further, an embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0171] FIG. 7 schematically shows the configuration of a display which is embodied by application of the present invention to a luminescent display panel using EL elements as capacitive luminescent elements. The display comprises a capacitive luminescent display panel 311; a light-emission control section 312; a cathode line scanning circuit 313; and an anode drive circuit 314.

[0172] As shown in FIG. 20, the luminescent display panel 311 comprises a plurality of EL elements E_I,j(1≦i≦m, 1≦j≦n). As in the case of the EL elements shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the plurality of EL elements are arranged in a matrix pattern at respective intersections between anode lines A₁to A_nserving as drive lines and cathode lines B₁to B_nserving as scanning lines. The EL elements are connected to the scanning lines and the drive lines. In other words, the EL elements are located at respective intersections between a plurality of drive lines extending substantially in parallel with each other and a plurality of scanning lines extending substantially at right angles to the drive lines. Each of the EL elements is connected to the scanning line and the drive line. The EL elements E_I,j. Shown in FIG. 20 are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0173] In the luminescent display panel 311, the cathode lines B₁to B_nare connected to the cathode line scanning circuit 313, and the anode lines A₁to A₁are connected to the anode line drive circuit 314. The cathode line scanning circuit 313 has scanning switches 316₁to 316₁assigned to the respective cathode lines B₁to B_n. Each of the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nsuppliers to a corresponding cathode line ground potential or a reverse bias voltage Vcc. Under control of the light-emission control section 312, the scanning switches 316₁to 316₁are sequentially switched to ground potential every horizontal scanning period. Accordingly, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of EL elements connected to the cathode lines B_nto Br, The anode line drive circuit 314 has current sources 317₁to 317w, drive switches 318₁to 318_m, and voltage sources 320₁to 320, which are provided so as to correspond to the anode lines A₁to A_m. A voltage V_Ldevelops between the positive and negative terminals of each of the voltage sources 320₁to 320_mThe voltage V_Lis lower than and close to the threshold illumination voltage V_th. Each of the drive switches 318₁to 318_mcorresponds to a changeover switch having three stationary contacts. A moving contact of each of the drive switches 318₁to 318 is connected to a corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to PA. A first stationary contact of each of the drive switches 318, to 318_mis connected to a positive terminal of a corresponding one of the voltage sources 320₁to 320_m. A second stationary contact of each of the drive switches 318₁to 318_mis connected to an output terminal of a corresponding one of the current sources 317₁to 317_mFurther, a voltage Vcc is applied to the third stationary contact of each of the drive switches 318₁to 318_m. The negative terminal of each of the voltage sources 320₁to 320_mis connected to ground. Moreover, the voltage Vcc is output from an unillustrated voltage source.

[0174] The light-emission control section 312 controls the cathode line scanning circuit 313 and the anode line drive circuit 314, so as to cause the luminescent display panel 311 to display an image in accordance with a video signal supplied from an unillustrated video signal generation system. Such a control operation is performed while being divided into a reset period and a scanning period.

[0175] The light-emission control section 312 produces a reset signal during a reset period, and the thus-produced reset signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 313 and the anode line drive circuit 314. The cathode line scanning circuit 313 performs a control operation for switching the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nsuch that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to all the cathode lines B₁to B_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line drive circuit 314 performs a control operation for switching the drive switches 318₁to 318_nsuch that a voltage Vcc is applied to the anode lines A₁to A_nin accordance with the reset signal. As will be described later, the drive switches 318₁to 318_mare controlled such that a voltage V_Lis applied to the anode lines not connected to the EL elements which have been illuminated during the previous scanning period or which are to illuminate during the current scanning period (i.e., non-reset drive lines).

[0176] The light-emission control section 312 sends a scanning line selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 313 during the scanning period. The scanning switches 316₁to 316_nare switched such that any one of the cathode lines B₁to B_ncorresponding to the horizontal scanning period of a video signal is selected and set to ground potential and such that a reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines. In order to prevent illumination of EL elements connected to the intersections between the anode lines to which the drive current is applied and the cathode lines which are not selected for scanning, which would otherwise be caused by crosstalk, a constant-voltage source (not shown) connected to the cathode lines supplies the reverse bias voltage Vcc. Since the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nare sequentially switched to ground potential during every horizontal scanning period, the cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of the EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0177] The light-emission control section 312 produces a drive control signal indicating that one among the EL elements connected to a scanning line is to be illuminated, at any timing and for any period of time, in accordance with pixel information represented by a video signal during a scanning period. The thus-produced drive control signal is delivered to the anode line drive circuit 314. In response to the drive control signal, the anode line drive circuit 314 switches, to the current source side, the one among the drive switches 318₁to 318_massigned to the anode line connected to the EL elements to be illuminated. By way of the corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, a drive current corresponding to the pixel information is supplied to the EL elements. The remaining drive switches 318 are switched to the first stationary contacts, and the voltage V_Lis supplied to the drive switches from the voltage sources 320₁to 320_m.

[0178] The internal circuit of the light-emission control circuit 312 is configured as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, a synch separation circuit 341 extracts horizontal and vertical synch signals from a supplied input video signal. The thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals are supplied to a timing pulse signal generation circuit 342. On the basis of the thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals, the timing pulse signal generation circuit 342 produces a synch signal timing pulse signal. The thus-produced synch signal timing pulse signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter 343, a control circuit 345, and a scan timing signal generation circuit 347. The analog-to-digital converter 343 converts an input video signal into digital pixel data on a per-pixel basis, in synchronism with the synch signal timing pulse signal. The input video signal is supplied to the memory 344. The control circuit 345 supplies a write signal and a read signal, which are synchronized with the synch signal timing pulse signal, to the memory 344 according to a drive method to be described later. In response to the write signal, the memory 344 sequentially captures the pixel data supplied from the analog-to-digital converter 343. Further, in response to the read signal, the memory 344 sequentially reads pixel data stored therein and supplies the thus-read pixel data to an output processing circuit 346 provided in a subsequent stage. The scan timing signal generation circuit 347 produces various timing signals for controlling a scanning switch and a drive switch and delivers the thus-produced signals to the cathode line scanning circuit 313 and the output processing circuit 346. As a result, the scan timing signal generation circuit 347 supplies a scan selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 313. In synchronism with a timing signal output from the scan timing signal generation circuit 347, the output processing circuit 346 supplies, to the anode line drive circuit 314, a drive control signal corresponding to the pixel data supplied from the memory 344. During a reset period, the control circuit 345 supplies a reset signal to the anode line drive circuit 314 by way of the output processing circuit 346, as well as to the cathode line scanning circuit 313 by way of the scan timing signal generation circuit 347.

[0179] The drive operation of the capacitive luminescent display panel performed by the control circuit 345 of the light-emission control section 312 will now be described by reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 21.

[0180] The control circuit 345 executes a light-emission control routine for every horizontal scanning period of the supplied pixel data. In the light-emission control routine, pixel data corresponding to a horizontal scanning period are acquired (step S301). A determination is made as to whether or not an anode line (non-reset drive line) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period is included in the anode lines to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during a current scanning period in accordance with the pixel data (step S302). When the voltage V_Lhas been applied to an anode line during the previous scanning period and is to be applied to the anode line during the current scanning period, all the EL elements connected to the anode line remain extinct during both the previous and current scanning periods. In connection with the determination, a determination may be made as to whether or not a drive switch which have been switched to the first stationary contact during the previous scanning period is included in the drive switches to be switched to the first stationary contact during the current scanning period.

[0181] If there is no anode line to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during either the previous scanning period and is to be applied during current scanning period, there is issued a reset signal for applying a voltage Vcc to all the positive lines A₁to A_mand all the cathode lines B₁to B_n(step S303). In contrast, if there is an anode line to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and is to be applied during the current scanning period, there is produced a reset signal for applying the voltage V_Lto the anode line and applying the voltage Vcc to the remaining positive lines and all the cathode lines B₁to B_n(step S304). The reset signal is supplied to the cathode line scanning circuit 313 and the anode line drive circuit 314.

[0182] In the case of the reset signal produced in step S303, the cathode line scanning circuit 313 switches movable contacts of all the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nto the stationary points of voltage Vcc in accordance with the reset signal. In accordance with the reset signal, the anode line drive circuit 314 switches the movable contacts of all the drive switches 318₁to 318_nto the third stationary contacts of voltage Vcc. As a result, the voltage developing across each EL element E_I,jbecomes equal to the voltage Vcc, thereby discharging the electric charges stored in the EL elements.

[0183] In the case of the reset signal produced in step S304, the cathode line scanning circuit 313 switches the movable contacts of all the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nto the stationary contacts of voltage Vcc in accordance with the reset signal. In the anode line drive circuit 314, drive switches corresponding to the anode lines—to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and is to be applied during the current scanning period—remain in contact with the first stationary contacts of voltage V_L. The drive switches corresponding to the remaining anode lines are switched to third stationary contacts of voltage Vcc. Provided that: there is an anode line A_k(“k” corresponds to at least one numeral in the range of 1 through “m”) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, a voltage developing across EL elements E_I,jexcluding the EL element E_k,jbecomes equal to the voltage Vcc. The electric charges stored in the EL elements are discharged. A voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied to the EL element E_k.jin a reversely-biased manner.

[0184] The reset period may be constant or may vary in length in accordance with a scanning period T.

[0185] The control circuit 345 produces a scan selection control signal and c, drive control signal in accordance with pixel information represented by the pixel data, which data have been captured in step S301 and correspond to a single horizontal scanning period (step S305).

[0186] The scan selection control signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 313. The cathode line scanning circuit 313 switches, to ground, a scanning switch (a single scanning switch 316_sin the range of 316₁to 316_n, where “S” designates a numeral in the range of 1 to “n”) assigned to one of the cathode lines B₁to B_n, which cathode line corresponds to the current horizontal scanning period represented by the scan selection control signal.

[0187] The drive control signal is supplied to the anode line drive circuit 314. In the anode line drive circuit 314, a drive switch (any one of the drive switches 318₁to 318_m) is switched to a second stationary contact connected to a current source (i.e., the corresponding one of the current sources 317₁to 317_m) Here, the drive switch is assigned to one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, _which anode line is connected to an EL element to be illuminated during the current horizontal scanning period represented by the drive control signal. Drive switches 318 assigned to the remaining anode lines A are switched to the first stationary contacts connected to voltage sources (corresponding ones of voltage sources 320₁to 320_m).

[0188] For example, in a case where the drive switch 318₁is switched to a current source 317₁, a drive current flows from the current source 317₁to a drive switch 318₁, the anode line A₁, an EL element E_1,s, a cathode line B_s, a scanning switch 316_s, and ground. The EL element E_1,sto which the drive current is supplied illuminates in accordance with the pixel data.

[0189] If the drive switch switched to the first contact is assigned 318₃, the voltage V_Lis applied to an anode line A₃from a voltage source 320₃by way of a drive switch. The voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied to EL elements E_3,1to E_3,nexclusive of an EL element E_3,s. The voltage V_Llower than the illumination threshold voltage V_this forwardly applied to the EL element E_3,s, wherewith the EL elements E_3,1to E_3,nare charged with an applied voltage.

[0190] After having performed processing pertaining to step S305, the control circuit 345 determines whether or not a preset scanning period T has elapsed (step S306). The scanning period T is set in accordance with, for example, brightness information included in the pixel data and a preset horizontal scanning period. The scanning period is determined through use of an unillustrated internal counter.

[0191] If the scanning period T has elapsed, a drive stop signal is produced (step S307). If the scanning period T has elapsed, processing proceeds to step S307, where the control circuit 345 produces a drive stop signal, to thereby terminate the light-emission control routine. The control circuit 345 enters a stand-by state until the next horizontal scanning period begins. When the next horizontal scanning period begins, processing pertaining to steps S301 to S307 is repeated. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between a reset period and a scanning period T, which are required for the foregoing illumination and drive operations. The scanning period T shown in FIG. 10 designates a period starting from the end of the reset period to the start of the next horizontal scanning period. As mentioned above, if the scanning period T continues to the start of the next horizontal scanning period, steps S306 and S307 may be omitted.

[0192] By reference to FIGS. 21 through 23, next will be described a case where, after a cathode line B₁has been scanned by means of the control operation of the control circuit 345, to thereby cause elements E_1,1and E_2.1to illuminate, a cathode line B₂is scanned, to thereby cause elements E_2.2and E_3.2to illuminate. In order to facilitate explanations, illuminating EL elements shown in FIGS. 21 through 23 are depicted by diode symbols, and nonilluminating EL elements are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0193] In connection with FIG. 21, only a scanning switch 316₁is switched to a ground potential of 0 volt, thereby scanning a cathode line B₁. A reverse bias voltage Vcc is applied to the remaining cathode lines B₂to B_nby way of corresponding scanning switches 316₂to 316_n. Simultaneously, the anode line A₁is connected to the current source 317₁by way of the drive switch 318₁, and the anode line A₂is connected to the current source 317₂by way of the drive switch 318₂. The voltage V_Lis applied to the remaining anode lines A₃to A_mby way of the drive switches 318₃to 318_m. In the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 21, only the EL elements E_1,1, and E_2,1are forwardly biased, and a drive current flows into the EL elements E_1,1and E_2,1from the current sources 317₁and 317₂, as designated by arrows. As a result, only the elements E_1,1and E_2,1are illuminated. In an illuminated state, a reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of nonilluminating and hatched EL elements E_3,2to E_m,n. The EL elements E_3,2to E_m,nare charged with illustrated polarities, respectively. Since the voltage VCC-V_Lis sufficiently low, the electric charges stored in the EL element are smaller than those charged in an EL element of a known flat display panel. Although the voltage V_Lis forwardly applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of the hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_3.1to E_m.i, the voltage V_Lis lower than the illumination threshold voltage V_th, and hence the EL elements E_3.1to E_m.iremain unilluminated and are charged solely.

[0194] If the illuminated state of the EL elements shown in FIG. 21 have been effected for only the scanning period T, a reset control operation is performed before illumination of the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2during the next horizontal scanning period. As shown in FIG. 22, the drive switches 318₁to 318₃and all the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nare switched to the potential Vcc. Accordingly, the positive lines A₁to A₃and the negative lines B₁to N_nare made equal to the potential Vcc. Through such a reset control operation, the electric charges stored in the respective EL elements E_1,1, to E_3,nare discharged by way of the path designated by arrows in the drawing, wherewith the electric charges stored in all the EL elements become momentarily zero. Even during the current scanning period, no drive current for illumination purpose is supplied to the anode lines A₄to A_m. Hence, the voltage V_Lis applied to the anode lines A₄to A_mby way of drive switches 318₄to 318_m. Since the voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied to the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,nthe electric charges which have been stored in the EL elements E_4,2to E_m,nduring the scanning period shown in FIG. 21 are held as they are. The electric charges stored in the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,1are immediately discharged, and the EL elements E_4,1to E_m,1are charged with the applied voltage Vcc-V_L.

[0195] When the next horizontal scanning period beings after the electric charges stored in the EL elements E_1.1to E_3,nhave been discharged to zero, only a scanning switch 316₂corresponding to a cathode line B₂is switched to ground potential, thus scanning the cathode line B₂. Simultaneously, the drive switches 318₂and 318₃are switched to the current sources 317₂and 317₃, and the output terminals of the current sources 317₂and 317₃are connected to the corresponding anode lines A₂and A₃. Further, the drive switch 318₁is newly switched to the first stationary contact of potential V_L, and the voltage V_Lis supplied to the anode lines A₁and A₄through A_m. In connection with the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 23, only the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2are forwardly biased, so that a drive current flows from current sources 317₂and 317₃to the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2, thereby causing only the elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate. In such an illuminated state, the reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied across the anode and cathode electrodes of each of hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_1,1, E_1,3to E_1,n, E_4,1to E_m,1and E_4,3to E_m,n. The EL elements El, and E_1,3to E₁, are newly charged with polarities, as illustrated. Since the electric charges are held in the EL elements E,₃to E_m,ncharging or discharging barely arises in the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,neven when the voltage VCC-V_Lis applied to the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,n.

[0196] As mentioned above, the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lapplied to the nonilluminating EL elements during the scanning period is lower than that employed in the known display panel. The electric charges which are charged by the reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Land do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those which arise in the conventional display panel. In connection with anode lines (non-reset drive lines) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period and the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, none of the EL elements are connected to the non-reset drive line illuminate during the previous and current scanning periods. The electric charges charged with the reverse bias voltage VCC-V_Lare held without being discharged during the current reset period. Therefore, in the foregoing example, the total of electric charge charged with the reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lduring the current scanning period can be diminished by the amount of electric charge corresponding to that stored in the EL elements E_4,3to E_m,1.

[0197] In the foregoing embodiment, in step S302 a determination is made as to whether or not an anode line (non-reset drive line) to which the voltage V_Lhas been applied during the previous scanning period is included in the anode lines to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period. However, as shown in FIG. 24, in step S302 a determination may be made as to whether or not there is an anode line (non-reset drive line) to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period. If there is not any anode line to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, processing proceeds to step S303. In contrast, if there is an anode line to which the voltage V_Lis to be applied during the current scanning period, processing proceeds to step S304.

[0198] FIGS. 25 through 27 show an operating state of a display panel in which, after the cathode line B₁has been scanned through the control operation shown in FIG. 24, to thereby cause elements E_1,1and E_2,1to illuminate, the cathode line B₂is scanned so as to cause elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate. FIG. 25 shows a scanning period during which the EL elements E_1,1, and E_2,1are illuminated, as in the case of that shown in FIG. 21.

[0199] If the illuminating state of the EL elements shown in FIG. 25 has been effected only for the scanning period T, a reset control operation is performed before the next cathode line is scanned for causing the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate during the next horizontal scanning period. As shown in FIG. 26, the drive switches 318₂and 318₃and all the scanning switches 316₁to 316_nare switched to the voltage Vcc, and hence the voltages of the anode lines A₂and A₃and the voltages of the cathode lines B₁to B_nare made equal to the voltage Vcc. By means of such a reset control operation, the electric charges stored in the respective EL elements E_2,1to E_2,nand E_3,1to E_3,nare discharged by way of the path designated by arrows shown in the drawing, wherewith the electric charges stored in all the EL elements become momentarily zero. Even during the current scanning period, a drive current for illumination purpose is not supplied to the anode lines A₁and A₄to A_m. The voltage V_Lis applied to the anode lines A₁and A₄to A_mby way of the drive switches 318₁and 318₄to 318_m. As a result, the voltage VCC-V_Lis applied to the EL elements E_1,1to E_1,nand E_4,1to E_m,n. The electric charges stored in the EL elements E_4,2to E_m,1during the scanning period shown in FIG. 21 are held as they are. The electric charges which have been stored in the EL elements E_1,1and E_4,1to E_m,1thus far are discharged immediately, and the EL elements E_1,1, and E_4,1are charged with the applied voltage Vcc-V_L.

[0200] When the next horizontal scanning period beings after the electric charges stored in the EL elements E_2,1to E_3,nhave been discharged to zero in the manner as mentioned above, only the scanning switch 316₂assigned to the cathode line B₂is switched to ground potential, whereby the cathode line B₂is scanned. Simultaneously, the drive switch 318₂is switched to the current source 317₂, and the drive switch 318₃is switched to the current source 317₃, as in the case shown in FIG. 23. Only the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2are forwardly biased, and a drive current flows into the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2from the current sources 317₂and 317₃, as indicated by arrows, thereby causing only the EL elements E_2,2and E_3,2to illuminate, as in the case shown in FIG. 23. In the illuminated state of these EL elements, a reverse bias voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied between the anode and cathode electrodes of each of hatched and nonilluminating EL elements E_1,1, E_1,3to E_1,n, E_4,1to E_m,1and E_4,3to E_m,n. Since the electric charges are held in the EL elements E_1,1, E_1,3to E_1,nand E_4,3to E_m,n, charging or discharge barely arises in the L elements even when the voltage Vcc-V_Lis applied to the EL elements.

[0201] In the previous embodiment, the first potential is made equal to ground potential, and the second and fourth potentials are set to a potential Vcc which is substantially equal to the specified illumination voltage Ve of a capacitive luminescent element. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

[0202] Further, an embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0203] FIG. 28 schematically shows the configuration of a display which is embodied by application of the present invention to a luminescent display panel using EL elements as capacitive luminescent elements. The display comprises a capacitive luminescent display panel 411; a light-emission control section 412; a cathode line scanning circuit 413; and an anode drive circuit 414.

[0204] As shown in FIG. 29, the luminescent display panel 411 comprises a plurality of EL elements E_I,j(1≦i≦m, 1≦j≦n). As in the case of the EL elements shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the plurality of EL elements are arranged in a matrix pattern at respective intersections between anode lines A₁to A_mserving as drive lines and cathode lines B₁to B_nserving as scanning lines. The EL elements are connected to the scanning lines and the drive lines. In other words, the EL elements are located at respective intersections between a plurality of drive lines extending substantially in parallel with each other and a plurality of scanning lines extending substantially at right angles to the drive lines. Each of the EL elements is connected to one of the scanning lines and one of the drive lines. The EL elements E_I,jshown in FIG. 29 are depicted by capacitor symbols.

[0205] In the luminescent display panel 411, the cathode lines B₁to B_nare connected to the cathode line scanning circuit 413, and the anode lines A₁to A_mare connected to the anode line drive circuit 414. The cathode line scanning circuit 413 has a scanning switches 416₁to 416_nassigned to the respective cathode lines B₁to B_n, and a voltage source 417. Each of the scanning switches 416₁to 416_ncorresponds to a changeover switch having two stationary contacts. One of the stationary contacts is rounded, and movable contacts of the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nare connected to the respective cathode lines B₁to B_n. The voltage source 417 produces a voltage V_Mfor producing a reverse bias voltage V_M. The positive terminal of the voltage source 417 is connected to the remaining stationary contact of each of the scanning switches 416₁to 416_n. The negative terminal of the voltage source 417 is grounded. Each of the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nsupplies to a corresponding one of the cathode lines B₁to B_nground potential or a reverse bias voltage V_M, which is the positive potential of the voltage source 417. Under control of the light-emission control section 412, the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nare switched to ground potential, in scanning sequence, during each horizontal scanning period. The cathode lines B_nto B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which enable illumination of EL elements connected to the cathode lines B_nto B_n.

[0206] The anode line drive circuit 414 has variable current sources 418₁to 418_m, drive switches 419₁to 419_m, a voltage source 420, and a variable voltage source 421, the variable current sources and the drive switches being provided so as to correspond to the anode lines A₁to A_m. The voltage source 420 produces a voltage Vcc, and the positive terminal of the voltage source 420 is connected to the input terminals of the current sources 418₁to 418_m. The negative terminal of the voltage source 420 is grounded. Each of the drive switches 419₁to 419_mcorresponds to a changeover switch having two stationary contacts. Movable contacts of the drive switches 419₁to 419_mare connected to the respective anode lines A₁to A_m. One of the two stationary contacts belonging to each of the drive switches 419₁to 419_mis grounded, and the remaining contact is connected to an output terminal of the corresponding one of the current sources 418₁to 418_m. The positive terminal of the variable voltage source 421 is connected to the current control terminal of each of the current sources 418₁to 418_m. The negative terminal of the variable voltage source 421 is grounded. The voltage output from the variable voltage source 421 is controlled by the light-emission control section 412.

[0207] The light-emission control section 412 controls the cathode line scanning circuit 413 and the anode line drive circuit 414, so as to cause the luminescent display panel 411 to display an image in accordance with a video signal supplied from an unillustrated video signal generation system. Such a control operation is performed while being divided into a reset period and a scanning period.

[0208] The light-emission control section 412 produces a reset signal during a reset period, and the thus-produced reset signal is delivered to the cathode line scanning circuit 413 and the anode line drive circuit 414. The cathode line scanning circuit 413 performs a control operation for switching the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nsuch that a reverse bias voltage V_Mis applied to all the cathode lines B₁to B_nin accordance with the reset signal. The anode line drive circuit 414 performs a control operation for switching the drive switches 419₁to 419_nsuch that ground potential is applied to the anode lines A₁to A_nin accordance with the reset signal.

[0209] The light-emission control section 412 sends a scanning line selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 413 during the scanning period. The scanning switches 416₁to 416_nare switched such that any cathode line corresponding to the horizontal scanning period of the video signal is selected from the cathode lines B₁to B_n, and the thus-selected cathode line is set to ground potential, and such that the reverse bias voltage V_Mis applied to the remaining cathode lines The reverse bias voltage V_Mis applied from the constant-voltage source 417 connected to the cathode line, in order to prevent illumination of EL elements connected to intersections between the anode line through which a drive current is flowing and cathode lines which are not selected for scanning, which would otherwise be caused by crosstalk. During each horizontal scanning period, the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nare sequentially switched to ground potential. The cathode lines B₁to B_nset to ground potential act as scanning lines which Enable illumination of EL elements connected to the cathode lines B₁to B_n.

[0210] The light-emission control section 412 produces a drive control signal indicating that one from the EL elements connected to a scanning line is to be illuminated, at any timing and for any period of time, in accordance with pixel information represented by a video signal during a scanning period. The thus-produced drive control signal is delivered to the anode line drive circuit 414. In response to the drive control signal, the anode line drive circuit 414 switches, to the current source side, any one of the drive switches 419₁to 419_massigned to the anode line connected to the EL elements to be illuminated. By way of the corresponding one of the anode lines A₁to A_m, a drive current corresponding to the pixel information is supplied to the EL elements. The remaining drive switches 419 are switched to grounded contacts, and ground potential is supplied to the remaining drive switches 419.

[0211] The internal circuit of the light-emission control section 412 is configured as shown in FIG. 28. As shown in FIG. 28, a synch separation circuit 441 extracts horizontal and vertical synch signals from a supplied input video signal. The thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals are supplied to a timing pulse signal generation circuit 442. On the basis of the thus-extracted horizontal and vertical synch signals, the timing pulse signal generation circuit 442 produces a synch signal timing pulse signal. The thus-produced synch signal timing pulse signal is supplied to an analog-to-digital converter 443, a control circuit 445, and a scan timing signal generation circuit 447. The analog-to-digital converter 443 converts an input video signal into digital pixel data on a per-pixel basis, in synchronism with the synch signal timing pulse signal. The input video signal is supplied to memory 444. The memory 444 has at least a storage area for storing pixel data corresponding to one screen of the luminescent display panel 411. The control circuit 445 supplies a write signal and a read signal, which are synchronized with the synch signal timing pulse signal, to the memory 444. In response to the write signal, the memory 444 sequentially captures the pixel data supplied from the analog-to-digital converter 443. Further, in response to the read signal, the memory 444 sequentially reads pixel data stored therein and supplies the thus-read pixel data to an output processing circuit 446 provided in a subsequent stage. The scan timing signal generation circuit 447 produces various timing signals for controlling a scanning switch and a drive switch and delivers the thus-produced signals to the cathode line scanning circuit 413 and the output processing circuit 446. As a result, the scan timing signal generation circuit 447 supplies a scan selection control signal to the cathode line scanning circuit 413. In synchronism with a timing signal output from the scan timing signal generation circuit 447, the output processing circuit 446 supplies, to the anode line drive circuit 414, a drive control signal corresponding to the pixel data supplied from the memory 444. During a reset period, the control circuit 445 supplies a reset signal to the anode line drive circuit 414 by way of the output processing circuit 446, as well as to the cathode line scanning circuit 413 by way of the scan timing signal generation circuit 447.

[0212] The drive operation of the capacitive luminescent display panel performed by the control circuit 445 of the light-emission control section 412 will now be described by reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. 30 and 31.

[0213] During each vertical scanning period of supplied pixel data (i.e., a period of a single frame), the control circuit 445 executes a light-emission determination routine. As shown in FIG. 30, during the light-emission determination routine, the control circuit 445 sets count C to a value of 1 and count D to a value of 0 (step S401). Count C designates a numeral determined by means of counting up in the sequence in which a single screen is scanned, and count D represents the number of scanning lines. Pixel data corresponding to a C^thhorizontal scanning period are captured from the memory 444 in the order of scanning (step S402). Since the pixel data corresponding to a single screen are stored in the memory 444 by means of the write signal, the control circuit 445 captures the pixel data corresponding to one horizontal scanning period, in the order of scanning. The control circuit 445 determines whether or not pixel data indicating illumination are included in the pixel data corresponding to the C^thhorizontal scanning period (step S403). If the pixel data indicating illumination are included, the C^thcathode line Bc is considered to be a real scanning line. Therefore, a scanned/unscanned flag F(C) is set to a value of 0, which value indicates that scanning is effected (step S404). Count D is incremented by only one (step S405). In contrast, if the pixel data indicating illumination are not included, the scanned/unscanned flag F(C) is set to a value of 1, which value indicates that scanning is not effected (step S406). Count D is left, as is. The scanned/unscanned flag F(C), count C, and count D are preserved in memory (not shown) provided in the control circuit 404. Scanned/unscanned flags are formed as F(1), F(2), F(3), . . . , F(n).

[0214] After processing pertaining to step S405 or S406 has been performed, a determination is made as to whether or not count C has reached the number of cathode lines (n) (step S407). If C<n, count C is incremented by only one (step S408), and processing returns to step S2. In contrast, if C=n, the voltage output from the variable voltage source 421 is set in accordance with count D (step S409). There is output a voltage control signal for adjusting the voltage output from the variable voltage source 421 to the thus-set voltage (step S410). When count C assumes “n,” count D represents the number of scanning lines of the current frame. In step S409, there is adjusted the voltage output from the variable voltage source 421 for setting the Electric current output from the current sources 418₁to 418_mcorresponding to the number of scanning lines. The relationship between count D and the voltage output from the variable voltage source 421 is stored in the internal memory of the control circuit 445 in the form of a data table. Through use of the data table, the output voltage of the variable voltage source 421 is set so as to correspond to count D. The greater the value of count D, the higher the output voltage of the variable voltage source 421, thereby increasing the current output from the current sources 418₁to 418_m.

[0215] After the processing pertaining to step S410 has been performed, a single scanning period T is set in accordance with count D (step S411). Provided that the period of a frame is constant, as count D becomes smaller, a single scanning period T is set to become longer. Since the relationship between count D and the single scanning period T has been stored beforehand in the internal memory of the control circuit 445 in the form of a data table, a single scanning period T corresponding to count D is set through use of the data table.

[0216] After having executed the light-emission determination routine, the control circuit 445 repeatedly executes a light-emission control routine. As shown in FIG. 31, during the light-emission control routine, the control circuit 445 sets count E to a value of 1 in the manner as shown in FIG. 31 (step S421) and determines whether or not a scanned/unscanned flag F(E) assumes a value of 1 (step S422) As the scanned/unscanned flag F(E), the flag used in step S404 or S406 of the light-emission determination routine is used. If F(E)=1, the cathode line is not scanned. A determination is made as to whether or not count E has reached the number of cathode Lines (n) (step S423). If E<n, count E is incremented by only one (step S424), and processing returns to step S422. In contrast, if E=n, the routine is terminated.

[0217] If in step S422 it is determined that F(E)=0, there is produced a reset signal for applying ground potential to all the anode lines A₁to A_mand the cathode lines B₁to B_n(step S425). As a result of production of the reset signal, a reset period R of predetermined duration is produced. The reset signal is supplied to the cathode line scanning circuit 413 and the anode line drive circuit 414. In response to the reset signal, the cathode line scanning circuit 413 switches the movable contacts of all the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nto grounded stationary contacts. In response to the reset signal, the anode line drive circuit 414 switches the movable contacts of all the drive switches 419₁to 419_nto grounded stationary contacts. As a result, the voltage developing across each of the EL elements E_i,jbecomes equal to ground potential, and the electric charge stored in the EL elements is discharged.

[0218] After the end of the reset period R, the control circuit 445 captures pixel data corresponding to the E^thhorizontal scanning period from the memory 444 (step S426). In accordance with the pixel information represented by the thus-captured pixel data, the control circuit 445 produces a scan selection control signal and a drive control signal (step S427).

[0219] The scan selection control signal is supplied to the cathode line scanning circuit 413. The cathode line scanning circuit 413 switches to ground the scanning switch (a scanning switch 416_Eof the scanning switches 416₁to 416_n) assigned to a cathode line B (one of the cathode lines B₁to B_n) corresponding to the current: horizontal scanning period represented by the scan selection control signal. The cathode line scanning circuit 413 switches to the voltage source 417 the scanning switches (all the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nexclusive of the scanning switch 416_E) for applying the reverse bias voltage V_Mto the remaining cathode lines.

[0220] The drive control signal is supplied to the anode line drive circuit 414. In the anode line drive circuit 414, a drive switch (any one of the drive switches 419₁to 419_m) is switched to the stationary contact connected to a current source (i.e., the corresponding one of the current sources 418₁to 418_m) Here, the drive switch is assigned to the one of the anode lines A₁to A_mthat is connected to an EL element to be illuminated during the current horizontal scanning period represented by the drive control signal. Drive switches 418 assigned to the remaining anode lines are switched to grounded stationary contacts.

[0221] For example, in a case where the drive switch 419₁is switched to a current source 418₁, a drive current flows from the current source 418₁to a drive switch 419₁, the anode line A₁, an EL element E_1,sa cathode line B_S, a scanning switch 416_s, and to ground. Since the electric current flowing through the EL element is proportional to illumination brightness, the EL element E_1,sto which the drive current is supplied illuminates in accordance with the pixel information.

[0222] After having performed processing pertaining to step S427, the control circuit 445 determines whether or not the single scanning period T has elapsed (step S428). The scanning period T is set in accordance with, for example, brightness information included in the pixel data and a preset horizontal scanning period. The scanning period is determined through use of an unillustrated internal counter.

[0223] If the single scanning period T has elapsed, processing proceeds to step S429, where the control circuit 445 produces a drive stop signal for stopping illumination of the display panel. Subsequently, processing proceeds to step S423, which has been described above. A cathode line to which EL elements to be illuminated next are connected is scanned, and processing pertaining to steps S423 to S429 is iterated.

[0224] As shown in FIG. 32, in a case where a single frame is formed from a total number of “n” scanning lines and where the EL elements connected to the first through k^thcathode lines are illuminated, the first through k^thcathode lines are scanned. Subsequently, the next frame is scanned without involvement of scanning of the remaining k+1^thto n^thcathode lines.

[0225] FIG. 10 shows the relationship between a reset period R and a scanning period T, which are determined for the foregoing illumination and drive operations. The scanning period T charges in accordance with count D, that is, the number of scanning lines of a current luminescent display frame.

[0226] In a case where all the cathode lines B₁to B_nof a single frame are sequentially scanned in the same manner as in a known display panel, one of the scanning switches 416₁to 416_nis switched to ground. Even if no EL elements to illuminate are connected to a cathode line assigned to the scanning switch, the reverse bias voltage V_Mis applied to and charged in the EL elements connected to the cathode lines assigned to the remaining scanning switches. However, the thus-stored electric charge is discharged during the reset period D which immediately follows the charging operation. Thus, the electric charges do not directly contribute to illumination and is uselessly dissipated. However, the present invention prevents scanning of cathode lines to which no EL elements to be illuminated are connected. Therefore, there can be diminished useless power dissipation, which would otherwise be caused by charging or discharging such EL elements.

[0227] According to the present invention, as the number of scanning lines becomes smaller, the duration of the single scanning period T can be made longer. Therefore, even if a reduction arises in the instantaneous brightness of the EL elements, sufficient per-frame brightness can be ensured. As the number of scanning lines becomes smaller, the drive current output from the current sources 418₁to 418_mcan be made smaller, thus saving power.

[0228] In the previous embodiment, the voltage source 420 outputs a constant voltage. However, as show in FIG. 33, the voltage source 420 may be replaced with a variable voltage source 420. The output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 is controlled in accordance with the voltage control signal output from the control circuit 445. If in step S407 of the light-emission determination routine it is determined that C=n, as shown in FIG. 34, the control circuit 445 sets the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 and the output voltage of the variable voltage source 421 in accordance with count D (step S412). Further, the control circuit 445 outputs a control signal for adjusting the variable voltage source 420 to the thus-set voltage and a control signal for adjusting the variable voltage source 421 to the thus-set voltage (step S413). In step S412 the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 and the output voltage of the variable voltage source 421 are set through use of individual data tables. As count D becomes greater, the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 is set higher. In other respects, operations pertaining to the light-emission determination routine and the light-emission control routine are the same as those shown in FIGS. 30 and 31.

[0229] If the current flowing through the EL elements is diminished for reducing the instantaneous illumination brightness in accordance with a reduction in the number of scanning lines, the forward voltage applied to the EL elements is also decreased, as can be seen from the voltage V-current I characteristic of an EL element shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, even if the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 is reduced, a desired current flows from the current sources 418₁to 418_mto EL elements to be illuminated. Thus, the voltage applied to the EL elements to be illuminated can be ensured. As mentioned above, the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420, which is the drive source of the EL elements, is diminished, thereby reducing power to be dissipated by the current sources 418₁to 418_m.

[0230] The previous embodiment has described a drive unit of current drive method which supplies, from current sources, an electric current to EL elements to be illuminated. However, the present invention may also be applied to a drive unit of voltage drive method which applies a voltage, from a voltage source, directly to EL elements to be illuminated. FIG. 35 shows a display equipped with a drive unit employing the voltage drive method. In this unit, one of stationary contacts of each of the drive switches 419₁to 419_mis grounded. The remaining stationary contact is connected directly to the positive terminal of the variable voltage source 420. In other respects, the display is identical in structure with that shown in FIG. 29. If in step S407 of the light-emission determination routine it is determined that C=n, as shown in FIG. 36, the control circuit 445 sets the output voltage of the variable voltage source 420 in accordance with count D (step S414) and outputs a voltage control signal for adjusting the variable voltage source 420 to the thus-set voltage (step S415). In other respects, operations pertaining to the light-emission determination routine and the light-emission control routine are the same as those shown in FIGS. 30 and 31.

[0231] In the previous embodiment, a video signal having a constant frame period is supplied to a drive unit. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. In a case where an image pertaining to a single video signal is repeatedly displayed until the content of video data is changed, the frame period does not need to have a constant length. According to the present invention, a frame frequency can be increased.

[0232] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except one scanning line and drive lines except an illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0233] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except one scanning line and drive lines except an illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0234] According to the present invention, the electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to non-reset drive lines by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0235] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, a comparatively-low reverse bias voltage is applied to respective capacitive luminescent elements located in intersections between scanning lines except one scanning line and drive lines except an illumination drive line. Electric charges which are stored in the luminescent elements with the reverse bias voltage and which do not contribute to illumination are diminished as compared with those charged in luminescent elements in a known display panel, thus reducing useless power dissipation.

[0236] According to the present invention, the electric charges—which are stored in the capacitive luminescent elements connected to non-reset drive lines by means of the reverse bias voltage—are held without being discharged. Even when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the capacitive luminescent elements during the next scanning period, charging or discharging barely arises in the luminescent elements, thereby reducing useless power dissipation.

[0237] As has been mentioned above, according to the present invention, scanning lines to which capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated are connected are scanned, and the remaining scanning lines are not scanned. Useless power dissipation can be diminished, by the amount corresponding to the power required for scanning the scanning lines to which capacitive luminescent elements to be illuminated are not connected.