Abstract: In large size high resolution plasma panels, a smaller discharge gap between the electrodes reduces the operating margin of the panel, i.e., the difference between the maximum and minimum sustain voltage (V.sub.s max and V.sub.s min). Rather than preset these values which vary with each panel at the time of fabrication, the invention provides a control system for determining the V.sub.s max and V.sub.s min and the optimum operating point between these values for each panel. An associated microprocessor determines the V.sub.s min for each panel through a testing algorithm, and the V.sub.s max is provided by either adding a predetermined increment to the V.sub.s min or by a testing sequence. The operating point is designated as a predetermined increment below V.sub.s max. The invention operates each time the panel is turned on, thereby compensating for voltage drift or other panel parameter variations.

Abstract: A plasma discharge display device is operated at a high frequency above the response range of the inherent wall charge storage phenomenon and utilizes a refresh buffer. The vertical drive selection includes a pair of shift registers operated in parallel into which data from the host or associated controller is loaded, with an individual driver associated with each register stage. The horizontal lines are addressed through associated shift registers in an even-odd interlace sequence to generate a display on a horizontal scan basis. The horizontal drivers are referenced at the level and frequency of the high frequency energizing signals, while the vertical drivers are selectively set to ground or a positive a.c. voltage according to the state of associated register cells. By using the high frequency signal in the horizontal axis as a floating reference and unique selection techniques, the display is operated by low voltage signals.

Abstract: In driving gas panel or plasma display devices, characters are generated on the panel display as a sequence of dots by applying appropriate drive signals to selected orthogonal conductors, each conductor requiring an associated driver. In a low character count small plasma display such as a single row display utilizing a 5.times.7 dot character matrix, a significant load is presented to the horizontal drivers, while a substantial number of drivers are required to drive the vertical axis. To improve the load distribution and increase the drive efficiency of such a system, the horizontal conductors are divided into four distinct groups, with associated drivers, while a single set of vertical conductors is used to drive the vertical conductors, which are positioned to intersect each of the groups of horizontal conductors.