Abstract: Pixel luminance of an electroluminescent display panel is controlled by a row driver applying a voltage equal to the panel's threshold voltage, and column drivers applying the voltage value above the threshold voltage to bring the pixel to the desired luminance. Each column driver independently samples a stepped ramp voltage signal at its own predetermined time selected as a function of the desired luminance. Each column driver then holds the sampled voltage value, and applies to its corresponding column electrode at the appropriate time a voltage equal to the sampled voltage value. The voltage rate of change of each individual step of the stepped ramped voltage signal can be controlled to vary the luminance levels, and to uniformly separate each of the luminance levels.

Abstract: A thin film electroluminescent display panel is driven with either a symmetric or asymmetric drive scheme which includes at least one equalizing voltage pulse per write cycle to remove carriers trapped at the interfaces of dielectric layers and phosphor layer in order to stabilize the charge of each display panel pixel. The present invention reduces the smearing, latent image and pseudo persistence problems caused by carriers being retained and accumulated at the dielectric and phosphor layer interfaces.