Method for restoring function of plasma display panel and plasma display panel

Abstract

A method for restoring the function of a plasma display panel according to the present invention restores a function of a plasma display panel by raising the temperature of the plasma display panel to 400° C. to 800° C.

1 . A method for restoring a function of a plasma display panel (PDP), comprising 
 restoring a function of a PDP by raising a temperature of at least a phosphor layer in the PDP to 400° C. to 800° C.    
   
   
       2 . The method for restoring a function of a PDP according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the PDP is equipped with a heating element, and    the temperature of at least the phosphor layer in the PDP is raised to 400° C. to 800° C. by energizing the heating element.    
   
   
       3 . A method for restoring a function of a plasma display panel (PDP), comprising 
 restoring a function of a PDP by raising a temperature of a phosphor layer in the PDP to 400° C. to 800° C. through irradiation of light to the PDP.    
   
   
       4 . The method for restoring a function of a PDP according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein the light is irradiated to the phosphor layer from outside the PDP through a glass substrate and a dielectric layer in the PDP.    
   
   
       5 . A method for restoring a function of a plasma display panel (PDP), comprising 
 restoring a PDP by raising a temperature of a phosphor layer in the PDP to 400° C. to 800° C. by inductively heating conductive particles through application of a high-frequency electric field to the PDP, said conductive particles being mixed, at a predetermined ratio, with phosphor particles that make up the phosphor layer.    
   
   
       6 . A method for restoring a function of a plasma display panel (PDP), comprising 
 restoring a PDP by raising a temperature of a phosphor layer in the PDP to 400° C. to 800° C. by inductively heating dielectric particles through application of a high-frequency electric field to the PDP, said dielectric particles being mixed, at a predetermined ratio, with phosphor particles that make up the phosphor layer.    
   
   
       7 . A plasma display panel (PDP), comprising 
 a first substrate on which discharge electrodes and a first dielectric layer are formed, each of said discharge electrodes generating a display discharge and said first dielectric layer covering the discharge electrodes; and    a second substrate on which the following are formed: address electrodes that are located orthogonally to the discharge electrodes; a second dielectric layer that covers the address electrodes; barrier ribs that are formed on the second dielectric layer; phosphor layers, each being formed in a concave portion between each two neighboring barrier ribs; and heating elements that are located close to the respective phosphor layers.    
   
   
       8 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , 
 wherein the heating elements have a linear shape and are formed on the second substrate, each of the heating elements being located between each two neighboring address electrodes in parallel with said address electrodes and being embedded in the second dielectric layer.    
   
   
       9 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , 
 wherein the heating elements have a linear shape and are located above the respective address electrodes in parallel with said address electrodes, the heating elements being embedded in the second dielectric layer.    
   
   
       10 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , 
 wherein each of the heating elements is formed at least as part of each of the barrier ribs.    
   
   
       11 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a control drive circuit that controls drive of the discharge electrodes and the address electrodes; and    a heating element energization circuit that controls energization of the heating elements so that said heating elements heat the phosphor layers at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time.    
   
   
       12 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a timer circuit that measures a panel drive time during which the PDP has been driven;    a memory that stores a total drive time that is obtained by accumulating each panel drive time measured by the timer circuit, said total drive time being updated and stored into the memory every time the timer circuit newly measures a panel drive time;    a function restoration key by which an instruction for energizing the heating element is inputted, said key being operated manually;    a heating element energization circuit that energizes the heating elements when the function restoration key is operated; and    a control unit operable to indicate that an operation of the function restoration key should be performed, when judging that the total drive time stored in the memory reaches a set time.    
   
   
       13 . The PDP according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a timer circuit that measures a panel drive time during which the PDP has been driven;    a memory that stores a total drive time that is obtained by accumulating each panel drive time measured by the timer circuit, said total drive time being updated and stored into the memory every time the timer circuit newly measures a panel drive time;    a heating element energization circuit that energizes the heating elements; and    a control unit operable to direct the heating element energization circuit to energize the heating elements when judging that the total drive time stored in the memory reaches a set time.    
   
   
       14 . The PDP according to  claim 13 , further comprising 
 a clock circuit that provides time information,    wherein when a pre-set time is reached, the control unit directs the heating element energization circuit to energize the heating elements, based on the time information provided by the clock circuit.    
   
   
       15 . The PDP according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein the heating element energization circuit controls the energization of the heating element so that the phosphor layers are heated at 400° C. to 800° C., preferably 500° C. to 600° C., for 10 to 120 minutes, preferably 20 to 60 minutes.