Method and device for driving display panel unit

1. A method for driving a display panel based on each of a plurality of subfields which define each field of an input image signal, such that the display panel carries out grayscale display, the display panel having a plurality of pixel cells which serve as pixels, the plurality of pixel cells being arranged in a matrix pattern, each said subfield having its own weighting, wherein:

each said subfield includes an address process for setting each said pixel cell within each said subfield to either light-emitting mode or lights out mode based on the input image signal; and a sustain process for causing only those pixel cells which are set to said light-emitting mode to emit light for a period corresponding to the weighting of each said subfield,

and wherein some pixel cells selected at random from among said plurality of pixel cells are forcibly set to said light-emitting mode during said address process of said subfield having a small weighting only when said input image signal continues to indicate a black display for a predetermined period of time.

2. The method for driving a display panel according to claim 1 , wherein all said plurality of pixel cells are set to said light-emitting mode at least once within M·k fields (where M is an integer no less than 2) by changing said randomly selected pixel cells for every k fields (where k is an integer no less than 1).

3. The method for driving a display panel according to claim 1 , wherein the subfield having the small weighting is the subfield to which the shortest light-emitting period is allocated during said sustain process, of said plurality of subfields.

4. A method for driving a display panel based on each of a plurality of subfields which define each field of an input image signal, such that the display panel carries out grayscale display, the display panel having a plurality of pixel cells which serve as pixels and are arranged in a matrix pattern, said each subfield having its own weighting, wherein:

each said subfield includes an address process for setting each said pixel cell to either a light-emitting mode or a lights out mode in accordance with a logic level of the pixel data of each pixel derived from said input image signal at a bit digit corresponding to said subfield; and a sustain process for causing only those pixel cells set to said light-emitting mode to emit light for a period of time corresponding to the weighting of said subfield,

and wherein a result of a logical addition of a data bit of said pixel data at a bit digit corresponding to the subfield having small weighting and an overhead bit having a logic level to set those pixel cells randomly selected from among said plurality of pixel cells to said light-emitting mode is made a new data bit of said pixel data at said bit digit.

5. The method for driving a display panel according to claim 4 , wherein all said plurality of pixel cells are set to said light-emitting mode at least once within M·k fields (where M is an integer no less than 2) by changing said randomly selected pixel cells for every k fields (where k is an integer no less than 1).

6. The method for driving a display panel according to claim 4 , wherein the subfield having the small weighting is the subfield to which the shortest light-emitting period is allocated during said sustain process, of said plurality of subfields.

7. A device for driving a display panel based on each subfield of a plurality of subfields which define each field of an input image signal, so as to carry out grayscale display, the display panel having a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a matrix pattern such that the plurality of pixel cells serve as pixels, each said subfield having its-own weighting, the device comprising:

an address circuit for setting each said pixel cell to either a light-emitting mode or a lights out mode based on the input image signal in each said subfield; and

a sustain circuit for causing only those pixel cells set to said light-emitting mode to emit light for a period corresponding to the weighting of said subfield,

wherein, in the subfield having a small weighting among said plurality of subfields, some pixel cells selected at random from among said plurality of pixel cells are forcibly set to said light-emitting mode by said address circuit only when said input image signal continues to indicate a black display for a predetermined period of time.

8. The device for driving a display panel according to claim 7 , wherein said address circuit sets all said plurality of pixel cells to said light-emitting mode at least once within M·k fields (where M is an integer no less than 2), by changing said randomly selected pixel cells for every k fields (where k is an integer no less than 1).

9. The device for driving a display panel according to claim 7 , wherein the subfield having the small weighting is the subfield to which is allocated the shortest light-emitting period of all said plurality of subfields.

10. A device for driving a display panel based on each subfield of a plurality of subfields which define each field of an input image signal, so as to carry out grayscale display, the display panel having a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a matrix pattern such that the plurality of pixel cells serve as pixels, each said subfield having its own weighting, the device comprising:

an address circuit for setting each said pixel cell to either a light-emitting mode or a lights out mode based on said input image signal within each said subfield;

a sustain circuit for causing only those pixels cells set to said light-emitting mode to emit light for a period corresponding to the weighting of said subfield;

an overhead bit generator for generating an overhead bit having a logic level to set to said light-emitting mode the pixel cells selected at random from among said plurality of pixel cells; and

a logical adder for making a result of a logical addition of a data bit of said pixel data at the bit digit corresponding to the subfield having a small weighting and said overhead bit, a new data bit of said pixel data at said bit digit.

11. The device for driving a display panel according to claim 10 , wherein said overhead bit generator sets all said plurality of pixel cells to said light-emitting mode at least once within M·k fields (where M is an integer no less than 2), by changing said randomly selected pixel cells for every k fields (where k is an integer no less than 1).

12. The device for driving a display panel according to claim 10 , wherein the subfield having the small weighting is the subfield to which the shortest light-emitting period is allocated of all said plurality of subfields.