Panel display driving device and driving method

• US 20030122813A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Ochi, Hideo, Ishizuki, Shinichi, Tsuchida, Masami, Sakamoto, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0221 with use of split matrices G09G3/3644 and G09G3/3666 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0233 Improving the luminance or brightness uniformity across the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0285 using tables for spatial correction of display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/029 by monitoring one or more pixels in the display panel, e.g. by monitoring a fixed reference pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0693 Calibration of display systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2011 by amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2022 using sub-frames
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element

Abstract

A display panel driving device and driving method for providing high quality images without irregular luminance even after long-time use. The value of the light-emission drive current flowing when causing each light-emission elements bearing each pixel to independently emit light in succession is measured, then the luminance is corrected for each input pixel data based on the above light-emission drive current values, associated with the pixels corresponding to the input pixel data. According to another aspect, the voltage value of the drive voltage is adjusted in such a manner that one value among each measured light-emission drive current value becomes equal to a predetermined reference current value. According to a further aspect, the current value is measured while an off-set current component corresponding to a leak current of the display panel is added to the current outputted from the drive voltage generator circuit and the resultant current is supplied to each of the pixel portions.

Claims

1. A display panel driving device for driving a display panel formed by a matrix-type arrangement of a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels, comprising:

a drive voltage generator supplying a drive voltage through a power line to each of said plurality of emitting elements;

a current measuring part for measuring a current value by fetching a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing the current values thus acquired in a memory as measured current values each assigned to each pixel;

a luminance correction part for obtaining luminance-corrected pixel data by correcting the luminance level indicated by the pixel data of each pixel corresponding to an input image signal, based on said measured current value stored in said memory for one of said pixels according to said pixel data; and

a light-emission drive part for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said luminance-corrected pixel data during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period in said input image signal.

2. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, wherein said current measuring part comprises a part for obtaining, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing the current values thus acquired in said memory as measured current values each assigned to said each pixel.

3. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, wherein said current measuring part comprises a part for obtaining, in response to a luminance correction instruction, a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing the current values thus acquired in said memory as the measured current values each assigned to said each pixel.

4. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, wherein said current measuring part comprises:

scanning light-emission drive part for causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession;

a current detection circuit for detecting a value of current flowing in said power line; and

a part for acquiring the current value detected by said current detection circuit with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing this current value in said memory as measured current values each assigned to said each pixel.

5. The display panel driving device according to claim 4, wherein said current detection circuit comprises:

a resistor connected in series to said power line;

a part for outputting the voltage value generated across said resistor as said current value; and

a switch for shorting the ends of said resistor when not measuring.

6. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, comprising:

non-light emission current measuring part for obtaining, as a non-light emission current value, the value of the current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished;

light-emission current measuring part for obtaining, as a light-emission drive current, the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element; and

a part for storing in said memory the result of subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, as said measured current value.

7. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, wherein said luminance correction part comprise:

a luminance correction value calculating part for calculating the luminance correction value, for determining a luminance correction value from said measured current value assigned to one of said pixels corresponding to said pixel data; and

a multiplier for obtaining a product of multiplying said pixel data by said luminance correction value, as said luminance-corrected pixel data.

8. The display panel driving device according to claim 7, wherein said luminance correction value calculating part obtain said luminance-corrected values that become smaller as said measured current values increase.

9. The display panel driving device according to claim 7, wherein said luminance correction value calculating part obtain said luminance-corrected values that become larger as said measured current values decrease.

10. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, comprising part for detecting malfunctioning pixels that correspond to measured current values, among said measured current values stored in said memory, lying outside a specified current value range;

wherein

said light-emission drive part comprises part for forbidding the light-emission operation for those light-emission elements corresponding to said malfunctioning pixels.

11. The display panel driving device according to claim 4, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to each light-emission elements supporting red light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel;

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to each light-emission element supporting blue light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

a third drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a third power line to each light-emission element supporting green light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

wherein said current detection circuit comprises a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line;

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line; and

a third current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said third power line.

12. The display panel driving device according to claim 4, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to said light-emission elements supporting image display in a first screen region when said display panel is divided into a plurality of regions; and

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to said light-emission elements supporting image display in a second screen region, that different form said first region; and

wherein said current detection circuit comprises at least a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line; and

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line.

48. The display panel driving device according to claim 1, comprising:

a part for detecting malfunctioning pixels that correspond to measured current values, among said measured current values stored in said memory, lying outside a specified current value range;

wherein said light-emission drive part comprises part for forbidding the light-emission operation for said light-emission elements corresponding to said malfunctioning pixels.

13. A display panel driving method for driving a display panel formed by a matrix-type arrangement of a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels, comprising:

a current measuring step of obtaining the measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element;

a luminance correction step for obtaining luminance-corrected pixel data by correcting the luminance level indicated by the pixel data of each pixel corresponding to the input image signal, based on said measured current value for one of the pixels according to said pixel data; and

light-emission drive step for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said luminance-corrected pixel data during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period in said input image signal.

14. The display panel driving method according to claim 13;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises the step for obtaining, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, a measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

15. The display panel driving method according to claim 13;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises the step of obtaining, in response to a luminance correction instruction, a measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

16. The display panel driving method according to claim 13;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises;

a non-light emission current measuring step for obtaining, as the non-light emission current value, a value of the current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished;

a light-emission current measuring step for obtaining a light-emission drive current value by fetching a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element; and

a step for subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, and taking the subtraction result as said measured current value.

17. The display panel driving method according to claim 13;

wherein said luminance correction step further comprises;

a luminance correction value calculating step for determining the luminance correction value from said measured current value assigned to one of said pixels corresponding to said pixel data; and

a multiplying step for determining, as said luminance-corrected pixel data, a product obtained by multiplying said pixel data by said luminance correction value.

18. The display panel driving method according to claim 17;

wherein said luminance correction value calculating step obtains said luminance-corrected values that become smaller as said measured current values increase

19. The display panel driving method according to claim 17;

wherein said luminance correction value calculating step obtains said luminance-corrected values that become larger as said measured current values decrease

20. The display panel driving method according to claim 13, wherein part for detecting malfunctioning pixels that correspond to measured current values, among said measured current values stored in said memory, lying outside a specified current value range;

and

wherein said light-emission drive part comprises part for forbidding the light-emission operation for said light-emission elements corresponding to said malfunctioning pixels.

21. A display panel driving device for driving, based on an input image signal, a display panel formed by a matrix-type arrangement of a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels, comprising:

a drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a power line to each of said plurality of emitting elements;

a current mesuring part for obtaining a current value by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in a memory the measured current values thus obtained each assigned to each pixel; and

drive voltage adjustment part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that one of said measured light-emission drive current values becomes equal to a predetermined reference current value.

22. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, further comprising light-emission display part for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said input image signal during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal;

wherein said current measuring part comprises part for obtaining, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, a measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in said memory the measured current values thus obtained each assigned to said each pixel.

23. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said current measuring part comprises a part for obtaining, in response to a luminance correction instruction, obtaining, a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in said memory the measured current values thus obtained each assigned to said each pixel.

24. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said current measuring part comprise:

scanning light-emission drive part for causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession;

a current detection circuit for detecting the value of current flowing in said power line; and

a part for fetching the current value detected by said current detection part with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element and store it in said memory, as said measured current value assigned to said each pixel.

25. The display panel driving device according to claim 24, wherein

said current detection circuit comprises:

a resistor connected in series to said power line;

a part for outputting the voltage value generated across said resistor as said current value; and

a switch for creating a short circuit across said resistor when not measuring.

26. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said current measuring part comprise:

non-light emission current measuring part for obtaining a value of current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished, as the non-light emission current value;

light-emission drive current measuring part for obtaining a current value by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, as the light-emission drive current value; and

a part for storing in said memory the result of subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, as said measured current value.

27. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprise:

a part for searching for the smallest current value among said measured current values stored in said memory, as the minimum measured current value; and

a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that said minimum measured current value has the same current value as said reference current value.

28. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprises a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the average value of said measured current values stored in said memory has the same current value as said reference current value.

29. The display panel driving device according to claim 21, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprise:

a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the measured current value corresponding to predetermined one of said pixels among said measured current values stored in said memory, or the average value of the measured current values corresponding to a predetermined plurality of said pixels, has the same current value as said reference current value.

30. The display panel driving device according to claim 24, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to each light-emission element supporting red light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel;

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to each light-emission element supporting blue light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

a third drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a third power line to each light-emission element supporting green light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

wherein said current detection circuit comprises;

a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line;

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line; and

a third current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said third power line.

31. The display panel driving device according to claim 24, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to each of said light-emission elements supporting image display in at least a first screen region when said display panel is subdivided into a plurality of regions; and

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to each said light-emission element supporting image display in a second screen region, different form said first region; and

wherein

said current detection circuit comprises;

at least a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line; and

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line.

32. A display panel driving method for driving, based on an input image signal, a display panel formed by a matrix-type arrangement of a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels, comprising:

a current measuring step for obtaining a measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element; and

a drive voltage adjustment step for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that one among said measured light-emission drive current values becomes equal to a predetermined reference current value.

33. The display panel driving method according to claim 32, further comprising a light-emission display step for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said input image signal during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises a step for obtaining, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, said measured current values corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

34. The display panel driving method according to claim 32;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises a step for obtaining, in response to a luminance correction instruction, said measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

35. The display panel driving method according to claim 32;

wherein said current measuring step comprises;

a non-light emission current measuring step for obtaining a value of the current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished, as the non-light emission current value;

a light-emission current measuring step for obtaining a light-emission drive current by fetching a value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element; and

a step for subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, to obtain the subtraction result as said measured current value.

36. The display panel driving method according to claim 32;

wherein said drive voltage adjustment step further comprises;

a step for searching for the smallest current value among said measured current values as the minimum measured current value; and

a step for adjusting the value of said drive voltage in such a manner that said minimum measured current value has the same current value as said reference current value.

37. The display panel driving method according to claim 32;

wherein said drive voltage adjustment step comprises the step of adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the average value of said measured current values has the same current value as said reference current value.

38. The display panel driving method according to claim 32;

wherein said drive voltage adjustment step. comprises the step of adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltages in such a manner that the measured current value corresponding to one predetermined pixel among said measured current values, or the average value of the measured current values corresponding to a predetermined plurality of pixels, has the same current value as said reference current value.

39. A display panel driving device for driving, based on an input image signal, a display panel formed by arranging a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels in a matrix form, comprising:

a drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a power line to each of said plurality of emitting elements;

a current mesuring part for measuring a current value by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in a memory the measured current values each assigned to each pixel;

drive voltage adjustment part for adjusting the value of said drive voltage in such a manner that one value among said measured light-emission drive current values becomes equal to a predetermined reference current value;

a luminance correction part for obtaining luminance-corrected pixel data by correcting the luminance level indicated by the pixel data of each pixel corresponding to said input image signal,-based on said measured current value stored in said memory for said one pixel according to said pixel data; and

light-emission drive part for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said luminance-corrected pixel data during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal.

40. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, further comprising:

light-emission display part for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said input image signal during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal;

wherein said current measuring part comprise;

a part for measuring, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, a current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in said memory the measured current values each assigned to said each pixel.

41. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said current measuring part comprise:

a part for measuring, in response to a luminance correction instruction, a current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, and storing in said memory the measured current values each assigned to said each pixel.

42. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said current measuring part comprise:

scanning light-emission drive part for causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession;

a current detection circuit for detecting the value of current flowing in said power line; and

a part for fetching the current valued detected by said current detection part with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, as said measured current value, and storing in said memory the measured current values each assigned to each said pixel.

43. The display panel driving device according to claim 42, wherein said current detection circuit comprises:

a resistor connected in series to said power line;

a part for outputting the voltage generated across said resistor as said current value; and

a switch for creating a short circuit across said resistor when not measuring.

44. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, comprising:

non-light emission current measuring part for obtaining the value of the current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished, as the non-light emission current value;

light-emission drive current measuring part for obtaining the current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, as the light-emission drive current value; and

a part for storing in said memory the result of subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, as said measured current value.

45. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said luminance correction part comprise:

a luminance correction value calculating part for determining the luminance correction value from said measured current value assigned to one of said pixels corresponding to said pixel data; and

a multiplier for obtaining said luminance-corrected pixel data as the result of the product of said pixel data multiplied by said luminance correction value.

46. The display panel driving device according to claim 45, wherein said luminance correction value calculating part obtain said luminance-corrected values that become smaller as said measured current values increase.

47. The display panel driving device according to claim 45, wherein said luminance correction value calculating part obtain said luminance-corrected values that become larger as said measured current values decrease.

49. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprises:

a part for searching for the smallest current value among said measured current values stored in said memory as the minimum measured current value; and

a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that said minimum measured current value has the same current value as said reference current value.

50. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprises a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the average value of each said measured current values stored in said memory has the same current value as said reference current value.

51. The display panel driving device according to claim 39, wherein said drive voltage adjustment part comprise:

a part for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the measured current value. corresponding to predetermined one of said pixels among said measured current values stored in said memory, or the average value of the measured current values corresponding to a predetermined plurality of said pixels, has the same current value as said reference current value.

52. The display panel driving device according to claim 42, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to each light-emission element supporting red light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel;

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to each light-emission element supporting blue light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

a third drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a third power line to each light-emission element supporting green light-emission among said light-emission elements formed in said display panel; and

wherein said current detection circuit comprises;

a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line;

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line; and

a third current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said third power line.

53. The display panel driving device according to claim 42, wherein said drive voltage generator circuit comprises:

a first drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a first power line to each said light-emission element supporting image display in a first screen region in the screen of said display panel; and

a second drive voltage generator circuit which supplies a drive voltage through a second power line to each said light-emission element supporting image display in a second screen region, different form said first region; and

wherein said current detection circuit comprises a first current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said first power line; and

a second current detection circuit for detecting the current flowing in said second power line.

54. A display panel driving method for driving, based on an input image signal, a display panel formed by a matrix-type arrangement of a plurality of emitting elements supporting pixels, comprising:

a current measuring step for obtaining a measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element; and

a drive voltage adjustment step for adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that one among said measured current values becomes equal to a predetermined reference current value;

a luminance correction step for obtaining luminance-corrected pixel data by correcting the luminance level indicated by the pixel data of each pixel corresponding to said input image signal, based on said measured current value stored in said memory for one of said pixels according to said pixel data; and

a light-emission drive step for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said luminance-corrected pixel data during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal.

55. The display panel driving method according to claim 54, further comprising a light-emission display step for causing said light-emission elements to emit light only for the period corresponding to said input image signal during the image display light-emission periods in each frame period of said input image signal;

and

wherein said current measuring step comprises the step of obtaining, in periods other than said image display light-emission periods, the measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

56. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

wherein said current measuring step further comprises the step of obtaining, in response to a luminance correction instruction, said measured current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element.

57. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

wherein said current measuring step comprises;

a non-light emission current measuring step for obtaining a value of the current flowing in said power line when all said light-emission elements formed in said display panel are extinguished, as the non-light emission current value;

a light-emission current measuring step for obtaining a current value corresponding to each pixel by fetching the value of current flowing in said power line while causing said emitting elements to independently emit light in succession, with the timing of the light-emission time of each said emitting element, as the light-emission drive current; and

a step of storing in said memory the result of subtracting said non-light emission current value from said light-emission drive current value, taking the subtraction result as said measured current value.

58. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

wherein said luminance correction step comprises;

a luminance correction value calculating step for calculating the luminance correction value from said measured current value assigned to one of said pixels corresponding to said pixel data; and

a multiplier for multiplying said pixel data by said luminance correction value for obtaining the product as said luminance-corrected pixel data.

59. The display panel driving method according to claim 58;

wherein said luminance correction value correcting step obtains said luminance-corrected values that become smaller as said measured current values increase.

60. The display panel driving method according to claim 58;

wherein said luminance correction value correcting step obtains said luminance-corrected values that become larger as said measured current values decrease.

61. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

further comprising a step of detecting malfunctioning pixels that correspond to measured current values, among said measured current values stored in said memory, lying outside a specified current value range;

wherein said light-emission drive step comprises a step of forbidding the light-emission operation for said light-emission elements corresponding to said malfunctioning pixels.

62. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

wherein said drive voltage adjustment step further comprises the steps of;

searching for a smallest current value among said measured current value as the minimum measured current value; and

adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that said minimum measured current value has the same current value as said reference current value.

63. The display panel driving method according to claim 54;

wherein said drive voltage adjustment step comprises the step of adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the average value of said measured current values has the same current value as said reference current value.

64. The display panel driving method according to claim 54, wherein said drive voltage adjustment step comprises the step of adjusting the voltage value of said drive voltage in such a manner that the measured current value corresponding to predetermined one of pixels among said measured current values stored in said memory, or the average value of the measured current values corresponding to a predetermined plurality of pixels, has the same current value as said reference current value.

65. A drive apparatus of a display panel having a plurality of pixel portions arranged therein and each comprising a series circuit of a light light-emission element and a switch element, for driving the display panel in response to an input image signal, comprising:

a drive voltage generator for applying a drive voltage to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

a current measuring part for measuring a value of a current supplied from said drive voltage generator to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

a current supplying part for adding to said current supplied from said drive voltage generator an off-set current component corresponding to a leak current of said display panel, and supplying a resultant current to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

a memory control part for storing in memory a measured current value by said current measuring part at a light-light-emission timing correspondingly to each of said plurality of pixel portions while sequentially causing said light-light-emission element to singularly emit light for each of said plurality of pixel portions, by respectively turning on said switch element of each of said plurality of pixel portions; and

a luminance corrector for correcting the light light-emission luminance output of the light emitting device of each of said plurality of pixel portions based on a corresponding one of measured current values stored in said memory.

66. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 65, wherein said off-set current component has a value selected to control a current outputted from said drive voltage generator when light-emitting devices of all of said plurality of pixel portions are in a light-off state.

67. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 65, wherein said current supply part comprises a reading and judging part which reads a value of the current outputted from the drive current generating part when light-emitting devices of all of said plurality of pixel portions are in a light-off state, as a measured leak current, and judging as to whether or not the measured leak current is within a predetermined current range, and a controller which performs control operations of increasing the output current of said current supply part and making said reading and judging part perform said reading operation and judging operation once again when it is judged by said reading judging part that the measured leak current is outside the predetermined current range, and maintaining the output current of said current supply part as a value of said off-set current component when it is judged by said reading judging part that the measured leak current is within the predetermined current range.

68. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 67 wherein said reading and judging part is a circuit which converts said measured leak current value to digital data and performing a digital processing for said judging operation.

69. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 67 wherein said reading and judging part is a circuit which performs an analog processing for said judging operation in accordance with said measured leak current value having been read.

70. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 65, wherein said luminance corrector comprises:

a luminance data corrector which corrects a luminance level indicated by pixel data for each of the pixels in said input video signal based on a measured current value among the measured current values of said plurality of pixel portions stored in said memory corresonding to said each of pixels, to obtain luminance corrected pixel data, and

a light light-emission driver for driving said light-emission element to emit light for a period within an image displaying light-emission period in each frame period of said input video signal, wherein said period corresponds to said luminance corrected pixel data.

71. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 65, wherein said luminance corrector has a drive voltage adjuster for adjusting a voltage value of said drive voltage so that one of said measured current values becomes equal to a predetermined reference voltage.

72. The display panel driving apparatus of claim 65, wherein drive voltage generator, said current mesuring part, and said current supply part are provided for each of light-emission colors of said light emitting elements.

73. A display panel driving method for a display panel having a plurality of pixel portions arranged in a matrix form and each comprising a series circuit of a light-emission element and a switch element, for driving the display panel in accordance with an input image signal, comprising:

applying an output drive voltage of a drive voltage generator to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

supplying an addtion value obtained by adding an off-set current component corresponding to a leak current of said display panel to said current supplied from said drive voltage generator, to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

measuring a value of a current supplied from said drive voltage generator to the series circuit of each of said plurality of pixel portions;

storing in memory a measured current value by measuring an output current value from said driving voltge generator at a light-emission timing correspondingly to each of said plurality of pixel portions while sequentially causing said light-emission element to singularly emit light for each of said plurality of pixel portions, by respectively turning on said switch element of each of said plurality of pixel portions; and

correcting the light-emission luminance output of the light emitting device of each of said plurality of pixel portions based on a corresponding one of measured current values stored in said memory.