Apparatus and method for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, and liquid crystal display device

• US 10,235,946 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hisense International Company Limited (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation Company Limited), Hisense USA Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hisense Electric Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation Company Limited), Hisense International Company Limited (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation Company Limited), Hisense USA Corporation (Qingdao Huatong State-Owned Capital Operation Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yuxin, Huang, Shunming, Song, Zhicheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Azari, Sepehr
• Application Number:
  US15/185,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20170061902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0238 Improving the black level
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0285 using tables for spatial correction of display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/064 by time modulation of the brightness of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0646 Modulation of illumination source brightness and image signal correlated to each other
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/16 Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3426 the different display panel areas being distributed in two dimensions, e.g. matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness includes: a subarea image grayscale determining section configured to determine image grayscale values of subarea image data blocks corresponding to backlight subareas according to a received image signal; a subarea backlight value pre-obtaining section configured to pre-obtain subarea backlight values corresponding to the subarea image data blocks according to the image grayscale values of the subarea image data blocks; a subarea backlight value gain section configured to multiply the pre-obtained subarea backlight values with a preset backlight value gain coefficient to obtain gained backlight values of the backlight subareas, wherein the preset backlight value gain coefficient is more than 1; a subarea backlight value adjusting section configured to obtain a subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient, and to further multiply the gained subarea backlight values with the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient to obtain adjusted subarea backlight values, wherein if the pre-obtained subarea backlight value or the gained subarea backlight value is below a first threshold, then the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient is less than 1; and a subarea backlight value outputting section configured to output the respective adjusted subarea backlight values to driver circuits of backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas to control the brightness of the backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas as a result of driving.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, the apparatus comprising:

a subarea image grayscale determining section configured to determine image grayscale values of subarea image data blocks corresponding to backlight subareas according to a received image signal;

a subarea backlight value pre-obtaining section configured to pre-obtain subarea backlight values corresponding to the subarea image data blocks according to the image grayscale values of the subarea image data blocks;

a subarea backlight value gain section configured to multiply the pre-obtained subarea backlight values with a preset backlight value gain coefficient to obtain gained backlight values of the backlight subareas, wherein the preset backlight value gain coefficient is more than 1;

a subarea backlight value adjusting section configured to obtain a subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient, and to further multiply the gained subarea backlight values with the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient to obtain adjusted subarea backlight values, wherein if the pre-obtained subarea backlight value or the gained subarea backlight value is below a first threshold, then the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient is less than 1, the subarea backlight value adjusting section comprising a local adjustment coefficient lookup table determining section configured to determine an adjustment coefficient lookup table corresponding to the subarea image data blocks, and a local backlight value adjusting section configured to search the determined adjustment coefficient lookup table for the subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient using the gained subarea backlight value of the subarea image data blocks;

a subarea backlight value outputting section configured to output the respective adjusted subarea backlight values to driver circuits of backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas to control the brightness of the backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas as a result of driving;

a local grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table determining section configured to determine a grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table corresponding to a cluster of the subarea image data blocks; and

a local image grayscale compensating section configured to determine a subarea image data block with the adjusted subarea backlight value below the first threshold, and to compensate for the grayscale value of each image pixel in the subarea image data block using a compensation coefficient found in the determined grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table, wherein the compensation coefficient is larger than 1.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subarea backlight value gain section comprises:

a local image grayscale average calculating section configured to obtain an average grayscale value of all the pixels in each cluster of subarea image data blocks, wherein all the subarea image data blocks are divided into a plurality of clusters of subarea image data blocks, each cluster of subarea image data blocks comprises a plurality of adjacent subarea image data blocks; and

a local backlight value gain coefficient obtaining section configured to determining the backlight value gain coefficient according to a relationship between the cluster of subarea image data blocks and the preset backlight value gain coefficient.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the subarea backlight value gain section is further configured:

to preset a plurality of gain coefficient lookup tables, wherein there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the backlight value gain coefficient and the average grayscale value are recorded.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the subarea backlight value gain section is further configured:

to match a gain coefficient lookup table to the position where the cluster of subarea image data blocks is distributed on a display area, wherein a gain curve between the average grayscale value and the backlight value gain coefficient is recorded in each of the backlight value gain coefficient lookup tables, and the gain curve is divided into a low brightness enhancement interval, a high brightness enhancement interval, and a power control interval as the average grayscale value is increasing, and the gain coefficient in the high brightness enhancement interval is more than the gain coefficient in the low brightness enhancement interval and the gain coefficient in the power control interval respectively.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subarea backlight value adjusting section is configured to:

preset a plurality of adjustment coefficient lookup tables, wherein there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the backlight value adjustment coefficient and the subarea backlight value are recorded; and

a curve of each of the correspondence relationships between the subarea backlight value and the adjustment coefficient is an “

S”

-like curve, wherein the traversal axis of the “

S”

-like curve represents an input backlight value, and the vertical axis thereof represents an output backlight value.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subarea grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table determining section is further configured:

to preset a plurality of compensation coefficient lookup tables, wherein there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the compensation coefficient and the grayscale value are recorded.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the subarea grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table determining section is further configured:

to search the grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table for the grayscale compensation coefficient using the grayscale value of the subarea image data block, wherein the correspondence relationship between the grayscale value and the compensation coefficient is recorded in the grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a compensation curve of each of the correspondence relationships between the grayscale value and the compensation coefficient is an inverted “

S”

-like curve, wherein the traversal axis of the inverted “

S”

-like curve represents an input grayscale value, and the vertical axis thereof represents an output grayscale value.

9. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a memory configured to store programs and various preset lookup table data;

an apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness configured to execute the programs in the memory, and to invoke the various lookup table data according to the executed programs;

to receive an image signal, to process the data, and to output the image data to a timing controller so that the timing controller generates a driver signal according to the image data to control a liquid crystal panel to display the image; and

to output subarea backlight values to a backlight processing unit according to the image signal;

the backlight processing unit configured to determine duty ratios of corresponding PWM signals according to the respective subarea backlight values, and to output the duty ratios to a PWM driver unit; and

the PWM driver unit configured to generate PWM control signals to control backlight sources in corresponding subareas;

wherein the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness comprises;

a subarea image grayscale determining section configured to determine image grayscale values of subarea image data blocks corresponding to backlight subareas according to a received image signal;

a subarea backlight value pre-obtaining section configured to pre-obtain subarea backlight values corresponding to the subarea image data blocks according to the image grayscale values of the subarea image data blocks;

a subarea backlight value gain section configured to multiply the pre-obtained subarea backlight values with a preset backlight value gain coefficient to obtain gained backlight values of the backlight subareas, wherein the preset backlight value gain coefficient is more than 1;

a subarea backlight value adjusting section configured to obtain a subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient, and to further multiply the gained subarea backlight values with the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient to obtain adjusted subarea backlight values, wherein if the pre-obtained subarea backlight value or the gained subarea backlight value is below a first threshold, then the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient is less than 1, the subarea backlight value adjusting section comprising a local adjustment coefficient lookup table determining section configured to determine an adjustment coefficient lookup table corresponding to the subarea image data blocks, and a local backlight value adjusting section configured to search the determined adjustment coefficient lookup table for the subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient using the gained subarea backlight value of the subarea image data blocks;

a subarea backlight value outputting section configured to output the respective subarea backlight values to driver circuits of backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas to control the brightness of the backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas as a result of driving;

a local grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table determining section configured to determine a grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table corresponding to a cluster of the subarea image data blocks; and

a local image grayscale compensating section configured to determine a subarea image data block with the adjusted subarea backlight value below the first threshold, and to compensate for the grayscale value of each image pixel in the subarea image data block using a compensation coefficient found in the determined grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table, wherein the compensation coefficient is larger than 1.

10. A method for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, the method comprising:

determining, by an apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, image grayscale values of subarea image data blocks corresponding to backlight subareas according to a received image signal, and pre-obtaining subarea backlight values corresponding to the subarea image data blocks according to the image grayscale values of the subarea image data blocks;

multiplying, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, the pre-obtained subarea backlight values with a preset backlight value gain coefficient to obtain gained subarea backlight values of the backlight subareas, wherein the preset backlight value gain coefficient is more than 1;

obtaining, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, a subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient by determining an adjustment coefficient lookup table corresponding to the subarea image data blocks and searching the determined adjustment coefficient lookup table for the subarea backlight value adjustment coefficient using the gained subarea backlight value of the subarea image data blocks, and further multiplying the gained subarea backlight values with the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient to obtain adjusted subarea backlight values, wherein if the pre-obtained subarea backlight value or the gained subarea backlight value is below a first threshold, then the corresponding backlight value adjustment coefficient is less than 1;

outputting, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, the respective adjusted subarea backlight values to driver circuits of backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas to control the brightness of the backlight sources in the corresponding backlight subareas as a result of driving;

determining, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, a grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table corresponding to a cluster of subarea image data blocks; and

determining, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, a subarea image data block with the adjusted subarea backlight value below the first threshold, and compensating for the grayscale value of each image pixel in the subarea image data block using a compensation coefficient found in the determined grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table, wherein the compensation coefficient is larger than 1.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein obtaining the preset backlight value gain coefficient comprises:

obtaining an average grayscale value of all the pixels in each cluster of subarea image data blocks, wherein all the subarea image data blocks are divided into a plurality of clusters of subarea image data blocks, each cluster of subarea image data blocks comprises a plurality of adjacent subarea image data blocks; and

determining the backlight value gain coefficient according to a relationship between the cluster of subarea image data blocks and the preset backlight value gain coefficient.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein there are a plurality of preset gain coefficient lookup tables, and there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the backlight value gain coefficient and the average grayscale value are recorded.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a gain coefficient lookup table is matched to the position where the cluster of subarea image data blocks is distributed on a display area;

and a gain curve between the average grayscale value and the backlight value gain coefficient is recorded in each of the backlight value gain coefficient lookup tables, and the gain curve is divided into a low brightness enhancement interval, a high brightness enhancement interval, and a power control interval as the average grayscale value is increasing, and the gain coefficient in the high brightness enhancement interval is more than the gain coefficient in the low brightness enhancement interval and the gain coefficient in the power control interval respectively.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein there are a plurality of preset adjustment coefficient lookup tables, and there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the backlight value adjustment coefficient and the subarea backlight value are recorded;

and a curve of each of the correspondence relationships between the subarea backlight value and the adjustment coefficient is an “

S”

-like curve, wherein the traversal axis of the “

S”

-like curve represents an input backlight value, and the vertical axis thereof represents an output backlight value.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

presetting, by the apparatus for controlling liquid crystal display brightness, a plurality of compensation coefficient lookup tables, wherein there are at least two clusters of subarea image data blocks corresponding to different lookup tables in which different relationships between the compensation coefficient and the grayscale value are recorded.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein obtaining the compensation coefficient comprises:

searching the grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table for the grayscale compensation coefficient using the grayscale value of the subarea image data block, wherein the correspondence relationship between the grayscale value and the compensation coefficient is recorded in the grayscale compensation coefficient lookup table, and a compensation curve of each of the correspondence relationships between the grayscale value and the compensation coefficient is an inverted “

S”

-like curve, wherein the traversal axis of the inverted “

S”

-like curve represents an input grayscale value, and the vertical axis thereof represents an output grayscale value.