Apparatus and method of converting data, apparatus and method of driving image display device using the same

Abstract

An apparatus and method of converting data and an apparatus and method of driving image display device using the same includes a gray scale detector that detects a same gray scale, from an M bit input data, in a plurality of pixels adjacent to one another, and a gray scale corrector that generates an N bit data by correcting one of the same gray scale according to a detection signal output from the gray scale detector, wherein N and M are integers, N being larger than M.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a graph illustrating virtual images in which the gray scale is continuously increased from A gray scale to B gray scale;

FIG. 1B is a graph illustrating discretized images of the virtual images shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is an exemplary graph of illustrating a gamma property curve of 8 bit output data to input data;

FIG. 2B is a graph of illustrating C of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data conversion apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing directions in which a change of gray scale among adjacent pixels is analyzed;

FIGS. 5A to 5C illustrate examples of gray scale correction by a gray scale corrector;

FIG. 6A is an exemplary graph illustrating input data input to a data conversion apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6B is an exemplary graph illustrating output data output from the data conversion apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary apparatus for driving an LCD device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus of converting data comprising: a gray scale detector that detects a same gray scale, from an M bit input data, in a plurality of pixels adjacent to one another; anda gray scale corrector that generates an N bit data by correcting one of the same gray scale according to a detection signal output from the gray scale detector, wherein N and M are integers, N being larger than M.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gray scale detector comprises: a line memory that stores the M bit input data in a plurality of horizontal lines; anda gray scale analyzer that generates the detection signal including a gray scale detection signal and a gray scale change signal by analyzing the M bit input data supplied from the line memory, wherein the plurality of horizontal lines is at least three horizontal lines.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the gray scale analyzer detects at least one gray scale overlap area having the same gray scale by comparing the gray scales of pixels being adjacent horizontally and vertically from the M bit input data of an I*J block unit, and generates the gray scale detection signal indicating the position of gray scale overlap area and the gray scale change signal indicating a change of gray scale of adjacent pixels in a predetermined direction, wherein I and J are integers greater than or equal to 3.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the change of gray scale includes change of signals in at least one of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the gray scale corrector converts the M bit input data of the I*J block unit supplied from the line memory into the N bits, and generates the N bit data by increasing the gray scale of the at least one gray scale overlap area corresponding to the gray scale detection signal according to the gray scale change signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a portion of the pixels of the at least one gray scale overlap area has the gray scale being increased or decreased to a level between levels of adjacent pixels.

7. An apparatus of driving an LCD device comprising: an LCD panel that displays images;a data conversion apparatus that converts an M bit input data into an N bit data, wherein M and N are integers, N being larger than M;a gate driver that supplies a scan pulse to the LCD panel;an N bit data driver that supplies an analog video signal to the LCD panel; anda timing controller that supplies the N bit data output from the data conversion apparatus to the N bit data driver and controls the gate and data drivers,wherein the data conversion apparatus includes a gray scale detector that detects a same gray scale among pixels positioned adjacently from the M bit input data, a gray scale corrector that generates the N bit data by correcting the same gray scale according to a detection signal output from the gray scale detector.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gray scale detector comprises: a line memory that stores the M bit input data in a plurality of horizontal lines; anda gray scale analyzer that generates the detection signal including a gray scale detection signal and a gray scale change signal by analyzing the M bit data supplied from the line memory, wherein the plurality of horizontal lines is at least three horizontal lines.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gray scale analyzer detects at least one gray scale overlap area having the same gray scale by comparing the gray scales of pixels being adjacent horizontally and vertically from the M bit data of an I*J block unit, and generates the gray scale detection signal indicating the position of gray scale overlap area and the gray scale change signal indicating a change of gray scale of adjacent pixels in a predetermined direction, wherein I and J are integers greater than or equal to 3.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the change of gray scale includes change of signals in at least one of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gray scale corrector converts the M bit input data of the I*J block unit supplied from the line memory into the N bits, and generates the N bit data by increasing the gray scale of the at least one gray scale overlap area corresponding to the gray scale detection signal according to the gray scale change signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a portion of the pixels of the at least one gray scale overlap area has the gray scale being increased or decreased to a level between levels of adjacent pixels.

13. A method of converting data comprising: detecting a same gray scale, from an M bit input data, in a plurality of pixels adjacent to one another; andgenerating an N bit data by correcting one of the same gray scale according to a detection signal output from the gray scale detector, wherein N and M are integers, N being larger than M.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the gray scale includes: storing the M bit input data in a plurality of horizontal lines; andgenerating the detection signal including a gray scale detection signal and a gray scale change signal by analyzing the M bit input data of the plurality of horizontal lines, wherein the plurality of horizontal lines is at least three horizontal lines.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the detection signal comprises: detecting at least one gray scale overlap area having the same gray scale by comparing the gray scales of pixels being adjacent horizontally and vertically from the M bit input data of I*J block unit, wherein I and J are integers greater than or equal to 3; andgenerating the gray scale detection signal indicating the position of gray scale overlap area, and the gray scale change signal indicating the change of gray scale of adjacent pixels in a predetermined direction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the change of gray scale includes change of signals in at least one of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the N bit data comprises: converting the M bit input data of I*J block unit supplied from the line memory into the N bits; andgenerating the N bit data by increasing the gray scale of the at least one gray scale overlap area corresponding to the gray scale detection signal according to the gray scale change signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a portion of the pixels of the at least one gray scale overlap area has the gray scale being increased or decreased to a level between levels of adjacent pixels.

19. A method of driving an image display device to represent images on a display panel comprising: converting an M bit input data into an N bit data, wherein M and N are integers, N being larger than M;supplying a scan pulse to the display panel; andconverting the N bit data to an analog video signal in synchronization with the scan pulse, and supplying the analog video signal to the display panel,wherein converting the M bit input data into the N bit data comprises detecting a same gray scale among pixels positioned adjacently from the M bit input data and generating the N bit data by correcting the same gray scale of pixels according to a detection signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting the same gray scale comprises: storing the M bit input data in a plurality of horizontal lines; andgenerating the detection signal including a gray scale detection signal and a gray scale change signal by analyzing the M bit input data of the plurality of horizontal lines, wherein the plurality of horizontal lines is at least three horizontal lines.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the detection signal comprises: detecting at least one gray scale overlap area having the same gray scale by comparing the gray scales of pixels being adjacent horizontally and vertically from the M bit input data of I*J block unit, wherein I and J are integers greater than or equal to 3; andgenerating the gray scale detection signal indicating the position of gray scale overlap area, and the gray scale change signal indicating the change of gray scale of adjacent pixels in a predetermined direction.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the change of gray scale includes change of signals in at least one of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein generating the N bit data comprises: converting the M bit input data of I*J block unit supplied from the line memory into the N bits; andgenerating the N bit data by increasing the gray scale of the at least one gray scale overlap area corresponding to the gray scale detection signal according to the gray scale change signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a portion of the pixels of the at least one gray scale overlap area has the gray scale being increased or decreased to a level between levels of adjacent pixels.