Field of the Invention
The invention relates to local dimming, and more particularly to a display apparatus, a local dimming control circuit and a local dimming function for image display without dark halo phenomenon.
Description of Related Art
A conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) device normally includes a backlight module for providing a backlight source in order to display images. Furthermore, a local dimming technology may be applied to the backlight module to increase the contrast of the LCD device, in which the backlight luminance intensities of specific parts are determined according to the gray level distribution of an image to be displayed. In some examples, for displaying a high gray level portion of an image, the corresponding part of the backlight module will output light with relatively high luminance; for displaying a low gray level portion of an image, the corresponding part of the backlight module will output light with relatively low luminance.
One aspect of the invention directs to a display apparatus which includes a backlight module with backlight zones, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel over the backlight module, and a local dimming control circuit. The local dimming control circuit is configured to generate a local dimming data signal for the backlight module and compensated pixel data for the LCD panel based on image data and an arrangement of the backlight zones of the backlight module. The image data has a plurality of image areas respectively corresponding to the backlight zones. For a first image area of the image areas being a low-luminance image area and a luminance intensity of a first backlight zone of the backlight zones corresponding to the first image area being less than a luminance intensity of a second backlight zone corresponding to a second image area of the image areas neighboring the first image area, the local dimming control circuit performs first pixel compensation for high-luminance pixels in the second image area and second pixel compensation for low-luminance pixels in the second image area, in which the second pixel compensation is greater than the first pixel compensation.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the local dimming control circuit includes a backlight luminance calculator and a pixel compensator. The backlight luminance calculator performs local dimming configuration by calculating a luminance table with luminance values respectively corresponding to the backlight zones from the image data to generate the local dimming data signal. The pixel compensator performs the first and second pixel compensations on the image data according to the luminance table to generate the compensated pixel data.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the pixel compensator performs the first pixel compensation by multiplying a first gray level of the high-luminance pixels in the second image area with a first compensation gain and performs the second pixel compensation by multiplying a second gray level of the low-luminance pixels in the second image area with a second compensation gain which is greater than the first compensation gain.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the first compensation gain is determined based on the luminance values for the backlight zones.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the second compensation gain is positively correlated with the number of high-luminance pixels in the second image area.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the local dimming data signal has pulse-width modulation (PWM) duty cycle values respectively corresponding to the backlight zones of the backlight module.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the local dimming control circuit is integrated in a timing controller of the display apparatus.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, each backlight zone of the backlight module has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED).
Another aspect of the invention is directed to a local dimming control circuit which includes a backlight luminance calculator and a pixel compensator. The backlight luminance calculator is configured to generate a local dimming data signal for the backlight module and compensated pixel data for a LCD panel based on image data and an arrangement of the backlight zones of a backlight module associated with the LCD panel. The image data having a plurality of image areas respectively corresponding to the backlight zones. The pixel compensator is configured to determine whether a first image area of the image areas is a low-luminance image area and, in response to a determination that the first image area is a low-luminance image area and a luminance intensity of a first backlight zone of the backlight zones corresponding to the first image area is less than a luminance intensity of a second backlight zone corresponding to a second image area of the image areas neighboring the first image area, perform first pixel compensation for high-luminance pixels in the second image area and second pixel compensation for low-luminance pixels in the second image area, in which the second pixel compensation is greater than the first pixel compensation.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the backlight luminance calculator performs local dimming configuration by calculating a luminance table with luminance values respectively corresponding to the backlight zones from the image data to generate the local dimming data signal, and wherein the pixel compensator performs the first and second pixel compensations on the image data according to the luminance table to generate the compensated pixel data.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the pixel compensator performs the first pixel compensation by multiplying a first gray level of the high-luminance pixels in the second image area with a first compensation gain and performs the second pixel compensation by multiplying a second gray level of the low-luminance pixels in the second image area with a second compensation gain which is greater than the first compensation gain.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the first compensation gain is determined based on luminance values for the backlight zones.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the second compensation gain is positively correlated with the number of high-luminance pixels in the second image area.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the local dimming data signal has PWM duty cycle values respectively corresponding to the backlight zones of the backlight module.
Yet another aspect of the invention is directed to a local dimming control method for a display apparatus having an LCD panel and a backlight module with a plurality of backlight zones. The local dimming control method includes: generating a local dimming data signal for the backlight module and compensated pixel data for a LCD panel based on image data and an arrangement of the backlight zones of a backlight module associated with the LCD panel, the image data having a plurality of image areas respectively corresponding to the backlight zones; determining whether a first image area of the image areas is a low-luminance image area; and in response to a determination that the first image area is a low-luminance image area and a luminance intensity of a first backlight zone of the backlight zones corresponding to the first image area is less than a luminance intensity of a second backlight zone corresponding to a second image area of the image areas neighboring the first image area, performing first pixel compensation for high-luminance pixels in the second image area, and performing second pixel compensation for low-luminance pixels in the second image area, in which the second pixel compensation is greater than the first pixel compensation.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the first pixel compensation is performed by multiplying a first gray level of the high-luminance pixels in the second image area with a first compensation gain, and wherein the second pixel compensation is performed by multiplying a second gray level of the low-luminance pixels in the second image area with a second compensation gain which is greater than the first compensation gain.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the first compensation gain is determined based on luminance values for the backlight zones.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the second compensation gain is positively correlated with the number of high-luminance pixels in the second image area.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the image data is an image with one or more bright objects and a dark background.
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, the local dimming data signal has PWM cycle values respectively corresponding to the backlight zones of the backlight module.
The foregoing aspects and many of the accompanying advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The detailed explanation of the invention is described as following. The described preferred embodiments are presented for purposes of illustrations and description, and they are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Terms used herein are only used to describe the specific embodiments, which are not used to limit the claims appended herewith. Unless limited otherwise, the term “a,” “an,” “one” or “the” of the single form may also represent the plural form.
The timing controller 140 is also configured to direct the backlight control circuit 150 to control the backlight module 160. The backlight control circuit 150 may be implemented as a microcontroller. The backlight module 160 is arranged in back of the LCD panel 110 for providing light source to the LCD panel 110. The backlight module 160 may be a direct type backlight module in which light source is arranged at the back side thereof and no light guide plate is needed. In some embodiments, the backlight module 160 is separated into backlight zones arranged in an array and each having light emitting diodes (LED) for providing backlight.
In some embodiments, the data driver 120, the scan driver 130 and the timing controller 140 are integrated into a single integrated chip. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the chip integrating the functions of the data driver 120, the scan driver 130 and the timing controller 140 may also provide touch detection function for the LCD panel 110 with an in-cell touch sensor structure or a touch panel disposed over the LCD panel 110.
Also referring to
However, for some special image patterns, such as an image with one or more bright objects (e.g. characters or a rectangular box) and a dark background (e.g. of a gray color), a dark halo phenomenon would occur when displaying the image by the display apparatus 100 that adopts the dimming mechanism described above. The dark halo phenomenon is that the gray level of the pixels in a dark part of the image and near the boundary between the dark part and a bright part in the image becomes less than that of the other pixels in the dark part the pixel data are compensated.
Also referring to
The local dimming control circuit 200 according to the embodiments of the invention can avoid such dark halo phenomenon by further compensating for pixels with low gray levels and near the boundary between a dark image area and a bright image area of an image.
In Step S602, the gray levels of the red, green and blue colors for the pixels in the image data are converted into luminance values for the pixels. The luminance value for a pixel is the maximal gray level among the gray levels of the red, green and blue colors for that pixel. For example, if the gray levels of the red, green and blue colors for a pixel is (127,191,223), then the luminance value for that pixel is MAX(127,191,223)=223, which is the same as the gray level of the blue color.
In Step S604, the image areas respectively corresponding to the backlight zones are each determined to be a low-luminance image area or not. An example for determining whether the image area is a low-luminance image area is described as follows. In the beginning of the determination for each image area, a first counting value LC and a second counting value VC are initialized to be zero, and a first threshold LTH and a second threshold VTH are predetermined according to an image display condition. In an image area corresponding to the backlight zone, if the difference between the luminance values of two adjacent pixels is less than the first threshold LTH, then the first counting value LC is incremented by 1; if the maximum difference of the gray levels of the red, green and blue colors for a pixel is less than the second threshold VTH, then the second counting value VC is incremented by 1. All pixels in the same image area are calculated in these manners. Afterwards, the image area is then determined to be a low-luminance image area or not. If the first counting value LC is less than a first target value LT and the second counting value VC is then a second target value VT, then the image area is determined to be a low-luminance image area; else, the image area is determined not to be a low-luminance image area.
In Step S606, a local dimming algorithm is adopted to calculate luminance values for each backlight zone according to the image. The luminance values may be pulse-width modulation (PWM) duty cycle values with, for example, the same voltage and different duty cycles for controlling intensities of the backlight zones. Then, a local dimming data signal with the luminance values is transmitted to the backlight module 160 for controlling illumination of each backlight zone (Path A), the determination results (low-luminance or not) of the image areas are used for halo analysis (Path B), and the gray levels of the pixels are used for calculation for pixel data compensation (Path C).
In Step S608, the backlight control circuit 150 controls illumination of the backlight module 160 based on the local dimming data signals. The luminance intensities of the backlight zones of the backlight module 160 may be determined by the duty cycles of the local dimming data signals.
In Step S610, a halo analysis is performed on the image. In particular, if an image area is determined to be a low-luminance image area, then the luminance intensity of the backlight zone corresponding to this image area is further compared with the luminance intensities of the backlight zones respectively corresponding to the neighboring image areas by referring to the luminance table of the backlight module 160.
In Step S612, pixel data compensation is performed on the image. In particular, if an image area is determined to be a low-luminance image area and the luminance intensity of the backlight zone corresponding to another image area neighboring the low-luminance image area is greater than the luminance intensity of the backlight zone corresponding to the low-luminance image area, then the pixel data compensation for the high-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area (e.g., with gray levels higher than that of the pixels in the low-luminance image area) is less than the pixel data compensation for the low-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area (e.g., with gray levels identical to or near that of the pixels in the low-luminance image area). For example, the high-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area are compensated by multiplying with a compensation gain Gn1, and the low-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area are compensated by multiplying with a compensation gain Gn2 which is greater than the compensation gain Gn1. The compensation gain Gn1 for the high-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area is determined based on the luminance values for the backlight zones, and/or the compensation gain Gn2 for the low-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area is positively correlated with the number of high-luminance pixels in the neighboring image area.
For example, as shown in
The compensation gain Gn2 may be determined according to the number of high-luminance pixels in each image area. For example, as shown in
In Step S614, the LCD panel 110 is controlled to display the image with the compensated gray levels of the pixels. Steps S608 and S614 may be performed at the same time for image display for eliminating dark halo phenomenon.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20090160877 | Peng | Jun 2009 | A1 |
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20170148393 | Peana | May 2017 | A1 |