This application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2015-113449, filed on Jun. 3, 2015 and Japanese Application No. 2016-002087, filed on Jan. 7, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have recently been an increasing demand for display devices designed for mobile apparatuses and the like, such as mobile phones and electronic paper. In such display devices, each pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels that output light of respective colors. The display devices switch on and off the display in the sub-pixels, thereby causing each pixel to display various colors. Display characteristics, such as resolution and luminance, of the display devices have been improved year by year. An increase in the resolution, however, reduces the aperture ratio. To achieve high luminance, it is necessary to increase the luminance of a backlight, resulting in increased power consumption of the backlight. To address this, there has been developed a technology of adding a white pixel serving as the fourth sub-pixel to the conventional red, green, and blue sub-pixels (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2010-33014). Because the white pixel increases the luminance, the technology reduces the current value of the backlight, thereby reducing the power consumption.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2010-44389 (JP-A-2010-44389) discloses a light source local dimming control method for controlling dimming of a light source module including a light source block provided with a light source that supplies light to a plurality of image regions. In the method, duty ratios of a first light source and a second light source are primarily determined using a first target luminance value of a first image region closest to a first light source and a second target luminance value of a second image region closest to a second light source adjacent to the first light source. The primarily determined duty ratios are compensated using a target luminance value of a remaining image region excluding the first and the second image regions out of the image regions that receive the light from the first and the second light sources. The first and the second light sources are driven by drive signals resulting from compensation of the primarily determined duty ratios.
Let us assume a case where the technology disclosed in JP-A-2010-44389 is applied to a sidelight light source including a plurality of light sources at a position facing an incident surface corresponding to at least one side surface of a light guide plate. In this case, the luminance distribution of a backlight may possibly vary in a complicated manner, resulting in unnecessary power consumption.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a display device that controls the luminance of light sources of a sidelight light source individually, thereby reducing power consumption of the light sources.
According to an aspect, a display device includes an image display panel; a planar light source including a light guide plate that irradiates the image display panel from a back surface of the image display panel and includes a first side surface serving as a first incident surface and a second side surface serving as a second incident surface and opposite to the first side surface, a first sidelight light source that is disposed at a position facing the first incident surface of the light guide plate and includes a plurality of light sources, and a second sidelight light source that is disposed at a position facing the second incident surface of the light guide plate and includes a plurality of light sources; and a control unit that controls luminance of the light sources of the first sidelight light source individually and luminance of the light sources of the second sidelight light source individually. The control unit divides a whole display surface of the image display panel into a first display surface and a second display surface, sets first luminance determination blocks by dividing the first display surface into a plurality of portions in a light source array direction in which the light sources of the first sidelight light source are aligned and in a light incident direction orthogonal to the light source array direction, identifies a first luminance determination block having highest luminance out of the first luminance determination blocks present at the same position in the light source array direction in an image to be displayed based on information of an input signal of the image, identifies a first luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction by referring to luminance information on the light sources, and controls light source lighting amounts of the respective light sources so as to satisfy luminance of the identified first luminance determination block. The control unit sets second luminance determination blocks by dividing the second display surface into a plurality of portions in the light source array direction and the light incident direction, identifies a second luminance determination block having highest luminance out of the second luminance determination blocks present at the same position in the light source array direction in the image to be displayed based on information of the input signal of the image, identifies a second luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction by referring to the luminance information on the light sources, and controls the light source lighting amounts of the respective light sources so as to satisfy luminance of the identified second luminance determination block.
The following describes an embodiment in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below. Components described below include a component that is easily conceivable by those skilled in the art and substantially the same component. The components described below can be appropriately combined. The disclosure is merely an example, and the present invention naturally encompasses an appropriate modification maintaining the gist of the invention that is easily conceivable by those skilled in the art. To further clarify the description, a width, a thickness, a shape, and the like of each component may be schematically illustrated in the drawings as compared with an actual aspect. However, this is merely an example and interpretation of the invention is not limited thereto. The same element as that described in the drawing that has already been discussed is denoted by the same reference numeral through the description and the drawings, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated in some cases.
Configuration of the Display Device
As illustrated in
The signal processing unit 20 is an arithmetic processing unit that controls operations of the image display panel 30 and the planar light source device 50. The signal processing unit 20 is coupled with the image-display-panel driving unit 40 that drives the image display panel 30 and to the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 that drives the planar light source device 50. The signal processing unit 20 processes the input signals received from the outside to generate output signals and planar-light-source-device control signals. In other words, the signal processing unit 20 converts an input value (input signal) in an input HSV (Hue-Saturation-Value, Value is also called Brightness) color space of the input signal into an extended value (output signal) in an extended HSV color space reproducible by a first color, a second color, a third color, and a fourth color. The signal processing unit 20 outputs the generated output signal to the image-display-panel driving unit 40 and outputs the generated planar-light-source-device control signal to the planar-light-source-device control unit 60.
As illustrated in
The pixels 48 each include a first sub-pixel 49R, a second sub-pixel 49G, a third sub-pixel 49B, and a fourth sub-pixel 49W. The first sub-pixel 49R displays a first primary color (e.g., red). The second sub-pixel 49G displays a second primary color (e.g., green). The third sub-pixel 49B displays a third primary color (e.g., blue). The fourth sub-pixel 49W displays a fourth color (e.g., white). As described above, the pixels 48 arrayed in a matrix in the image display panel 30 each include the first sub-pixel 49R that displays the first color, the second sub-pixel 49G that displays the second color, the third sub-pixel 49B that displays the third color, and the fourth sub-pixel 49W that displays the fourth color. The first, the second, the third, and the fourth colors are not limited to the first primary color, the second primary color, the third primary color, and white, respectively, and simply need to be different from one another, such as complementary colors. The fourth sub-pixel 49W that displays the fourth color is preferably brighter than the first sub-pixel 49R that displays the first color, the second sub-pixel 49G that displays the second color, and the third sub-pixel 49B that displays the third color when the first to fourth sub-pixels 49R, 49G, 49B, and 49W are irradiated with light of the same light source lighting amount. In the following description, the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, the third sub-pixel 49B, and the fourth sub-pixel 49W will be referred to as a sub-pixel 49 when they need not be distinguished from one another.
More specifically, the display device 10 is a transmissive color liquid-crystal display device. As illustrated in
The image-display-panel driving unit 40 illustrated in
The planar light source device 50 is arranged on the back surface side of the image display panel 30. The planar light source device 50 outputs light to the image display panel 30, thereby irradiating the image display panel 30.
The planar light source device 50 also includes a second sidelight light source 52B at a position facing the second incident surface E2. The second sidelight light source 52B includes a plurality of light sources 57A to 57F.
The first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B are arranged such that the light sources 56A to 56F and the light sources 57A to 57F are line-symmetric with respect to a center line LXc of the light guide plate 54 in a light incident direction LX.
The light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F, for example, are light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of the same color (e.g., white).
The light sources 56A to 56F are aligned along one side surface of the light guide plate 54. Let us assume a case where LY denotes a light source array direction in which the light sources 56A to 56F are aligned. In this case, light output from the light sources 56A to 56F is incident on the first incident surface E1 of the light guide plate 54 along the light incident direction LX orthogonal to the light source array direction LY.
Similarly, the light sources 57A to 57F are aligned along the other side surface of the light guide plate 54. Let us assume a case where LY denotes a light source array direction in which the light sources 57A to 57F are aligned. In this case, light output from the light sources 57A to 57F is incident on the second incident surface E2 of the light guide plate 54 along the light incident direction LX orthogonal to the light source array direction LY.
The planar-light-source-device control unit 60, for example, controls the amount of light output from the planar light source device 50. The planar-light-source-device control-unit 60 is included in the control unit according to the present embodiment. Specifically, the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 adjusts the value of an electric current supplied to the planar light source device 50 based on a planar-light-source-device-control signal SBL output from the signal processing unit 20. The planar-light-source-device control unit 60 thus controls the amount of light (intensity of light) output to the image display panel 30.
The value of an electric current supplied to the planar light source device 50 is adjusted by adjusting the duty ratio of a voltage or an electric current applied to the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F. In other words, the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 controls the on and off duty ratio of a voltage or an electric current applied to the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F in
As described above, the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 controls the luminance of each light source of the first sidelight light source 52A individually and the luminance of each light source of the second sidelight light source 52B individually.
The planar-light-source-device control unit 60 virtually divides the whole display surface of the image display panel 30 into two areas at the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX and handles the two areas resulting from the division as a first display surface 31 and a second display surface 32. The first display surface 31 is an area in the display surface of the image display panel 30 closer to the first sidelight light source 52A. The first display surface 31 is more affected by light output from the first sidelight light source 52A than by light output from the second sidelight light source 52B. By contrast, the second display surface 32 is an area in the display surface of the image display panel 30 closer to the second sidelight light source 52B. The second display surface 32 is more affected by light output from the second sidelight light source 52B than by light output from the first sidelight light source 52A.
The following describes an example where one light source of the first sidelight light source 52A affects the first display surface 31 illustrated in
In the light guide plate 54, light is reflected by both end surfaces in the light source array direction LY. As a result, the intensity distribution of light output from the light sources 56A and 56F arranged closer to both end surfaces in the light source array direction LY is different from that of light output from the light source 56C, for example, arranged between the light sources 56A and 56F. To address this, the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 according to the present embodiment needs to control the electric current or the on and off duty ratio for the light sources 56A to 56F illustrated in
Processing Operations Performed by the Display Device
As illustrated in
Because the pixels 48 each include the fourth sub-pixel 49W that outputs the fourth color (white), the display device 10 can broaden the dynamic range of brightness in the HSV color space (extended HSV color space) as illustrated in
The signal processing unit 20 stores therein the maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness having the saturation S as a variable in the HSV color space expanded (extended) by adding the fourth color (e.g., white) by the image processing unit 22 of the signal processing unit 20. In other words, the signal processing unit 20 stores therein the maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness for each pair of coordinates (coordinate values) of the saturation and the hue in the three-dimensional HSV color space illustrated in
The signal processing unit 20 calculates the output signal (signal value X1-(p, q)) for the first sub-pixel 49R based on at least the input signal (signal value x1-(p, q)) and an expansion coefficient α of the first sub-pixel 49R and outputs the output signal to the first sub-pixel 49R. The signal processing unit 20 calculates the output signal (signal value X2-(p, q)) for the second sub-pixel 49G based on at least the input signal (signal value x2-(p, q)) and the expansion coefficient α of the second sub-pixel 49G and outputs the output signal to the second sub-pixel 49G. The signal processing unit 20 calculates the output signal (signal value X3-(p, q)) for the third sub-pixel 49B based on at least the input signal (signal value x3-(p, q)) and the expansion coefficient α of the third sub-pixel 49B and outputs the output signal to the third sub-pixel 49B. The signal processing unit 20 calculates the output signal (signal value X4-(p, q)) for the fourth sub-pixel 49W based on the input signal (signal value x1-(p, q)) for the first sub-pixel 49R, the input signal (signal value x2-(p, q)) for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the input signal (signal value x3-(p, q)) for the third sub-pixel 49B and outputs the output signal to the fourth sub-pixel 49W.
Specifically, the image processing unit 22 of the signal processing unit 20 calculates the output signal for the first sub-pixel 49R based on the expansion coefficient α of the first sub-pixel 49R and the output signal for the fourth sub-pixel 49W, calculates the output signal for the second sub-pixel 49G based on the expansion coefficient α of the second sub-pixel 49G and the output signal for the fourth sub-pixel 49W, and calculates the output signal for the third sub-pixel 49B based on the expansion coefficient α of the third sub-pixel 49B and the output signal for the fourth sub-pixel 49W.
Specifically, assuming that χ is a constant depending on the display device, the signal processing unit 20 calculates the signal value X1-(p, q) corresponding to the output signal for the first sub-pixel 49R, the signal value X2-(p, q) corresponding to the output signal for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the signal value X3-(p, q) corresponding to the output signal for the third sub-pixel 49B for the (p, q)-th pixel (or the (p, q)-th group of the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B) using the following expressions (1) to (3), respectively.
X1-(p, q)=α·x1-(p, q)−χ·X4-(p, q) (1)
X2-(p, q)=α·x2-(p, q)−χ·X4-(p, q) (2)
X3-(p, q)=α·x3-(p, q)−χ·X4-(p, q) (3)
The signal processing unit 20 obtains the maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness using the saturation S as a variable in the HSV color space extended by adding the fourth color, obtains the saturation S and the brightness V(S) of a plurality of pixels 48 based on input signal values of the sub-pixels 49 of the pixels 48.
The saturation S is expressed by: S=(Max−Min)/Max, and the brightness V(S) is expressed by: V(S)=Max. The saturation S takes a value from 0 to 1, and the brightness V(S) takes a value from 0 to (2n−1), where n is the number of bits for display gradation. Max is the maximum value of the input signal value for the first sub-pixel 49R, the input signal value for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the input signal value for the third sub-pixel 49B in the pixel 48. Min is the minimum value of the input signal value for the first sub-pixel 49R, the input signal value for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the input signal value for the third sub-pixel 49B in the pixel 48. As illustrated in
In this embodiment, the signal value X4-(p, q) can be obtained based on a product of Min(p, q) and the expansion coefficient α. Specifically, the signal value X4-(p, q) can be obtained based on the following expression (4). In the expression (4), the product of Min(p, q) and the expansion coefficient α is divided by χ, but the present embodiment is not limited thereto. Description of χ will be provided later.
X4-(p, q)=Min(p, q)·α/χ (4)
Typically, in the (p, q)-th pixel, the saturation S(p, q) and the brightness V(S)(p, q) in the cylindrical HSV color space can be obtained through the following expressions (5) and (6) based on the input signal (signal value x1-(p, q)) for the first sub-pixel 49R, the input signal (signal value x2-(p, q)) for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the input signal (signal value x3-(p, q)) for the third sub-pixel 49B.
S(p, q)=(Max(p, q)−Min(p, q))/Max(p, q) (5)
V(S)(p, q)=Max(p, q) (6)
In this case, Max(p, q) is the maximum value among the input signal values of three sub-pixels 49, that is, (x1-(p, q), x2-(p, q), x3-(p, q)), and Min(p, q) is the minimum value among the input signal values of three sub-pixels 49, that is, (x1-(p, q), x2-(p, q), x3-(p, q)). In this embodiment, n=8 is assumed. That is, the display gradation bit number is caused to be 8 (the value of display gradation is 256, that is, 0 to 255).
The fourth sub-pixel 49W that displays white is provided with no color filter. The fourth sub-pixel 49W that displays the fourth color is brighter than the first sub-pixel 49R that displays the first color, the second sub-pixel 49G that displays the second color, and the third sub-pixel 49B that displays the third color when the first to fourth sub-pixels 49W, 49R, 49G, and 49B are irradiated with light of the same light source lighting amount. Let us assume a case where BN1-3 denotes the luminance of an aggregate of the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B in a pixel 48 or a group of pixels 48 obtained when the first sub-pixel 49R receives a signal having a value corresponding to the maximum signal value of output signals for the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G receives a signal having a value corresponding to the maximum signal value of output signals for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B receives a signal having a value corresponding to the maximum signal value of output signals for the third sub-pixel 49B. Let us also assume a case where BN4 denotes the luminance of the fourth sub-pixel 49W obtained when the fourth sub-pixel 49W in the pixel 48 or the group of pixels 48 receives a signal having a value corresponding to the maximum signal value of output signals for the fourth sub-pixel 49W. In other words, when the aggregate of the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B displays white having the highest luminance, the luminance of white is represented by BN1-3. Assuming that χ is a constant depending on the display device, the constant χ is expressed by: χ=BN4/BN1-3.
Specifically, the luminance BN4 in a case in which the input signal having a display gradation value of 255 is assumed to be input to the fourth sub-pixel 49W is, for example, 1.5 times the luminance BN1-3 of white in a case in which the signal value x1-(p, q)=255, the signal value x2-(p, q)=255, and the signal value x3-(p, q)=255 are input to the aggregate of the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B as input signals having the above display gradation value. That is, χ=1.5 in this embodiment.
When the signal value x4-(p, q) is given by the above expression (4), the maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness can be represented by the following expressions (7) and (8).
When S≤S0,
Vmax(S)=(χ+1)·(2n−1) (7)
When S0<S≤1 is satisfied,
Vmax(S)=(2n−1)·(1/S) (8)
where S0=1/(χ+1) is satisfied. In other words, S0 denotes a threshold for the saturation S. If the saturation S of the input signal value is equal to or lower than S0, the display device 10 can reproduce the brightness obtained when the fourth sub-pixel is turned on with the maximum lighting amount. By contrast, if the saturation S of the input signal value is higher than S0, the display device 10 fails to reproduce the brightness obtained when the fourth sub-pixel is turned on with the maximum lighting amount.
The thus obtained maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness using the saturation S as a variable in the HSV color space extended by adding the fourth color is stored, for example, as a kind of look-up table in the signal processing unit 20. Alternatively, the maximum value Vmax(S) of the brightness using the saturation S as a variable in the extended HSV color space is obtained by the signal processing unit 20 as occasion demands.
Next, the following describes a method (expansion processing) of obtaining the output signals for the (p, q)-th pixel 48, that is, the signal values of X1-(p, q), X2-(p, q), X3-(p, q), and X4-(p, q). The following processing is performed while maintaining a ratio between the luminance of the first primary color displayed by (the first sub-pixel 49R+the fourth sub-pixel 49W), the luminance of the second primary color displayed by (the second sub-pixel 49G+the fourth sub-pixel 49W), and the luminance of the third primary color displayed by (the third sub-pixel 49B+the fourth sub-pixel 49W). The processing is performed while keeping (maintaining) a color tone. Additionally, the processing is performed while keeping (maintaining) a gradation-luminance characteristic (gamma characteristic, γ characteristic). When all of the input signal values are 0 or small in any of the pixels 48 or any group of the pixels 48, the expansion coefficient α may be obtained without including such a pixel 48 or a group of the pixels 48.
First Process
First, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the saturation S and the brightness V(S) of each of pixels 48 based on the input signal values of the sub-pixels 49 of the pixels 48. Specifically, the signal processing unit 20 obtains S(p, q) and V(S)(p, q) through the expressions (7) and (8) based on the signal value x1-(p, q) as the input signal for the first sub-pixel 49R to the (p, q)-th pixel 48, the signal value x2-(p, q) as the input signal for the second sub-pixel 49G, and the signal value x3-(p, q) as the input signal for the third sub-pixel 49B. The signal processing unit 20 performs this processing on each of the pixels 48.
Second Process
Subsequently, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the expansion coefficient α(S) based on Vmax(S)/V(S) obtained for the pixels 48.
α(S)=Vmax(S)/V(S) (9)
Third Process
Next, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the signal value X4-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 based on at least the signal value x1-(p, q), the signal value x2-(p, q), and the signal value x3-(p, q). In this embodiment, the signal processing unit 20 determines the signal value X4-(p, q) based on Min(p, q), the expansion coefficient α, and the constant χ. More specifically, as described above, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the signal value X4-(p, q) based on the expression (4) described above. The signal processing unit 20 obtains the signal value X4-(p, q) for all of the P0×Q0 pixels 48.
Fourth Process
Subsequently, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the signal value X1-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 based on the signal value x1-(p, q), the expansion coefficient α, and the signal value X4-(p, q), obtains the signal value X2-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 based on the signal value x2-(p, q), the expansion coefficient α, and the signal value X4-(p, q), and obtains the signal value X3-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 based on the signal value x3-(p, q), the expansion coefficient α, and the signal value X4-(p, q). Specifically, the signal processing unit 20 obtains the signal value X1-(p, q), the signal value X2-(p, q), and the signal value X3-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 based on the expressions (1) to (3) described above.
As represented by the expression (4), the signal processing unit 20 expands Min(p, q) with the expansion coefficient α. Expansion of Min(p, q) with the expansion coefficient α increases not only the luminance of a white display sub-pixel (fourth sub-pixel 49W) but also the luminance of a red display sub-pixel, a green display sub-pixel, and a blue display sub-pixel (corresponding to the first sub-pixel 49R, the second sub-pixel 49G, and the third sub-pixel 49B, respectively) as represented by the expressions described above. As a result, dullness in color can be prevented. In other words, expansion of Min(p, q) with the expansion coefficient α increases the luminance of the entire image by α times compared with a case where Min(p, q) is not extended. This expansion method is suitably used to display an image, such as a still image, with high luminance, for example.
As illustrated in
The image analyzing unit 23 analyzes the fact that the signal value X1-(p, q), the signal value X2-(p, q), the signal value X3-(p, q), and the signal value X4-(p, q) in the (p, q)-th pixel 48 are extended by α times. To display an image the luminance of which is equal to that of the image not extended based on the information on the input signal SRGB of the image, the display device 10 simply needs to reduce the amount of light output from the planar light source device 50 based on the expansion coefficient α. Specifically, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 and the light-source-drive-value determining unit 26 simply need to control the electric current or the on and off duty ratio for the light sources 56A to 56F individually such that the amount of light output from the planar light source device 50 is reduced by 1/α times. To perform control on each light source, the signal processing unit 20 according to the present embodiment calculates an expansion coefficient and a reciprocal thereof for each luminance determination block (described later) based on the input signal values of pixels in the luminance determination block. The expansion coefficient of each luminance determination block is hereinafter denoted by αb, and the reciprocal thereof is denoted by 1/αb.
The following described lookup tables used in the processing described later.
The lookup tables according to the present embodiment each store therein the representative values of light intensity in the respective divided areas obtained by virtually dividing the plane of the image display panel 30 illustrated in
The lookup tables LUTA to LUTF according to the present embodiment correspond to the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively. The lookup tables according to the present embodiment, for example, may be data obtained by simultaneously turning on a pair of the light sources 56A and 56B, a pair of the light sources 56C and 56D, and a pair of the light sources 56E and 56F out of the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively. This data structure can reduce labor in the operation for creating the lookup tables and the storage capacity of the light-source-data storage unit 25. As a result, an integrated circuit including the light-source-data storage unit 25 can be downsized.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 refers to the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF in the light-source-data storage unit 25. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 superimposes the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF such that the light source lighting amounts are closer to 1/αb times the value of each block, thereby calculating the light source lighting amounts of the light sources 56A to 56F (Step S13). Representative luminance obtained by superimposing the (i, j)-th divided areas in lookup tables LUTA to LUTF (where 1≤i≤N and 1≤j≤M are satisfied), for example, is calculated by the following expression (10).
With this calculation, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 replaces complicated arithmetic processing with simple reference processing of the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, thereby reducing the operation amount.
As described above, to cause the image display panel 30 to display an image, the image-display-panel driving unit 40 requires the luminance distribution in units of the pixels 48. Based on the light source lighting amounts of the light sources 56A to 56F calculated at Step S13 and the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, the light-source-drive-value determining unit 26 calculates the luminance distribution in units of the pixels 48 (Step S14). The luminance distribution in units of the pixels 48 is calculated by performing an interpolation operation using the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF. While the luminance distribution in units of the pixels 48 has a large quantity of information, the present embodiment can reduce the operation load because the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF are created with thinned representative values.
The information on the luminance in units of the pixels 48 varies drastically in the light source array direction LY and moderately in the light incident direction LX.
The image analyzing unit 23 calculates 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks based on the input signal values included in the luminance determination blocks as described above. After specifying one group as a group of interest, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 receives (acquires) the calculated 1/αb of the blocks in the group of interest (blocks aligned in the light incident direction LX) as illustrated in
If 1/αb of the outer portion Lout in the group of interest is larger than the maximum value (Yes at Step S35), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 sets 1/αb of the outer portion Lout as the maximum value (Step S36). The outer portion Lout is a portion present at the same position in the light source array direction LY as the light incident portion Lin having its value set as the maximum value at Step S32. If 1/αb of the outer portion Lout in the group of interest is equal to or smaller than the maximum value (No at Step S35), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S37 without replacing the maximum value.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 temporarily sets the maximum value 1/αb as a light source drive value and stores it therein (Step S37). While the explanation has been made of an example where the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 compares 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks calculated based on the input signal values of the luminance determination blocks to identify the maximum value in the group of interest, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may multiply 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks calculated based on the input signal values of the luminance determination blocks by the values of light intensity at the positions corresponding to the respective luminance determination blocks stored in the lookup table. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 then compares the values obtained by the multiplication to identify the maximum value in each group.
Assuming that the light source drive value is 1/αi-max, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates luminance indexes of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout in the group of interest by the following expressions (11) to (13), respectively (Step S38). In the following expressions, LUTm (PLin, QLin) denotes data in the PLin-th column and the QLin-th row in a lookup table m. The data in the PLin-th column and the QLin-th row may be data of each pixel, data of each luminance determination block, or data of each divided area obtained by virtually dividing the image display panel 30 into predetermined areas. This format is also applicable to LUTm (PLmid, QLmid) and LUTm (PLout, QLout).
luminance index of Lin=(1/αLin)/Σ{(1/αi-max)×LUTm(PLin,QLin)} (11)
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 identifies the largest luminance index out of the luminance indexes of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout calculated at Step S38 (Step S39).
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 stores therein 1/αb corresponding to the luminance index identified at Step S39 as a target 1/αb and stores therein the position of the identified block serving as a block corresponding to the identified luminance index and one of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout in the group of interest (Step S40). The identified block corresponds to a luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction, and 1/αb of the identified luminance determination block corresponds to the target 1/αb for the group to which the luminance determination block belongs. The “block to be a target of luminance correction” may be hereinafter simply referred to as a “luminance correction target block”.
The example illustrated in
After the determination of the target 1/αb, the image analyzing unit 23 determines the area of the luminance determination block as illustrated in
In the expression (14), 1/αG denotes the result of calculation of 1/αb of the luminance correction target block performed at Step S21, LUTm (P, Q) denotes data (value of light intensity) in the P-th column and the Q-th row in the lookup table m, and 1/αk denotes the light source drive value 1/αb of the luminance correction target block in each group. In this example, each group corresponds to any one of the light sources 56A to 56F, and the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF correspond to the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively. In the expression (14), the light source drive value of the luminance correction target block in each group is multiplied by data of the position (P, Q) of the luminance correction target block in the lookup table corresponding to the group (light source). Calculation of the sum of the values obtained by the multiplication derives 1/αb (1/αG in the expression (14)) with the effect of light from all the light sources taken into consideration. In the expression (14), the latest 1/αb of the luminance correction target block in each group is used as 1/αk. In other words, after luminance correction (correction of 1/αb) of a luminance correction target block in a group of interest is performed by the processing described later, 1/αb resulting from the luminance correction is used as 1/αk of the luminance correction target block in the group of interest to perform the calculation at Step S21 on another luminance correction target block in a group that is subjected to luminance correction after the correction of the group of interest.
Subsequently, as illustrated in
If 1/αb of the luminance correction target block in the group of interest calculated at Step S21 is smaller than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (Yes at Step S23), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates the difference between the calculated 1/αb and the target 1/αb (Step S24). The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 then calculates the magnification of the difference (Step S25). The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates how many times larger the difference is than the value in the lookup table at the position. Specifically, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads data corresponding to the position of the block to be a target of luminance correction from the lookup table of the light source corresponding to the position of the block to be a target of luminance correction in the light source array direction LY. The read data is referred to as Percentage for convenience. The magnification is calculated by dividing a difference Sub between the calculated 1/αb and the target 1/αb by Percentage. The lookup tables LUTA to LUTF according to the present embodiment store therein the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources are turned on at the maximum output (output of 100%). By dividing the difference by the value of light intensity in the lookup table, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can derive the ratio (magnification) of the difference to the value of light intensity of 100%.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 adds the calculated magnification of the difference to 1/αb calculated based on the input signal and temporarily set at Step S37 (Step S26). In other words, if 1/αb calculated at Step S21 is smaller than the target 1/αb of the block, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 adds the calculated magnification of the difference to the temporarily set 1/αb (Step S26), thereby compensating the luminance of the block having insufficient luminance. Subsequently, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S27.
By contrast, if 1/αb calculated at Step S21 is equal to or larger than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (No at Step S23), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing from Step S24 to Step S26 and performs the processing at Step S27. If 1/αb of the luminance correction target block exceeds an upper limit (Yes at Step S27), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs clipping for replacing 1/αb with the upper limit (Step S28). If positive determination is made at Step S23, 1/αb of the luminance correction target block compared with the upper limit at Step S27 is the light source drive value 1/αb resulting from the correction at Step S26. By contrast, if negative determination is made at Step S23, 1/αb is the temporarily set light source drive value 1/αb. The upper limit is set in advance as an upper limit of the light source drive value used in light source control. After the processing at Step S28, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S30. By contrast, if 1/αb of the luminance correction target block does not exceed the upper limit (No at Step S27), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing at Step S28 and performs the processing at Step S30. If scanning of all the groups is completed (Yes at Step S30), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 finishes the process illustrated in
The representative luminance of the light sources 57A to 57F of the second sidelight light source 52B can be calculated in the same manner. As described above, the temporarily set 1/αb is corrected such that 1/αb of each luminance correction target block is equal to the target 1/αb. The light source lighting amount of each light source is controlled based on the corrected 1/αb. In other words, the light source lighting amount of each light source is controlled such that the luminance of each luminance correction target block satisfies the target luminance.
The method for calculating the light source drive value described above is also applicable to a display device including a sidelight light source only at a position facing an incident surface (e.g., E1) on one side surface of the light guide plate 54 as illustrated in
The embodiment described below, for example, calculates the light source lighting amount 1/αk of each light source with higher accuracy while taking into consideration light to which the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A and the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are interactively contribute.
On the second display surface 32, the three blocks present at the same position in the light source array direction LY (the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout) are considered as one group. In this arrangement, a plurality of groups are aligned in the light source array direction LY. The groups on the second display surface 32 are included in all the groups at Step S30. In the processing illustrated in
As a result, as illustrated in
The present embodiment performs the following processing. The image analyzing unit 23 calculates 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks based on the input signal values included in the luminance determination blocks as described above. After specifying one group as a group of interest, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 receives (acquires) the calculated 1/αb of the blocks in the group of interest (blocks aligned in the light incident direction LX) as illustrated in
If 1/αb of the outer portion Lout in the group of interest is larger than the maximum value (Yes at Step S35), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 sets 1/αb of the outer portion Lout as the maximum value (Step S36). The outer portion Lout is a portion present at the same position in the light source array direction LY as the light incident portion Lin having its value set as the maximum value at Step S32. If 1/αb of the outer portion Lout in the group of interest is equal to or smaller than the maximum value (No at Step S35), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S37 without replacing the maximum value.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 temporarily sets the maximum value 1/αb as the light source drive value and stores it therein (Step S37). Also in this example where the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B are used, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 compares 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks calculated based on the input signal values of the luminance determination blocks to identify the maximum value in each group of interest. The present disclosure, however, is not limited thereto. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24, for example, may multiply 1/αb of the luminance determination blocks calculated based on the input signal values of the luminance determination blocks by the values of light intensity at the positions corresponding to the respective luminance determination blocks stored in the lookup table. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 then compares the values obtained by the multiplication to identify the maximum value in each group.
Assuming that the light source drive value of each light source in the first sidelight light source 52A is 1/αi1-max and that the light source drive value of each light source in the second sidelight light source 52B is 1/αi2-max, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates luminance indexes of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout in the group of interest by the expressions (11) to (13), respectively (Step S38). The light-source-data storage unit 25 stores therein in advance the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF corresponding to the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively, of the first sidelight light source 52A and lookup tables LUTG to LUTL corresponding to the light sources 57A to 57F, respectively, of the second sidelight light source 52B. In this example, m of LUTm indicating a lookup table takes not from A to F but from A to L. With this operation, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the luminance indexes that reflect the degree of contribution of light from the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B. In the expressions (11) to (13), LUTm (PLin, QLin) denotes data in the PLin-th column and the QLin-th row in the lookup table m. The data in the PLin-th column and the QLin-th row may be data of each pixel, data of each luminance determination block, or data of each divided area obtained by virtually dividing the image display panel 30 into predetermined areas. This format is also applicable to LUTm (PLmid, QLmid) and LUTm (PLout, QLout). In this example, (PLin, QLin) denotes a coordinate value represented by an absolute coordinate system common to the lookup tables.
The present disclosure does not necessarily have the lookup tables for the respective light sources as described above. The present disclosure, for example, may have only lookup tables corresponding to the respective light sources of either one of the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B. Information on the light intensity distribution in the lookup table obtained when only one of the light sources on the second incident surface E2 side is turned on and incident light output therefrom travels from the light guide plate 54 to the plane of the image display panel 30 is the same as information on the light intensity distribution in the lookup table of the light source on the first incident surface E1 side arranged line-symmetrically with the turned-on light source with respect to the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX. As described above, the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF correspond to the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively. If the light-source-data storage unit 25 stores therein the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the light source lighting amount of each light source not only of the first sidelight light source 52A but also of the second sidelight light source 52B using the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF in the light-source-data storage unit 25. More specifically, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the light source lighting amount of the light sources 57A to 57F by inverting the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF in a manner line-symmetric with respect to the center line LXc and superimposing them. In this case, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the luminance indexes using the following expressions (15-1), (16-1), and (17-1) instead of the expressions (11), (12), and (13), respectively.
luminance index of Lin=(1/αLin)/[Σ{(1/αi1-max)×LUTm(PLin,QLin)}+Σ{(1/αi2-max)×LUTm(PLin,MAXQ−QLin)}] (15-1)
In the expressions (15-1) to (17-1), coordinate transformation is performed to use the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on as the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on. The following describes the coordinate transformation with reference to
In LUTm (P, Q) indicating data in the P-th column and the Q-th row in the lookup table m, P denotes a position in the light source array direction LY, whereas Q denotes a position in the light incident direction LX. P takes a value from 0 to MAXP, whereas Q takes a value from 0 to MAXQ. Assuming that (P, Q)=(0, 0) is the coordinate value of an array element at a first corner on the second sidelight light source 52B side out of the array elements in the lookup table m, the coordinate value of an array element at a second corner is represented by (MAXP, 0). The coordinate value of an array element at a first corner on the first sidelight light source 52A side is represented by (0, MAXQ), whereas the coordinate value of an array element at a second corner is represented by (MAXP, MAXQ). In a case where the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF are inverted with respect to the center line LXc, and where an absolute coordinate value on the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF is represented by (P, Q), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads and uses data at a coordinate (P, MAXQ-Q) from the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF (coordinate transformation). In the expressions (15-1) to (17-1), the read and used data is represented by LUTm (P, MAXQ-Q). By reading data at a position line-symmetric with a processing target block with respect to the center line LXc from the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can invert the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF with respect to the center line LXc to use them.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 identifies the largest luminance index out of the luminance indexes of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout calculated at Step S38 (Step S39).
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 stores therein 1/αb corresponding to the luminance index identified at Step S39 as a target 1/αb and stores therein the position of the identified block serving as a block corresponding to the identified luminance index and one of the light incident portion Lin, the middle portion Lmid, and the outer portion Lout in the group of interest (Step S40). The identified block corresponds to the luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction, and 1/αb of the identified luminance determination block corresponds to the target 1/αb for the group to which the luminance determination block belongs.
The example illustrated in
After the determination of the target 1/αb, the image analyzing unit 23 determines the area of the luminance determination block as illustrated in
As described above, the present embodiment may have only the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on and does not necessarily have the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on. In this case, to use the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on as the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates 1/αb of the luminance correction target block using the following expression (18-1) instead of the expression (14) at Step S21.
1/αG=Σ{(1/αk1)×LUTm(P, Q)}+Σ{(1/αk2)×LUTm(P,MAXQ−Q)} (18-1)
In the expression (18-1), coordinate transformation is performed similarly to the expressions (15-1) to (17-1). Specifically, in a case where the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on are also used as the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on, and where an absolute coordinate value of the processing target block on the lookup tables is represented by (P, Q), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads and uses data at the coordinate (P, MAXQ-Q) from the lookup tables corresponding to the position of the processing target block in the light source array direction LY (coordinate transformation). In the expression (18-1), the read and used data is represented by LUTm (P, MAXQ-Q). By reading data at a position line-symmetric with the processing target block with respect to the center line LXc from the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can invert the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF with respect to the center line LXc to use them.
Subsequently, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 acquires the target 1/αb of the group of interest as illustrated in
If 1/αb of the luminance correction target block in the group of interest calculated at Step S21 is smaller than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (Yes at Step S23), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates the difference between the calculated 1/αb and the target 1/αb (Step S24). The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 then calculates the magnification of the difference (Step S25). The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 calculates how many times larger the difference is than the value in the lookup table at the position. Specifically, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads data corresponding to the position of the luminance correction target block from the lookup table of the light source corresponding to the position of the luminance correction target block in the light source array direction LY. The read data is referred to as Percentage for convenience. The magnification is calculated by dividing the difference Sub between the calculated 1/αb and the target 1/αb by Percentage. The lookup tables according to the present embodiment store therein the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources are turned on at the maximum output (output of 100%). By dividing the difference by the value of light intensity in the lookup table, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can derive the ratio (magnification) of the difference to the value of light intensity of 100%. In a case where the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on are also used as the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs coordinate transformation as described above when reading Percentage. Specifically, in a case where an absolute coordinate value of the luminance correction target block is represented by (P, Q), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads data at the coordinate (P, MAXQ-Q) from the lookup tables corresponding to the position of the luminance correction target block in the light source array direction LY and uses it as Percentage.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 adds the calculated magnification of the difference to 1/αb calculated based on the input signal and temporarily set at Step S37 (Step S26). In other words, if 1/αb calculated at Step S21 is smaller than the target 1/αb of the block, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 adds the calculated magnification of the difference to the temporarily set 1/αb (Step S26), thereby compensating the luminance of the block having insufficient luminance.
By contrast, if 1/αb calculated at Step S21 is equal to or larger than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (No at Step S23), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing from Step S24 to Step S26 and performs the processing at Step S27. If 1/αb of the luminance correction target block exceeds an upper limit (Yes at Step S27), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs clipping for replacing 1/αb with the upper limit (Step S28). If positive determination is made at Step S23, 1/αb of the luminance correction target block compared with the upper limit at Step S27 is the light source drive value 1/αb resulting from the correction at Step S26 as described above. By contrast, if negative determination is made at Step S23, 1/αb is the temporarily set light source drive value 1/αb. The upper limit is set in advance as an upper limit of the light source drive value used in light source control. After the processing at Step S28, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S30. By contrast, if 1/αb of the luminance correction target block does not exceed the upper limit (No at Step S27), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing at Step S28 and performs the processing at Step S30. If scanning of all the groups is completed (Yes at Step S30), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 finishes the process illustrated in
To use the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on as the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on, it is necessary to incorporate the calculation for coordinate transformation into the expression (10). As described above, the representative luminance is calculated by multiplying light source currents by data of the lookup tables of the respective light sources and calculating the sum of the values resulting from the multiplication. When the lookup tables are shared by the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the representative luminance simply by using the expression for multiplying the light source currents by data of the lookup tables of the respective light sources and calculating the sum of the values resulting from the multiplication for both of the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B. The light source currents of the second sidelight light source 52B are multiplied by data of the coordinate value (P, MAXQ-Q) instead of the coordinate value (P, Q) in the lookup tables.
While the display device 10 of the present embodiment has the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on and has no lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The display device 10 of the present embodiment, for example, may have the lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B are turned on and have no lookup tables indicating the light intensity distribution obtained when the light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A are turned on.
The calculation of the light source drive value 1/αk of the light source (luminance correction, that is, correction of the light source drive value) may be performed in order of the light sources 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E, 56F, 57A, 57B, 57C, 57D, 57E, and 57F. Alternatively, the calculation of the light source drive value 1/αk of the light source may be performed in order of the light sources 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E, 56F, 57F, 57E, 57D, 57C, 57B, and 57A. The order of calculating the light source drive value 1/αk of the light source is not limited. If the light source drive value 1/αk of one of the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F is corrected by the processing at Step S26 in
The order of correction of the light source drive value may be determined based on the characteristics or the setting of the backlight, for example. In a case where a light source is affected more by the effect of light output from light sources aligned with the light source in the light source array direction LY (light sources included in the same sidelight light source) than by the effect of light output from light sources opposite to the light source in the light incident direction LX, for example, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may calculate the light source drive value in order of arrangement of the light sources in the light source array direction LY. In this case, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may calculate the light source drive value in order of the light sources 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E, 56F, 57A, 57B, 57C, 57D, 57E, and 57F or the light sources 56A, 56B, 56C, 56D, 56E, 56F, 57F, 57E, 57D, 57C, 57B, and 57A, for example.
In a case where a light source is affected less by the effect of light output from light sources aligned with the light source in the light source array direction LY (light sources included in the same sidelight light source) than by the effect of light output from light sources opposite to the light source in the light incident direction LX, for example, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may alternately correct the light source drive value of the light sources in the first sidelight light source 52A and the light source drive value of the light sources in the second sidelight light source 52B. In this case, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may correct the light source drive value in order of the light sources 56A, 57A, 56B, 57B, 56C, 57C, 56D, 57D, 56E, 57E, 56F, and 57F, for example.
Furthermore, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 may correct the light source drive value a plurality of times. By reflecting the light source drive value corrected in the first correction of the light source drive value on the second correction of the light source drive value, for example, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can calculate the light source drive value with high accuracy. In this case, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 can correct the light source drive value so as to increase the luminance in the first correction and correct the light source drive value so as to decrease the luminance in the second correction.
The light-source-drive-value determining unit 26 transmits the information on luminance of each pixel 48 (Step S14) to the image processing unit 22. The image processing unit 22 corrects the input signal SRGB based on the information on luminance of each pixel 48 (Step S16). The image processing unit 22 then performs synchronous processing for calculating the output signal SRGBW so as to output the signal value X1-(p, q), the signal value X2-(p, q), the signal value X3-(p, q), and the signal value X4-(p, q) for the (p, q)-th pixel 48 (Step S15). Based on a synchronization signal STM, the image-display-panel driving unit 40 displays an image of each frame on the image display panel 30, and the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 drives the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F individually.
The following describes specific examples of the luminance correction (correction of the light source drive value) described above.
In
In
A curve U57A1 indicates the light source lighting amount obtained when the light source 57A is turned on with the light source drive value corrected by the processing illustrated in
A curve UC1a indicates a synthesized lighting amount obtained by synthesizing the curve U56A0 (light source lighting amount with the temporarily set light source drive value of the light source 56A) and the curve U57A1 (light source lighting amount with the corrected light source drive value of the light source 57A). As described above with reference to
The respective cases illustrated in
As described above, the light source drive value of the light source 56A in the first sidelight light source 52A is corrected before correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B (curve U56A1). As indicated by the curve UC1, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 56A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side to the target light source lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side. In other words, the luminance of the luminance correction target block (the light incident portion Lin) on the light source 56A side is equal to or higher than the target luminance.
Subsequently, the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B is corrected (curve U57A1). As indicated by the curve UC2, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side to the target light source lighting amount for the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side. In other words, the luminance of the luminance correction target block (the light incident portion Lin) on the light source 57A side is equal to or higher than the target luminance. Correction of the light source drive values in this manner compensates the insufficient luminance.
As described above, the light source drive value of the light source 56A in the first sidelight light source 52A is corrected first (curve U56A1). As indicated by the curve UC1, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 56A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side to the target light source lighting amount for the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side.
Subsequently, the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B is corrected (curve U57A1). As indicated by the curve UC2, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the middle portion Lmid on the light source 57A side to the target light source lighting amount in the middle portion Lmid on the light source 57A side. Correction of the light source drive values in this manner compensates the insufficient luminance.
The light source drive value of the light source 56A in the first sidelight light source 52A is corrected (curve U56A1). As indicated by the curve UC1, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 56A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side to the target light source lighting amount for the light incident portion Lin on the light source 56A side.
In the case illustrated in
As described above, the light source drive value of the light source 56A in the first sidelight light source 52A is corrected first (curve U56A1). As indicated by the curve UC1, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 56A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the middle portion Lmid on the light source 56A side to the target light source lighting amount in the middle portion Lmid on the light source 56A side.
Subsequently, the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B is corrected (curve U57A1). As indicated by the curve UC2, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side to the target light source lighting amount for the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side. Correction of the light source drive values in this manner compensates the insufficient luminance.
The synthesized lighting amount in the luminance correction target block (middle portion Lmid) on the light source 56A side obtained with the temporarily set light source drive values is equal to or larger than the target light source lighting amount. As a result, negative determination is made at Step S23 in
Subsequently, the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B is corrected (curve U57A1). This correction increases the synthesized lighting amount to the lighting amount indicated by the curve UC1a. As indicated by the curve UC1a, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A increases the synthesized lighting amount for the middle portion Lmid on the light source 57A side to the target light source lighting amount in the middle portion Lmid on the light source 57A side.
In this example, in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the middle portion Lmid, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the outer portion Lout, the corrections are skipped because the luminance (synthesized lighting amount) of the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is equal to or larger than the target luminance (target light source lighting amount). This is given by way of example only, and the corrections are not always skipped in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the middle portion Lmid, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the outer portion Lout.
The light source drive value of the light source 56A in the first sidelight light source 52A is corrected first (curve U56A1). As indicated by the curve UC1, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 56A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the outer portion Lout on the light source 56A side to the target light source lighting amount for the outer portion Lout on the light source 56A side.
Subsequently, the light source drive value of the light source 57A in the second sidelight light source 52B is corrected (curve U57A1). As indicated by the curve UC2, the correction of the light source drive value of the light source 57A increases the synthesized lighting amount in the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side to the target light source lighting amount for the light incident portion Lin on the light source 57A side. Correction of the light source drive values in this manner compensates the insufficient luminance.
In this example, in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the outer portion Lout, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the middle portion Lmid, the corrections are skipped because the luminance (synthesized lighting amount) of the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is equal to or larger than the target luminance (target light source lighting amount). This is given by way of example only, and the corrections are not always skipped in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the outer portion Lout, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the middle portion Lmid.
In this example, in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the outer portion Lout, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the outer portion Lout, the corrections are skipped because the luminance (synthesized lighting amount) of the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is equal to or larger than the target luminance (target light source lighting amount). This is given by way of example only, and the corrections are not always skipped in a case where the luminance correction target block on the light source 56A side is the outer portion Lout, and the luminance correction target block on the light source 57A side is the outer portion Lout.
While various specific examples have been described with reference to
As described above, the display device 10 includes the image display panel 30 and the planar light source device 50. The planar light source device 50 serves as a planar light source and includes the light guide plate 54, the first sidelight light source 52A, and the second sidelight light source 52B. Based on the arithmetic operation performed by the signal processing unit 20, the image-display-panel driving unit 40 and the planar-light-source-device control unit 60 serving as the control unit operate in synchronization with each other. The control unit controls the light source lighting amounts of the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F individually based on the information on the input signal SRGB of an image and the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF. With this operation, the control unit can perform control so as to reduce the total light source lighting amount of the light sources 56A to 56F and 57A to 57F, thereby reducing the power consumption.
The control unit sets the luminance determination blocks by virtually dividing the image display panel 30 into a plurality of portions in the light source array direction LY and the light incident direction LX. The control unit according to the present embodiment divides the whole display surface of the image display panel 30 into the first display surface 31 and the second display surface 32. The control unit divides the first display surface 31 into a plurality of first luminance determination blocks and divides the second display surface 32 into a plurality of second luminance determination blocks.
In a case where an image is displayed on the first display surface 31 based on the information on the input signals of the image, the control unit identifies a block having the highest luminance out of the first luminance determination blocks present at the same position in the light source array direction LY. The control unit identifies a first luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction by referring to the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF serving as the luminance information on the light sources. The control unit controls the light source lighting amounts of the light sources so as to satisfy the luminance of the identified first luminance determination block. In a case where an image is displayed on the second display surface 32 based on the information on the input signals of the image, the control unit identifies a block having the highest luminance out of the second luminance determination blocks present at the same position in the light source array direction LY. The control unit identifies a second luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction by referring to the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF serving as the luminance information on the light sources. The control unit controls the light source lighting amounts of the light sources so as to satisfy the luminance of the identified second luminance determination block. With this configuration, the control unit can identify the luminance determination block to be a target of luminance correction while taking into consideration the backlight characteristics. The display device 10 thus controls the light source lighting amounts of the light sources 56A to 56F in the first sidelight light source 52A and the light sources 57A to 57F in the second sidelight light source 52B individually using the luminance of the identified luminance determination block as a target value. As a result, the display device 10 can reduce the power consumption in each light source and also reduce the number of pixels 48 having insufficient luminance.
If 1/αb exceeds an upper limit of 1/αb, the display device 10 replaces 1/αb with the upper limit. With this configuration, the display device 10 can increase the luminance within its allowable range.
While an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention has been described, the embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention. The contents disclosed in the embodiment are given by way of example only, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Appropriate changes made without departing from the spirit of the invention are naturally included in the scope of the invention.
The light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A or the second sidelight light source 52B, for example, may be divided into two light source groups of a first light source group and a second light source group by a center line of the light guide plate 54 in the light source array direction LY. In this case, the lookup tables LUTA, LUTB, and LUTC corresponding to the respective light sources in the first light source group may be generated and stored out of the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF. Because the light sources in the second light source group are line-symmetric with those in the first light source group with respect to the center line, the lookup tables LUTD, LUTE, and LUTF corresponding to the respective light sources in the second light source group are not necessarily created. Specifically, the lookup tables LUTC, LUTB, and LUTA corresponding to the light sources in the first light source group (first half of the light sources) are used instead of the lookup tables LUTD, LUTE, and LUTF corresponding to the light sources in the second light source group (second half of the light sources). In this case, it is necessary to perform coordinate transformation. To use the lookup tables LUTA, LUTB, and LUTC corresponding to the first half of the light sources as the lookup tables for the second half of the light sources, data stored in a position (MAXP-P, Q) simply needs to be read from the lookup tables corresponding to the light sources present at the positions line-symmetric with respect to the center line in the light source array direction LY (also refer to
luminance index of Lin=(1/αLin)/[Σ{(1/αiA-max)×LUTm(PLin,QLin)}+Σ{(1/αiB-max)×LUTm(MAXP−PLin,QLin)}] (15-2)
With this processing, the display device 10 can invert the lookup tables LUTA to LUTC with respect to the center line in the light source array direction LY to use them. The display device 10 may create and store therein the lookup tables LUTD, LUTE, and LUTF corresponding to the respective light sources in the second light source group and use them for calculation instead of the lookup tables LUTA, LUTB, and LUTC.
The method for omitting creation of the half of the lookup tables is applicable to a display device including a sidelight light source only at a position facing an incident surface (e.g., E1) on one side surface of the light guide plate 54 as illustrated in
While the image display panel 30 and the planar light source device 50 (light guide plate 54) have the length longer in the light incident direction LX than in the light source array direction LY in the example described above, the present embodiment is not limited thereto. The image display panel 30 and the planar light source device 50 (light guide plate 54) may have the length longer in the light source array direction LY than in the light incident direction LX or the same length in the light source array direction LY and in the light incident direction LX.
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the information of the lookup tables LUTF, LUTE, LUTD, LUTC, LUTB, and LUTA of the light sources 56F, 56E, 56D, 56C, 56B, and 56A, inverting the information of the lookup tables LUTF, LUTE, LUTD, LUTC, LUTB, and LUTA in a manner line-symmetric with respect to the center line LYc, the light sources 56F, 56E, 56D, 56C, 56B, and 56A being arranged in line-symmetric with a plurality of light sources 56AA, 56BB, 56CC, 56DD, 56EE, and 56FF with respect to the center line LYc, respectively. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 handles the inverted and read-out information as information on the intensity distribution of light output to the plane of the image display panel 30 from the light sources 56AA, 56BB, 56CC, 56DD, 56EE, and 56FF arranged on a second side with respect to the center line LYc. While expressions used for the operation described above are omitted, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs coordinate transformation similarly to the calculation represented by the expressions (15-2), (16-2), (17-2), and (18-2). The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 thus inverts the lookup tables of the first sidelight light source 52A. The light-source-data storage unit 25 stores therein the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF of the respective light sources arranged on a first side with respect to the center line LYc in the light source array direction LY. Because the light sources arranged on the second side are line-symmetric with those arranged on the first side with respect to the center line LYc, the light-source-data storage unit 25 does not necessarily store therein the lookup tables of the respective light sources arranged on the second side. Thus, the light-source-data storage unit 25 stores (holds), in the lookup tables, not the information on the second side with respect to the center line LYc in the light source array direction LY but the information on the first side out of pieces of information on the luminance of the pixels 48 in the image display panel 30. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the information on the first side, inverting the information in a manner line-symmetric with respect to the center line LYc. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 uses the read-out information as the information on the second side. This configuration can significantly reduce the storage capacity of the lookup tables.
The planar light source device 50 according to the example of the present embodiment can further reduce the lookup tables. The light guide plate 54, for example, is provided with the light sources 56A to 56F and the light sources 57A to 57F in a manner line-symmetric with respect to the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 refers to the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF of the light sources 56A to 56F, respectively, arranged on a first side with respect to the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX. Whereas, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF, inverting the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF in a manner line-symmetric with respect to the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX and refers to the inverted information as information on the light sources 57A to 57F, respectively, arranged on a second side.
The light source 56A is arranged in point-symmetric with the light source 57FF with respect to a center point PR at which the center line LXc intersects with the center line LYc. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the lookup table LUTA of the light source 56A, inverting the lookup table LUTA in a manner point-symmetric with respect to the center point PR. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 refers to the inverted information as information on the light source 57FF. The light source 56B is arranged in point-symmetric with the light source 57EE with respect to the center point PR. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the lookup table LUTB of the light source 56B, inverting the lookup table LUTB in a manner point-symmetric with the light source 57EE with respect to the center point PR. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 refers to the inverted information as information on the light source 57EE. Similarly, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the lookup tables LUTC, LUTD, LUTE, and LUTF of the light sources 56C, 56D, 56E, and 56F, inverting the lookup tables LUTC, LUTD, LUTE, and LUTF in a manner point-symmetric with respect to the center point PR because the light sources 56C, 56D, 56E, and 56F are arranged in point-symmetric with the light sources 57DD, 57CC, 57BB, and 57AA, respectively, with respect to the center point PR. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 refers to the inverted information as information on the light sources 57DD, 57CC, 57BB, and 57AA. As described above, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads out the lookup tables LUTA to LUTF of the light sources 56A to 56F, inverting in a manner in line-symmetric with respect to the center line LXc in the light incident direction LX and with respect to the center line LYc in the light source array direction LY (that is, inverting in a dyad symmetric manner) and refers to them as the information on the light sources 57AA to 57FF, respectively.
Specifically, the light sources included in one of the two sidelight light sources are divided into two light source groups at the center position (center line LYc) in the light source array direction LY, and the lookup tables corresponding to the light sources included in one of the two light source groups are stored. This configuration enables calculation of the light source drive value and the luminance of all the light sources. In other words, the display device 10 simply needs to store therein lookup tables corresponding to one-fourth of all the light sources included in the two sidelight light sources. With this configuration, the display device 10 can reduce the storage capacity required to store therein the lookup tables to one-fourth of the storage capacity required to store therein the lookup tables of the respective light sources.
The first sidelight light source L12 is line-symmetric (bilaterally symmetric in
As represented by the expressions (15-3), (16-3), and (17-3), to use the lookup tables corresponding to the first sidelight light source L11 as the lookup tables corresponding to the first sidelight light source L12, a coordinate value (MAXP-PLin, QLin) is used instead of the coordinate value (PLin, QLin). To use the lookup tables corresponding to the first sidelight light source L11 as the lookup tables corresponding to the second sidelight light source L21, a coordinate value (PLin, MAXQ−QLin) is used instead of the coordinate value (PLin, QLin). To use the lookup tables corresponding to the first sidelight light source L11 as the lookup tables corresponding to the second sidelight light source L22, a coordinate value (MAXP−PLin, MAXQ−QLin) is used instead of the coordinate value (PLin, QLin). This format is also applicable to the coordinate value (PLmid, QLmid) and the coordinate value (PLout, QLout).
At step S21, 1/αb of the luminance correction target block is calculated by the following expression (18-3).
Also in calculation of the representative luminance, it is necessary to perform the coordinate transformation described above. In other words, it is necessary to incorporate the calculation of coordinate transformation into the expression (10). As described above, the representative luminance is calculated by multiplying light source currents by data of the lookup tables of the respective light sources and calculating the sum of the values resulting from the multiplication. To use the lookup tables corresponding to the first sidelight light source L11 as those corresponding to the first sidelight light source L12, the second sidelight light source L21, and the second sidelight light source L22, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 simply needs to calculate the representative luminance using the expression for multiplying the light source currents by data of the lookup tables of the respective light sources (the lookup tables of the first sidelight light source L11) and calculating the sum of the values resulting from the multiplication for the first sidelight light sources L11 and L12 and the second sidelight light sources L21 and L22. The light source current of the first sidelight light source L12 is multiplied by data of the coordinate value (MAXP−P, Q) in the lookup tables instead of the coordinate value (P, Q). The light source current of the second sidelight light source L21 is multiplied by data of the coordinate value (P, MAXQ−Q) in the lookup tables instead of the coordinate value (P, Q). The light source current of the second sidelight light source L22 is multiplied by data of the coordinate value (MAXP−P, MAXQ−Q) in the lookup tables instead of the coordinate value (P, Q).
As described above, the planar light source device 50 according to another example of the present embodiment includes the first sidelight light source 52A and the second sidelight light source 52B. The light-source-data storage unit 25 serving as the control unit stores therein lookup tables of first light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A, the first light sources being arranged on the first side with respect to the center line LYc in the light source array direction LY. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads the information of the lookup tables of the first light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A as information on the intensity distribution of light output from a plurality of second light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A to the plane of the image display panel 30, the second light sources being arranged on the second side with respect to the center line LYc, the first light sources being arranged in line-symmetric with the second light sources with respect to the center line LYc. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads the information of the lookup tables of the first light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A as information on the intensity distribution of light output from a plurality of third light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B to the plane of the image display panel 30, the third light sources being arranged on the first side with respect to the center line LYc and arranged in line-symmetric with the first light sources with respect to the center line LXc. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 reads the information of the lookup tables of the first light sources of the first sidelight light source 52A as information on the intensity distribution of light output from a plurality of fourth light sources of the second sidelight light source 52B to the plane of the image display panel 30, the fourth light sources being arranged on the second side with respect to the center line LYc and arranged in point-symmetric with the first light sources with respect to the center point PR at which the center line LXc intersects with the center line LYc. As a result, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 replaces complicated arithmetic processing with simple reference processing of the lookup tables, thereby reducing the operation amount. This configuration can significantly reduce the capacity of the lookup tables to be stored in advance.
The planar light source device 50 illustrated in
First Modification
To address this, the modification according to the present embodiment performs a processing routine illustrated in
At Step S53, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 determines whether the calculated 1/αb of the block in the group of interest is larger than the target 1/αb of the group of interest. If the calculated 1/αb is larger than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (Yes at Step S53), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing from Step S54 to Step S56. By contrast, if the calculated 1/αb is equal to or smaller than the target 1/αb of the group of interest (No at Step S53), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing from Step S54 to Step S56. Because the processing at Step S54 and Step S55 is substantially the same as that at Step S24 and Step S25 described above, explanation thereof will be omitted. At Step S56, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 subtracts the difference calculated at Step S54 from 1/αb.
If 1/αb falls below a lower limit (Yes at Step S57), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs clipping for replacing 1/αb with the lower limit (Step S58). By contrast, if 1/αb does not fall below the lower limit (No at Step S57), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 skips the processing at Step S58 and performs the processing at Step S70.
By contrast, if the luminance determination block in the group of interest is not the left end block in the light source array direction LY (No at Step S50), the image analyzing unit 23 performs the processing at Step S60. At Step S60, the image analyzing unit 23 determines whether the luminance determination block in the group of interest is the right end block in the light source array direction LY. If the luminance determination block in the group of interest is not the right end block in the light source array direction LY (No at Step S60), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 performs the processing at Step S21 illustrated in
At Step S70, the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 determines whether all the groups are specified as the group of interest and subjected to the processing (whether scanning thereof is completed). If scanning of all the groups is not completed (No at Step S70), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 specifies the next group as a group of interest, and the image analyzing unit 23 performs the processing at Step S50 again. By contrast, if scanning of all the groups is completed (Yes at Step S70), the light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 finishes the process illustrated in
The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 identifies the luminance determination block having the highest luminance in the light incident direction LX out of the luminance determination blocks present at left and right ends in the light source array direction LY in the image display panel 30. The light-source-drive-value calculating unit 24 controls the light source lighting amount of each light source so as to fall below the luminance of the identified luminance determination block. With this operation, the display device 10 suppresses the luminance at left and right ends in the light source array direction LY in the image display panel 30, thereby reducing the power consumption.
In
The first modification is applicable to a display device including a sidelight light source only at a position facing an incident surface (e.g., E1) on one side surface of the light guide plate 54 (refer to
Second Modification
In the description above, the center lines LXc and LYc are the center lines of the light guide plate 54. In a case where center lines of a valid area in the light guide plate 54 are different from the center lines of the light guide plate 54, the center lines LXc and LYc correspond to the center lines of the valid area in the light guide plate 54.
In
The present invention naturally provides advantageous effects clearly defined by the description in the present specification or appropriately conceivable by those skilled in the art out of other advantageous effects provided by the aspects described in the present embodiment.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015-113449 | Jun 2015 | JP | national |
2016-002087 | Jan 2016 | JP | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20160358558 A1 | Dec 2016 | US |