Flexible and Adaptive – Active Dynamic LED Backlight Control ASIC Development (FA-ADBC)
ART/041CP
20080601 - 20090731
10717
Mr Yiu-kei Li
1. Flexible and Adaptive – Active Dynamic LED Backlight Control Algorithm
2. HD Flexible and Adaptive Dynamic LED backlight control ASIC
BlueSolve Ltd.
Hisnese Electric Co. Ltd
This Project is a collaborative project between the IC Designs (ICD) Group and the Material and Packaging Technologies (MPT) Group in ASTRI. It aims to improve performance of LED backlight based LCD display systems. It fits ASTRI’s technology roadmap to advance display control technology and provide industry with high performance and low cost solution through partnership and technology transfer. Separate algorithms for standalone Gray level local dimming and RGB local dimming and corresponding LCD pixel compensation were developed in previous projects. Successful demonstration of Active Dynamic Backlight Control scheme (ADBC) on 32” standard definition LCD display system was accomplished at FPGA level. Experience acquired in system behavior and related hardware development is leveraged to further our research on adaptive algorithm and flexible hardware implementation. In this project, an advanced adaptive algorithm will be developed to capture the advantages of both Gray level only and RGB local dimming. This will deliver the promise of even higher image quality improvement and energy saving. The new scheme will choose its dimming approach base on current image frame characteristics. Added to that, each LED module will have a different set of design parameters – panel size, LED to LCD pixel ratio, and LED light distribution profile. Our implementation of the adaptive scheme will be configurable to cover the most prevalent panel configurations and characteristics in industry. The obvious technical benefits of our new solution are better image quality, higher contrast ratio and power saving. Further, our flexible hardware implementation allows our industry partners to adopt our solution on multiple LED-based display systems without the need to redesign and re-spin the ASIC. Substantial cost saving is thus achieved. This project is endorsed by local industry partners. This benefits ASTRI’s R&D to realize a high quality product with industry focus and it promotes technology transfers.