Display device and driving method thereof

Abstract

A display device and a driving method thereof are provided. The display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels, a display panel driver, and a region compensation circuit. The region compensation circuit divides the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, obtains a load value of input image data for each unit block, and generates corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the load value. Each of the load values corresponds to one of the unit blocks. The display panel driver generates a data signal for displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. When the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as the distance from the center of a reference block having the maximum load value among the unit blocks increases.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2019 - 0176611, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 27, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a display device and a driving method thereof. Background Art

[0004] A display device may include a display panel and a display panel driver. The display panel driver may receive a control signal and input image data from an external source (e.g., a graphics processor, etc.) and generate data signals. The display panel may display an image in a display area based on the data signals. The display panel driver may control the brightness of the periphery of the display area to be lower than that of the center, thereby reducing the power consumption of the display device.

[0005] However, a user's eyes may focus on an area where the load value of the input image data in the display area is large or the change value of the input image data between frames (e.g., the change value of the load value of the input image data between frames) is large. In this case, when an area where the load value of the input image data in the display area or the change value of the input image data between frames is large corresponds to the periphery of the display area, when driving the display device by reducing the brightness of the periphery of the display area, the brightness of the area on which the user's eyes focus may be reduced, thereby deteriorating visibility. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a display device that prevents deterioration of user visibility by performing area attenuation compensation for power consumption reduction and at the same time not reducing the brightness corresponding to the area on which the user's eyes focus.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment, a display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels, a display panel driver, and an area compensation circuit. The area compensation circuit divides the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, obtains a load value of input image data for the unit blocks, and generates corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the load value. Each of the load values corresponds to one of the unit blocks. The display panel driver generates data signals for displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. When the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as it moves away from the center of a reference block having the largest load value among the unit blocks.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensation circuit generates corrected image data by applying a luminance gain curve to input image data, the luminance gain curve including luminance gain values corresponding to distances from the center of a reference block, and the region compensation circuit decreases the luminance gain values of the luminance gain curve as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, as the obtained load value corresponding to the reference block decreases, the region compensation circuit increases the degree to which the luminance gain values of the luminance gain curve decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, as the sum of the obtained load values for unit blocks decreases, the region compensation circuit increases the degree to which the luminance gain values of the luminance gain curve decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, when the distances from the center of the reference block are the same, the luminance gain values of the luminance gain curve are the same.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain curve decreases non-linearly, and the decreasing rate of the luminance gain curve increases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain curve decreases linearly.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the decreasing rate of the luminance gain curve has different values according to the direction away from the center of the reference block.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensation circuit includes an image analysis unit, a luminance gain generation unit, and a data compensator. The image analysis unit obtains load values of input image data for unit blocks, the luminance gain generation unit generates a luminance gain curve based on the load values obtained for the unit blocks, and the data compensator generates corrected image data by applying the luminance gain curve to the input image data.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the image analysis unit obtains load values based on gray-scale values of the input image data corresponding to unit blocks included in a display panel.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the image analysis unit obtains load values based on the conduction pixel ratio corresponding to unit blocks included in a display panel.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the image analysis unit obtains load values every predetermined frame period.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain generation unit includes a comparator and a controller. The comparator compares the load values obtained for the unit blocks and generates a control signal based on the comparison result of the load values. The controller generates a brightness gain curve including brightness gain values corresponding to the distances from the center of the reference block based on the control signal.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the area compensation circuit generates corrected image data by applying a predetermined look-up table to the input image data, and the look-up table includes brightness gain values corresponding to the distances from the center of the reference block.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment, a display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels, a display panel driver, and an area compensation circuit. The area compensation circuit divides the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, obtains data change values of the input image data for the unit blocks, and generates corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the data change values. Each of the data change values corresponds to one of the unit blocks. The display panel driver generates a data signal for displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. When the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block having the largest data change value among the unit blocks.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, the area compensation circuit obtains the data change values of the input image data by comparing the load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame and the load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment, a driving method of a display device including a display panel having a plurality of pixels includes: dividing the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, and obtaining load values of the input image data for the unit blocks. Each of the load values corresponds to one of the unit blocks. The driving method further includes: extracting a reference block having the largest load value among the unit blocks, generating corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the load values, and displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. When the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, generating the corrected image data includes: generating a brightness gain curve based on the reference block and the load values obtained for the unit blocks, and generating the corrected image data by applying the brightness gain curve to the input image data. The brightness gain curve includes brightness gain values corresponding to the distances from the center of the reference block.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, as the obtained load value corresponding to the reference block decreases, the degree of decrease in the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve increases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, as the sum of the load values obtained for the unit blocks decreases, the degree of decrease in the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve increases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, when the distance from the center of the reference block is the same, the luminance gain values of the luminance gain curve are the same.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the reduction rate of the luminance gain curve has different values according to the direction away from the center of the reference block.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, corrected image data is generated by applying a predetermined look-up table to the input image data. The look-up table includes luminance gain values corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block.

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment, a driving method of a display device including a display panel having a plurality of pixels includes: dividing the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, and obtaining a data change value of the input image data for each unit block. Each of the data change values corresponds to one of the unit blocks. The driving method further includes: extracting a reference block having the largest data change value among the unit blocks, generating corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the data change value; and displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. When the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, obtaining the data change value of the input image data includes: obtaining a load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block, obtaining a load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame for each unit block, and obtaining the data change value of the input image data by comparing the load value corresponding to the current frame and the load value corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block.

[0033] The display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may extract a reference block having the maximum load value and / or data change value among unit blocks, and may perform area attenuation compensation for correcting input image data using an area compensator so that the brightness of an image displayed on a display panel may decrease as it moves away from the center of the reference block. Accordingly, the display device may prevent deterioration of visibility of a user by performing area attenuation compensation for reducing power consumption and at the same time not reducing the brightness corresponding to an area (such as the reference block) on which the user's eyes are focused. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] Figure 2 A display panel included in the display device shown in Figure 1 is shown.

[0037] Figure 3 An area compensator included in the display device shown in Figure 1 is shown.

[0038] Figure 4 An image analysis unit and a brightness gain generation unit included in the area compensator shown in Figure 3 are shown.

[0039] Figure 5 A brightness gain controller included in the brightness gain generation unit shown in Figure 4 is shown.

[0040] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6E An example of an operation method of the area compensator shown in Figure 3 is shown.

[0041] 7A to 7E Another example of an operation method of the area compensator shown in Figure 3 is shown.

[0042] Figure 8 A flowchart showing a driving method of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Fig. 9 A flowchart showing a driving method of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all the drawings, like reference numerals may indicate like elements.

[0045] The terms "first", "second", etc. may be used only to describe various components, but those meanings are not necessarily limited to the restricted meanings. For example, the above terms may be used only to distinguish one component from other components. For example, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may be referred to as the first component. When interpreting the singular, it may be interpreted as a plural meaning unless there is a contrary explicit description.

[0046] In the specification, the words "comprise" or "have" are used to specify the presence of features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and it will be understood that the presence or additional possibility of one or more other features or numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not excluded.

[0047] Figure 1 A display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 Shown is a display panel included in the display device shown in Figure 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the display device 1000 may include a display panel DP, a display panel driver 100, and a region compensator 200. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the display panel driver 100 and the region compensator 200 may be implemented as a circuit. Therefore, the display panel driver 100 may also be referred to as a display panel driver circuit herein, and the region compensator 200 may also be referred to as a region compensation circuit herein.

[0049] The display panel DP may include a plurality of scan lines SL1 to SLn, a plurality of data lines DL1 to DLm, and a plurality of pixels PX, where n is a natural number and m is a natural number.

[0050] The pixel PX may be connected to at least one of the scan lines SL1 to SLn and at least one of the data lines DL1 to DLm. The pixel PX may receive voltages of a first power supply VDD and a second power supply VSS from an external source. Herein, the external source may refer to a source disposed outside the display device 1000. The first power supply VDD and the second power supply VSS are voltages for the operation of the pixel PX, and the first power supply VDD may have a voltage level higher than that of the second power supply VSS.

[0051] The display panel DP may include a plurality of unit blocks Block1 to Block64 (see Figure 2 ), and may display an image based on the corrected image data CDATA.

[0052] The display panel driver 100 may generate a data signal DATA for displaying an image on the display panel DP based on the corrected image data CDATA.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, the display panel driver 100 may include a timing controller 110, a scan driver 120, and a data driver 130. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the timing controller 110, the scan driver 120, and the data driver 130 may be implemented as a circuit. Accordingly, the timing controller 110 may also be referred to as a timing controller circuit herein, the scan driver 120 may also be referred to as a scan driver circuit herein, and the data driver 130 may also be referred to as a data driver circuit herein.

[0054] The timing controller 110 may receive a control signal CS from an external source (e.g., a graphics processor), and receive the corrected image data CDATA from the region compensator 200. The timing controller 110 may generate a scan control signal SCS and a data control signal DCS based on the control signal CS, and convert the corrected image data CDATA to generate the data signal DATA. The control signal CS may include, for example, a vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal, a clock signal, etc.

[0055] The scan driver 120 may generate a scan signal based on the scan control signal SCS provided from the timing controller 110. The scan control signal SCS may include, for example, a scan start signal, a scan clock signal, etc. The scan driver 120 may sequentially provide the scan signal to scan lines SL1 to SLn. For example, the scan driver 120 may sequentially provide a scan signal having pulses of a conductive level on the scan lines SL1 to SLn. For example, the scan driver 120 may generate a scan signal by sequentially transferring pulses of a conductive level to the next scan stage in response to a clock signal. For example, the scan driver 120 may be configured in the form of a shift register.

[0056] The data driver 130 may generate data voltages based on the data signal DATA and the data control signal DCS provided from the timing controller 110, and supply the data voltages to the data lines DL1 to DLm. The data driver 130 may generate analog data voltages based on the digital data signal DATA. For example, the data driver 130 may sample the gray values included in the data signal DATA, and supply data voltages corresponding to the gray values to the data lines DL1 to DLm in pixel row units. The data control signal DCS may include, for example, a data clock signal, a data enable signal, and the like.

[0057] The region compensator 200 may receive input image data IDATA from an external source, and obtain a load value of the input image data IDATA and / or a data change value of the input image data IDATA. The load value may represent a driving amount of the input image data relative to a maximum driving amount, and the data change value may represent a difference between the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame and the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may divide the display panel DP into a plurality of unit blocks Block1 to Block64, and obtain a load value of the input image data IDATA and / or a data change value of the input image data IDATA for each unit block.

[0059] For example, as Figure 2 shown, the region compensator 200 may divide the display panel DP into sixteen blocks in a first direction DR1, and divide the display panel DP into four blocks in a second direction DR2 intersecting the first direction DR1, to divide the display panel DP into a total of 64 unit blocks, that is, into a first unit block Block1 to a sixty-fourth unit block Block64. The same number of scan lines, the same number of data lines, and the same number of pixels PX may be respectively arranged in the first unit block Block1 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64, and the first unit block Block1 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64 may have the same size. For example, when the resolution of the display device 1000 is ultra-high definition (UHD) providing a resolution of 3840×2160 (4K), 540 scan lines, 240 data lines, and 129600 pixels PX may be arranged in each of the first unit block Block1 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64. However, the number of the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may divide the display panel DP into sixteen blocks in the first direction DR1 and divide the display panel DP into eight blocks in the second direction DR2, to divide the display panel DP into a total of 128 unit blocks.

[0060] Figure 2 The numbers shown in (e.g., 1, 240, 480, …, 3840 or 1, 540, …, 2160) may indicate the relative spatial positions of pixels PX included in the display panel DP. For example, the number 1 may indicate the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1 or the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2, the number 3840 may indicate the 3840th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1, and the number 2160 may indicate the 2160th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2. Thus, Figure 2 the numbers (1, 240, 480, …, 3840 or 1, 540, …, 2160) shown in may indicate the relative spatial position (or relative distance or length) of the pixel PX.

[0061] will be described later with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 the configuration in which the region compensator 200 obtains the load value of the input image data IDATA and / or the data change value of the input image data IDATA for each unit block of the display panel DP.

[0062] The region compensator 200 may correct the input image data IDATA based on the load value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block and / or the data change value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block to generate corrected image data CDATA, and may provide the corrected image data CDATA to the timing controller 110.

[0063] The region compensator 200 may correct the input image data IDATA based on the load value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block and / or the data change value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block to generate corrected image data CDATA such that the image displayed on the display panel DP may have different brightnesses according to the spatial positions of the pixels PX.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may extract a unit block (also referred to as a reference block) that has the maximum load value of the input image data IDATA and / or the maximum data change value of the input image data IDATA among the unit blocks Block1 to Block64. Additionally, when the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same (or when the display device 1000 implements the pixels PX included in the display panel DP with the same gray value), the region compensator 200 may generate corrected image data CDATA by correcting the input image data IDATA such that the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP gradually decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, when the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the brightness distribution of the image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA may be a Gaussian distribution in which the brightness gradually decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block.

[0066] The region compensator 200 may correct the input image data IDATA by applying a brightness gain value corresponding to each spatial position to the input image data IDATA according to the spatial position of the pixel PX, thereby generating corrected image data CDATA.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may correct the input image data IDATA by applying a brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) to the input image data IDATA, thereby generating corrected image data CDATA.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) may include brightness gain values corresponding to the spatial positions of the pixels PX included in the display panel DP. For example, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) may include brightness gain values corresponding to each pixel PX included in the display panel DP.

[0069] The brightness gain value may have a value between 0 and 1, and the brightness of an image displayed on the display panel DP may be controlled according to the brightness gain value. For example, the smaller the brightness gain value, the smaller the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP, and the larger the brightness gain value, the larger the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP. The brightness of an image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA generated by applying a brightness gain value of 1 to the input image data IDATA may be equal to the brightness corresponding to the input image data IDATA, and the brightness of an image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA generated by applying a brightness gain value greater than 0 and less than 1 to the input image data IDATA may be less than the brightness corresponding to the input image data IDATA. In addition, the brightness of an image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA generated by applying a brightness gain value of 0 to the input image data IDATA may be the same as the black brightness.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) may include brightness gain values corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block.

[0071] The region compensator 200 may decrease the brightness gain values included in the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN ( Figure 3 ) as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. In an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may generate the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN by decreasing the brightness gain values of the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN (see Figure 6B ) and the second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN (see Fig.6D ) as the distance from the center of the reference block increases and obtaining the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN and the second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN (see Figure 6B and Fig.6D ). Accordingly, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) may include brightness gain values having values that decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. Accordingly, when the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the brightness of an image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA generated by applying the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figure 3 ) to the input image data IDATA may decrease as it moves away from the center of the reference block. A description of the configuration in which the region compensator 200 generates the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN (see Figures 3 to 7E ) will be made later with reference to Figure 3 .

[0072] However, the configuration in which the region compensator 200 generates the corrected image data CDATA is not limited thereto. For example, the region compensator 200 may generate the corrected image data CDATA by applying a predetermined look-up table (LUT) to the input image data IDATA. The look-up table may include luminance gain values corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block. Accordingly, the region compensator 200 generates the corrected image data CDATA by applying the look-up table including the luminance gain values to the input image data IDATA, such that when the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel DP may decrease as it moves away from the center of the reference block.

[0073] In Figure 1 FIGs. 1A and 1B, the region compensator 200 is shown as a configuration separate from the timing controller 110, and the region compensator 200 is described as correcting the input image data IDATA provided from an external source to generate the corrected image data CDATA and providing the corrected image data CDATA to the timing controller 110. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may be included in the timing controller 110, and the timing controller 110 including the region compensator 200 may generate the corrected image data CDATA by correcting the input image data IDATA provided from an external source.

[0074] As described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIGs. 1A and 1B, the region compensator 200 may correct the input image data IDATA based on the load value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block and / or the data change value of the input image data IDATA obtained for each unit block to generate the corrected image data CDATA, thereby performing region attenuation compensation for controlling the luminance differently according to the spatial position of the pixel PX. This region attenuation compensation may reduce the power consumption of the display device 1000.

[0075] In addition, as described above, the region compensator 200 may extract a reference block having the maximum load value of the input image data IDATA and / or the maximum data change value of the input image data IDATA obtained among the unit blocks Block1 to Block64, and when the grayscale values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, may perform region attenuation compensation for correcting the input image data IDATA so that the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP gradually decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block. In this case, the image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA may have the brightest brightness value in the region corresponding to the reference block among the display regions of the display panel DP, and may have a relatively dark brightness value in the region corresponding to the block arranged far from the reference block among the display regions of the display panel DP. At this time, since the user's eyes can focus on the region corresponding to the unit block (i.e., the reference block) having a large load value of the input image data IDATA and / or a large data change value of the input image data IDATA in the display region, even if region attenuation compensation is performed to reduce power consumption, the brightness corresponding to the region on which the user's eyes focus does not decrease, and thus deterioration of visibility can be prevented.

[0076] Figure 3 illustrates a region compensator 200 included in the display device 1000 shown in Figure 1 as shown in.

[0077] Referring to Figure 3 , in an exemplary embodiment, the region compensator 200 may include an image analysis unit 210, a brightness gain generation unit 220, a memory 230, and a data compensator 240. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the image analysis unit 210, the brightness gain generation unit 220, and the data compensator 240 may be implemented as a circuit. Accordingly, the image analysis unit 210 may also be referred to as an image analysis circuit, the brightness gain generation unit 220 may also be referred to as a brightness gain generation circuit, and the data compensator 240 may also be referred to as a data compensator circuit.

[0078] The image analysis unit 210 may obtain the load value L and / or the data change value DV of the input image data IDATA based on the input image data IDATA provided from an external source.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, the image analysis unit 210 may obtain the load value L and / or the data change value DV of the input image data IDATA for each unit block, and may provide the obtained load value L and / or data change value DV to the brightness gain generation unit 220.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the image analysis unit 210 may include a load calculator 211 (see Figure 4 ) and the data change calculator 212 (see Figure 4 ). It will be described later with reference to Figure 4 the load calculator 211 (see Figure 4 ) and the data change calculator 212 (see Figure 4 ).

[0081] The luminance gain generation unit 220 can generate a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN based on the load value L and / or the data change value DV provided by the image analysis unit 210 and the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN provided by the memory 230.

[0082] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can extract the reference block described with reference to Figure 1 and generate a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN including luminance gain values corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block. For example, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can generate a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN having luminance gain values that decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can control the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the magnitude of the load value L and / or the data change value DV of the obtained input image data IDATA. For example, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can increase the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block as the sum of the load value L of the obtained input image data IDATA and / or the sum of the data change value DV of the obtained input image data IDATA decreases. As another example, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can increase the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block as the load value L and / or the data change value DV corresponding to the reference block among the load value L and / or the data change value DV of the obtained input image data IDATA becomes smaller.

[0084] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain generation unit 220 can include a comparator 221 (see Figure 4 ) and a luminance gain controller 222 (see Figure 4 ). It will be described later with reference to Figure 4 and Figure 5 the comparator 221 (see Figure 4 ) and the luminance gain controller 222 (see Figure 4 ).

[0085] The memory 230 may store a predetermined reference luminance gain value R_GAIN. The reference luminance gain value R_GAIN may include a luminance gain value corresponding to a load value L and / or a data change value DV. A description of the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN will be made later with reference to 6A to 7E the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN.

[0086] The data compensator 240 may correct the input image data IDATA based on the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN provided by the luminance gain generation unit 220. In an exemplary embodiment, the data compensator 240 may correct the input image data IDATA by applying the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN to the input image data IDATA, thereby generating corrected image data CDATA. As described above with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2 When the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the luminance of the image displayed based on the corrected image data CDATA generated by applying the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN to the input image data IDATA may decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0087] Figure 4 FIG. shows an image analysis unit 210 and a luminance gain generation unit 220 included in the Figure 3 area compensator 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4 the load calculator 211 may obtain load values L1, L2,..., L64 based on the input image data IDATA corresponding to one frame (e.g., the current frame). The load values L1, L2,..., L64 may be substantially the same as the load value L described with reference to Figure 3 In an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 may be implemented as a circuit. Therefore, the load calculator 211 may also be referred to as a load calculator circuit herein.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 may divide the display panel DP into a plurality of unit blocks Block1 to Block64, and may obtain the load values L1, L2,..., L64 of the input image data IDATA corresponding to the unit blocks Block1 to Block64, respectively.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 may obtain load values L1, L2, …, L64 based on gray-scale values (e.g., the sum of gray-scale values, the average of gray-scale values, etc.) respectively corresponding to unit blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP from the input image data IDATA. For example, the load calculator 211 may obtain a first load value L1 corresponding to the first unit block Block1 from the gray-scale values of the pixels PX arranged in the first unit block Block1 among the gray-scale values of the pixels PX included in the input image data IDATA, and may obtain a second load value L2 corresponding to the second unit block Block2 from the gray-scale values of the pixels PX arranged in the second unit block Block2 among the gray-scale values of the pixels PX included in the input image data IDATA. Similarly, the load calculator 211 may obtain third load values L3 to sixty-fourth load values L64 respectively corresponding to the third unit block Block3 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64.

[0091] In an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 may obtain turn-on pixel ratios (OPR) respectively corresponding to unit blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP based on the input image data IDATA, and may obtain load values L1, L2, …, L64 based on the obtained turn-on pixel ratios for each unit block. The load calculator 211 may obtain the turn-on pixel ratio of a corresponding unit block based on the ratio of the pixels PX that emit light among the pixels PX arranged in the corresponding unit block for each unit block based on the input image data IDATA. For example, the load calculator 211 may obtain the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the first unit block Block1 based on the ratio of the pixels PX that emit light among the pixels PX arranged in the first unit block Block1 from the input image data IDATA to obtain a first load value L1 corresponding to the first unit block Block1, and may obtain the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the second unit block Block2 based on the ratio of the pixels PX that emit light among the pixels PX arranged in the second unit block Block2 to obtain a second load value L2 corresponding to the second unit block Block2. Similarly, the load calculator 211 may obtain third load values L3 to sixty-fourth load values L64 respectively corresponding to the third unit block Block3 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64.

[0092] The load calculator 211 can obtain load values L1, L2, …, L64 every predetermined frame period. In an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 can obtain load values L1, L2, …, L64 every one-frame period. However, the period at which the load calculator 211 obtains load values L1, L2, …, L64 is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the load calculator 211 can obtain load values L1, L2, …, L64 every two or more frame periods.

[0093] The data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 based on the input image data IDATA. For example, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 by comparing the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame with the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame. However, the method of obtaining data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 by the data change calculator 212 is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 by comparing the input image data IDATA corresponding to three or more frames including the current frame. The data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 can be substantially the same as the data change value DV described with reference to Figure 3 The data change calculator 212 can be implemented as a circuit in an exemplary embodiment. Therefore, the data change calculator 212 may also be referred to as a data change calculator circuit herein.

[0094] In an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 based on the load values of the input image data IDATA. For example, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 by comparing the load value of the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame with the load value of the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame. The load value can be substantially the same as the load values L1, L2, …, L64 (e.g., grayscale value or on-pixel ratio) obtained by the load calculator 211.

[0095] In an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 can divide the display panel DP into unit blocks Block1 to Block64, and can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 corresponding to the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 of the input image data IDATA, respectively.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 may obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 corresponding to unit blocks Block1 to Block64 respectively by comparing the load values (e.g., grayscale values or turn-on pixel ratios) of the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame and the load values (e.g., grayscale values or turn-on pixel ratios) of the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block from Block1 to Block64.

[0097] For example, the data change calculator 212 may obtain a first data change value DV1 by comparing the grayscale values of the pixels PX arranged in the first unit block Block1 among the grayscale values of the pixels PX included in the input image data IDATA between the current frame and the previous frame, and may obtain a second data change value DV2 by comparing the grayscale values of the pixels PX arranged in the second unit block Block2 among the grayscale values of the pixels PX included in the input image data IDATA between the current frame and the previous frame. Similarly, the data change calculator 212 may obtain third to sixty-fourth data change values DV3 to DV64 corresponding to the third unit block Block3 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64 respectively.

[0098] As another example, the data change calculator 212 may obtain the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame and the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame for the pixels PX arranged in the first unit block Block1, and may obtain a first data change value DV1 by comparing the obtained turn-on pixel ratios. In addition, the data change calculator 212 may obtain the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the input image data IDATA corresponding to the current frame and the turn-on pixel ratio corresponding to the input image data IDATA corresponding to the previous frame for the pixels PX arranged in the second unit block Block2, and may obtain a second data change value DV2 by comparing the obtained turn-on pixel ratios. Similarly, the data change calculator 212 may obtain third to sixty-fourth data change values DV3 to DV64 corresponding to the third unit block Block3 to the sixty-fourth unit block Block64 respectively.

[0099] The data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 every predetermined frame period. In an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 every one-frame period. However, the period at which the data change calculator 212 obtains the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the data change calculator 212 can obtain data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 every two or more frame periods.

[0100] The comparator 221 can compare the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 corresponding to the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 provided from the load calculator 211 and the data change calculator 212, and can generate a brightness gain control signal GC based on the comparison results of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64. In an exemplary embodiment, the comparator 221 can be implemented as a circuit. Therefore, the comparator 221 can also be referred to as a comparator circuit herein.

[0101] In an exemplary embodiment, the comparator 221 can determine whether to apply area attenuation compensation based on the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210.

[0102] For example, when the sum of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210 is less than a predetermined threshold, the comparator 221 can determine to apply area attenuation compensation. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, when the load value and / or the data change value of a reference block among the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210 is less than a predetermined threshold, the comparator 221 can determine to apply area attenuation compensation. When it is determined to apply area attenuation compensation, the comparator 221 can generate a brightness gain control signal GC based on the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210.

[0103] Alternatively, when the sum of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the comparator 221 may determine not to apply the region attenuation compensation. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, when the load value and / or the data change value of a reference block among the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 provided from the image analysis unit 210 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the comparator 221 may determine not to apply the region attenuation compensation. In an exemplary embodiment, when it is determined not to apply the region attenuation compensation, the comparator 221 does not generate the luminance gain control signal GC.

[0104] When it is determined to apply the region attenuation compensation, the comparator 221 may extract a reference block having the largest load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 among the unit blocks Block1 to Block64.

[0105] The comparator 221 may generate the luminance gain control signal GC based on the information about the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 and the information about the extracted reference block, and may provide the luminance gain control signal GC to the luminance gain controller 222.

[0106] The luminance gain controller 222 may generate a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN based on the luminance gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221 and the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN provided by the memory 230 (see Figure 3 ). In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain controller 222 may be implemented as a circuit. Therefore, the luminance gain controller 222 may also be referred to as a luminance gain controller circuit herein.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the luminance gain controller 222 may select one of the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN based on the information about the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64, and may generate the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN based on the selected reference luminance gain value R_GAIN and the information about the reference block included in the luminance gain control signal GC.

[0108] The reference luminance gain value R_GAIN may be predetermined based on the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64. For example, the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN may include a predetermined luminance gain value based on the sum of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 obtained for each unit block. As another example, the reference luminance gain value R_GAIN may include a predetermined luminance gain value based on the load value and / or the data change value of the reference block.

[0109] In an exemplary embodiment, when the comparator 221 determines that the area attenuation compensation is not to be applied, the luminance gain controller 222 does not receive the luminance gain control signal GC. Accordingly, the luminance gain controller 222 does not generate the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN, and the data compensator 240 (see Figure 3 ) may output the input image data IDATA as the corrected image data CDATA without correcting the input image data IDATA.

[0110] In an exemplary embodiment, the comparator 221 may generate a luminance gain control signal GC that controls the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the magnitudes of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 of the obtained input image data IDATA and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 of the input image data IDATA. Accordingly, the luminance gain controller 222 may control the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the luminance gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221.

[0111] For example, the comparator 221 may generate a luminance gain control signal GC that increases the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block as the sum of the load values L1, L2, …, L64 of the obtained input image data IDATA and / or the sum of the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 of the obtained input image data IDATA decreases. Accordingly, the luminance gain controller 222 may increase the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the luminance gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221.

[0112] In another example, the comparator 221 may generate a brightness gain control signal GC for increasing the degree to which the brightness gain value of the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block, among the load values L1, L2, …, L64 of the input image data IDATA obtained and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 of the input image data IDATA, corresponding to the reference block, such that the smaller the load value and / or the data change value corresponding to the reference block. Accordingly, the brightness gain controller 222 may increase the degree to which the brightness gain value of the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block, based on the brightness gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221.

[0113] Reference may be made to Figure 5 and FIG. 6A to FIG. 6E for a description of the operation of the brightness gain controller 222 (or the region compensator 200 (see Figure 3 )) in generating the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN.

[0114] Figure 5 FIG. shows a brightness gain controller 222 included in the brightness gain generation unit 220 shown in Figure 4 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A to FIG. 6E FIG. shows Figure 3 an example of an operation method of the region compensator 200 shown in

[0115] Referring to FIG. 6A to FIG. 6E , Fig. 6A and Figure 6C may show brightness gain curves corresponding to the relative spatial positions of the pixel PX in the first direction DR1 (see Figure 2 ) and the second direction DR2 (see Figure 2 ) of the display panel DP (see Figure 2 ), respectively, Figure 6B and Fig.6D may show a first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN and a second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN including brightness gain values corresponding to the distances in the first direction DR1 (see Figure 2 ) and the second direction DR2 (see Figure 2 ) from the center of the reference block, respectively, and Fig. 6E may show brightness gain values corresponding to the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 (or the spatial positions of the pixels PX arranged in the unit blocks Block1 to Block64) included in the display panel DP. Fig. 6E The display panel DP of Figure 2 may be substantially the same as the display panel DP described with reference to Fig. 6EIn [the figure], pixels PX arranged in unit blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP are shown as having the same brightness gain value (for example, the pixels PX arranged in the first unit block Block1 have the same brightness gain value of 0.9, and the pixels PX arranged in the sixty-fourth unit block Block64 have the same brightness gain value of 0.67). However, this is exemplarily shown for the convenience of better understanding and description, and according to an exemplary embodiment, the pixels PX arranged in each unit block may have different brightness gain values corresponding to each spatial position.

[0116] Hereinafter, it is assumed that the comparator 221 extracts the thirty-fourth unit block Block34 as the reference block.

[0117] Referring to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and FIG. 6A to FIG. 6E , the brightness gain controller 222 may include a selection unit SU, a first sub-brightness gain controller XGC, a second sub-brightness gain controller YGC, and an output unit OP. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the selection unit SU, the first sub-brightness gain controller XGC, the second sub-brightness gain controller YGC, and the output unit OP may be implemented as a circuit. Therefore, the selection unit SU may also be referred to as a selection circuit herein, the first sub-brightness gain controller XGC may also be referred to as the first sub-brightness gain controller circuit, the second sub-brightness gain controller YGC may also be referred to as the second sub-brightness gain controller circuit herein, and the output unit OP may also be referred to as an output circuit.

[0118] The selection unit SU may generate a first target brightness gain value X_T_GAIN, a first sub-brightness gain control signal X_GC, a second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN, and a second sub-brightness gain control signal Y_GC based on a predetermined reference brightness gain value R_GAIN and a brightness gain control signal GC.

[0119] The reference brightness gain value R_GAIN may include a predetermined reference brightness gain value R_GAIN corresponding to the first direction DR1 and a predetermined reference brightness gain value R_GAIN corresponding to the second direction DR2.

[0120] In an exemplary embodiment, the selection unit SU may, regardless of the position of the extracted reference block, select a first sub-reference brightness gain value X_R_GAIN corresponding to the first direction DR1 (see Figure 3 ) among the predetermined reference brightness gain values R_GAIN provided by the memory 230 (see Fig. 6A) and a second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN corresponding to the second direction DR2 (see Figure 6C ).

[0121] For example, when the comparator 221 (see Figure 4 ) generates a luminance gain control signal GC for increasing the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the sum of the load values L1, L2,..., L64 and / or the sum of the data change values DV1, DV2,..., DV64, the selection unit SU can select the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN (see Figure 4 ) and the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN (see Fig. 6A ) having relatively small values based on the luminance gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221 (see Figure 6C ).

[0122] As another example, when the comparator 221 (see Figure 4 ) generates a luminance gain control signal GC for increasing the degree to which the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block based on the load value and / or the data change value of the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) among the load values L1, L2,..., L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2,..., DV64, the selection unit SU can select the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN (see Figure 4 ) and the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN (see Fig. 6A ) having relatively small values based on the luminance gain control signal GC provided by the comparator 221 (see Figure 6C ).

[0123] In an exemplary embodiment, based on the information about the load values L1, L2,..., L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2,..., DV64 included in the luminance gain control signal GC, the selection unit SU can select, among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN, the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN corresponding to the maximum length in the first direction DR1 of the display panel DP, and can select, among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN, the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN corresponding to the maximum length in the second direction DR2 of the display panel DP. For example, as Fig. 6A and Figure 6CAs shown, based on the information about the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 included in the luminance gain control signal GC, the selection unit SU may select 0.5 among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN as the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN corresponding to the maximum length (e.g., 3840) in the first direction DR1 of the display panel DP among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN, and may select 0.5 among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN as the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN corresponding to the maximum length (e.g., 2160) in the second direction DR2 of the display panel DP.

[0124] The selection unit SU may obtain the luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 240, 480, …, 3840) of the pixel PX in the first direction DR1 based on the selected first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN, and may obtain the luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 540, 1080, …, 2160) of the pixel PX in the second direction DR2 based on the selected second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN.

[0125] In addition, the selection unit SU may generate a first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN and a second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN based on the information about the reference block included in the selected first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN, second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN, and the luminance gain control signal GC. The first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN and the second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN may be generated based on the relative spatial distances of the pixels PX arranged at the farthest distances in each of the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2 from the thirty-fourth unit block Block34 corresponding to the reference block (e.g., the spatial distance corresponding to 3360 which is 3840 minus 480 in the first direction DR1 and the spatial distance corresponding to 1080 which is 2160 minus 1080 in the second direction DR2). Accordingly, the selection unit SU may generate the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN having a value of 0.7 based on the luminance gain values (e.g., the luminance gain values (GAIN) included in the Fig. 6A graph shown). Similarly, the selection unit SU may generate the second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN based on the luminance gain values (e.g., the luminance gain values (GAIN) included in the Figure 6CThe luminance gain value (GAIN) in the graph shown in is used to generate a second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN having a value of 0.9.

[0126] When the selection unit SU selects the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN and the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN having relatively small values based on the luminance gain control signal GC generated by the comparator 221 (see Figure 4 ), the selection unit SU can generate a first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN and a second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN having relatively small values based on the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN and the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN.

[0127] The selection unit SU can provide the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN and the first sub-luminance gain control signal X_GC to the first sub-luminance gain controller XGC, and can provide the second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN and the second sub-luminance gain control signal Y_GC to the second sub-luminance gain controller YGC. The first sub-luminance gain control signal X_GC can include information about the luminance gain value (e.g., the luminance gain value (GAIN) included in the graph shown in Fig. 6A ) corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 240, 480,..., 3840) in the first direction DR1 of the pixel PX, and the second sub-luminance gain control signal Y_GC can include information about the luminance gain value (e.g., the luminance gain value (GAIN) included in the graph shown in Figure 6C ) corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 540, 1080,..., 2160) in the second direction DR2 of the pixel PX.

[0128] The first sub-luminance gain controller XGC can generate a first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN (e.g., the graph shown in Figure 6B ) including the luminance gain value corresponding to the distance in the first direction DR1 from the center of the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) based on the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN and the first sub-luminance gain control signal X_GC.

[0129] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-luminance gain controller XGC can include a plurality of first registers X_Register1 to X_Register16, and the plurality of first registers X_Register1 to X_Register16 can include a reference luminance gain curve of the luminance gain value according to the relative spatial position in the first direction DR1 of the reference block. As shown in Figure 6BAs shown, the first sub-brightness gain controller XGC can generate a first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN including brightness gain values corresponding to distances in a first direction DR1 from the center of a reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) by applying the brightness gain values included in the first target brightness gain value X_T_GAIN and the first sub-brightness gain control signal X_GC (e.g., the brightness gain values (GAIN) in the curve shown in Fig. 6A to the reference brightness gain curve stored in the first register corresponding to the reference block among the first registers X_Register1 to X_Register16. At this time, a brightness gain value having a value of 1 can be applied to the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34).

[0130] The second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN can also be generated similarly to the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN.

[0131] The second sub-brightness gain controller YGC can generate a second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN including brightness gain values corresponding to distances in a second direction DR2 from the center of a reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) based on the second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN and the second sub-brightness gain control signal Y_GC (e.g., Fig.6D the curve shown in).

[0132] In an exemplary embodiment, the second sub-brightness gain controller YGC can include a plurality of second registers Y_Register1 to Y_Register4, and the plurality of second registers Y_Register1 to Y_Register4 can include a reference brightness gain curve of brightness gain values according to the relative spatial position in the second direction DR2 of the reference block. As Fig.6D shown, the second sub-brightness gain controller YGC can generate a second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN including brightness gain values corresponding to distances in a second direction DR2 from the center of a reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) by applying the brightness gain values included in the second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN and the second sub-brightness gain control signal Y_GC (e.g., the brightness gain values (GAIN) in the curve shown in Figure 6C to the reference brightness gain curve stored in the second register corresponding to the reference block among the second registers Y_Register1 to Y_Register4. At this time, a brightness gain value having a value of 1 can be applied to the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34).

[0133] The output unit OP can generate a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN by obtaining a first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN and a second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN provided by a first sub-luminance gain controller XGC and a second sub-luminance gain controller YGC, respectively.

[0134] In an exemplary embodiment, for any pixel PX arranged in the display panel DP, the output unit OP can generate the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN by multiplying a value corresponding to the distance in a first direction DR1 from the center of a reference block to the any pixel PX in the first reference luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN by a value corresponding to the distance in a second direction DR2 from the center of the reference block to the any pixel PX in the second reference luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN, and by obtaining a luminance gain value applied to the any pixel PX. For example, for a pixel PX arranged in the eleventh unit block Block11, the output unit OP can obtain a luminance gain value of 0.81 applied to the pixel PX arranged in the eleventh unit block Block11 by multiplying 0.9, which is a luminance gain value corresponding to the forty-third unit block Block43 corresponding to the distance in the first direction DR1 from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34), by 0.9, which is a luminance gain value corresponding to the second unit block Block2 corresponding to the distance in the second direction DR2 from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34). In Fig. 6E this, the pixels PX arranged in the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP are shown to have the same luminance gain value (e.g., the pixel PX arranged in the eleventh unit block Block11 has the same luminance gain value of 0.81). However, this is shown exemplarily for the convenience of better understanding and description, and according to the exemplary embodiment, the pixels PX arranged in each unit block can have different luminance gain values corresponding to each spatial position.

[0135] As described with reference to Figure 3 above, the data compensator 240 (see Figure 3 ) can generate corrected image data CDATA by applying the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN generated by the output unit OP (or the luminance gain generation unit 220 (see Figure 3 )) to the input image data IDATA.

[0136] When the selection unit SU is based on the comparator 221 (see Figure 4)When generating the first target brightness gain value X_T_GAIN and the second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN with relatively small values using the generated brightness gain control signal GC, the degree of reduction of the brightness gain value included in the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN generated by the output unit OP may increase as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. Accordingly, the degree of reduction of the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP based on the corrected image data CDATA may increase as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

[0137] In an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN generated based on the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN and the second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN may have a Gaussian distribution in which the brightness gain value gradually decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. For example, as Fig. 6E shown, the brightness gain value may become smaller as the distance from the center of the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) increases.

[0138] In an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN may decrease non-linearly, and as the distance from the center of the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) increases, the rate of decrease of the brightness gain curve may increase. For example, as Figure 6B and Fig.6D shown, the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN and the second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN may be non-linear and may have a form in which the rate of decrease of the curve increases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. Accordingly, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN may also be non-linear and may have a form in which the rate of decrease of the curve increases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. However, the shape of the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN is not limited thereto. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN may decrease linearly.

[0139] In an exemplary embodiment, when the distance from the center of the reference block is the same, the brightness gain curve Z_GAIN may have the same brightness gain value. For example, as Figure 6B shown, in the case of the first sub-brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN, the same brightness gain value (e.g., the brightness gain value of 1 as Figure 6B shown) may be applied to positions (e.g., the positions corresponding to "1" and "720" as Figure 6B shown) that are at the same spatial distance (e.g., the spatial distance corresponding to "240" as Figure 6B shown) from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34). Similarly, as Fig.6D shown, in the case of the second sub-brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN, the same brightness gain value (e.g., as Fig.6D The luminance gain value of 0.96 shown in ( ) can be applied to positions that are at the same spatial distance from a reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34) (e.g., the spatial distance corresponding to "540" as shown in Fig.6D ). Fig.6D The positions corresponding to "540" and "2160" as shown in

[0140] Accordingly, the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN generated based on the first sub - luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN and the second sub - luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN can have the same luminance gain value when the distances from the centers of their reference blocks are the same. For example, the eighteenth unit block Block18 and the fiftieth unit block Block50, which are at the same distance from the reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34), can have the same luminance gain value (e.g., 0.96).

[0141] However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reduction rate of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN can have different values according to the direction away from the reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34). Reference can be made to 7A to 7E for a description of the configuration in which the reduction rate of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN has different values according to the direction away from the reference block.

[0142] 7A to 7E shows Figure 3 Another example of the operation method of the region compensator 200 shown in

[0143] Referring to 7A to 7E , Fig. 7A and Figure 7C can respectively show the luminance gain curves corresponding to the relative spatial positions in the first direction DR1 (see Figure 2 ) and the second direction DR2 (see Figure 2 ) of the display panel DP of the pixel PX (see Figure 2 ), Figure 7B and Fig.7D can respectively show the first sub - luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' and the second sub - luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' including the luminance gain values corresponding to the distances in the first direction DR1 (see Figure 2 ) and the second direction DR2 (see Figure 2 ) from the center of the reference block, and Fig. 7E can show the luminance gain values corresponding to the unit blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP (or the spatial positions of the pixels PX arranged in the unit blocks Block1 to Block64).

[0144] Referring to Fig. 6A , Figure 6C , Fig. 7A and Figure 7C , because except that Fig. 7A and Figure 7C the luminance gain curves shown therein have the same first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' and second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN' that are independent of the relative spatial position of the pixel PX, Fig. 7A and Figure 7C the luminance gain curves shown therein are substantially the same as or similar to the luminance gain curves shown in Fig. 6A and Figure 6C , redundant descriptions will not be repeated.

[0145] In addition, refer to Figure 6B , Fig.6D , Figure 7B and Fig.7D , because except that Figure 7B and Fig.7D the reduction rates of the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' and the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' shown therein have different values according to the direction away from the reference block, Figure 7B and Fig.7D the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' and the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' shown therein are substantially the same as or similar to the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN and the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN shown in Figure 6B and Fig.6D , redundant descriptions will not be repeated.

[0146] In addition, refer to Fig. 6E and Fig. 7E , because except that Fig. 7E the luminance gain values applied to the cell blocks Block1 to Block64 included in the display panel DP shown therein are different, Fig. 7E the display panel DP shown therein is substantially the same as or similar to the display panel DP shown in Fig. 6E , redundant descriptions will not be repeated.

[0147] Refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 and 7A to 7E, based on the information about the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 included in the luminance gain control signal GC, the selection unit SU can select, among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN, a first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN' that is independent of the length in the first direction DR1 of the display panel DP from the reference block, and can select, among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN, a second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN' that is independent of the length in the second direction DR2 of the display panel DP from the reference block. For example, as Fig. 7A shown, based on the information about the load values L1, L2, …, L64 and / or the data change values DV1, DV2, …, DV64 included in the luminance gain control signal GC, the selection unit SU can select 0.7 as the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN' among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN that is independent of the length in the first direction DR1 of the display panel DP from the reference block, and can select 0.7 as the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN' among the predetermined reference luminance gain values R_GAIN that is independent of the length in the second direction DR2 of the display panel DP from the reference block.

[0148] The selection unit SU can obtain a luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 240, 480, …, 3840) of the pixel PX in the first direction DR1 based on the selected first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN', and can obtain a luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position (e.g., 1, 540, 1080, …, 2160) of the pixel PX in the second direction DR2 based on the selected second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN. At this time, since the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN' can be set to be equal regardless of the length in the first direction DR1 from the reference block, the reduction rate of the luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position of the pixel PX with respect to the first direction DR1 can be different according to the length in the first direction DR1 from the reference block. Similarly, since the second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN' can be set to be equal regardless of the length in the second direction DR2 from the reference block, the reduction rate of the luminance gain value corresponding to the relative spatial position of the pixel PX with respect to the second direction DR2 can be different according to the length in the second direction DR2 from the reference block.

[0149] In addition, the selection unit SU can respectively generate a first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' and a second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN' that have the same values as the selected first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN' and second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN'. For example, as Fig. 7A and Figure 7C shown, the selection unit SU can respectively generate a first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' and a second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN' whose values are equal to the first sub-reference luminance gain value X_R_GAIN' and second sub-reference luminance gain value Y_R_GAIN' having a value of 0.7.

[0150] The first sub-luminance gain controller XGC can generate a first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' (for example, Figure 7B the curve graph shown) including luminance gain values corresponding to the distances in the first direction DR1 from the center of the reference block (for example, the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) based on the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' and the first sub-luminance gain control signal X_GC.

[0151] In an exemplary embodiment, as Figure 7B shown, the first sub-luminance gain controller XGC can generate the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' by applying the luminance gain values included in the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' and the first sub-luminance gain control signal X_GC to the reference luminance gain curve stored in the first register corresponding to the reference block among the first registers X_Register1 to X_Register16. In this case, the first sub-luminance gain controller XGC can set the luminance gain value to the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN' corresponding to the spatial positions of the pixels PX (for example, the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1 included in the display panel DP and the 3840th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1) at both ends of the display panel DP in the directions opposite to the first direction DR1 and the first direction DR1 starting from the center of the reference block. Accordingly, the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' can have different reduction rates according to the direction away from the reference block (for example, the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) in the first direction DR1 and the direction away in the opposite direction of the first direction DR1. For example, as Figure 7B shown, in the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN', the reduction rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block (for example, the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) in the first direction DR1 can be less than the reduction rate corresponding to the direction away in the opposite direction of the first direction DR1.

[0152] The second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' can also be generated in a similar manner to the first sub - brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN'.

[0153] The second sub - brightness gain controller YGC can generate a second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' (e.g., the curve shown in Fig.7D the graph) including brightness gain values corresponding to the distance in the second direction DR2 from the center of a reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34) based on a second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN' and a second sub - brightness gain control signal Y_GC.

[0154] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Fig.7D the second sub - brightness gain controller YGC can generate the second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' by applying the brightness gain values included in the second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN' and the second sub - brightness gain control signal Y_GC to a reference brightness gain curve stored in a second register corresponding to the reference block among the second registers Y_Register1 to Y_Register4. In this case, the second sub - brightness gain controller YGC can set the brightness gain value to the second target brightness gain value Y_T_GAIN' corresponding to the spatial positions of pixels PX (e.g., the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2 in the display panel DP and the 2160th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2) at both ends of the display panel DP in directions relative to the second direction DR2 and the opposite direction of the second direction DR2 starting from the center of the reference block. Accordingly, the second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' can have different reduction rates according to the direction away from the reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34) in the second direction DR2 and the direction away in the opposite direction of the second direction DR2. For example, as shown in Fig.7D the second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN', the reduction rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block (e.g., the thirty - fourth unit block Block34) in the second direction DR2 can be greater than the reduction rate corresponding to the direction away in the opposite direction of the second direction DR2.

[0155] The output unit OP can generate a brightness gain curve Z_GAIN by obtaining the first sub - brightness gain curve X_Z_GAIN' and the second sub - brightness gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' provided by the first sub - brightness gain controller XGC and the second sub - brightness gain controller YGC, respectively.

[0156] In an exemplary embodiment, the decreasing rate of the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN may vary according to the direction away from the center of the reference block. For example, as Figure 7B shown, in the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN', the decreasing rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) in the first direction DR1 may be less than the decreasing rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block in the opposite direction of the first direction DR1. However, the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' may have a value of 0.7 with the same luminance gain value (e.g., the first target luminance gain value X_T_GAIN') corresponding to the spatial positions of the pixels PX (e.g., including the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1 in the display panel DP and the 3840th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the first direction DR1 in the display panel DP) disposed at both ends of the display panel DP with respect to the first direction DR1 and the opposite direction of the first direction DR1 starting from the center of the reference block.

[0157] Similarly, as Fig.7D shown, in the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN', the decreasing rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) in the second direction DR2 may be greater than the decreasing rate corresponding to the direction away from the reference block in the opposite direction of the second direction DR2. However, the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' may have a value of 0.7 with the same luminance gain value (e.g., the second target luminance gain value Y_T_GAIN') corresponding to the spatial positions of the pixels PX (e.g., including the first pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2 in the display panel DP and the 2160th pixel PX among the pixels PX arranged in the second direction DR2 in the display panel DP) disposed at both ends of the display panel DP with respect to the second direction DR2 and the opposite direction of the second direction DR2 starting from the center of the reference block.

[0158] Accordingly, the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN generated based on the first sub-luminance gain curve X_Z_GAIN' and the second sub-luminance gain curve Y_Z_GAIN' may have different decreasing rates according to the direction away from the center of the reference block. For example, the nineteenth unit block Block19 and the forty-ninth unit block Block49, which are at the same distance from the reference block (e.g., the thirty-fourth unit block Block34) but in opposite directions away from the reference block, may have different luminance gain values (e.g., a luminance gain value of 0.9 corresponding to the nineteenth unit block Block19 and a luminance gain value of 0.49 corresponding to the forty-ninth unit block Block49).

[0159] As referred to above with respect to Figures 3 to 7EAs described, the region compensator 200 may extract a reference block having the maximum load value and / or data change value among unit blocks Block1 to Block64, and may perform region attenuation compensation for correcting the input image data IDATA such that the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel DP decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block. Accordingly, when performing region attenuation compensation to reduce power consumption, the brightness corresponding to the region on which the user's eyes are focused is not reduced, and thus deterioration of visibility can be prevented.

[0160] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing a driving method of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0161] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 8 , Figure 8 the driving method of the display device can be performed by Figure 1 the display device 1000.

[0162] Figure 8 the driving method can drive the display device 1000 including a display panel DP having a plurality of pixels PX, a display panel driver 100, and a region compensator 200. The display device 1000 can be substantially the same as Figure 1 the display device 1000.

[0163] First, Figure 8 the driving method can divide the display panel (e.g., Figure 2 the display panel DP) into a plurality of unit blocks (e.g., Figure 2 the plurality of unit blocks Block1 to Block64), and can obtain a load value of the input image data for the unit blocks (e.g., can obtain a load value for each unit block) (S810). The configuration for obtaining the load value of the input image data for the unit blocks can be substantially the same as the configuration of the image analysis unit 210 included in the region compensator 200 described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or the load calculator 211 included in the image analysis unit 210) for obtaining the load value L of the input image data IDATA based on the input image data IDATA provided from an external source.

[0164] Next, Figure 8 the driving method can extract a reference block having the maximum load value among the unit blocks (e.g., Figure 2 the unit blocks Block1 to Block64) (S820). The configuration for extracting the reference block can be the same as that included in the reference Figures 1 to 4The luminance gain generation unit 220 (or the comparator 221 included in the luminance gain generation unit 220) in the described area compensator 200 extracts a substantially identical configuration of the reference block based on the load value L provided by the image analysis unit 210.

[0165] Next, Figure 8 The driving method can generate corrected image data (S830) by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the load value obtained for each unit block. The configuration for generating the corrected image data can be substantially the same as that of the luminance gain generation unit 220 (or the luminance gain controller 222 included in the luminance gain generation unit 220) in the area compensator 200 described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 The luminance gain generation unit 220 in the described area compensator 200 (or the luminance gain controller 222 included in the luminance gain generation unit 220) generates a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN based on the load value L provided by the image analysis unit 210 and the predetermined reference luminance gain value R_GAIN provided by the memory 230, and the data compensator 240 can generate corrected image data CDATA by applying the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN provided by the luminance gain generation unit 220 to the input image data IDATA to correct the input image data IDATA.

[0166] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 8 The driving method can generate a luminance gain curve based on the reference block and the load value obtained for each unit block and generate corrected image data by applying the luminance gain curve to the input image data, and the luminance gain curve can include luminance gain values corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block.

[0167] Next, Figure 8 The driving method can display an image on the display panel (e.g., Figure 1 the display panel DP) based on the corrected image data (S840). In an exemplary embodiment, when the gray values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel (e.g., Figure 1 the display panel DP) can decrease as the distance from the center of the reference block increases. The configuration for displaying an image on the display panel can be substantially the same as that of the display panel DP described with reference to Figure 1 displaying an image based on the corrected image data CDATA (or the data signal DATA generated based on the corrected image data CDATA).

[0168] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing a driving method of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0169] Referring to Figure 1 and Fig. 9 , Fig. 9 The driving method of the display device can be Figure 1 executed by the display device 1000.

[0170] Fig. 9 The driving method can drive a display device 1000 including a display panel DP having a plurality of pixels PX, a display panel driver 100, and a region compensator 200. The display device 1000 can be substantially the same as Figure 1 the display device 1000.

[0171] First, Fig. 9 the driving method can divide the display panel (e.g., Figure 2 the display panel DP) into a plurality of unit blocks (e.g., Figure 2 the plurality of unit blocks Block1 to Block64), and can obtain a data change value of the input image data for the unit blocks (e.g., can obtain a data change value for each unit block) (S910). The configuration of obtaining the data change value of the input image data for each unit block can be substantially the same as the configuration in which an image analysis unit 210 (or a data change calculator 212 included in the image analysis unit 210) included in the region compensator 200 described in reference Figures 1 to 4 obtains the data change value DV of the input image data IDATA based on the input image data IDATA provided from an external source.

[0172] In an exemplary embodiment, Fig. 9 the driving method can obtain a load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block, can obtain a load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame for each unit block, and can obtain the data change value of the input image data for each unit block by comparing the load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame and the load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame.

[0173] Next, Fig. 9 the driving method can extract a reference block (e.g., Figure 2 the unit blocks Block1 to Block64) having the largest data change value among the unit blocks (S920). The configuration of extracting the reference block can be substantially the same as the configuration in which a luminance gain generation unit 220 (or a comparator 221 included in the luminance gain generation unit 220) included in the region compensator 200 described in reference Figures 1 to 4 extracts the reference block based on the data change value DV provided by the image analysis unit 210.

[0174] Next, Fig. 9The driving method can generate corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the data change value obtained for each unit block (S930). The configuration for generating the corrected image data can be substantially the same as the configuration in which the luminance gain generation unit 220 (or the luminance gain controller 222 included in the luminance gain generation unit 220) included in the region compensator 200 described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 generates a luminance gain curve Z_GAIN based on the data change value DV provided by the image analysis unit 210 and the predetermined reference luminance gain value R_GAIN provided by the memory 230, and the data compensator 240 can generate the corrected image data CDATA by applying the luminance gain curve Z_GAIN provided by the luminance gain generation unit 220 to the input image data IDATA to correct the input image data IDATA.

[0175] Next, Fig. 9 the driving method can display an image on the display panel (e.g., Figure 1 the display panel DP) based on the corrected image data (S940). In an exemplary embodiment, when the grayscale values included in the input image data IDATA are the same, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel (e.g., Figure 1 the display panel DP) can decrease as it moves away from the center of the reference block. The configuration for displaying an image on the display panel can be substantially the same as the configuration in which the display panel DP described with reference to Figure 1 displays an image based on the corrected image data CDATA (or the data signal DATA generated based on the corrected image data CDATA).

[0176] As is traditional in the field of the present invention, exemplary embodiments are described in terms of functional blocks, units, and / or modules and illustrated in the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that these blocks, units, and / or modules are physically implemented by electronic (or optical) circuits such as logic circuits, discrete components, microprocessors, hardwired circuits, memory elements, wiring connections, etc., which can be formed using semiconductor-based fabrication techniques or other manufacturing techniques. In the case where blocks, units, and / or modules are implemented by a microprocessor or the like, they can be programmed with software (e.g., microcode) to perform the various functions discussed herein, and optionally, they can be driven by firmware and / or software. Alternatively, each block, unit, and / or module can be implemented by dedicated hardware or as a combination of dedicated hardware that performs some functions and a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry) that performs other functions. Additionally, without departing from the scope of the present invention, each block, unit, and / or module of the exemplary embodiments can be physically divided into two or more interacting and discrete blocks, units, and / or modules. Further, without departing from the scope of the inventive concept, the blocks, units, and / or modules of the exemplary embodiments can be physically combined into more complex blocks, units, and / or modules.

[0177] As used herein, the term "circuit" may refer to an analog circuit or a digital circuit. In the case of a digital circuit, the digital circuit can be hardwired to perform the corresponding tasks of the circuit, such as a digital processor that executes instructions for performing the corresponding tasks of the circuit. Examples of such processors include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0178] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising: A display panel, the display panel including a plurality of pixels; An area compensation circuit, the area compensation circuit dividing the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, obtaining a load value of input image data for the unit blocks, extracting a reference block having the largest load value among the plurality of unit blocks, and generating corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the load value, wherein each of the load values corresponds to one of the unit blocks; and A display panel driver, the display panel driver generating a data signal for displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data, wherein when the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, The area compensation circuit generates the corrected image data by applying a brightness gain curve to the input image data, wherein the brightness gain curve includes a brightness gain value corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block, and wherein the area compensation circuit decreases the brightness gain value of the brightness gain curve as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, As the obtained load value corresponding to the reference block decreases, the area compensation circuit increases the degree to which the brightness gain value of the brightness gain curve decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

4. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, As the obtained sum of the load values for the unit blocks decreases, the area compensation circuit increases the degree to which the brightness gain value of the brightness gain curve decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

5. The display device according to claim 2, wherein, The area compensation circuit includes: An image analysis unit, the image analysis unit obtaining the load value of the input image data for the unit blocks; A brightness gain generation unit, the brightness gain generation unit generating the brightness gain curve based on the obtained load value for the unit blocks; and A data compensator, the data compensator generating the corrected image data by applying the brightness gain curve to the input image data.

6. The display device according to claim 5, wherein, The image analysis unit obtains the load value every predetermined frame period.

7. The display device according to claim 5, wherein The brightness gain generation unit includes: A comparator, the comparator comparing the obtained load values for the unit blocks and generating a control signal based on the comparison result of the load values; and A controller, the controller generating the brightness gain curve including the brightness gain value corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block based on the control signal.

8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein, The area compensation circuit generates the corrected image data by applying a predetermined look-up table to the input image data, and the look-up table includes a brightness gain value corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block.

9. A display device, comprising: A display panel, the display panel including a plurality of pixels; An area compensation circuit that divides the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks, obtains a data change value of input image data for the unit blocks, extracts a reference block having the largest data change value among the plurality of unit blocks, and generates corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the data change value, wherein each data change value in the data change values corresponds to one of the unit blocks; and A display panel driver that generates a data signal for displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data, wherein when the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

10. The display device according to claim 9, wherein, The area compensation circuit obtains the data change value of the input image data by comparing the load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame and the load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block.

11. A driving method of a display device, the display device including a display panel having a plurality of pixels, the driving method including: Dividing the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks; Obtaining a load value of input image data for the unit blocks, wherein each load value in the load values corresponds to one of the unit blocks; Extracting a reference block having the largest load value among the unit blocks; Generating corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the load value; and Displaying an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data, wherein when the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the luminance of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

12. The driving method according to claim 11, wherein, Generating the corrected image data includes: Generating a luminance gain curve based on the reference block and the obtained load value for the unit blocks; and Generating the corrected image data by applying the luminance gain curve to the input image data, wherein the luminance gain curve includes a luminance gain value corresponding to the distance from the center of the reference block, and wherein the luminance gain value of the luminance gain curve decreases as the distance from the center of the reference block increases.

13. A driving method of a display device, the display device including a display panel having a plurality of pixels, the driving method including: Dividing the display panel into a plurality of unit blocks; Obtaining a data change value of input image data for the unit blocks, wherein each data change value in the data change values corresponds to one of the unit blocks; Extracting a reference block having the largest data change value among the unit blocks; Generating corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the reference block and the data change value; and Display an image on the display panel based on the corrected image data. Wherein, when the gray values included in the input image data are the same, based on the corrected image data, the brightness of the image displayed on the display panel decreases as it moves away from the center of the reference block.

14. The driving method according to claim 13, wherein, Obtaining the data change value of the input image data includes: Obtaining the load value of the input image data corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block; Obtaining the load value of the input image data corresponding to the current frame for each unit block; and Obtaining the data change value of the input image data by comparing the load value corresponding to the current frame and the load value corresponding to the previous frame for each unit block.

Images