Patent ID: 8482698

Claim:
A high dynamic range display, comprising: an LCD panel; a set of LEDs disposed behind a plane of the LCD panel and positioned to backlight the LCD panel with an approximation of an image; a controller coupled to the set of LEDs configured to energize the set of LEDs so as to produce the image approximation, the controller energizing the set of LEDs with a Pulse-Width Modulation signal for each of individually controllable LEDs or groups of LEDs of the set of LEDs, the Pulse Width Modulation signal calculated based on an image signal comprising a desired image at a resolution lower than a resolution of the LCD panel; a power supply coupled to the set of LEDs and configured to maintain a supply voltage to the coupled LEDs in a range that provides a minimum amount supply voltage sufficient to cover peak demands of the set of LEDs when energized without creating a potential difference between the supply voltage and power utilized by the display which is greater than a maximum power dissipation capability of the power supply; a stack of optical films disposed between the set of LEDs and the LCD panel in an unconstrained manner so as to allow for heat related expansion, the stack of optical films comprising at least one diffuser that causes light from each of the individually controllable LEDs or groups of LEDs to spread into light from adjacent LEDs or groups of LEDs in an overlapping manner such that it causes the illumination on the LCD panel to vary smoothly, the light of the set of LEDs or groups of LEDs having a point spread function being mainly attributable to diffusion caused by the optical films stack; the controller coupled to the LCD panel and configured to energize the LCD panel based on an image signal comprising the desired image and accounting for the illumination on the LCD panel via a calculated or simulated illumination of the LCD panel; the LCD energization causing the LCD panel to further modulate the image approximation to produce the desired image; wherein the calculated or simulated illumination of the LCD panel is at a resolution equal or less than the resolution of the LCD panel.