Patent ID: 8067897

Claim:
A backlight assembly configured to supply light to a specified display panel which is divided into a plurality of selectively controllable dimming areas, where the backlight assembly comprises: a plurality of selectively controllable light generating blocks respectively corresponding to the dimming areas; and a plurality of driving units each capable of supplying selectively variable power that can selectively control brightness of light respectively generated by respective ones of two or more of the light generating blocks, wherein the light generating blocks are grouped into a plurality of light source groups each having a mutually exclusive subset of two or more adjacent ones of the selectively controllable light generating blocks, and wherein each of the driving units is respectively coupled to supply selectively variable power to at least two respective and non-adjacent light generating blocks included in a respective at least two of the light source groups, where between the respective and non-adjacent light generating blocks powered by the respective driving unit there is disposed at least one light generating block that is not powered by the respective driving unit.