Patent ID: 7521879

Claim:
A backlight unit including a plurality of light emitting diodes, comprising: a plurality of light emitting diode groups in series; a current providing unit for providing a current to the plurality of light emitting diode groups; a current path control signal providing unit generating control signals, which are different from each other; current path controllers, wherein each of the current path controllers is in parallel connected to each of the light emitting diode groups for turning on and off the light emitting diode groups in accordance with the control signals; and a over-current protector suppressing a over-current input through last one of the current path controllers coupled with the current providing unit, wherein the current path control signal providing unit generates a first control signal for controlling a first light emitting diode group, a second control signal for controlling a second light emitting diode group, and a third control signal for controlling a third light emitting diode group, and wherein a phase of the first control signal is different from phases of the second and third control signals when the first light emitting diode group is turned on and the second and third light emitting diode groups are turned off, and the phase of the second control signal is the same as the phase of the third control signal.