Patent ID: 8228286

Claim:
A display device comprising: a display panel configured for displaying images corresponding to a plurality of sequential frames whose images are represented by received image signals; a light-emission block configured for supplying backlight to the display panel; and a backlight driver configured for outputting for each respective frame a corresponding backlighting level determining data signal that defines a corresponding backlighting-level-determining duty ratio for the frame, which ratio is used for determining a respective backlighting luminance level to be produced by the light-emission block for the respective frame, wherein the backlight driver stores definitions of a plurality of piecewise linear gamma curves relating the luminance level to the duty ratio, and wherein the backlight driver is configured to automatically select, for use during each respective frame, a respective one of the piecewise linear gamma curves in accordance with a running average image luminance factor that is determined for the respective frame on the basis of a prescribed number of two or more preceding frames, and wherein the duty ratio of the backlighting level determining data signal for a respective one of the plurality of sequential frames is determined on the basis of the selected piecewise linear gamma curve, where each of the piecewise linear gamma curves represents the relationship between the respective backlighting luminance level to be produced by the light-emission block for the respective frame and the corresponding duty ratio represented by the backlighting level determining data signal.