阅读说明：本技术 液晶显示装置及其控制方法 (Liquid crystal display device and control method thereof ) 是由 西原康友 藤堂英男 大原幸一 半田卓也 道林浩司 于 2019-06-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种液晶显示装置及其控制方法,所述液晶显示装置具备：显示部、由多个光源构成的背光源、基于显示同步信号以光源间歇地点亮的方式输出PWM信号(LED控制信号)的LED控制电路、以及基于PWM信号控制向光源供给的驱动电流的LED驱动器,在所述液晶显示装置中设置有以PWM信号、驱动电流、以及显示同步信号中的至少一个为监视对象进行监视的监视控制部。监视控制部在检测到监视对象的异常时,控制PWM信号的波形,以使被供给至背光源内的光源的驱动电流为零。(The invention provides a liquid crystal display device and a control method thereof, the liquid crystal display device comprises: the liquid crystal display device includes a display unit, a backlight including a plurality of light sources, an LED control circuit that outputs a PWM signal (LED control signal) so that the light sources are intermittently turned on based on a display synchronization signal, and an LED driver that controls a drive current supplied to the light sources based on the PWM signal. When an abnormality of a monitoring target is detected, a monitoring control unit controls the waveform of a PWM signal so that a drive current supplied to a light source in a backlight is zero.)

1. A liquid crystal display device is characterized by comprising:

a display unit that displays an image;

a light source that irradiates the display unit with light;

a light source control unit that outputs a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio so that the light source is intermittently turned on based on a display synchronization signal;

a light source driving unit that controls a driving current supplied to the light source based on a PWM signal output from the light source control unit; and

and a monitoring control unit that monitors at least one of the PWM signal, the drive current, and the display synchronization signal as a monitoring target, and controls a waveform of the PWM signal so that the drive current supplied to the light source becomes zero when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,

a display driving unit for driving the display unit based on an image signal and the display synchronization signal,

the light source control section is provided in the display drive section.

3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2,

the display device includes a host that supplies the image signal and the display synchronization signal to the display driving unit.

4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3,

the monitoring control unit is provided in the host.

5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit and the light source driving unit when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3,

the monitor control unit is provided in the display driving unit.

7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit, the light source driving unit, and the host computer when detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target.

8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 3,

the monitoring control unit is provided in the light source driving unit.

9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 8,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit, the light source driving unit, and the host computer when detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target.

10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit and the light source driving unit when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

11. The liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

the monitoring control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the monitoring target when the on period of the PWM signal is longer than a predetermined period.

12. The liquid crystal display device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,

the monitoring control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the monitoring target when the driving current is used as the monitoring target and the state where the magnitude of the driving current is equal to or greater than a predetermined magnitude continues for longer than a predetermined period.

13. A method for controlling a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal display device comprising:

a display unit that displays an image;

a light source that irradiates the display unit with light;

a light source control unit that outputs a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio so that the light source is intermittently turned on based on a display synchronization signal; and

a light source driving section that controls a driving current supplied to the light source based on a PWM signal output from the light source control section,

the method for controlling a liquid crystal display device is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a monitoring step of monitoring at least one of the PWM signal, the drive current, and the display synchronization signal as a monitoring target; and

and a control step of controlling a waveform of the PWM signal so that a drive current supplied to the light source becomes zero when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

Technical Field

The following disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display device and a control method thereof.

Background

In a liquid crystal display device, color display is performed by additive color mixing of three primary colors. Therefore, in the projection type liquid crystal display device, a backlight capable of irradiating white light including a red component, a green component, and a blue component to the liquid crystal panel is required. In the backlight source, a cold cathode tube called CCFL has been widely used. However, in recent years, from the viewpoints of reduction in power consumption, ease of luminance control, and the like, the use of LEDs (Light Emitting diodes) has been increasing.

In such a liquid crystal display device, in order to suppress occurrence of motion blur (a phenomenon of image blur when displaying a motion image), a driving method (hereinafter, referred to as "pulse backlight driving") of intermittently lighting an LED as a backlight light source is sometimes employed. According to the impulse backlight drive, a black screen is inserted by turning off the LED, and thus generation of a moving image blur is suppressed.

In connection with the present application, the following prior art documents are known. Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2016-129098 discloses a technique for preventing ringing in an LED driving device that performs PWM control of an LED using a boost chopper circuit. In the monograph of international publication No. 2015/041012, a technique for dynamically controlling the luminance of a backlight in accordance with image data is disclosed. Japanese patent application laid-open publication No. 2011-216876 discloses a technique for suppressing flickering of a screen of a liquid crystal display device including an LED driving device that performs PWM control of LEDs.

However, in a liquid crystal display device using the pulse backlight driving, abnormal heat generation of the LED may occur. Abnormal heat generation of the LED may cause deformation and ignition of various sheets (optical sheets and the like) constituting the backlight and the plastic frame, for example. This will be explained below.

In a liquid Crystal display device using the pulse backlight drive, an LED control circuit 92 that outputs an LED control signal Lctl for performing PWM control of LEDs is provided inside an lcd (liquid Crystal display) driver, for example, and the LED control circuit 92 outputs the LED control signal Lctl to an LED driver 93 that controls a drive current supplied to LEDs based on a display synchronization signal SY transmitted from a host 91 (see fig. 13). In this manner, in order to synchronize the lighting period of the LED as the backlight light source with the display period of the image, the lighting/non-lighting of the LED is controlled based on the display synchronization signal SY. The LED control signal Lctl is a so-called PWM signal, and alternately repeats a high level state and a low level state. The LED control signal Lctl is applied to a gate terminal of a transistor (assumed to be of an n-channel type) provided in the LED driver 93, and when the LED control signal Lctl is in a high level state, the transistor is turned on to supply a drive current to the LED.

Under the above-described premise, the display synchronization signal SY may not be normally input to the LED control circuit 92 due to any connection failure, ESD (electrostatic discharge), or the like. At this time, the LED control signal Lctl is maintained at a high level as shown by a portion denoted by reference numeral 95 in fig. 14, depending on the timing. In this case, the driving current is continuously supplied to the LED.

However, when dimming of the LED is performed by PWM control by a configuration not employing pulse backlight driving, the magnitude of the driving current is fixed to a constant magnitude during the period in which the driving current is supplied to the LED. That is, the brightness of the LED is adjusted with the duty ratio of the PWM signal. Here, the magnitude of the drive current is equal to or less than the magnitude of the LED allowable forward current at a duty ratio of 100%. Therefore, even if the duty ratio becomes an unexpected value, a drive current exceeding the absolute rating of the LED does not flow through the LED.

In contrast, when the pulsed backlight driving is adopted, the duty ratio of the PWM signal (the LED control signal Lctl) is constant, and a driving current having the magnitude of the allowable forward current under the duty ratio condition is supplied to the LED. For example, when the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the allowable forward current is as shown in fig. 15, the drive current of only 35mA can be supplied to the LED when the duty ratio is 100%, but the drive current of 100mA can be supplied to the LED when the duty ratio is 10%. On the premise as described above, when a drive current of 100mA is supplied to the LED at a duty ratio of 10%, if the PWM signal is fixed at a high level due to any abnormality, the drive current of 100mA is continuously supplied to the LED. As a result, abnormal heat generation of the LEDs occurs as described above, and as a result, deformation and ignition of the components of the backlight occur.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

Therefore, it is desirable to prevent abnormal heat generation of the LED in the liquid crystal display device employing the pulsed backlight driving.

Means for solving the problems

(1) A liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes:

a display unit that displays an image;

a light source that irradiates the display unit with light;

a light source control unit that outputs a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio so that the light source is intermittently turned on based on a display synchronization signal;

a light source driving unit that controls a driving current supplied to the light source based on a PWM signal output from the light source control unit; and

and a monitoring control unit that monitors at least one of the PWM signal, the drive current, and the display synchronization signal as a monitoring target, and controls a waveform of the PWM signal so that the drive current supplied to the light source becomes zero when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

According to such a configuration, the monitoring control unit monitors and controls at least one of the PWM signal of the light source, the drive current supplied to the light source, and the display synchronization signal. When an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected, the waveform of the PWM signal is controlled so that the drive current supplied to the light source becomes zero. Therefore, even if the PWM signal is fixed at the on level due to any abnormality, the PWM signal is immediately fixed at the off level. Therefore, a large current does not flow through the light source for a long time, thereby preventing abnormal heat generation of the light source. Here, the light source control unit outputs a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio so as to intermittently light the light source. Namely, pulsed backlight driving is employed. In the above, abnormal heat generation of the light source in the liquid crystal display device employing the pulsed backlight driving is prevented.

(2) In addition, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a display driving unit that drives the display unit based on an image signal and the display synchronization signal in addition to the configuration of the above (1),

the light source control unit is provided in the display driving unit.

(3) In addition to the configuration of (2), the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a host computer that supplies the image signal and the display synchronization signal to the display driving unit.

(4) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure (3) above,

the monitoring control unit is provided in the host.

(5) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure of (4) above,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit and the light source driving unit when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

(6) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure (3) above,

the monitor control unit is provided in the display driving unit.

(7) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure of (6) above,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit, the light source driving unit, and the host computer when detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target.

(8) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure (3) above,

the monitoring control unit is provided in the light source driving unit.

(9) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure of (8) above,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit, the light source driving unit, and the host computer when detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target.

(10) Further, the liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure (2) described above,

the monitoring control unit initializes the display driving unit and the light source driving unit when an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

(11) Further, a liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure according to any one of the above (1) to (10),

the monitoring control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the monitoring target when the on period of the PWM signal is longer than a predetermined period, with the PWM signal being the monitoring target.

(12) Further, a liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes the structure according to any one of the above (1) to (10),

the monitoring control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be monitored when the driving current is applied to the object to be monitored and the state where the magnitude of the driving current is equal to or greater than a predetermined magnitude continues for longer than a predetermined period.

(13) A method for controlling a liquid crystal display device according to some embodiments of the present invention includes: a display unit that displays an image; a light source that irradiates the display unit with light; a light source control unit that outputs a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio so that the light source is intermittently turned on based on a display synchronization signal; and a light source driving unit that controls a driving current supplied to the light source based on a PWM signal output from the light source control unit, the method of controlling the liquid crystal display device including:

a monitoring step of monitoring at least one of the PWM signal, the drive current, and the display synchronization signal as a monitoring target; and

and a control step of controlling a waveform of the PWM signal so that a drive current supplied to the light source becomes zero when the abnormality of the monitoring target is detected.

Effects of the invention

The above and other objects, features, aspects and effects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a liquid crystal display device according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device in all the embodiments.

Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the display unit in all the embodiments.

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a pixel formation portion in all embodiments.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of waveforms of LED control signals in all the embodiments.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the backlight in all the embodiments.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the LED driver in all the embodiments.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram for explaining a configuration for fixing the LED control signal at a low level in the first embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the effects of the first embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the effects of the first embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a block diagram for explaining a conventional example.

Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining a problem of the conventional example.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the duty ratio of the PWM signal and the allowable forward current.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

< 0. first >)

< 0.1 Overall Structure >

Before each embodiment is described in detail, the common matters in all embodiments will be described. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device in all the embodiments. As shown in fig. 2, the liquid crystal display device includes a main body 10, a liquid crystal panel 20, a backlight 30, and an LED driver 40. The liquid crystal panel 20 includes a display section 200 and an LCD driver 210. The LCD driver 210 is mounted on a glass substrate constituting the liquid crystal panel 20 in the form of an IC chip. The LED driver 40 is mounted on a substrate for the backlight 30 as an IC chip, for example. The host 10, the LED driver 40, and the LCD driver 210 have reset terminals, and are configured to be initialized when reset signals are applied to the reset terminals, respectively. The liquid crystal display device can be applied to, for example, a mobile phone such as a smartphone and a head mount display.

As shown in fig. 3, a plurality of source bus lines (video signal lines) SL and a plurality of gate bus lines (scanning signal lines) GL are arranged in the display portion 200. A pixel formation portion 5 (see fig. 4) for forming a pixel is provided at each intersection of the source bus lines SL and the gate bus lines GL. That is, the display section 200 includes a plurality of pixel formation sections 5. As shown in fig. 4, each pixel formation portion 5 includes: a TFT (pixel TFT)50 as a switching element which connects a gate terminal to a gate bus line GL passing through a corresponding intersection and connects a source terminal to a source bus line SL passing through the intersection; a pixel electrode 51 connected to the drain terminal of the TFT 50; a common electrode 54 and an auxiliary capacitance electrode 55 provided in common to the plurality of pixel formation portions 5; a liquid crystal capacitor 52 formed by the pixel electrode 51 and the common electrode 54; and an auxiliary capacitor 53 formed by the pixel electrode 51 and the auxiliary capacitor electrode 55. The liquid crystal capacitor 52 and the auxiliary capacitor 53 constitute a pixel capacitor 56.

The operation of the components shown in fig. 2 will be described below. The host computer 10 outputs image data DAT and a display synchronization signal SY as a timing signal to the liquid crystal panel 20. The display synchronization signal SY is composed of a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal. The transmission of the image data DAT and the display synchronization signal SY from the host computer 10 to the liquid crystal panel 20 is performed via a MIPI interface ("MIPI" registered trademark). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transmission of the image data DAT and the display synchronization signal SY may be performed via an interface other than the MIPI interface.

The LCD driver 210 drives the display unit 200 based on the image data DAT and the display synchronization signal SY (more specifically, as described later, a gate driver applies a scanning signal to each gate bus line GL, and a source driver applies a driving video signal to each source bus line SL). The LCD driver 210 also outputs an LED control signal Lctl to the LED driver 40 based on the display synchronization signal SY. However, the liquid crystal display device employs a pulsed backlight drive. Therefore, LED control signal Lctl outputted from LCD driver 210 to LED driver 40 is a PWM signal in which a high level state and a low level state are alternately repeated at a constant cycle (see fig. 5).

The backlight 30 is configured by a plurality of LEDs 300 for irradiating the display unit 200 with light, as schematically shown in fig. 6, for example. The LED driver 40 controls supply/non-supply of the driving current to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 according to the duty ratio of the LED control signal Lctl. The LED driver 40 also realizes a light source driving unit. The duty ratio of the LED control signal Lctl is set to 10%, for example. In this case, if it is assumed that the relationship between the duty ratio of the LED control signal Lctl and the allowable forward current is as shown in fig. 15, a drive current of 100mA is supplied to the LED300 while the LED control signal Lctl is at the high level. While the LED control signal Lctl is at the low level, no drive current is supplied to the LED 300. As described above, the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 blink (intermittently light up) in accordance with the duty ratio of the LED control signal Lctl.

As described above, the display unit 200 displays an image corresponding to the image data DAT by operating the components. Here, as described above, the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 are turned on and off in accordance with the duty ratio of the LED control signal Lctl, and a black screen is inserted to suppress the occurrence of moving image blur.

< 0.2LCD driver architecture >

Next, details of the LCD driver 210 will be explained. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing one configuration example of the LCD driver 210. The configuration shown in fig. 7 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in fig. 7, the LCD driver 210 includes a timing control circuit 211, a display memory 212, a gate driver 213, a source driver 214, and an LED control circuit 215.

The timing control circuit 211 controls the operations of the gate driver 213, the source driver 214, and the LED control circuit 215 based on the display synchronization signal SY transmitted from the host computer 10. The image data DAT transmitted from the host computer 10 is stored in the display memory 212. The gate driver 213 applies the scanning signal G to each gate bus line GL under the control of the timing control circuit 211. The source driver 214 refers to the image data DAT stored in the display memory 212, and applies the driving video signal V to each source bus line SL under the control of the timing control circuit 211. The LED control circuit 215 outputs an LED control signal Lctl, which is a PWM signal having a constant duty ratio, based on the control of the timing control circuit 211.

In addition, a display driving section is realized by the LCD driver 210, and a light source control section is realized by the LED control circuit 215.

< 0.3 feature >

Next, features common to all the embodiments will be explained. The liquid crystal display device in all the embodiments is provided with a monitoring control unit that monitors at least one of the LED control signal Lctl, the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30, and the display synchronization signal SY as a monitoring target. When an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected, the monitoring control unit controls the waveform of the LED control signal Lctl so that the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 becomes zero. The first to third embodiments will be described in detail below.

< 1. first embodiment >

< 1.1 Structure >

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a liquid crystal display device according to a first embodiment. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the monitoring control unit 100 is provided in the host computer 10.

The monitoring control unit 100 monitors the LED control signal Lctl or the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 as a monitoring target. When the monitoring target is the LED control signal Lctl, the monitoring control unit 100 continuously measures the signal level of the LED control signal Lctl, for example, and counts the period during which the signal level is maintained at the high level. When the count value thus obtained is larger than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target. In this manner, when the LED control signal Lctl is the monitored object, the monitoring control unit 100 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitored object when the on period (period maintained at the high level) of the LED control signal Lctl, which is the PWM signal, is longer than a predetermined period. When the monitoring target is the drive current, the monitoring control unit 100 continuously measures the magnitude of the drive current based on, for example, the voltage across both ends of the resistor provided in the path of the drive current, and counts the period during which the magnitude of the drive current becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined magnitude. When the count value thus obtained is larger than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target. In this way, when the monitoring target is the drive current, the monitoring control unit 100 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target when the state where the magnitude of the drive current is equal to or larger than the predetermined magnitude continues for longer than the predetermined period.

When detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target, the monitoring control unit 100 forcibly fixes the state of the LED control signal Lctl to a low level so that the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 is zero. In this regard, as shown in fig. 8, the liquid crystal display device is provided with a TFT62, a TFT62 is configured such that a gate terminal is connected to the monitor control unit 100, a drain terminal is connected to the wiring 61 between the LCD driver 210 and the LED driver 40, and a source terminal is grounded. When an abnormality of the monitoring target is detected, the monitoring control unit 100 turns on the TFT 62. Thereby, the LED control signal Lctl is fixed at the low level.

The monitoring control unit 100 also applies the reset signal R to the LCD driver 210 and the LED driver 40 after the LED control signal Lctl is fixed at the low level. Thereby, the LCD driver 210 and the LED driver 40 are initialized (restarted).

< 1.2 Effect >

According to the present embodiment, the state of the LED control signal Lctl or the supply state of the drive current to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 is monitored by the monitoring control unit 100 provided in the host computer 10. When the state of supplying the driving current to the LED300 continues for longer than a predetermined period, the state of the LED control signal Lctl is forcibly fixed at a low level, and the LCD driver 210 and the LED driver 40 are restarted. Therefore, for example, even if the LED control signal Lctl is fixed at a high level due to an abnormality of the MIPI interface, such as a stop of the operation of the LCD driver 210, the state of the LED control signal Lctl is immediately fixed at a low level. For example, according to the conventional example, as shown in fig. 9, when an abnormality occurs at a certain time point t1, the LED control signal Lctl is maintained at a high level. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 10, even if an abnormality occurs at a certain time point t1, the LED control signal Lctl can be changed from the high level state to the low level state at a time point t2 by the control of the monitoring control unit 100. Therefore, a large current does not flow through the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 for a long time, and abnormal heat generation of the LEDs 300 is prevented. Here, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment employs pulse backlight driving. As described above, according to the present embodiment, abnormal heat generation of the LED300 in the liquid crystal display device using the pulsed backlight driving can be prevented.

< 2. second embodiment >

< 2.1 Structure >

Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 11, the monitor control unit 217 is provided in the LCD driver 210.

The monitoring control unit 217 monitors the LED control signal Lctl, the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30, and the display synchronization signal SY as the monitoring target. When the monitored object is the LED control signal Lctl, the monitoring control unit 217 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitored object when the on period (period maintained at a high level) of the LED control signal Lctl, which is the PWM signal, is longer than a predetermined period, as in the first embodiment. When the monitoring target is the drive current, the monitoring control unit 217 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target when the state where the magnitude of the drive current is equal to or larger than the predetermined magnitude continues for longer than the predetermined period, as in the first embodiment. When the monitoring target is the display synchronization signal SY, the monitoring control unit 217 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target when, for example, the signal level of the display synchronization signal SY is kept constant for a period longer than a predetermined period.

When detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target, the monitoring control unit 217 forcibly fixes the state of the LED control signal Lctl at a low level so that the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 becomes zero. Further, the monitoring control unit 217 applies a reset signal R to the LED driver 40. Thereby, the LED driver 40 is initialized (restarted). Further, the monitoring control unit 217 applies a reset signal R to the host computer 10. Thereby, the host computer 10 is initialized (restarted). Further, the monitor control unit 217 initializes (restarts) the LCD driver 210.

< 2.2 Effect >

In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, abnormal heat generation of the LED in the liquid crystal display device driven by the pulsed backlight can be prevented.

< 3. third embodiment >

< 3.1 Structure >

Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the liquid crystal display device according to the third embodiment. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the monitoring control unit 41 is provided in the LED driver 40.

The monitoring control unit 41 monitors the LED control signal Lctl or the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 as a monitoring target. When the monitored object is the LED control signal Lctl, the monitoring control unit 41 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitored object when the on period (period maintained at the high level) of the LED control signal Lctl, which is the PWM signal, is longer than a predetermined period, as in the first embodiment. When the monitoring target is the drive current, the monitoring control unit 41 determines that an abnormality occurs in the monitoring target when the state where the magnitude of the drive current is equal to or larger than the predetermined magnitude continues for longer than the predetermined period, as in the first embodiment.

When detecting an abnormality of the monitoring target, the monitoring control unit 41 forcibly fixes the state of the LED control signal Lctl at a low level so that the drive current supplied to the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30 becomes zero. Further, the monitor control unit 41 applies a reset signal R to the LCD driver 210. Thereby, the LCD driver 210 is initialized (restarted). Further, the monitoring control unit 41 applies a reset signal R to the host computer 10. Thereby, the host computer 10 is initialized (restarted). Further, the monitoring control unit 41 initializes (restarts) the LED driver 40.

< 3.2 Effect >

In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, abnormal heat generation of the LED in the liquid crystal display device driven by the pulsed backlight can be prevented.

< 4. other >)

In each of the above embodiments, a monitoring control unit is provided in any one of the host computer 10, the LCD driver 210, and the LED driver 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any two or all of the host computer 10, the LCD driver 210, and the LED driver 40 may be provided with a monitoring control unit. This makes it possible to more accurately detect an abnormality and more accurately prevent abnormal heat generation of the LEDs 300 in the backlight 30. In addition, a monitoring control unit may be provided in a place other than "the host 10, the LCD driver 210, and the LED driver 40".

The present invention has been described in detail, but the above description is illustrative in all aspects and is not intended to limit the present invention. It is to be understood that various other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.