BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a backlight apparatus, and more particularly to a direct-type backlight apparatus.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional direct-type backlight apparatuses use a plurality of light sources (e.g. Light Emitting Diode, LED) disposed uniformly to provide back light, e.g. for liquid crystal panels. These light sources are usually controlled to emit light under the same operation condition, e.g. driven by the same current. When the luminous efficiency of some light sources decays, the uniformity of the back light will be insufficient. It is possible to replace the LEDs with decayed luminous efficiency directly for overcoming this problem. However, it is quite inconvenient. For this issue, there are some solutions by which the light sources can be controlled to emit light individually. They usually use a plurality of light source drivers. Each light source driver can control several light sources to operate. Thereby, the uniformity of the backlight can be adjusted by controlling each light source through the corresponding light source driver. However, if the light source drivers and the light sources are disposed on different carrier boards, they need to be connected by a cable in principle. The quantity of the conductors of the cable will be proportional to the quantity of the light sources, which increases the assembly difficulty. For a reduction in the quantity of the conductors, it is practicable to dispose the light source drivers and the light sources on the same carrier board and use another control board to transmit control data to the light source driver. In general, the light source drivers on the same carrier board use the same signal loop on which the light source drivers are electrically connected in series, so that the control flexibility on the operation of the light sources reduces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a backlight apparatus, of which light source drivers and light sources are disposed on the same circuit board. The light source drivers are connected in series by several signal loops. Thereby, the design of the backlight apparatus can reduce the quantity of conductors of a connection cable used in the backlight apparatus and is flexible to the control of the light sources.

A backlight apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention includes a circuit board, a plurality of first light sources, a first light source driver, a plurality of second light sources, a second light source driver, a connector, a connection cable, and a control board. The first light sources are disposed on the circuit board. The first light source driver is disposed on the circuit board and electrically coupled to the first light sources. The second light sources are disposed on the circuit board. The second light source driver is disposed on the circuit board and electrically coupled to the second light sources. The connector is disposed on the circuit board and has a first connection port, a second connection port, a third connection port, and a fourth connection port. The first connection port, the first light source driver, and the second connection port are electrically coupled in series. The third connection port, the second light source driver, and the fourth connection port are electrically coupled in series. The control board connects to the circuit board through the connection cable. The control board outputs electrical power, a first data stream, and a second data stream through the connection cable. Therein, the first light source driver receives the first data stream through the first connection port. The first light source driver transmits the first data stream to the second connection port. The first light source driver decodes the first data stream to control the first light sources to emit light accordingly. The second light source driver receives the second data stream through the third connection port. The second light source driver transmits the second data stream to the fourth connection port. The second light source driver decodes the second data stream to control the second light sources to emit light accordingly.

A backlight apparatus of another embodiment according to the present invention includes a circuit board, a connection cable, and a control board. The circuit board includes a plurality of first light sources and a plurality of second light sources disposed thereon. The circuit board further includes a first light source driver disposed thereon and electrically coupled to the first light sources. The circuit board further includes a second light source driver disposed thereon and electrically coupled to the second light sources. The control board connects to the circuit board through the connection cable to output electrical power, a first data stream and a second data stream through the connection cable. Therein, the control board includes a first mating connection port and a second mating connection port to be electrically coupled with the first light source driver in series through the connection cable for respectively outputting and receiving the first data stream. The control board further includes a third mating connection port and a fourth mating connection port to be electrically coupled with the second light source driver in series through the connection cable for respectively outputting and receiving the second data stream. The first light source driver receives the first data stream from the first mating connection port through the connection cable and transmits the first data stream to the second mating connection port through the connection cable. The first light source driver further decodes the first data stream to control the first light sources to emit light accordingly. The second light source driver receives the second data stream from the third mating connection port through the connection cable and transmits the second data stream to the fourth mating connection port through the connection cable. The second light source driver further decodes the second data stream to control the second light sources to emit light accordingly.

Thereby, the backlight apparatus according to the present invention can control the operation of the first and second light sources individually. The control of the light sources can be achieved by use of less conduction ports of the connection cable than the quantity of the light sources. Furthermore, the first light source drivers are electrically connected in series in a different signal loop from that in which the second light source drivers are electrically connected in series. The first and second light source drivers receive the data streams through the corresponding signal loops. Thereby, the control flexibility on the light sources is improved. In other words, the design of the backlight apparatus according to the present invention can reduce the quantity of ports of a connection cable used in the backlight apparatus and is flexible to the control of the light sources.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

