US Patent 7916218 Image display apparatus and method

An image display apparatus and method are provided. The image display apparatus includes an external light detection module which detects an intensity of external illumination; a storage module which stores a plurality of light emitting unit control values; and a control module which selectively performs, according to a result of a determination, a lightness compensation operation for compensating a lightness of a light emitting unit and a visibility adjustment operation for adjusting the visibility of the original input image. The method includes detecting an intensity of external illumination; determining whether a visibility of an original input image can be ensured according to an input light emitting control value and the detected external illumination intensity; and selectively performing, according to the determination, a lightness compensation operation for compensating a lightness of a light emitting unit and a visibility adjustment operation for adjusting the visibility of the original input image.