Apparatus for driving a light source and liquid crystal display device using the same

1. A light source driving apparatus comprising:

a light source unit including a plurality of lamps to emit light, wherein the plurality of lamps are divided into a plurality of lamp groups; and

a light source driving unit that selectively drives the plurality of lamps in response to a luminance control signal and a selection signal, wherein the light source driving unit drives all the plurality of lamp groups for a maximum luminance, while the light source driving unit drives one of the plurality of lamp groups for a minimum luminance,

wherein the light source driving unit includes:

a plurality of inverters that each drive a respective one of the lamp groups,

a plurality of inverter controllers that each control a respective one of the inverters, and

a selector that selects between supplying inverter control signals simultaneously to the plurality of inverter controllers and supplying an inverter control signal to a respective one of the plurality of inverter controllers in response to the selection signal.

2. The light source driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selector selects between supplying inverter control signals having substantially a same luminance control value simultaneously to the plurality of inverter controllers and supplying an inverter control signal to a respective one of the plurality of inverter controllers in response to the selection signal.

3. The light source driving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selector selects between supplying inverter control signals having different luminance control values simultaneously to the plurality of inverter controllers and supplying an inverter control signal to a respective one of the plurality of inverter controllers in response to the selection signal.

4. A liquid crystal display (LCD) device comprising:

an LCD panel that displays images;

a light source unit including a plurality of lamps to supply light to the LCD panel, wherein the plurality of lamps are divided into a plurality of lamp groups; and

a light source driving unit that selectively drives the plurality of lamps in response to a luminance control signal and a selection signal, wherein the light source driving unit drives all the plurality of lamp groups for a maximum luminance, while the light source driving unit drives one of the plurality of lamp groups for a minimum luminance,

wherein the light source driving unit includes:

a plurality of inverters that each drive a respective lamp group of the plurality of the lamp groups,

a plurality of inverter controllers that each control a respective inverter of the plurality of inverters, and

a selector that selects between supplying inverter control signals simultaneously to the plurality of inverter controllers and supplying an inverter control signal to a respective one of the plurality of inverter controllers in response to the selection signal.

5. The LCD device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of inverter controllers are each supplied with a same luminance control signals.

6. The LCD device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of inverter controllers are each supplied with different luminance control signals.