Method and apparatus for a flat panel display having reduced power consumption

An apparatus, comprising:

• a) a flat panel display having a matrix of liquid crystals, wherein said liquid crystals have a common node, wherein a pair of voltages applied to said common node helps determine the rms voltages that are applied to said liquid crystals, wherein said pair of voltages are tailored to bring a maximum rms voltage that is applied to said liquid crystals so as to fall along the lower knee of a transmittance vs. rms voltage curve that characterizes the performance of said liquid crystals;
• and
• b) a central processing unit (CPU) that can execute software that determines content to be displayed on said flat panel display.

A method comprising,

• applying alternating column voltages and alternating common voltages to a circuit that drives a liquid crystal, said alternating column voltages and said alternating common voltages producing rms voltages that are applied to said liquid crystal circuit over an operable rms voltage range, said alternating common voltages tailored to bound said operable rms voltage range so as not to extend beyond a lower knee region of a transmittance vs. rms voltage curve that characterizes the performance of said liquid crystal.