Visible light communication apparatus and method

A visible light communication apparatus, comprising:

• a display unit having a plurality of display blocks on which an image is to be displayed;
• a light source unit having a plurality of light source blocks which correspond respectively to the display blocks, wherein each of the light source blocks is configured to output an optical signal to a corresponding one of the display blocks;
• and
• a sensor unit that identifies a display block corresponding to a position of a terminal which touches or approaches the display unit,
• wherein the light source unit is configured to generate an optical signal by driving the light source block corresponding to the identified display block, wherein the driving is based on a data signal of a broadcast signal, and wherein the driving outputs the generated optical signal to the identified display block.

A visible light communication method, comprising:

• displaying an image on a display unit according to an image signal;
• detecting a terminal touching or approaching the display unit;
• detecting a region corresponding to a shape of the terminal that touches or approaches the display unit;
• converting the image signal such that an image displayed in the detected region is converted to a bright image having a gray level higher than a predetermined reference gray level;
• generating an optical signal by driving a light source based on a data signal;
• and
• outputting the generated optical signal to the display unit.

A visible light communication method, comprising:

• displaying an image on a display unit according to an image signal, the display unit having a plurality of display blocks;
• detecting a terminal touching or approaching any one of the display blocks;
• identifying a display block corresponding to a position of the touching or approaching terminal;
• generating an optical signal by driving a light source block that corresponds to the identified display block, wherein the driving is based on a data signal;
• and
• outputting the generated optical signal to the identified display block.