JP2003091264A - Inspection method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection method capable of accurately inspecting a display control device within a short time without incurring an increase in inspection costs. SOLUTION: The invention relates to the method for inspecting the quality of the display control device 12 for outputting display data for displaying a picture, and the method is through letting the inspection device output the display data for displaying an inspection picture to the display control device 12 subjected to the inspection, counting data values of gradation data DA0-DA5 contained in the display data in synchronization with a standard clock signal CL contained in the display data, and comparing the count values with inspection standard values DC0-DC5 about the inspection picture, and discriminating the display control device 12 as satisfactory when the values coincide.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection method for a display control device which outputs display data to a display section, and an inspection device for inspecting the display control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a display unit mounted on a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine for displaying various display images is for displaying various display images on a display section composed of an LCD panel and the like. And the display control device of 1. are integrally packaged. in this case,
When manufacturing this display unit, it is necessary to inspect whether or not the display data is normally output from the display control device to the display section. Therefore, conventionally, display data for displaying an inspection image (for example, an animation image) is output from the display controller that has completed assembly to the inspection monitor, and whether the inspection image is normally displayed on the inspection monitor or not. Based on this, the operator visually inspects the display control device for quality.

[0003]

However, the conventional inspection method has the following problems. That is, in the conventional inspection method, the display control device to be inspected outputs the display data for displaying the inspection image to the inspection monitor, and the operator visually inspects the display control device. However, even if an inspection image with a gradation slightly different from the gradation that should be originally displayed is displayed on the inspection monitor due to a defect in the display control device, it is extremely difficult to visually inspect this defect. Difficult to do. Specifically, for example, the pixels forming the display unit are “R (Red)”, “G (Green)”, and “B”.
(Blue) ”3 pixels, 6 for each pixel
When it is possible to display 260,000 colors by designating any of the 4 gradations, the 63rd gradation is displayed for the pixel of "R" which should be specified. Even if the display data for designating the 62nd gradation is output due to the defect of the control device, the display color of the pixel is not the normal display color in the inspection image displayed on the inspection monitor. Almost unchanged. For this reason, it is very difficult for the operator to notice this and determine that the display control device has a defect. As described above, the conventional visual inspection method has a problem that defects of the display control device may be overlooked.

In this case, for example, a display control device to be inspected and a non-defective display control device are connected to both input parts of the comparator,
There is also known an inspection method for inspecting the quality by outputting display data for the same inspection image to both display control devices and comparing them. In this inspection method, the display control device to be inspected is determined to be non-defective when the display data output from both display control devices match. However, in this inspection method, since it is necessary to output the display data in perfect synchronization with each other, if the display data to be compared are output with a slight synchronization deviation, the display of the inspection target There is a problem in that it is erroneously determined that there is a defect in the control device. On the other hand, the display data output from the display control device to be inspected is temporarily stored in a memory or the like, and the stored display data is compared with the reference data for inspection absorbed from the display control device of a good product. A method of inspecting the target display control device is also conceivable. However, this inspection method requires a large-capacity memory for storing display data, and has a problem that it is difficult to reduce the inspection cost. In addition, this inspection method has a problem that it takes a long time to perform the inspection because it is necessary to perform the comparison process with the inspection reference data after performing the storage process of the display data.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an inspection method and an inspection apparatus capable of accurately inspecting a display control device in a short time without increasing the inspection cost. The main purpose.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an inspection method according to the present invention is an inspection method for inspecting the quality of a display control device for outputting display data for image display. Any of the inspection target data included in the display data in synchronization with the reference clock signal included in the display data, which causes the display control device to output the display data for the inspection image display. The data value of is counted, the count value is compared with the inspection reference value for the inspection image, and when they match, the display control device is determined to be a non-defective product.

Further, in the inspection method according to the present invention, in the inspection method, gradation data for specifying a gradation value for each pixel forming the inspection image by a plurality of bits is used as the inspection object data, and The data value is counted separately for each equal bit, and each count value is compared with the reference value for inspection set corresponding to each count value.

Further, in the inspection method according to the present invention, in the inspection method, gradation data for specifying a gradation value for each pixel forming the inspection image by a plurality of bits is used as the inspection object data, and each gradation value is Is counted, and the count value is compared with the inspection reference value set corresponding to the count value.

Further, in the inspection method according to the present invention, in the inspection method, the gradation data for at least one display line in the inspection image is the inspection object data.

Further, the inspection device of the present invention is an inspection device for inspecting the display control device according to the above inspection method, and comprises a counter for counting the data value of the inspection object data in synchronization with the reference clock signal. A storage unit that stores an inspection reference value for the inspection image, and a determination unit that determines the display control device as a non-defective product when the count value of the counter and the inspection reference value match and match. ing.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of an inspection method and an inspection apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration of a display unit U1 having a display control device 12 which is an example of the inspection object of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The display unit U1 is a device mounted on a game machine or the like for displaying various display images, and a display unit 11 and a display control device 12 are packaged in a box shape. The display unit 11 is not particularly limited, but as an example, a 5.6 inch color LC with 320 × 240 pixels is used.
It is composed of a D panel. The display unit 11 displays various display images in color based on the display data output from the display control device 12. Each pixel in the display unit 11 is composed of three pixels of “R”, “G”, and “B”, and any one of 64 gradations is designated for each pixel. It is configured to display all colors. The display control device 12 has a reference clock signal CL for displaying a display image on the display unit 11, a gradation generation clock signal GCP, and a display based on display image data and display procedure data generated by an external device. Data latch signal LP, waveform reset signal RES, polarity inversion signal F
RX, FRY and gradation data DA0-DA5 (DA0
And DA5 are the least significant bit and the most significant bit, respectively, and are collectively referred to as "gradation data DA" hereinafter).
Etc. (hereinafter, also collectively referred to as “display data”) are generated and output.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, various signals output as display data are pulse signals having a predetermined cycle. In the display unit U1 as a finished product, the reference clock signal CL is used for the display unit 11 to read the gradation data DA and the like. In the inspection device 1 described later, each data value of the gradation data DA0 to DA5 ( Hereinafter, it is also simply referred to as “value”). The grayscale generation clock signal GCP is applied to the display unit 1.
It is used to set the display voltage value for each pixel of each pixel in 1 (that is, the gradation for each pixel).
The gradation generating clock signal GCP is output 64 times at a predetermined cycle per output of the waveform reset signal RES. The display data latch signal LP is output in synchronization with one display line for the display unit 11, and its cycle is defined as 76 μs (the time required to output the grayscale data DA for one display line) as an example. Waveform reset signal R
ES is a signal for resetting the count value of the grayscale generation clock signal GCP, and is defined in the same cycle as the display data latch signal LP. The polarity inversion signals FRX and FRY are used as signals for inverting the polarity of each pixel every time the display unit 11 outputs the grayscale data DA for one display line.

The gradation data DA is data for defining each pixel of each pixel in the display unit 11 to an arbitrary gradation, and the gradation data DA0 to DA5 are one set and correspond to one pixel. 6-bit grayscale data (grayscale value indicating which grayscale among 64 grayscales)
Make up. In this case, in order to determine the display color of one pixel in the display unit 11, "R" in that pixel
One set of grayscale data DA is used for each pixel of "G" and "B" (that is, three sets of grayscale data DA for each pixel).

When the display image is actually displayed on the display unit 11, a driver IC (not shown) built in the display unit 11 receives the gradation generation clock signal GCP and the gradation data DA. The display voltage value (gradation) for each pixel in each pixel is determined by performing data processing based on the data. Specifically, the driver IC uses the waveform reset signal R
The count of the gradation generation clock signal GCP is started after the counter is reset according to the input of ES, and the gradation generation clock signal is generated by the gradation value (value indicating the voltage value) designated by the gradation data DA. A predetermined voltage is applied to the electrodes of each pixel until the GCP is counted. By executing this processing for each of the “R”, “G”, and “B” pixels, the pixel develops a predetermined display color. More specifically, for example, when the value of the gradation data DA for the “R” pixel of the predetermined pixels is “011010”,
The gradation of the "R" pixel is the 26th gradation of 64 gradations. Therefore, the driver IC uses the waveform reset signal RES to generate the grayscale generation clock signal GCP.
After the count value of is reset, it starts counting,
A predetermined voltage is applied to the electrode of the “R” pixel until the gradation generation clock signal GCP is counted 26 times.
By performing this process for both the "G" and "B" pixels, the pixel develops the display color designated by the gradation data DA for three sets.

Next, the structure of the inspection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inspection device 1 includes counters 2, 3a to 3f, a storage unit 4, a control unit 5, a display unit 6, and R.
It has an AM7 and a ROM8. The counter 2 counts the number of input display data latch signals LP and outputs count value data DCL indicating the count value to the control unit 5. The counters 3a to 3f individually count the respective values of the least significant bit DA0 to the most significant bit DA5 of the grayscale data DA in synchronization with the reference clock signal CL for each equal bit, and indicate the respective count values. The count value data DC0 to DC5 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “count value data DC”) are output to the control unit 5. The storage unit 4 stores the inspection reference data DS0 to D for the inspection image, which will be described later, absorbed from the non-defective display control device 12.
S5 (hereinafter collectively referred to as "inspection reference data DS") is stored. In this case, the inspection reference data DS is
Data indicating the inspection reference value in the present invention, which is display data for displaying an inspection image, is output from the non-defective display control device 12, and its gradation data DA0 to DA5.
Each of the values is composed of a count value obtained by separately counting in synchronization with the reference clock signal CL.

The control unit 5 corresponds to the determination unit in the present invention, and is indicated by the count value indicated by the count value data DC output from the counters 3a to 3f and the inspection reference data DS read out from the storage unit 4. The inspection reference value is compared with each other, and the quality of the display control device 12 is determined based on each comparison result. Specifically, the control unit 5 determines that the display control device 12 is a non-defective product when the count value indicated by the count value data DC and the inspection reference value value indicated by the inspection reference data DS all match. However, if any one of them does not match, it is determined that the display control device 12 is a defective product. The display unit 6 displays a display image (inspection image) based on the display data output from the display control device 12 to be inspected, and the control unit 5.
Display the discrimination result of. The RAM 7 temporarily stores the calculation result of the control unit 5, and the ROM 8 stores the operation program of the control unit 5.

Next, the display control device 1 by the inspection device 1
The inspection method for No. 2 will be described with reference to the drawings. The inspection image used at the time of inspection and the inspection reference data DS corresponding to the inspection image are assumed to be generated before the start of inspection.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the display control device 12 to be inspected is connected to the inspection device 1. Next, the display control device 12 is caused to output the display data for the inspection image. At this time, the inspection image based on the display data output from the display control device 12 is displayed on the display unit 6. Therefore, based on the inspection image displayed on the display unit 6, the operator can also perform the conventional visual inspection process in parallel. Next, as the display data is output by the display control device 12, the counter 2 starts counting the input display data latch signal LP.
At this time, the control unit 5 sets the gradation data DA0 to D for the counters 3a to 3f on condition that the first display data latch signal LP is counted by the counter 2.
Start counting each value of A5.

In this case, the counters 3a to 3f count the respective values of the gradation data DA0 to DA5 in synchronization with both the rising and the falling of the reference clock signal CL. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, when the reference clock signal CL rises (at t1 shown in FIG. 4).
Since the value of the gradation data DA is "100011", the counters 3a, 3b, 3f each count 1 at this time. Further, since the value of the grayscale data DA is "001010" at the time of the fall of the reference clock signal CL (at time t2 shown in the figure), the counters 3b and 3d count 1 each at this time. Furthermore, t
At the next rise of the reference clock signal CL at 2 o'clock (at t3 shown in the same figure), the value of the gradation data DA is "0100".
Since it is "00", only the counter 3e is set to 1 at this time.
To count. As a result, at the next fall of the reference clock signal CL at the time of t3 (at the time of t4 shown in the figure), each of the counters 3a to 3f is set to "2".
"2""1""1""1""2" is counted. After that, the counters 3a to 3f synchronize with the rising and falling edges of the reference clock signal CL to generate the grayscale data DA0.
Continue counting each value of ~ DA5.

On the other hand, the control unit 5 controls the counter 2 to
When the second display data latch signal LP is counted and the count value data DCL indicating that is output, a reset signal SR is output to each of the counters 3a to 3f. In response to this, the counters 3a to 3f respectively output the count values until the reset signal SR is input to the control unit 5 as count value data DC0 to DC5 (hereinafter, also collectively referred to as "count value data DC"). At the same time, the count value is reset and the grayscale data DA
Count values from 0 to DA5. Next, the control unit 5 reads the inspection reference data DS from the storage unit 4, and at the same time, outputs each inspection reference value indicated by the read inspection reference data DS and each count value indicated by the count value data DC. Compare for each equal bit. In this case, when any of the grayscale data DA0 to DA5 is not normally output, the count value for the grayscale data DA and the inspection reference value are different values. At this time, the control unit 5 determines that the display control device 12 has some kind of defect, displays the fact on the display unit 6, and ends the inspection process. In this case, the gradation data DA0 to DA
Even if an abnormality occurs in any one of 5, the count value of the value is different from the reference value for inspection, and thus it is difficult to perform inspection by the conventional inspection method in which the inspection image is visually inspected. It is possible to reliably inspect even a slight gradation shift.

When all the grayscale data DA0 to DA5 are normally output, the count value for each grayscale data DA matches all the corresponding inspection reference values. Therefore, the control unit 5 controls the counters 3a to 3f.
Since the respective count values of 1 and the reference values for inspection indicated by the reference data for inspection DS all match, it is determined that the grayscale data DA0 to DA5 have been normally output. After this, the gradation data DA by the counters 3a to 3f
The count processing for 0 to DA5 and the comparison processing of the count value and the inspection reference value are repeatedly executed. Further, the display data latch signal LP is set to 2 by the counter 2.
When counted 40 times, the control unit 5 performs a count process on the grayscale data DA0 to DA5 for one screen,
The reset signal SR is output to the counter 2 on the assumption that the comparison processing of each count value and the reference value for inspection is completed. As a result, the count value of the counter 2 is reset, and the inspection of the display control device 12 to be inspected is completed. At this time, when all the count values and the inspection reference value match, the control unit 5 causes the display unit 6 to display that the display control device 12 is non-defective, and at least one of them matches. If not, the display unit 6 displays that the display control device 12 is defective.

As described above, according to the inspection apparatus 1, each count value of the values of the grayscale data DA by the counters 3a to 3f is compared with each inspection reference value indicated by the inspection reference data DS. And display control device 12
By determining whether the display control device 12 is good or bad, for example, even a slight gradation shift, which is difficult to be inspected by the conventional visual inspection method, can be surely inspected. Can be inspected. Further, unlike the conventional inspection method using the comparator, the inspection reference data DS is simply absorbed in advance from the non-defective display control device 12, and at the time of inspection, synchronization with other data is performed. Since the inspection can be performed based on the display data output from the display control device 12 to be inspected, the quality of the display control device 12 can be accurately and easily inspected. Further, unlike the inspection method in which the display data is temporarily stored in the memory or the like, the memory for storing the display data is not required, so that the manufacturing cost of the inspection device can be reduced. In addition, since the display data output from the display control device 12 to be inspected can be inspected in real time, the inspection time can be shortened.

Further, according to the inspection apparatus 1, the respective values of the gradation data DA0 to DA5 are individually counted by the counters 3a to 3f, and the respective count values indicated by the respective count value data DC0 to DC5 are obtained. By comparing each of the inspection reference values indicated by the inspection reference data DS0 to DS5 with each other and inspecting the quality of the display control device 12, for example, the count value data DC0 to D
The count value data DC0 to DC5 is identified as defective by comparing with the pass / fail judgment of the display control device 12 based on the total of the count values of C5 and the inspection reference value corresponding to the total value. In addition to being able to perform, it is possible to more accurately determine the quality of the display control device 12.
Further, according to the inspection apparatus 1, the inspection accuracy is improved by comparing the count value and the inspection reference value while the display data latch signal LP is output once (that is, for one display line). It is possible to inspect the quality of the display control device 12 in a short time without lowering the display quality. Further, according to the inspection device 1, by displaying the inspection image based on the display data output from the display control device 12 on the display unit 6, it is difficult to perform the inspection by the counting process of the grayscale data DA0 to DA5. Items can be done in parallel by visual inspection by the operator. In this case, various data and various signals other than the gradation data DA0 to DA5 can be inspected by comparing the count value of the value or the input number with the inspection reference value corresponding to the count value. is there. Therefore, when all the display data are inspected by the inspection device, it is not necessary to display the inspection image on the display unit 6.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, the gradation data D is used as the inspection target data in the present invention.
Although the example using A has been described, the type of inspection target data is not limited to this. However, as described above, since the gradation data DA is data that defines a gradation that is difficult to visually inspect, it is preferable to inspect the gradation data DA by the inspection device 1. Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, each value of the gradation data DA0 to DA5 is counted by the counter 3.
Although an example of separately counting by a to 3f has been described, for example, by providing a counter that counts the gradation value indicated by the entire gradation data DA, this count value and this count value The quality of the display control device 12 may be inspected by comparing it with a corresponding inspection reference value. According to this configuration, since the gradation value represented by the count value data DC0 to DC5 can be counted by one counter, the manufacturing cost of the inspection device 1 can be reduced, and thus the inspection cost can be reduced. In the embodiment of the present invention, the value of the grayscale data DA is counted in synchronization with both the rising and falling timings of the reference clock signal CL, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the reference clock signal CL is not limited to this. Grayscale data D in synchronization with either the rising edge or the falling edge of
The value of A may be counted.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which the count value of the grayscale data DA for one display line and the reference value for inspection are compared has been described. The quality of the display controller 12 may be inspected based on the count value of 1 or the count value of the grayscale data DA for one screen. In the embodiment of the present invention, the example in which the count value data DC is generated and the counters 3a to 3f are reset when the display data latch signal LP is input has been described, but the waveform reset signal RES and the polarity inversion are performed. Generation of count value data DC based on various signals such as signals FRX and FRY, and counter 3
You may perform reset with respect to a-3f.

[0029]

As described above, according to the inspection method of the present invention, the display control device to be inspected is caused to output the display data for displaying the inspection image, and the reference contained in the display data is used. The data value of any of the inspection target data included in the display data is counted in synchronization with the clock signal, the count value is compared with the inspection reference value for the inspection image, and when they match, the display control device By distinguishing as a non-defective product, it is possible to reliably detect even a slight defect that was difficult to inspect by a conventional visual inspection.
The quality of the display control device can be accurately inspected. Moreover, since the inspection of the display control device can be executed in real time based on the display data output from the display control device to be inspected, the inspection time can be shortened. Furthermore, as a result of eliminating the need for a memory for storing display data, the cost of the inspection device can be reduced, and the inspection cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the inspection method of the present invention, the gradation data for specifying the gradation value of each pixel constituting the inspection image by a plurality of bits is used as the inspection object data, and the gradation data is obtained for each equal bit in the plurality of bits. By individually counting the data values and comparing each count value with the inspection reference value set corresponding to each count value, the quality of the display control device can be accurately inspected.

Further, according to the inspection method of the present invention,
The counter is obtained by counting each gradation value with the gradation data specifying the gradation value of each pixel forming the inspection image by a plurality of bits as the inspection target data and comparing the count value with the inspection reference value. Since only one is required, the cost of the inspection device and the inspection cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the inspection method of the present invention, the gradation data for at least one display line in the inspection image is used as the inspection target data, so that the display accuracy can be reduced in a short time without lowering the inspection accuracy. The quality of can be inspected.

Further, according to the inspection device of the present invention,
When the counter that counts the data value of the inspection target data in synchronization with the reference clock signal, the storage unit that stores the inspection reference value for the inspection image, and the counter count value and the inspection reference value that match and match Since the display control device is provided with the discriminating section for discriminating the display control device from the non-defective product, the quality of the display control device can be accurately inspected in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a display unit U1 which is an example of an inspection target of an inspection device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a data configuration diagram showing a configuration of various display data output from the display control device 12 to the display unit 11.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an inspection device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a reference clock signal CL and gradation data DA0 to D
It is a timing chart which shows the relationship with A5.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Inspection device 2,3a-3f counter 4 memory 5 control unit 11 Display 12 Display control device CL reference clock signal DC0 to DC5 count value data DA0 to DA5 gradation data DS0-DS5 inspection standard data FRX, FRY Polarity inversion signal GCP gradation generation clock signal LP display data latch signal RES waveform reset signal SR reset signal U1 display unit

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 2G036 AA19 AA27 AA28 BA33 BB12                       CA10                 2H088 FA11 FA30 MA20                 5C006 AA22 AF53 BB11 BF14 BF22                       EB01 FA51                 5C080 AA10 BB05 CC03 DD15 DD27                       EE32 JJ02 JJ04 KK52

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An inspection method for inspecting the quality of a display control device for outputting display data for image display, comprising outputting the display data for inspection image display to the display control device to be inspected. Then, the data value of one of the inspection target data included in the display data is counted in synchronization with the reference clock signal included in the display data, and the inspection of the count value and the inspection image is performed. An inspection method for comparing the display control device with a reference value for use and discriminating the display control device as a non-defective product when they match. 2. The gradation data for specifying the gradation value of each pixel forming the inspection image by a plurality of bits is used as the inspection target data, and the data value is separately counted for each equal bit in the plurality of bits. Then, the inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the respective count values are compared with the inspection reference values set corresponding to the respective count values. 3. The gradation value that specifies the gradation value of each pixel forming the inspection image by a plurality of bits is set as the inspection target data, and each gradation value is counted to obtain the count value and the count value. The inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the inspection reference value set correspondingly is compared. 4. The inspection method according to claim 2, wherein the inspection target data is gradation data for at least one display line in the inspection image. 5. An inspection device for inspecting the display control device according to the inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the data value of the inspection target data is counted in synchronization with the reference clock signal. A counter, a storage unit that stores an inspection reference value for the inspection image, and a determination unit that determines the display control device as a non-defective product when the count value of the counter and the inspection reference value match each other. Inspection device equipped with.