JP2003255854A - Method for manufacturing display device, and manufacturing device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for writing EDID information to a ROM 18 provided in a liquid crystal display device 12 and performing a writing operation process in succession with image inspection by using one and the same device. <P>SOLUTION: This method comprises: a test data selection step for selecting image test data for inspecting an image on the liquid crystal display 12; a serial number reading step for reading a serial number; an E-EDID information writing step for accessing prescribed manufacturing data in E-EDID information corresponding to the image test data from an image inspection device and writing the accessed prescribed manufacturing data, the read serial number, and the present manufacturing year and week measured by a timer as E-EDID information in the ROM 18; and an image inspection step for inspecting the image on the basis of the selected image test data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an EE in a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device and a CRT.
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for writing DID information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The Video Electronics Standards Committee (Video Electronics Statistical Committee), which promotes the standardization of video-related technologies and establishes and supports standards for graphics environments.
andards Association (VESA) exists.

The VESA newly announced four standard specifications relating to computer displays on February 1, 2000.

The first standard specification is Enhanced Extended Id
entification Data (E-EDID). This E-EDI
D defines a data format for transmitting the display function and ID to the host computer, and the data is composed of 128 bytes.

The second standard specification is Enhanced Display Dat
a Channel (E-DDC), which is a specification for defining a communication channel between a display and a host computer, and data is bidirectionally exchanged. The configuration setting and control are performed using this channel, and the existing DDC is expanded so that a large amount of data can be handled.

The third standard specification is VESA Generalized Tim.
ing Formula (GTF), and this GTF is defined with respect to a method for generating display timing, and it is not necessary to fix or preset the refresh rate of the display.

The fourth standard specification is Video Signal Standar
d (VSIS), which standardizes analog video signals and is compatible with the development of displays and graphics cards.

[0008]

Recently, a manufacturer has appeared which writes the E-EDID information described above in a liquid crystal display device for sale. The reason is this E-EDI
This is because the history of the liquid crystal display device can be determined by writing the D information.

Then, in order to store the E-EDID information in the liquid crystal display device, an R signal is applied to the drive circuit of the liquid crystal display device.
An OM IC is provided.

As a method of storing this, the E-EDID information is written to the product which has completed the liquid crystal display device and passed the image inspection.

However, in order to write this E-EDID information, the number of steps for connecting the writing device again and for inputting the type of the liquid crystal display device again increases, resulting in an increase in work steps. There is a point.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a display device in which the manufacturing history data can be written in the display device without increasing the work steps.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a serial number, a manufacturing year week, and specification data of a display device are stored in a recording medium provided in a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, and a CRT. In a method of manufacturing a display device for writing manufacturing history data, including a test data selecting step of selecting image test data stored in the image inspection device and adapted to the display device, in order to perform an image inspection of the display device. , A manufacturing number reading step of reading the manufacturing number of the display device, and of the manufacturing history data regarding the display device corresponding to the selected image test data, the specification data is called from the image inspection device, and the called specification data and , The read manufacturing number and the current manufacturing year / week measured by the timer of the image inspection apparatus are previously recorded as manufacturing history data. A method of manufacturing a display device, comprising: a manufacturing history data writing process of writing the data on a recording medium; and an image inspection process of performing an image inspection of the display device by the image inspection device with the selected image test data. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the type of the display device corresponding to the selected image test data is the type for writing the manufacturing history data, the reading step is performed and the manufacturing history data is not written. The method of manufacturing a display device according to claim 1, wherein the image inspection step is performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the manufacturing history data is already written in the recording medium, the manufacturing history data reading step of reading the manufacturing history data recorded in the recording medium, and the reading operation. A determining step of determining whether the manufacturing history data is normal or abnormal, and when the manufacturing history data is normal, overwrites the read manufacturing history data with the current manufacturing year and week measured by the image inspection apparatus. 2. The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 1, further comprising: performing the image inspection step and performing the manufacturing history data writing step if the manufacturing history data is abnormal.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a plurality of image test data corresponding to each type of display device and a first memory unit in which the display size data corresponding to each of the plurality of image test data are accumulated, A second memory unit that stores the manufacturing number, a timer that measures year / week data, an interface unit that is connected to the display device, and each stored in the first memory unit and the second memory unit. An apparatus for manufacturing a display device, comprising: a control unit for transmitting data and the year / week data to the interface.

In the present invention, the writing of manufacturing history data and the image inspection can be processed as a series of steps using a common image inspection apparatus, so that the production efficiency can be dramatically improved.

In the present invention, the manufacturing history data includes manufacturing number data of the display device, manufacturing year / week data, and specification data for identifying the type of the display device. The manufacturing number data is a serial number given to the display device by a format such as a barcode sticker prior to the manufacturing process of the present invention. However, the method is not limited to this, and a method of storing the serial number in the ROM-IC of the display device may be used. The manufacturing year / week data is the manufacturing year data and manufacturing week data (1 to
53 weeks and 54 weeks for leap years), and the year / week data measured by the timer of the inspection device at the time of the manufacturing history data writing step of the present invention is written in the storage medium of the display device. The specification data includes vertical and horizontal size data of the screen of the display device, data of various recommended timings (horizontal display period, horizontal blanking, vertical display period, vertical blanking, etc.), and the like. It is configured by a combination of data capable of identifying the product type (model number of the display device managed by the display device manufacturer). The combination of the specification data can be changed according to a request from the user, but it is preferable that the combination of specification data conforms to a standardized model code such as E-EDID specification. The E-EDID specification is generally available as described above.

The image test data is composed of various timing signals for driving the display device, image data, etc., and a plurality of types of test data corresponding to different types of screen sizes, operation timings, drive voltages, etc. are provided in the inspection device. It is stored in a first memory unit such as a drive such as a hard disk built in the HDD. The operator of the inspection device confirms the type (model number) of the display device to be inspected with a sticker attached to the display device, and the file name of the test data displayed on the monitor of the inspection device (file name of the same format as the model number). (Displayed as), select the file name that matches the model number of the inspection target.

When the file name of the test data is selected, the file of the selected test data is selected from the specification data stored in the first memory section such as the hard disk drive also built in the inspection apparatus. The specification data of the file name that matches the name (that is, the file name that matches the model number of the display device to be inspected) is programmed to be automatically selected. The selected specification data are the manufacturing number data and the timer which have been taken in the second memory unit which is already configured in the inspection device by the storage device such as the RAM (random access memory) in the manufacturing history writing process. It is sent to the interface unit together with the year and week data measured by and is taken into the storage medium of the display device. The test data and the specification data may be stored in separate hard disk devices built in the inspection device.

In the image inspection step, the display device is driven by the selected test data, and the lighting state thereof is visually inspected or observed with a camera or the like to inspect the presence or absence of display defects. The image data included in the test data can be any image data according to the type of the image pattern (entire lighting, checkered pattern display, etc.) used for the inspection and the display order. Further, the individual hardware itself (control device, storage device, interface unit) constituting the inspection device system can use configurations well known to those skilled in the art, and various configurations are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can be taken.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a process of writing an image inspection and manufacturing history data of a liquid crystal display device 12 using an image inspection device 10 of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described based on. In this embodiment, the E-ED
The manufacturing history data is configured according to the ID specifications.

(1) Configuration of Liquid Crystal Display Device 12 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the image inspection device 10 and the liquid crystal display device 12.

In the present embodiment, the display device 1 to be inspected
2 is composed of a well-known TFT liquid crystal module. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a driving circuit board 14 provided on the back side of a liquid crystal cell 13 in which liquid crystal is sealed between two glass substrates including a TFT array is provided with a scanning line drive for driving the TFT array. A controller IC (not shown) that distributes control signals such as image data and other clock signals input from the outside toward a peripheral drive circuit IC configured by a circuit and a signal destination drive circuit is mounted.
A ROM 18 for storing DID information is also mounted. A connector 16 having a plurality of terminals for inputting a control signal from outside the controller IC and inputting E-EDID information to the ROM 18 is provided. Further, a bar code sticker 20 representing the serial number of the liquid crystal display device 12 is attached to the back side of the liquid crystal display device.

(2) Constitution of the image inspection device 10 The image inspection device 10 outputs test data including image data for performing the image inspection to the liquid crystal display device 12 and, prior to the image inspection, the E-EDID information. writing,
E-ED has a function to read and confirm these
The image inspection is performed continuously with the processing of the ID information.
The image inspection apparatus 10 is mainly composed of a computer,
Specifically, it has a CPU 25, which is a control device, and a timer 22, which measures the current date, time, and week.

Further, test data for performing an image inspection corresponding to each type of liquid crystal display device 12 is stored in the first hard disk drive 26 composed of a hard disk, and this test data corresponds to the test data in a one-to-one correspondence. Did E
EDID information is recorded on the second hard disk drive 28. The E-EDID information is recorded in a predetermined format (for example, Excel (registered trademark)) file format. Further, the image inspection device is a liquid crystal display device 12
Various data for inspection and E-EDID accumulated in the storage unit toward the connector cable connected to the connector 16 of
An interface unit (not shown) for outputting information is provided. A well-known computer hardware configuration can be used for this interface unit.

When the test data is selected, the E-EDID information corresponding to the selected test data is called. In addition, each test data contains EE
An E-EDID flag is provided to determine whether the type requires the DID information or the type that does not require the DID information. When the E-EDID flag is ON, the second hard disk drive 28 drives the E-EDI
D information is called. This is the E
There is a case where there is a request to store the EDID information in the display device and a case where there is no request, and it is to decide whether or not the E-EDID needs to be written at the time of inputting the test data in order to deal with both. Therefore, the E-EDID information is not written to the display device in which the flag is OFF, and the inspection process is directly performed as described later, whereby the process can be shortened and the production efficiency can be improved.

Further, an operation box 24 for operation by an inspector is connected, and a bar code reader 30 is also connected. The operation box 24 is equipped with a touch panel using a liquid crystal display, and is displayed in the same format as the model number of the display device (eg, Δ ×××× (Δ is an alphabet, x is an integer from 0 to 9)). Among the test data names to be inspected, select the file whose name matches the model number of the display device to be inspected.

(3) Contents of E-EDID Information Next, the manufacturing history data defined by the E-EDID specifications will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

The E-EDID information is composed of 128-byte data of addresses 00 to 127, and manufacturing history data regarding the liquid crystal display device 12 is recorded at each address.

For example, the manufacturing week is recorded in the address 16, the manufacturing year is recorded in the address 17, and the address 2 is recorded.
In 1 and address 22, the maximum horizontal display size and the maximum vertical display size are recorded. Address 127
A Check Sum, which is a sum of all data at addresses 00 to 126, is recorded.

This Check Sum is for judging whether this E-EDID information is normal or abnormal.
It is standardized as an ID specification. Address 00
Check S, which is the sum of all the data from 1 to 126
If the last two digits of the um data are 00, it is normal, and if it is a number other than 00, it is abnormal.

(4) Process of writing image inspection and E-EDID information The process of writing image inspection and E-EDID information in the liquid crystal display device 12 will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

This step is located in the final step of the liquid crystal display device 12, and is a step performed in a state where the liquid crystal display device 12 is fully assembled. First, the connector cable of the inspection device 10 is connected to the connector 16 of the liquid crystal display device 12.

First, the E-EDID information is confirmed prior to the image inspection.

In step 1, it is judged whether or not the E-EDID information may be changed in the target liquid crystal display device 12. That is, when the E-EDID information is not written in the liquid crystal display device 12, new E-EDID information is written, and when the E-EDID information is already written, the E-EDID information is overwritten to replace the E-EDID information. It is determined whether writing is possible. The state in which the E-EDID information has already been written corresponds to the liquid crystal display device 12 in the case where the image inspection process is performed once, becomes unacceptable, is adjusted, and the image inspection is performed again.

If the E-EDID information may be changed, the process proceeds to step 2, and if the change is prohibited, the process proceeds to step 3.

In step 2, since the E-EDID information may be changed, test data for image inspection according to the type of the liquid crystal display device 12 is selected and the process proceeds to step 4.

In step 3, since the change of the E-EDID information is prohibited, the liquid crystal display device 12 is set to the read check mode (READCHK mode) in the utility menu. The read check mode is a mode for determining whether the already written E-EDID information is normal or abnormal, and is performed in the subsequent steps.

In step 4, it is determined whether the E-EDID flag is ON or OFF in the test data relating to the image inspection called from the image inspection apparatus 10. That is, when the E-EDID flag is OFF, E-E
The inspection process is performed without writing the DID information. on the other hand,
If the E-EDID flag is ON, go to step 5.

In step 5, it is determined whether the E-EDID information corresponding to the test data is in the second hard disk drive 28. This E-EDID information is the model number of the display device (eg, ΔXX
XX (△ is alphabet, × is an integer from 0 to 9)
Is stored in the same format as the file name, and the test data and the E-EDID information have different identifiers (.ed).
i)). The inspection device is programmed to retrieve the E-EDID information of the file name that matches the file name of the test data. And the second
If the E-EDID information is not stored in the hard disk drive 28, the error is displayed in the operation BOX 24 and the process ends. If there is E-EDID information, go to step 6.

In step 6, T, test data is read from the first hard disk drive 26 of the image inspection apparatus 10 to prepare for image inspection. Then, the bar code reader 30 can read the manufacturing number.

In step 7, the bar code reader 3
0, the bar code 20 on the back side of the liquid crystal display device 10 is read, the serial number is input to the image inspection device 10,
The image is stored in a second storage unit (not shown) configured by a storage device such as a RAM built in the image inspection apparatus 10.

In step 8, it is judged whether or not the last 5 digits of the read manufacturing number is a numeral, and if it is not a numeral, the process returns to step 6 to instruct the reading of the manufacturing number again.
This judgment is made on the back side of the liquid crystal display device 10.
Since a plurality of barcodes in which information other than the manufacturing number has been entered are pasted, if other information is entered by mistake, the reading is instructed again. If the last five digits of the manufacturing number are numbers, the process proceeds to step 9.

In step 9, it is determined whether or not the serial number has been read within the past day. If they have the same manufacturing number, the process proceeds to step 10. If the manufacturing numbers are different, the process proceeds to step 12.

In step 10, since it is the same as the manufacturing number read within the past day, the operation BO
The X24 lamp is flashed to call the inspector's attention. If the inspector accepts it in step 11, the cursor key of the operation box 24 is pressed and the process proceeds to step 12. If the cursor key is not pressed, the step 6 is executed. Then, the process of reading the manufacturing number again is performed.

In step 12, the test start key of the operation box 24 for starting the image inspection is input.

At step 13, it is judged whether or not the read check mode is set. If it is the read check mode, it is necessary to judge whether the E-EDID information written in the ROM 18 of the liquid crystal display device 12 is normal or not. Proceed to.

In step 14, the liquid crystal display device 12
The E-EDID information written in from the ROM 18 is read, and the read EE is read in step 15.
It is determined whether the Check Sum of the DID information is 0 (that is, normal). If manufacturing, step 19
Proceed to. If it is abnormal, it is necessary to write the E-EDID information again, so the process proceeds to step 16.

In step 16, the E-EDID information is sent out from the interface section of the inspection device, and the E-EDID information is written in the ROM 18 of the liquid crystal display device 12. The written E-EDID information is the E-EDID information corresponding to the test data, the manufacturing number is the manufacturing number read from the bar code reader 30, and the manufacturing date is the timer 22 of the image inspection apparatus 10. The current year and week measured by is written in real time.

In step 17, the image inspection device 10
Reads the written E-EDID information again, and in step 18, checks whether the read E-EDID information is normal or abnormal. Ch read for that
It is determined whether eck Sum is equal to the written Check Sum or whether Check Sum is 0. CheckSum
When the values are equal to each other or 0, it is determined that the E-EDID information is normally written, and the process proceeds to step 19. If not, an error message is displayed and the inspection ends.

In step 19, the year of manufacture in the E-EDID information just read is displayed in the operation box 24, and in step 20, normal image inspection is performed. That is, the test data selected in the test data selection step 2 is sent from the interface section of the inspection device to the liquid crystal display device 12, the liquid crystal display device is turned on, and the presence or absence of a display defect is confirmed visually or by using a camera.

Thus, the writing of the E-EDID information and the image inspection are continuously performed by using the same device, so that the working process can be simplified.

Further, the E-EDID information is written, and if it is not confirmed that the information is written normally, it is impossible to proceed to the next step.
It was possible to add the ID forgetting prevention function and the check function of the ID information by program control.

Further, since the manufacturing number is inputted by the bar code reader 30 and the E-EDID information is written and the confirmation function is provided, an erroneous manufacturing number is not inputted.

Further, even in the liquid crystal display device 12 in which the E-EDID information is prohibited from being overwritten, it is possible to judge whether the E-EDID information written in the read check mode is normal or abnormal.

Although the liquid crystal display device has been described in the above embodiment, the organic EL display device or the display device of the cathode ray tube CRT may be replaced with the liquid crystal display device, and similarly, the E-EDID information is continuously provided in the image inspection process. You can write. In addition, various types of hardware that constitute the image inspection apparatus can use well-known computer systems.
Various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the first memory unit and the second memory unit may be configured by a single hard disk drive device. Further, a hard disk drive device and a storage device having a different function such as a RAM can be appropriately combined and used.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, the E-EDID information can be written in the display device continuously with the image inspection, the working process can be simplified, and the error can be controlled in the writing process. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image inspection device and a liquid crystal display device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a first flowchart of an image inspection and writing process.

FIG. 3 is also a second flowchart.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table of E-EDID information.

5 is a continuation of the table of FIG.

6 is a continuation of the table of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a continuation of the table of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Image inspection device 12 Liquid crystal display 14 Drive circuit board 16 connectors 18 ROM 20 bar code 22 timer 24 Operation Box 26 First Hard Disk Drive 28 Second hard disk drive 30 barcode reader

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 5C082 AA13 BB25 CB06 CB08 DA61                       EA20 MM07 MM09                 5G435 AA17 AA19 BB01 BB02 BB05                       BB11 BB12 KK05 KK10 LL04                       LL07 LL08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A manufacturing method of a display device for writing manufacturing history data including manufacturing number data, manufacturing year / week data and specification data for identifying the type of the display device into a recording medium provided in the display device. In the method, a first memory unit in which a plurality of image test data corresponding to each type of display device and the specification data corresponding to each of the plurality of image test data are stored, and a second memory unit that stores the manufacturing number Memory unit, a timer for measuring year / week data, an interface unit connected to the display device, each data accumulated in the first memory unit and the second memory unit, and the year / week data, Connecting the display device to an image inspection device having a control unit for sending out to an interface; and the plurality of image test data stored in the first memory unit. A test data selecting step of selecting image test data suitable for the display device from among the above, and a serial number for inputting the serial number data given to the display device to the image inspection device and storing the serial number in the second memory unit. A data reading step; the specification data corresponding to the image test data selected in the test data selecting step among the specification data stored in the first memory unit; and the second in the manufacturing number reading step. Manufacturing history data writing step of writing the manufacturing number stored in the memory unit of the present invention and the current year / week data measured by the timer to the recording medium via the interface section, and the manufacturing history data writing step. Continuing from the above, the image test data selected in the test data selecting step is transferred to the interface unit via the interface unit. Send it to the display device,
An image inspection step of performing a lighting inspection of the display device, and a manufacturing method of the display device. 2. The image test data includes necessity determination data of the manufacturing history data, and the necessity determination data of the image test data selected in the test data selecting step is data indicating that manufacturing history data is unnecessary. The manufacturing method of the display device according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing number data reading step and the manufacturing history data writing step are omitted. 3. A detecting step of detecting the presence or absence of the manufacturing history data on the recording medium before the test data selecting step, and reading the manufacturing history data detected in the detecting step into the second storage section. A manufacturing history data reading step of storing the result, a determination step of determining acceptability of the manufacturing history data by a total value obtained by summing up respective specification data included in the manufacturing history data stored in the second storage section, the manufacturing history If the data is determined to be abnormal, the writing process is continuously performed, and if the manufacturing history data is determined to be normal, the writing process is replaced with the current measured by the timer in the storage medium of the display device. The manufacturing method of a display device according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing year and week of the above is overwritten. 4. A first memory unit in which a plurality of image test data corresponding to each type of display device and the display size data corresponding to each of the plurality of image test data are stored, and the serial number are stored. A second memory unit, a timer for measuring year / week data, an interface unit connected to the display device, each data accumulated in the first memory unit and the second memory unit, and the year / week. And a controller for sending data to the interface.