KR101618134B1 - Auto probe test method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an auto-probe inspection method, and more particularly, to measure pure power consumption of a liquid crystal panel itself during an auto-probe inspection process.

The feature of the present invention is that the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel is measured through the auto-probe device during the auto-probe inspection process before the drive circuit is attached to the liquid crystal panel.

In this way, it is possible to confirm whether or not the liquid crystal panel itself is defective according to the power consumption, so that the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel has been measured in the state that the driving circuit is attached, and when a defective liquid crystal panel occurs, It is possible to prevent the problem that the power source is discarded together with the normal operation.

This reduces process costs and improves process efficiency.

Auto-probe, drive circuit, liquid crystal panel, power consumption, liquid crystal display

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an auto probe test method,

The present invention relates to an auto-probe inspection method, and more particularly, to measure pure power consumption of a liquid crystal panel itself during an auto-probe inspection process.

In recent years, as the society has become a full-fledged information age, a display field for processing and displaying a large amount of information has rapidly developed, and various flat panel display devices have been developed in response to this.

Specific examples of such flat panel display devices include a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), a field emission display (FED) And electroluminescence display device (ELD). These flat panel display devices are excellent in performance of thinning, light weight, and low power consumption, and are rapidly replacing existing cathode ray tubes (CRTs).

In particular, a liquid crystal display device is characterized in that it has a large contrast ratio, is suitable for displaying moving pictures, and has low power consumption, and is used in various fields such as a notebook computer, a monitor, and a TV. As is well known, liquid crystals have optical anisotropy, which is elongated in molecular structure and has directionality in alignment, and polarization property in which molecular alignment direction is changed according to its size when placed in an electric field.

That is, a typical liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between first and second substrates having an array layer for liquid crystal driving and a color-filter layer for color implementation This is an essential component, which changes the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules with an internal electric field, thereby causing a difference in transmittance.

The transmittance difference of the liquid crystal panel is displayed in the form of a color image by reflecting the color combination of the color filter through light of a back light placed on the back surface thereof.

A typical process for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device can be classified into a cell process for completing a liquid crystal panel, and a module process for integrating a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal panel, and a backlight.

In the dual cell process, an array layer and a color filter layer are formed on each substrate by repeating processes such as thin film deposition, photo-lithography, and etching several times. In the cell process, A seal pattern is formed on one of the first and second substrates to form a seal pattern thereon, and the both substrates are bonded to each other with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween to complete the liquid crystal panel. And then integrated with the backlight to form a liquid crystal display device.

In the liquid crystal display device, before the liquid crystal panel and the backlight are modularized, a test image is implemented by applying an electric signal to the liquid crystal panel in a state in which the driving circuit is mounted, and the liquid crystal panel is ultimately tested.

At this time, the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel is also measured. When the measured power consumption exceeds the inspection standard, the liquid crystal panel is judged to be defective.

However, it is impossible to confirm whether a defect has occurred in the liquid crystal panel itself or a defect in the drive circuit mounted on the liquid crystal panel, that is, a defect occurs in the liquid crystal panel itself, (Normal operation), it is impossible to determine the failure thereof, and both of them are discarded (discarded).

This leads to a problem of increasing the process cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a first object of the present invention to measure power consumption of a liquid crystal panel itself.

The second objective is to reduce the process cost and improve the efficiency of the process.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of testing a liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of: connecting a test pad exposed on a liquid crystal panel; Supplying a test signal to the needle to display a test image on the liquid crystal panel; Measuring a current of a test signal flowing through the signal line by disconnecting a part of the signal line in the process of displaying the test image; And measuring power consumption of the liquid crystal panel through the measured current.

The signal wiring is disconnected by turning off the switch, and the current of the disconnected signal wiring is measured through a current meter including a multimeter.

At this time, the test pad is a common voltage test pad with a gate and a data test pad, and confirms whether the liquid crystal panel is abnormal through a test image on the liquid crystal panel.

As described above, in the auto-probe inspection step before the driving circuit is attached to the liquid crystal panel according to the present invention, the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel is measured through the auto-probe device to determine whether the liquid crystal panel itself is defective It is possible to measure the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel in the state where the driving circuit is attached and to prevent the problem that the driving circuit attached to the liquid crystal panel is normally operated when the liquid crystal panel is defective It is effective.

As a result, the process cost can be reduced and the efficiency of the process can be improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a step of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The liquid crystal display device firstly carries out a TFT-LCD cell process (st10), and forms a liquid crystal panel through the cell process st10.

More specifically, the TFT-LCD cell process (st10) mainly includes a color filter substrate and an array substrate formation (st11), an orientation film formation (st12), an actual pattern and a spacer formation (st13), a liquid crystal drop (st14) st15, cut (st17), and inspection process (st16, st18).

Thus, in the first step St11 of the TFT-LCD cell process (st10), after the upper substrate, which is a color filter substrate, and the lower substrate, which is an array substrate, are formed, a foreign substance which may exist on the substrate before the alignment film is applied As shown in FIG.

At this time, a plurality of gate lines and data lines cross each other on the inner surface of the array substrate, pixels are defined, and a thin film transistor (TFT) is provided at each of the intersections to form a one-to-one correspondence with the transparent pixel electrodes .

On the inner surface of the color filter substrate, a color filter of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors corresponding to each pixel and a color filter And a transparent common electrode covering the non-display elements are provided on a black matrix.

The second step St12 is a step of forming an alignment film on the color filter substrate and the array substrate. In a third step St13, a seal pattern is printed so that the liquid crystal interposed between the color filter substrate and the array substrate does not leak , And spattering a spacer of a certain size to precisely and uniformly maintain a gap between the color filter substrate and the array substrate.

The fourth step (St14) is a step of dropping liquid crystal onto a selected one of the substrates. The fifth step (St15) is a step of laminating the color filter substrate and the array substrate, And the sixth step (St16) for carrying out the inspection process is performed.

The auxiliary inspection process proceeds through a visual observation or a microscopic observation while applying a voltage through a test pad formed on the outer portion of the gate and data lines formed in the liquid crystal panel.

Here, the auxiliary inspection process is a visual inspection for observing dirt or the like appearing on the screen, and it is possible to inspect a large foreign object or a dirt which may be generated on the screen due to rubbing failure.

However, there is a limit to the defect factors that can be detected through the auxiliary inspection process. For example, line defects and point defects such as shorting and disconnection can not be detected.

The seventh step St17 is a step of cutting the substrate in units of cells. Finally, the eighth step st18 is a main inspection step of the liquid crystal panel, and the more detailed inspection An auto probe inspection method of applying an electric signal to the process is performed.

Auto-probe inspection is a process for detecting line defects and point defects which are not detected in the auxiliary inspection process. It is a method of applying an electric signal by probe contact to the pad exposed to the outside, The liquid crystal panel is driven simulatively to detect the respective defects.

The quality of the liquid crystal panel is selected through the auto-probe inspection process.

Particularly, the present invention can measure the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel when the auto-probe is inspected. Accordingly, it is possible to confirm whether or not the liquid crystal panel is defective according to the power consumption, thereby preventing the problem of improving the process cost. Let me take a closer look at this later.

Thus, the TFT-LCD cell process (st10) is completed and the liquid crystal panel is completed.

Next, a polarization plate attaching step (st20) for attaching the polarizing plate to each outer side of the array substrate of the completed liquid crystal panel and the color filter substrate is performed. The polarizing plate plays a role of converting the light source into linear light from both surfaces around the liquid crystal panel do.

Next, the driving circuit attaching step (st30) is performed. The driving circuit is attached to the driving circuit connecting the array substrate of the liquid crystal panel with the electric signal through OLB (out lead bonding) and tap soldering .

Such a driving circuit is divided into a gate driving circuit for transferring the on / off signals of the thin film transistors to the gate lines and a data driving circuit for transferring the image signals for each frame to the data lines. .

When the thin film transistor selected for each gate line is turned on by the on / off signal of the gate driving circuit to be scanned, the liquid crystal panel of the structure described above transmits the signal voltage of the data driving circuit to the corresponding pixel electrode through the data line And the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules is changed by the electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, thereby exhibiting a difference in transmittance.

The backlight unit assembling process includes a light source on a bottom surface of the liquid crystal panel, a light source guide for guiding the light source, a light guide plate for advancing the light incident from the light source toward the liquid crystal panel, Of the optical sheet.

Alternatively, an edge type using a light guide plate has been described in the above description. However, a direct type in which a plurality of light sources are arranged in parallel under the liquid crystal panel in a state in which the light guide plate is omitted may be used.

In this case, a fluorescent lamp such as a cathode cathode fluorescent lamp or an external electrode fluorescent lamp may be used as a light source. Alternatively, a light emitting diode lamp may be used as a light source in addition to such a fluorescent lamp.

The case is assembled after the backlight unit assembling process. The case assembly is modularized through a top cover, a support main, and a cover bottom. The top cover is a rectangular frame having a "B" cross section so as to cover the top and side edges of the liquid crystal panel. And displays an image implemented in the panel.

In addition, the cover bottom on which the liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit are mounted and which is the basis for assembling the entire structure of the liquid crystal display device module is formed into a rectangular plate shape and its four edges are vertically bent at a predetermined height.

Further, a support main body which is seated on the cover bottom and covers the edges of the liquid crystal panel and the backlight unit is assembled with the top cover and the cover bottom to complete a liquid crystal display module.

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of the present invention can measure the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel before the driving circuit is attached, and it is possible to confirm whether or not the liquid crystal panel itself is defective according to the power consumption.

That is, the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel has been measured in the process of realizing a test image on a liquid crystal panel with a driving circuit, and it is determined whether or not the liquid crystal panel is defective by comparing the measured power consumption Respectively.

However, it is impossible to confirm whether or not the liquid crystal panel is defective due to defects in the liquid crystal panel itself or by a driving circuit attached to the liquid crystal panel, and both of them are discarded.

However, as in the embodiment of the present invention, by measuring the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel during the auto-probe inspection step (st18) of the cell process (st10) before attaching the drive circuit, accurate power consumption of the liquid crystal panel itself can be measured have.

Accordingly, when a defect occurs according to the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel, only the defective liquid crystal panel may be discarded.

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a problem that the process cost is increased through the driving circuit which is normally discarded due to the defective liquid crystal panel and is discarded together.

Also, the efficiency of the process is improved.

2 is a perspective view schematically showing an auto-probe inspection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the liquid crystal panel 110 includes a lower array substrate 112 on which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix form through gate and data lines (not shown) to form thin film transistors (not shown) The array substrate 112 is larger in area than the color filter substrate 114 so that the color filter substrate 114 is arranged on one side of the array substrate 112 The edges are exposed to the outside.

As described above, a plurality of gates and data pads 116a and 116b and a common electrode pad 116c connected to gates and data lines (not shown) are formed on one edge of the array substrate 112 exposed to the outside, The data test pads 118a and 118b and the common electrode test pad 118c connected to the common electrode pads 116a and 116b and the common electrode pad 116c are present.

Though not shown in detail, the thin film transistor (not shown) includes a gate electrode, a source and drain electrode, an active layer, an ohmic contact layer, and the like.

A thin film transistor (not shown) operates so that when a gate signal is applied to a gate electrode through a gate wiring (not shown), a data signal applied to a data line (not shown) is transferred from the source electrode to the drain electrode through the active layer.

Thereby changing the molecular arrangement of the liquid crystal (not shown). By controlling the image of the liquid crystal panel 110 according to the signal applied to each pixel, an image is realized.

The liquid crystal panel 110 performs various test processes to determine whether each gate and data line (not shown) and a thin film transistor (not shown) are operating properly. The double gate and data pads 116a and 116b And the test electrodes 118a, 118b and 118c connected to the common electrode pad 116c are brought into contact with the needles 210 of the auto-probe device 200 and test signals are applied to the respective gates and data lines (not shown) The lighting state of each pixel is grasped and it is checked whether or not the liquid crystal panel 110 is defective.

The auto-probe device 200 is positioned above the liquid crystal panel 110. The auto-probe device 200 includes the gate and data test pads 118a and 118b of the liquid crystal panel 110 and the common electrode test pads 118c And a test voltage supplier 220 for applying a predetermined test voltage to the plurality of needles 210. [

At this time, the needles 210 may be arranged in a row in one direction, or a plurality of rows may be formed. When the rows are formed of a plurality of rows, the needles 210 of each row may be arranged in rows in the row direction, or may be arranged in a zigzag form.

Here, it is preferable that the needle 210 uses a flexible pogo pin, which is composed of a pair of probes coupled to both ends of an elastic member such as a spring.

Each of the plurality of needles 210 receives a test voltage from a test voltage supplier 220 through a signal line 230. In particular, each signal line 230 of the auto- And a switch 240 is formed at a disconnection position thereof.

Here, the switch 240 formed on the signal line 230 is turned on / off according to the selection. When the auto switch 240 is turned on, the switches 240 formed on the signal line 230 are all turned on and when the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel 110 is measured, the switch 240 formed in the selected signal line 230 is off.

Accordingly, the liquid crystal panel 100 of the present invention can measure the accurate power consumption of the liquid crystal panel 110 while performing the auto-probe inspection.

More specifically, the auto-probe inspection of the liquid crystal panel 110 is performed using test pads 118a, 118b, and 118c connected to the gate and data pads 116a and 116b of the liquid crystal panel 110 and the common line 116c. A test signal is applied to each of the gates and data lines (not shown) by bringing the needles 210 of the auto-probe device 200 into contact with the test pads 118a, 118b and 118c.

At this time, the switch 240 formed in the signal wiring 230 of the auto-probe device 200 applies the test voltage of the test voltage supply unit 220 to the test pads 118a, 118b, and 118c through the needles 210 In order to make sure that the user is in the on state.

Accordingly, the liquid crystal panel 110 realizes a test image, thereby detecting a line defect, a point defect, etc. of the liquid crystal panel 110 by grasping the lighting state of each pixel, It is determined whether or not the battery 110 is defective.

In the process of the test of the liquid crystal panel 110 by performing the auto-probe inspection in this way, the switch 240 of the selected signal line 230 is turned off to disconnect the signal line 230 A terminal of a current meter 300 such as a multi-meter is brought into contact with both ends of the disconnected signal wiring 230 to measure a current value flowing through the signal wiring 230.

The current meter 300 measures a consumption current of the liquid crystal panel 110 through a current value of each signal generated in the test voltage supply unit 220.

At this time, the measured power consumption of the liquid crystal panel 110 is compared with a predetermined inspection standard, and the liquid crystal panel 110 is determined to be defective when the measured power consumption deviates from the inspection standard.

That is, the liquid crystal display of the present invention can measure the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel 110 before the driving circuit is attached to the liquid crystal panel 110, thereby determining whether or not the liquid crystal panel 110 itself is defective according to the power consumption Can be confirmed.

Accordingly, when the power consumption of the liquid crystal panel 110 is measured in the state where the driving circuit is attached and the liquid crystal panel 110 is defective, the driving circuit attached to the liquid crystal panel 110 normally operates It is possible to prevent a problem that has been discarded.

This reduces process costs and improves process efficiency.

Particularly, the power consumption measurement of the liquid crystal panel 110 of the present invention can be performed for each of the gate unit GP, the data unit DP, and the common voltage unit VP.

That is, when the power consumption of the gate unit GP is to be checked, the switch 240 of the signal wiring 230 for applying the test signal to the gate test pad 118a is turned off via the needle 210, The power consumption of the gate unit GP is measured by measuring the current flowing through the disconnected signal wiring 230 after the wiring 230 is disconnected.

Both the data part DP and the common voltage part VP can measure the power consumption through the above-described method.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a step of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

2 is a perspective view schematically showing an auto-probe inspection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (5)

The test voltage providing unit supplies the first to third test signals to the first to third needles through the first to third signal lines respectively and supplies the first to third test signals respectively included in the gate unit, Connecting the first to third needles to a test pad to display a test image on the liquid crystal panel; The first and the second signal wires are disconnected and the both ends of the current meter are contacted to both ends of the disconnected signal wire to measure the current flowing through the disconnected signal wire to determine the gate, Calculating a negative power consumption; And Comparing the power consumption of the gate unit, the data unit, or the common voltage unit with an inspection criterion to check whether there is an abnormality in the gate unit, the data unit, or the common voltage unit Wherein the auto-probe inspection method comprises the steps of: The method according to claim 1, Wherein the first to third signal wirings each include a switch and the first to third signal wirings are turned on to turn the first to third test signals to the first to third needles Respectively, and the switch is turned off to be disconnected. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the current measuring instrument is a multimeter. delete The method according to claim 1, And checking whether there is an abnormality in the liquid crystal panel in the step of displaying the test image on the liquid crystal panel.

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