KR20070071277A - System and method of detecting gravity inferiority of liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and a method for inspecting the gravity defect of an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) panel are provided to objectively and accurately inspect the LCD panel, by photographing a light which transmits through the LCD panel, with the help of cameras, and thus inspecting the gravity defect of the LCD panel. A plurality of cameras(118) photograph images displayed through a plurality of LCD panels. A server(150) determines the gravity defect of the LCD panel, based on images of the LCD panels inputted from the plurality of cameras. The cameras photograph a lower portion of the LCD panel. A plurality of light sources supply lights to the LCD panel. Polarizing plates are positioned on both sides of the LCD panel. The polarizing plates polarize lights which are incident onto the LCD panel or transmit through the LCD panel.

Description

Gravity defect inspection system and method of liquid crystal display device {SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DETECTING GRAVITY INFERIORITY OF LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE}

1 is a cross-sectional view of a general liquid crystal display device.

2 is a flowchart showing a conventional method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.

3 is a view showing a gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

4 shows a plurality of cameras connected to a server via a network.

5 is a block diagram showing a server structure of a gravity defect inspection system of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a display unit on which an image of a liquid crystal panel photographed in a gravity defect inspection system of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is displayed; FIG.

7 is a flow chart showing a gravity defect inspection method of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

101: liquid crystal panel 117: light source

118: camera 150: server

152: input unit 154: image processing unit

156: failure determination unit 158: alarm unit

159: display unit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gravity defect inspection system and an inspection method of a liquid crystal display device. In particular, a plurality of cameras are installed in a gravity defect inspection system to integrate images taken by each camera to detect gravity defects of the entire liquid crystal panel. The present invention relates to a gravity defect inspection system and an inspection method of a liquid crystal display device.

Recently, with the development of various portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, and notebook computers, there is a growing demand for flat panel display devices for light and thin applications. Such flat panel displays are being actively researched, such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), FED (Field Emission Display), VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display), but mass production technology, ease of driving means, Liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) are in the spotlight for reasons of implementation.

LCD is a device for displaying information on the screen using the refractive anisotropy of the liquid crystal. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD 1 is composed of a lower substrate 5 and an upper substrate 3 and a liquid crystal layer 7 formed between the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3. The lower substrate 5 is a drive element array substrate. Although not shown in the figure, a plurality of pixels are formed on the lower substrate 5, and a driving element such as a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) is formed in each pixel. The upper substrate 3 is a color filter substrate, and a color filter layer for real color is formed. In addition, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed on the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3, respectively, and an alignment film for aligning liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 7 is coated.

The lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3 are bonded by a sealing material 9, and a liquid crystal layer 7 is formed therebetween by a driving element formed on the lower substrate 5. Information is displayed by controlling the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal layer by driving the liquid crystal molecules.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device can be largely divided into a driving element array substrate process of forming a driving element on the lower substrate 5, a color filter substrate process of forming a color filter on the upper substrate 3, and a cell process. However, the process of the liquid crystal display will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

First, a plurality of gate lines and data lines arranged on the lower substrate 5 to define a pixel region are formed by a driving element array process, and the gate line and data are formed in each of the pixel regions. A thin film transistor which is a driving element connected to the line is formed (S101). In addition, the pixel electrode is connected to the thin film transistor through the driving element array process to drive the liquid crystal layer as a signal is applied through the thin film transistor.

In addition, the upper substrate 3 is formed with a color filter layer and a common electrode of R, G, B to implement the color by the color filter process (S104).

Subsequently, an alignment layer is applied to the upper substrate 3 and the lower substrate 5, respectively, and then the alignment control force or surface fixing force (ie, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer formed between the upper substrate 3 and the lower substrate 5). In order to provide a pretilt angle and an orientation direction, the alignment layer is rubbed (S102 and S105). Subsequently, a spacer is disposed on the lower substrate 5 to maintain a constant cell gap, and a sealing material 9 is applied to an outer portion of the upper substrate 3, and then the lower substrate 5 is disposed. And the upper substrate 3 by applying pressure (S103, S106, S107).

On the other hand, the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3 is made of a large area glass substrate. In other words, a plurality of panel regions are formed on a large area glass substrate, and a TFT and a color filter layer, which are driving elements, are formed in each of the panel regions. Must be processed (S108). Thereafter, the liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal panel processed as described above through the liquid crystal inlet, and the liquid crystal inlet is encapsulated to form a liquid crystal layer, and then the liquid crystal panel is inspected to produce a liquid crystal panel (S109 and S110).

Inspection of the liquid crystal panel can be generally divided into appearance inspection, electrical lighting inspection and gravity failure inspection. The lighting test applies a signal to the completed liquid crystal panel to check whether various electric elements work properly. The visual inspection is to inspect the liquid crystal panel by visual inspection by the operator. In addition, the gravity failure test is a test to check that the liquid crystal is concentrated under the liquid crystal panel by gravity.

Gravity defect occurs when the liquid crystal layer formed inside the liquid crystal panel increases in volume due to temperature increase when the liquid crystal panel is manufactured. The cell gap of the liquid crystal panel becomes larger than the spacers, and thus the liquid crystal is moved downward by gravity. Since the cell gap of the liquid crystal panel is uneven due to the movement, the quality of the liquid crystal display device is reduced.

Such a gravity failure test is typically performed by allowing the operator to directly observe the image of the lower portion of the liquid crystal panel after light is transmitted through the liquid crystal panel. That is, when an operator observes an image of the lower part of the liquid crystal panel and an abnormality occurs in the image, it is determined that a gravity failure occurs.

However, such a conventional gravity failure test has the following problems.

First, in the conventional gravity failure test, when a person directly observes an image of the lower portion of the liquid crystal panel with his / her eyes, the inspection is not made accurately because the gravity failure is determined by the subjective judgment of the person.

Secondly, gravity failure inspection is inefficient and the inspection cost increases. In general, a plurality of production lines are installed in a liquid crystal display device manufacturing plant, and a gravity defect inspection device is installed in each production line, and a plurality of total production lines are installed. Therefore, when a person directly observes an image of the lower portion of the liquid crystal panel as in the prior art, a person must be disposed in each gravity defect inspection device, thereby making inspection inefficient and increasing inspection cost.

Third, feedback of test results is difficult. In the conventional gravity failure inspection method, since a plurality of gravity failure inspection apparatuses are separately inspected, it is impossible to integrate and manage the inspection results, and as a result, analysis of gravity failures based on the integrated management results is impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the gravity defect inspection system and inspection method of the liquid crystal display device capable of objective and accurate gravity defect inspection by performing a gravity defect inspection of the liquid crystal display by photographing the lower region of the liquid crystal panel with a camera. The purpose is to provide.

Another object of the present invention is to connect a plurality of cameras respectively photographing a plurality of liquid crystal panel with a server through a network to process the image taken by the camera integrally in the server to determine the gravity failure for the plurality of liquid crystal display elements The present invention provides a liquid crystal display element gravity defect inspection system and inspection method capable of integrated management of gravity defect information.

In order to achieve the above object, the gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is a plurality of cameras for taking images displayed on the plurality of liquid crystal display device, and the image of the liquid crystal display device input from the plurality of cameras It is composed of a server for determining the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel based on.

The camera photographs the lower region of the liquid crystal display, and transmits the captured image to the server by being connected to the server through a wireless or wired network.

The server may include an image processing unit for processing an image of the liquid crystal display device photographed by the camera, a gravity defect determining unit for determining a gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device based on the processed image, an image of the liquid crystal display device, and a liquid crystal display device. And a storage unit for storing the gravity failure information of the liquid crystal display device.

In addition, the liquid crystal display element gravity failure inspection method according to the present invention comprises the steps of preparing a liquid crystal display device, displaying an image on the liquid crystal display device, and photographing the image displayed on the plurality of liquid crystal display device with a plurality of cameras And transmitting a plurality of photographed liquid crystal display device images to the server, and determining gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device by processing the image input from the server.

In the present invention, the lower region of the liquid crystal panel is photographed by a camera, and then the photographed image is processed to check the gravity defect of the liquid crystal panel. In this way, since it is determined whether or not the defect is based on the captured image data, it is possible to inspect the objective of the gravity failure.

In addition, in the present invention, a camera is installed in each of the plurality of gravity defect inspection apparatuses, and images of the liquid crystal panel inspected by the plurality of inspection apparatuses are photographed, and then the photographed images are transmitted to the server. The server processes the input data to determine whether the liquid crystal panel is poor in gravity. As described above, in the present invention, since the data photographed by the plurality of gravity failure inspection apparatuses are collectively processed by the server, not only effective defect determination is possible but also integrated management of the gravity failure data becomes possible.

Hereinafter, a gravity failure inspection system of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a view showing a gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention polarizes the light emitted from the light source 117 and the light source 117 for supplying light to the liquid crystal panel 101. The first polarizing plate 112a incident to the panel 117, the second polarizing plate 112b polarizing the light passing through the liquid crystal panel 101, and the light passing through the second polarizing plate 112b are photographed. The camera 118 is configured to capture an image implemented under the liquid crystal panel 101. Although the camera 118 may photograph an image displayed on the entire liquid crystal panel 101, the camera 118 may photograph only a lower portion of the liquid crystal panel 101 where the liquid crystal moves due to the gravity failure.

In the liquid crystal panel gravity failure inspection system configured as described above, the light emitted from the light source 117 is polarized by the first polarizing plate 112a and then incident to the liquid crystal panel 101. At this time, since a signal is applied to the liquid crystal panel 101, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 107 are arranged in a predetermined direction. Therefore, the light incident on the liquid crystal panel 101 changes its polarization state and thus passes through the liquid crystal panel 101. The light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel 101 is incident on the second polarizing plate 112b so that only light in a polarized state is transmitted to implement a desired image.

When the gravity failure occurs in the liquid crystal panel 101, since the cell gap of the liquid crystal panel 101 is different, the polarization state of light passing through the corresponding region (ie, the lower region of the liquid crystal panel) is different from other regions. Therefore, when the liquid crystal panel 101 becomes a gravity failure, an image different from the desired image is realized, and the gravity failure is determined according to the change of the image.

In the present invention, the observation of the image is not performed directly by a human eye, but after the image is taken by a camera, the photographed image is processed and converted into data, and the data is compared with the stored data (that is, the image data of a normal liquid crystal panel) It is to judge the gravity failure. In particular, in the present invention, the processing of the captured image data is not performed at the location where the camera is installed, but after the captured image is transmitted to the server via a network or the like, the server processes the data to determine the gravity failure.

In this way, by processing the data using the server, the present invention enables the server to process data photographed by a plurality of cameras at once. 4 is a diagram illustrating that image data photographed by a plurality of cameras is transmitted to the server 150. At this time, each camera 118 is installed in the gravity defect inspection system of the liquid crystal panel to take an image of the liquid crystal panel 101 to be inspected and transmits it to the server 150.

The server 150 determines the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel 101 by processing the image data transmitted and input. The structure of the server 150 is disclosed in FIG. 5.

 As shown in FIG. 5, the server 150 includes an input unit 152 to which images captured by a plurality of cameras 118 are input, an image processing unit 154 that processes the input image, and the processed image. The defect discriminating unit 156 determines whether a defect has occurred in the liquid crystal panel 101 by comparing the data with the stored data, and the image and defect discriminating unit 156 of the liquid crystal panel 101 processed by the image processing unit 154. The display unit 159 for displaying various types of information such as whether there is a defect or the gravity defect information of the entire liquid crystal panel, and when the LCD panel 101 cannot determine whether the LCD panel 101 is defective by the input image, The alarm unit 158 informs, and the storage unit 157 for storing information about the liquid crystal panel 101 has been inspected.

The input unit 152 receives image data photographed from a plurality of cameras 118 connected by a wireless or wired network. The display unit 159 may be any device as long as it can display an image or defect information. However, it is preferable to use a general display device. At this time, the display unit 159 displays a plurality of images taken by the plurality of cameras 118 on one display device as shown in FIG. Allows you to monitor the captured images at the same time. Also, each image can be enlarged as shown in FIG. That is, the image of the liquid crystal panel 101 which is determined to be defective or the image of the liquid crystal panel 101 which cannot be determined whether the defect is enlarged is enlarged, so that the operator can observe the image more precisely.

The storage unit 157 stores information of the liquid crystal panel 101 on which the gravity failure test was performed. This information is analyzed such as information about the defective liquid crystal panel 101 and the good liquid crystal panel 101, the degree of gravity failure, the degree of gravity failure, and the position of the liquid crystal panel 101 where gravity failure frequently occurs. And stored. Since such information informs the present state of gravity failure and the degree of gravity failure of the manufactured liquid crystal panel 101, it is very helpful in solving the gravity failure problem of the liquid crystal panel 101. In particular, in the present invention, since the server processes and stores the gravity failure information of the liquid crystal panel 101 produced in the entire line, it becomes possible to manage the gravity failure of the integrated liquid crystal panel 101.

7 is a view showing a gravity failure inspection method using a liquid crystal panel gravity failure system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first substrate and the second substrate on which the thin film transistor and the color filter are formed are bonded to each other in a cell process through a driving element array process and a color filter process, and a liquid crystal layer is formed, thereby causing a liquid crystal panel gravity defect inspection system. When loaded (S201), the lower region of the liquid crystal panel 101 is photographed by the camera 118 installed in the gravity failure inspection system (S202). The captured image is transmitted to the server 150 via a wireless network or a wired network (S203). In this case, the server 150 is connected to the plurality of cameras 118 so that the images captured by the plurality of cameras 118 are simultaneously transmitted to the server 150 at once.

Thereafter, the image processing unit 154 of the server 150 processes the input image (S204). In other words, the image is processed and converted into data. The failure determining unit 156 compares the processed data with the stored data, that is, the image data of the normal liquid crystal panel 101 or with the data determined to be defective (S205). At this time, if the processed data is similar to the data of the normal liquid crystal panel 101 or is significantly different from the stored bad image data, it is determined that the gravitational defect is impossible in the bad discrimination unit 156 and the worker is alerted through the alarm unit 158. By notifying the operator, the operator directly moves to the corresponding liquid crystal panel 101 and directly inspects the liquid crystal panel 101 with eyes instead of the camera to determine whether there is a gravity failure (S206).

If the liquid crystal panel 101 is determined to be poor in gravity, the corresponding liquid crystal panel 101 is discarded (S208). If it is determined that there is no gravity defect, a subsequent process, for example, a module process of combining the liquid crystal panel 101 and the backlight device, is performed. It is transferred to the (module process) (S209).

As described above, in the present invention, a plurality of cameras are installed in a gravity failure inspection system, and after photographing a plurality of liquid crystal panels, the photographed images are transmitted to a server to determine whether there is gravity failure. However, the present invention is not limited to this system. The above-described system is only one example for explaining the present invention. For example, a plurality of cameras may be connected to different image processing means, that is, computers, so that images captured by each camera are transmitted to a server in a data state, or whether gravity deficiency is determined by each image processing means. It may be sent to the server. However, even in this case, the server will be able to efficiently manage the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel by integrated management of the gravity failure information of the liquid crystal panel.

Accordingly, the rights of the present invention should not be determined by the above detailed description, but should be determined by the appended claims.

The present invention having the structure as described above has the following effects.

First, the gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal panel according to the present invention by taking a light passing through the liquid crystal panel by the camera to check the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel, so that an objective and accurate inspection can be compared to that performed by the subjective person.

Second, a plurality of cameras to shoot a plurality of liquid crystal panel at a time to check the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel at a time can be quickly inspected.

Third, since data captured by a plurality of cameras is transmitted to a server through a network, it is possible to collectively manage the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel, thereby effectively identifying and coping with the cause of the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel.

Claims (16)

A plurality of cameras for capturing images displayed on the plurality of liquid crystal display elements; And And a server for determining the gravity failure of the liquid crystal panel based on the images of the liquid crystal display elements inputted from the plurality of cameras. The method of claim 1, A plurality of light sources for supplying light to the liquid crystal display device; And And a polarizing plate positioned on both sides of the liquid crystal display device to polarize light incident and transmitted through the liquid crystal display device. The gravity failure inspection system of claim 1, wherein the camera photographs a lower region of the liquid crystal display. The gravity failure inspection system of claim 1, wherein the server and the camera are connected through a wireless or wired network. The method of claim 1, wherein the server, An image processor which processes an image of the liquid crystal display element photographed by the camera; And And a gravity failure determining unit for determining a gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device based on the processed image. 6. The gravity failure inspection system according to claim 5, wherein the server further comprises a display unit for displaying an image of the input liquid crystal display device and gravity failure information of the liquid crystal display device. 7. The gravity failure inspection system of claim 6, wherein a plurality of photographed images are displayed on the display unit. 8. The gravity failure inspection system according to claim 7, wherein the display is enlarged by selecting only one of a plurality of images. The gravity failure inspection system of claim 5, wherein the server further comprises a storage unit which stores gravity failure information of the liquid crystal display. The gravity failure inspection system of claim 9, wherein the server integrally manages gravity failure of the liquid crystal display based on stored gravity failure information. The method of claim 5, wherein the server, If the gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device is impossible to determine the gravity failure inspection system of the liquid crystal display device, characterized in that it further comprises an alarm for notifying the operator. Preparing a liquid crystal display device; Displaying an image on the liquid crystal display device; Photographing images displayed on the plurality of liquid crystal display elements with a plurality of cameras; Transmitting the photographed plurality of liquid crystal display device images to a server; And A gravity defect inspection method of a liquid crystal display device comprising the steps of determining the gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device by processing the image input from the server. The method of claim 12, Providing polarizing plates on both sides of the liquid crystal display device; And The method of testing the gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device further comprising the step of transmitting light to the liquid crystal display device. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying an image captured by the camera through a display device. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of notifying an operator when it is impossible to determine the gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining of the gravity failure of the liquid crystal display device comprises: Processing the image of the input liquid crystal display device into data; A gravity defect inspection method of a liquid crystal display device comprising the step of determining the gravity failure by comparing the processed data with the set data.

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