KR20080001960A - Vision auto probe - Google Patents

Abstract

A VAP(Vision Auto Probe) and an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) panel testing method using the same are provided to find the badness cause of the LCD panel quickly, thereby improving the production yield of an LCD device by reflecting the found cause to all production equipment of the LCD device. A VAP(50) comprises a work table, a camera(54), a camera support frame(55), a communication unit, an input unit, a storage unit, an output unit, and a control unit. An LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) panel is placed on the work table. The LCD panel passes only a CPS(Cell cutting Process) and does not pass a grinding process. The camera receives the image information of the LCD panel operated on the work table. The camera support frame moves the camera to an X or Y axis in the upper end of the LCD panel. The communication unit performs communication with external process equipment. The input unit receives various information from a user. The storage unit stores the information inputted from the camera or the user. The output unit outputs the information inputted from the camera or the user. The control unit analyzes the location information of bad pixels by using the image information of the LCD panel inputted from the camera while controlling the each part and transmits the analyzed information to the external process equipment through the communication unit.

Description

Vision auto probe and liquid crystal panel inspection method using the same {Vision Auto Probe}

1 is an exemplary view showing a liquid crystal panel of a general liquid crystal display device.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a general liquid crystal display device.

Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of a typical auto probe.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device to which a liquid crystal panel inspection method using a vision auto probe according to the present invention is applied.

5 is a front view of a vision auto probe in accordance with the present invention.

6 is a plan view of a vision auto probe in accordance with the present invention.

7 is an internal configuration diagram of a vision auto probe according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings>

The present invention relates to a vision auto probe capable of identifying a defective position in advance before the user directly checks whether the liquid crystal panel is defective or a liquid crystal panel inspection method using the same.

In general, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as "LCD") is a typical flat panel display that displays an image by adjusting an amount of light beam transmission to correspond to an image signal. In particular, LCDs are becoming more and more widespread due to light weight, thinness, and low power consumption. As such, LCDs are used as display devices for office automation devices and notebook computers. have.

1 is an exemplary view illustrating a liquid crystal panel of a general liquid crystal display device, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a general liquid crystal display device.

That is, the liquid crystal panel of the liquid crystal display as shown in FIG. 1 includes a thin film transistor substrate (TFT substrate) (hereinafter, simply referred to as a TFT substrate) 11 for receiving a driving signal, and a color filter substrate including a color filter layer. (C / F substrate) (hereinafter simply referred to as 'C / F substrate') 12 and a liquid crystal layer 13 interposed between the thin film transistor substrate and the color filter substrate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal panel as described above may include a substrate manufacturing process (S202), a liquid crystal panel process (S204), a liquid crystal panel inspection process (S206), and a module process (S208). Divided into.

First, the substrate manufacturing process (S202) is divided into a process of manufacturing a TFT substrate using a cleaned glass substrate and a process of manufacturing a C / F substrate, respectively, wherein the TFT substrate manufacturing process comprises a signal line and a lower glass substrate. Refers to a process of forming a plurality of thin film transistors and pixel electrodes, the manufacturing process of the C / F substrate refers to the process of sequentially forming a black matrix, a color filter layer, and a common electrode (ITO) on the upper glass substrate. .

Next, the liquid crystal panel process (S204) is a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel by bonding a TFT substrate and a C / F substrate and injecting a liquid crystal therebetween. In general, a plurality of liquid crystal panels are formed on one original plate. In the liquid crystal panel process, an alignment layer forming process, a rubbing process, a cell gap forming process, an assembly process, a cell cutting process, a liquid crystal injection process, a polarizing film attachment process, It consists of many unit processes, such as a grinding | polishing process.

Next, the liquid crystal panel inspection step (S206) uses an auto probe (AP) to determine whether there is a disconnection test or a point defect for the liquid crystal panel that has undergone the cell cutting process and the polishing process in the liquid crystal panel process (S204). This refers to a process of visually confirming by the user, and is generally performed by using an auto probe as shown in FIG. 3.

Finally, the module process (S208) is a final process of connecting the liquid crystal panel and the signal processing circuit portion, the module process is also made of a number of unit processes.

3 is a configuration diagram of an exemplary auto probe, in which an auto probe is formed on one side of the auto probe frame 36 to form an overall appearance, as shown in FIG. A work table 31 to be placed, a gate signal transfer pad 32 for applying a gate signal to the liquid crystal panel placed on the work table, and a data signal transfer pad for applying a data signal to the liquid crystal panel placed on the work table (33), connected to the auto probe frame in a state capable of covering the microscope 34 and the work table to allow the user to directly check the defective position of the liquid crystal panel by directing the microscope at the top of the liquid crystal panel It is configured to include a microscope support frame 35 to be able to move in the X or Y axis.

That is, the auto probe is a device for allowing a user to directly check a defective position such as disconnection or defects with respect to a liquid crystal panel which has undergone a cell cutting process and a polishing process in a liquid crystal panel process.

Hereinafter, a method of inspecting the liquid crystal panel using the auto probe will be described in detail.

First, as described above, when a plurality of liquid crystal panels in which the TFT substrate 11 and the C / F substrate 12 are bonded to each other through the liquid crystal panel process S204 is formed on one original plate, each liquid crystal is subjected to a cell cutting process. After separating into panels, each liquid crystal panel is subjected to a polishing process for polishing the cut portion.

The liquid crystal panel subjected to the polishing process is placed on the work table 31 of the auto probe, wherein each of the gate lines and the data lines of the liquid crystal panel is the gate signal transmission pad 32 and the data signal transmission pad 33. ), Respectively.

In the connected state, the test gate signal and the data signal are applied to the liquid crystal panel through the pads 32 and 33 so that the user moves the microscope to the X axis or the Y axis or directly while the liquid crystal panel is blinking. Through the eyes, each pixel is checked for defects.

However, the method of confirming whether the defect is caused by the auto probe as described above not only delays the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal panel but also has a problem in that the defect cannot be accurately detected.

For example, since the gate lines and the data lines of the polished liquid crystal panel must be connected to the pins of the gate signal transmission pad 32 and the data signal transmission pad 33, respectively, the user can determine whether the pixel is defective. Prior to detection, there is a problem that the inspection time is delayed because the connection state of each pin must be checked using the microscope 34. In other words, the microscope 34 in the conventional auto probe is generally used in operations such as pin miss correction and alignment misalignment correction of the pads 32 and 33.

In addition, whether the LCD panel is defective or not must be detected for each pixel by the above connection method. Therefore, the user can visually check the pixels corresponding to the (1,1) coordinates of the liquid crystal panel to the last pixel. There is a problem that the overall inspection time is delayed because it must be checked directly. In addition, after confirming whether the defect is as described above, the analysis process for the defect is performed separately, so that the correction process for the entire process must be performed according to the result, there is a problem in that the process time is delayed.

In addition, as described above, the user has to check and check each defect scattered on the liquid crystal panel directly, so there is a problem that the defect state may not be accurately determined in some cases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a vision auto probe and a liquid crystal panel inspection method using the same to automatically determine whether the position of the liquid crystal panel before the polishing process using a camera. It is to.

In order to achieve the above object, the vision auto probe according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a work table in which a liquid crystal panel is placed in a state of undergoing only a cell cutting process (CPS) and no liquid crystal panel polishing process; A camera for receiving image information of the liquid crystal panel driven in the work table; A camera support frame for moving the camera in an X or Y axis from an upper end of the liquid crystal panel; A communication unit for performing communication with external process equipment; An input unit for receiving various information from a user; A storage unit for storing information input from the camera or information input from a user; An output unit for outputting information input from the camera or the user; And a controller for controlling each unit and analyzing position information of a bad pixel by using image information of the liquid crystal panel input from the camera, and transmitting the analyzed information to the external process equipment through the communication unit. .

Other objects and features of the present invention in addition to the above objects will become apparent from the description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

4 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal display device to which a liquid crystal panel inspection method using a vision auto probe according to the present invention is applied.

That is, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device to which the liquid crystal panel inspection method using the vision auto probe according to the present invention is applied is a substrate manufacturing process (S400), a liquid crystal panel manufacturing and inspection process (S500 to S508) as shown in FIG. And it can be divided into three parts of the module process (S600).

First, as described in the prior art, the substrate manufacturing process S400 is divided into a process of manufacturing a TFT substrate using a cleaned glass substrate and a process of manufacturing a C / F substrate, respectively. A signal line, a plurality of thin film transistors, and a pixel electrode are formed on a lower glass substrate, and a C / F substrate manufacturing process includes a black matrix, a color filter layer, and a common electrode (ITO) on an upper glass substrate. ) Is a step of sequentially forming.

Next, the liquid crystal panel manufacturing and inspection process (S500 to S508) refers to the liquid crystal panel process (S204) mentioned in the above prior art, but differs from the conventional method in the detailed process procedure.

That is, the liquid crystal panel manufacturing and inspection process (S500 to S508) to which the present invention is applied again includes a liquid crystal panel manufacturing process (S500), a liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using a vision auto probe, a liquid crystal panel polishing process (S504), and an auto It can be subdivided into a liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) and inspection information analysis process (S508) using the probe.

The liquid crystal panel manufacturing process (S500) is a process of manufacturing a liquid crystal panel by bonding a TFT substrate and a C / F substrate manufactured in a substrate manufacturing process and injecting a liquid crystal therebetween. The liquid crystal panel manufacturing process 500 may further include an alignment layer forming process, a rubbing process, a cell gap forming process, an assembly process, and a cell cutting process (CPS). This includes.

Each liquid crystal panel cut through the liquid crystal panel manufacturing process (S500) is subjected to a liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using a vision auto probe, wherein a vision auto probe as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 is used. do. The liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using the vision auto probe is a device for automatically determining whether the liquid crystal panel is defective or defective position information using a camera, and the information obtained through the process is immediately a substrate manufacturing process (S400). And reflected in the liquid crystal panel manufacturing process (S500) it can be prevented that such a defect does not occur. In addition, the information identified in the above process is used by the user in the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe, which will be described later, thereby performing a function of allowing the user to quickly and accurately check the defect information of the liquid crystal panel. can do. That is, the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using the vision auto probe is performed by providing a database of defective pixel position information to be checked by the user in advance in the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe. In addition to shortening the time of the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe, the liquid crystal panel without undergoing the liquid crystal panel polishing process (S504) through only the cell cutting process (CPS) can be quickly removed. Since it is possible to grasp whether or not there is a defect, it is possible to quickly cope with a failure state generated in the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device. Also, unlike the liquid crystal panel inspection process 502 using the vision auto probe, the gate line and the data line are one-to-one with the pad pins of the vision auto probe, unlike in the liquid crystal panel inspection process 506 using the auto probe. It is not coupled to, but because it is connected using a TAP, etc. has a feature that the inspection process can be performed more quickly. This can be performed because the liquid crystal panel has not undergone the polishing process.

That is, the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the vision auto probe is a process performed before the liquid crystal panel grinder process, and turns on the liquid crystal panel before the shorting bar is removed to perform automatic inspection. In this case, the shorting bar refers to a line that is intentionally formed to form an equipotential in order to prevent a spark caused by a potential difference due to external static electricity and to prevent the connection of Tr. Meanwhile, in the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the auto probe, the pad width of the lighting liquid crystal panel is 30 μm, and the pins per pad are 720 channels (LC470WU1, Data). On the other hand, there is concern about inspection loss due to miss, whereas in the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the vision auto probe, the pad size of the lighting panel is 1150 μm × 400 μm (LC470WU1, Data). It is characterized by the possibility of zeroing a miss. On the other hand, in the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the vision auto probe, the lighting test is performed on the short bar type panel because the panel before the polishing process has a much greater risk of panel damage than the subsequent panel. On the other hand, in spite of the above-mentioned reasons, the reason for the lighting test with the short bar type panel before polishing in the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the vision auto probe is that the fully lit state without pin miss can be maintained.

On the other hand, the liquid crystal panel after the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using the vision auto probe is polished at its edges through the liquid crystal panel polishing process (S504). That is, since the edges of the liquid crystal panel cut by the cell cutting process (CPS) are sharply cut, the liquid crystal panel inspection process S502 is performed to smoothly process them.

The liquid crystal panel in which the liquid crystal panel polishing step (S504) is performed is subjected to a liquid crystal panel inspection step (S506) using an auto probe as mentioned in the related art. That is, in the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe, a user may determine whether there is a disconnection test or a defect by using the auto probe (AP) for the liquid crystal panel that has undergone the processes (S400 to S504). Refers to a process of visually confirming, a conventional auto probe as shown in FIG. 3 may be used. In this case, the difference between the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe applied to the present invention is different from the prior art by using the defect information identified in the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using the vision auto probe. The status can be checked visually. That is, the user may not directly check all the pixels of the liquid crystal panel by eye, but may directly check the defective state of the corresponding pixel by using the defective position information transmitted from the auto probe and record the information. For the above process, the auto probe applied to the present invention is provided with an input device capable of inputting the analyzed information, and also performs communication with the vision auto probe or the inspection information analysis process (S508) to be described below. Communication equipment may be provided to perform communication with the analysis device used in the.

Meanwhile, the liquid crystal panel that has undergone the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the auto probe undergoes an inspection information analysis process (S508), and in this inspection information analysis process (S508), inspection information analysis such as a computer (PC) is generally performed. Devices can be used. That is, the inspection information analysis process (S508) is to analyze the information identified through the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S502) using the VAP and the liquid crystal panel inspection process (S506) using the AP and to reflect the subsequent process, To this end, the analyzing apparatuses may be configured to communicate with the VAP 50, the AP 30, and other liquid crystal display manufacturing equipment.

Lastly, the liquid crystal panel which has completed the inspection process as described above is finally shipped to the liquid crystal display through a module process (S600) connected to the signal processing circuit unit or combined with the backlight unit.

5 is a front view of a vision auto probe according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a plan view of a vision auto probe according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an internal configuration diagram of the vision auto probe according to the present invention.

That is, the vision auto probe (VAP) 50 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 is a device used in the liquid crystal panel inspection process 502 using the VAP. As shown in the drawing, the vision auto probe (VAP) 50 forms an overall appearance. A probe frame 56, a work table 51 formed on a plane of the auto probe frame, on which a liquid crystal panel is placed, a gate pad 52 for applying a gate signal to the liquid crystal panel placed on the work table, and a work table 51 A data pad 53 for applying a data signal to the placed liquid crystal panel, a camera 54 for receiving image information of the liquid crystal panel, and a camera connected to the vision auto probe frame in such a state as to cover the work table. It is configured to include a camera support frame 55 for moving the X or Y axis from the upper end of the liquid crystal panel. On the other hand, the internal configuration of the VAP, as shown in Figure 7, the communication unit 50-1 for performing communication with the AP 30, the inspection information analysis device and other liquid crystal display device manufacturing equipment, various from the user An input unit 50-2 for receiving information, a storage unit 50-3 for storing information input from the camera or information input from the user, and an output unit for outputting information input from the camera or user ( 50-4) and the respective parts are controlled, and the position information of the bad pixels is analyzed using the image information of the liquid crystal panel input from the camera, and the analyzed information is transmitted through the communication unit to the AP, inspection information analysis device, and the like. And a control unit 50-5 for transmitting to the liquid crystal display device manufacturing equipment.

That is, the vision auto probe 50 according to the present invention is disconnected with respect to the liquid crystal panel after undergoing the cell cutting process (CPS) in the liquid crystal panel process as described above and before undergoing the liquid crystal panel polishing process (GIS) (S504). Alternatively, by receiving a defective position such as a point defect through a camera and analyzing various defect information, it performs a function of providing the analysis information to the AP, inspection information analysis device and other liquid crystal display manufacturing equipment, through this AP Not only can the LCD panel inspection process (S506) be shortened, but also find the cause of the failure of the liquid crystal panel more quickly, and has the feature that can be immediately reflected to all the manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device.

The present invention as described above is characterized in that the liquid crystal panel inspection process using the auto probe (AP) can be shortened and simplified, thereby shortening the liquid crystal display device manufacturing process.

In addition, the present invention has a feature that it is possible to find the cause of the failure of the liquid crystal panel more quickly, and immediately reflect it to all the manufacturing equipment of the liquid crystal display device to improve the manufacturing yield of the liquid crystal display device.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (4)

A work table on which a liquid crystal panel is placed in a state of undergoing only a cell cutting process (CPS) and not undergoing a liquid crystal panel polishing process; A camera for receiving image information of the liquid crystal panel driven in the work table; A camera support frame for moving the camera in an X or Y axis from an upper end of the liquid crystal panel; A communication unit for performing communication with external process equipment; An input unit for receiving various information from a user; A storage unit for storing information input from the camera or information input from a user; An output unit for outputting information input from the camera or the user; And A vision control unit for controlling each unit and analyzing position information of a bad pixel using image information of a liquid crystal panel input from the camera, and a control unit for transmitting the analyzed information to the external process equipment through the communication unit. Auto probe. The method of claim 1, The external process equipment may include at least one of an auto probe for inspecting the liquid crystal panel that has undergone the polishing process, an inspection information analyzer for analyzing information detected through the control unit, and a plurality of liquid crystal display device process equipments. Vision auto probe, characterized in that. The method of claim 1, And the control unit analyzes at least one of disconnection of the liquid crystal panel, defects, and positional information of defective pixels from image information input from the camera. A substrate manufacturing step of manufacturing a plurality of TFT substrates or a plurality of C / F substrates on one mother substrate using the cleaned glass substrate; The mother substrate having a plurality of TFT substrates formed in the substrate manufacturing step and the mother substrate having a plurality of C / F substrates are bonded to each other, and a plurality of liquid crystal panels are manufactured by injecting liquid crystal therebetween, and then cut into respective liquid crystal panels. A liquid crystal panel manufacturing step; A liquid crystal panel inspection step using a vision auto probe for automatically analyzing defect information of the liquid crystal panel cut through the liquid crystal panel manufacturing step using a vision auto probe having a camera; A liquid crystal panel polishing step of polishing the liquid crystal panel which has been subjected to the liquid crystal panel inspection step using the vision auto probe; A liquid crystal panel inspection step using an auto probe for analyzing defect information of the liquid crystal panel that has undergone the liquid crystal panel polishing step using an auto probe;  An inspection information analysis step of analyzing information collected through the vision auto probe liquid crystal panel inspection step or the auto probe liquid crystal panel inspection step; And A liquid crystal panel inspection method using a vision auto probe comprising a module process step of connecting the liquid crystal panel with a circuit unit and combining the liquid crystal panel with a backlight unit.

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