Display With Fail/safe Testing Feature Patents (Class 345/904)
  • Patent number: 7362123
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus for a TFT substrate formed with a plurality of pixels, includes a reference substrate being opposite to and spaced from the TFT substrate and formed with a plurality of reference patterns corresponding to the pixels, a power supply to supply power to both a predetermined number of the pixels and the corresponding reference pattern to form an electric field in a space between the TFT substrate and the reference substrate, an electron beam emitter to emit an electron beam to travel from a first side to a second side of the space, an electron beam detector to detect the electron beam emitted from the electron beam emitter and passed through the space, and a controller to determine whether the TFT substrate includes a defective pixel based on a location of the electron beam detected by the electron beam detector. Thus, the inspection apparatus can correctly and quickly inspect the TFT substrate for defects in a low vacuum state regardless a size of the TFT substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho-seok Choi, Sergey Antonov, Hyeong-min Ahn, Jeong-su Ha, Lemjachine Vassili, Mi-jeong Song
  • Patent number: 7358953
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a liquid crystal driving circuit is disclosed. The driving circuit includes a digital functional unit and an analog functional unit. The digital functional unit is comprised of a display controller and a display data storage RAM, while the analog functional unit is made up of a gradation voltage generating circuit and a gradation voltage selecting circuit. The digital and analog function units are functionally divided from each other and testing of the digital function and testing of the analog function unit are performed in an overlapping manner independently from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masami Makuuchi, Kengo Imagawa, Norio Chujo, Ritsuro Orihashi, Yoshitomo Arai, Atsushi Obuchi
  • Patent number: 7342579
    Abstract: A thin film transistor array plate, a liquid crystal display panel and a method of preventing electrostatic discharge thereof are provided. The thin film transistor array comprises a substrate, pixel structures, switching devices, lead lines and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protecting circuits. The substrate has a display region and a peripheral circuit region. The pixel structures are disposed within the display region and the switching devices are disposed within the peripheral circuit region. The lead lines are disposed on the substrate to electrically connect the pixel structures and the switching devices. The ESD protecting circuits are disposed within the peripheral circuit region such that each ESD protecting circuit is electrically connected to the corresponding switching devices. The ESD protecting circuits prevent electrostatic discharge, simplify the circuit layout and improve production efficiency of the plate and the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jui-Yuan Chou, Chih-Lung Yu, Chien-Kuo Ho
  • Patent number: 7292213
    Abstract: A method and device for repairing defective pixels of a liquid crystal display panel. First, examine the liquid crystal panel to obtain the locations of defective pixels on a liquid crystal display. Next, input a pixel signal wherein the pixel signal further comprises a pixel brightness signal used to control a pixel with a first brightness according to the pixel signal. When the pixel signal is used to be inputted to the defective pixel, the pixel brightness signal of the pixel signal will be replaced by a default brightness signal wherein the default brightness signal controls the pixel with a second brightness. Of which, the second brightness, whose level of brightness is of complete darkness for instance, is dimmer than the first brightness. At last, output pixel signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chien-Ching Shen
  • Patent number: 7230626
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the performance of a graphics intensive software program for graphics acceleration hardware. This system and method encompasses a procedure that validates the different functions of a 3D acceleration capable video card, decides whether to use the acceleration hardware and optimizes the software application to selectively use the functions that work on the specific video acceleration card. Functions checked include sub-pixel positioning, opacity, color replacement and fog. If these tests are successful, then the graphics acceleration is used by the software application. However, if the tests are not successful the decision is made not to use graphics accelerator. Those with ordinary skill in the art will realize that it is not necessary to perform all of the tests in a specific order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Ryan Hill, Imran Qureshi
  • Patent number: 7202879
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device that does not convert image data into a grayscale value which may cause defects in the displayed images, such as flickering or fluctuation, when performing color reduction/pseudo-halftone processing to convert the data into data which can be displayed on the color LCD panel (20). Alternatively, the frequency of occurrence of such a grayscale value can be reduced. The present invention thereby prevents a decrease in the display quality of an image output apparatus in advance by processing data supplied to the image output apparatus, such as a color LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoaki Murai, Hidekuni Moriya, Jun Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7190381
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal panel, a DA converter for generating a common electrode signal to be applied to a common electrode of a liquid crystal, and a non-volatile memory for encoding an optimum value of the common electrode signal into an ID code and storing the ID code therein. The DA converter generates the optimum common electrode signal corresponding to the ID code read out from the non-volatile memory. A liquid crystal panel manufacturer ships the liquid crystal panel in which the optimum value of the common electrode signal is encoded into the ID code and stored in the non-volatile memory in an inspecting process. The assembling manufacturer using the liquid crystal panel can easily set the optimum value of the common electrode signal. Furthermore, the liquid crystal display device has a CPU decoding the ID code read out from the non-volatile memory. Alternatively, it is possible to supply a data of a value of the common electrode signal to a user of the liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Tsutsui, Makoto Kitagawa, Mitsugu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7180530
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically testing visual displays and automatically optimizing the voltage settings for each visual display being tested by harmonizing and tailoring the voltage settings applied to the display and automatically setting into memory the coefficients to achieve the optimized voltage levels for each visual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventors: Amy Whittington, William Dunn
  • Patent number: 7176861
    Abstract: A method of designing a fixed format emissive display is described using a computing device having a processor and a memory, the display comprising an array of emissive pixel elements, each pixel element comprising at least two sub-pixel elements made of different materials. The method comprises selecting areas of the at least two sub-pixel elements so that each pixel element displays white at a predetermined white point within a certain tolerance over a lifetime of the pixel, and such that the lifetimes of the sub-pixel areas are within a predetermined tolerance of each other. A display having sub-pixel elements optimized so that each pixel element displays white at a predetermined white point within a certain tolerance over a lifetime of the pixel, and such that the lifetimes of the sub-pixel areas are within a predetermined tolerance of each other is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Barco N.V.
    Inventors: Nele Dedene, Robbie Thielemans, Herbert Van Hille, William E. Bird
  • Patent number: 7164419
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the performance of a graphics intensive software program for graphics acceleration hardware. This system and method encompasses a procedure that validates the different functions of a 3D acceleration capable video card, decides whether to use the acceleration hardware and optimizes the software application to selectively use the functions that work on the specific video acceleration card. Functions checked include sub-pixel positioning, opacity, color replacement and fog. If these tests are successful, then the graphics acceleration is used by the software application. However, if the tests are not successful the decision is made not to use graphics accelerator. Those with ordinary skill in the art will realize that it is not necessary to perform all of the tests in a specific order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Ryan Hill, Imran Qureshi
  • Patent number: 7158102
    Abstract: A field emission display (FED) having a correction system with a correction coefficient derived from emission current is presented. Within one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a field emission display has an anode at the faceplate and a focus structure. The anode potential is held at ground while the focus structure potential is held between, but is not limited to, 40 and 50 volts. The current flowing to the focus structure is measured and used as the basis for the correction coefficient for the field emission display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignees: Candescent Technologies Corporation, Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Hansen, James C. Dunphy, Christopher J. Spindt, James M. Cleeves, Jerome M. Truppa, Gregory M. Fink, Yukinobu Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7145358
    Abstract: The test circuit of a display apparatus according to the invention detect short-circuiting in each of the data lines Dn by inputting the electric potential Vd of the data line Dn connected to the corresponding one of high resistance first short-circuiting detecting resistors Trln connecting a predetermined electric potential and the data line Dn to the corresponding one of first detector logic circuits and binarizing and outputting the input electric potential Vd of the data line Dn by referring to a predetermined threshold value and also detect short-circuiting in each of the gate lines Gm by inputting the electric potential of the gate line Gm connected to the corresponding one of high resistance second short-circuiting detecting resistors connecting a predetermined electric potential and the gate line Gm to the corresponding one of second detector logic circuits and binarizing and outputting the input electric potential of the gate line by referring to a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Ando
  • Patent number: 7145357
    Abstract: In a mother substrate for a lower substrate, a substrate for a display panel and a method of manufacturing a display panel, the substrate for the display panel includes a lower substrate and an upper substrate facing the lower substrate. The lower substrate includes an inspection line that receives a first inspection signal externally provided, a gate driving part that outputs a second inspection signal in response to the first inspection signal from the inspection line, and a pixel part driven in response to the second inspection signal. The inspection line is disposed on a grinding area. Thus, the display panel may have an enhanced productivity and an improved yield, on which the gate driving part is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Back-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 7136076
    Abstract: A system and method are described herein for controlling the white balance and providing gamma correction without compromising gray-scale dynamic range in a flat panel liquid crystal display (LCD). According to one embodiment of the present invention, the flat panel LCD includes electronic circuitry for coupling to a host computer to receive a white-balance adjustment control signal, and electronic circuitry for receiving image data to be rendered on the flat panel LCD. Further, the flat panel LCD of one embodiment is configured for coupling to a color-sensing device to receive optical characteristics data of the flat panel LCD detected by the color-sensing device. The white balance adjustment mechanisms include the provision of two or more light sources of differing color temperature, whose brightness can be independently varied (and distributed through a light distribution mechanism) to adjust color temperature without altering the grayscale resolution of the RGB colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Evanicky, Oscar Ivan Medina
  • Patent number: 7129936
    Abstract: A display unit of which inspection process to inspect a connector for faulty connection can be automated. The display unit comprises a display section, a display driver IC among a plurality of types of display driver ICs capable of driving and controlling the display section, and an MPU sending a command and display data to the display driver IC. The display driver IC comprises an ID setting circuit and a command decoder decoding the command from the MPU. The MPU reads an ID information so as to control the display driver IC among a plurality of types of display driver ICs according to the corresponding control contents in the storage section among the plurality of types of control contents for a plurality of types of display driver ICs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Aoki
  • Patent number: 7106283
    Abstract: A device for driving a dot matrix display panel has a number of first terminals that can be connected to different signal lines in the dot matrix display panel, to carry current to or from picture elements in the dot matrix display panel. The invented device also has a second terminal and a set of switches that can selectively connect the first terminals to the second terminal. These switches enable a measurement device connected to the second terminal to measure electrical parameters at the first terminals individually, so that the electrical parameters of the device can be tested efficiently and accurately, without having to contact each of the first terminals with a probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Satoh
  • Patent number: 7081908
    Abstract: In a method of testing an electrode structure in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged in a matrix, a test unit is positioned at a position of a target one of the plurality of electrodes apart from the target electrode by a preset distance. The test unit has a MISFET having a source, a gate and a drain. Then, a first voltage is applied to the target electrode such that a gate voltage is induced at the gate by electrostatic induction. Also, a second voltage is applied to at least one of the source and the drain such that current flows between the source and the drain based on the gate voltage. Then, a value of the current is examined to determine an electrical connection state of the target electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Murakawa, Takashi Doi, Yoshio Egashira, Shigeo Ueda
  • Patent number: 7064734
    Abstract: A display device includes a substrate having display portion and peripheral portion, a plurality of gate signal lines and a plurality of drain signal lines formed over the substrate, a plurality of switching elements connected to the plurality of gate signal lines and the plurality of drain signal lines and formed over the substrate, and a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the plurality of switching elements and formed in the display portion. An organic interlayer film is formed in the display portion and the peripheral portion, an insulating film is formed between the substrate and the organic interlayer film in the display portion and the peripheral portion, and the insulating film includes at least one of a plurality of recesses and protuberances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawamura, Kazuhiko Yanagawa, Nagatoshi Kurahashi, Tsuyoshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 7006117
    Abstract: In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a graphics device generates digital output data in response to a known input data. The resulting digital output data has an expected circular redundancy check (CRC) value. The generated digital output data is provided to a digital graphics output port associated with the graphics controller, which is thereby transmitted to a test apparatus over a digital graphics cable. The test apparatus performs an analysis on the received digital graphics data. The analysis results are transmitted back to the graphics device over a serial link of the digital display cable. The graphics device receives the transmitted analysis data, which is subsequently used to determine if the graphics device is operating properly. This determination may be made the graphics device, or by a host system for further analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Albert Tung-chu Man, Victor Herbert Flack, Yuri Lee
  • Patent number: 6987497
    Abstract: In a display device having a nonvolatile memory device, such as an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, display contents displayed on the display device are obtained by a camera device. The obtained information (corresponding to the display contents) is digital-converted and then processed to detect a defect and a nonuniformity on the display device, so that correction information is produced. The correction information is stored in the nonvolatile memory device of the display device. Display information to be displayed on the display device is processed using the stored correction information, so that display contents are corrected and a defect and a nonuniformity on the display contents are inconspicuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 6972755
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for driving display devices and to a display device that is provided with a driver circuit. The invention also relates to a method of testing driver circuits. Driver circuits of this kind have a decisive effect on the quality of the display devices. Therefore, in order to ensure a good quality, the driver circuit must be extensively tested, that is, with an as short as possible test time and using as few means as possible. In order to make such a test possible, a device for driving the display devices is provided with M leads that are coupled to AN output stages that are provided with at least one multiplex device (4) and at least one amplifier unit (5), the M leads being coupled to a first switching device (2) that enables the interruption of a voltage supply to the M leads, and at least one second switching device (3) being provided in at least one output stage (AN) in order to switch the output stage (AN) to a selectable potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Guido Plangger
  • Patent number: 6961032
    Abstract: An OLED device, with each pixel including a plurality of laterally spaced first electrodes, each corresponding to a portion of the pixel and a common second electrode vertically spaced from the plurality of first electrodes; at least one light-emitting layer disposed between the first and second electrodes including a host and a dopant for emitting light in response to current; a hole-transporting layer disposed between the light-emitting layer and the first or second electrodes; and a transistor drive circuit for each pixel including separate transistors, each transistor associated with a different one of the first electrodes and when driven causes current to pass between its corresponding first electrode and the second electrode so that, if there is a short in the portion between an individual first electrode and the second electrode, the remaining portions will continue to produce light in the light-emitting layer, thereby reducing the effects of the short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dustin Winters
  • Patent number: 6956563
    Abstract: There is provided a highly versatile touch panel inspection device. The touch panel inspection device comprises a stage 1 having a mounting surface, two column members 3, 4 disposed on the stage and extended upward from the stage, a rail member 2 disposed above the stage approximately in parallel to the mounting surface of the stage while both ends thereof are locked to the column members by locking means 32, a support member 5 supported rotatably around the rail member, an arm member 6 having a predetermined length and integrally engaged with the support member in vertical to the rail member, and a pen member 7 having an approximately conical tip and engaged with a tip of the arm member. The locking means 32 is movable up and down along the column members with respect to the stage, and locks the rail member in optional positions of the column members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventor: Shunichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6954221
    Abstract: A safety structure of a desk-top Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is disclosed. The safety structure has a seat body pivotally mounted to a monitor, characterized in that the monitor is provided with two sections of elevation angle, wherein the first section of the elevation angle complies with the angle of application for human body, and the second section of the elevation angle has a maximum elevation angle in parallel to a base seat of the monitor, and the twisting force of the monitor required to rotate within the scope of elevation angle of the second section is larger than that of the elevation angle of the first section, but the twisting force to rotate within the second section is smaller than the weight of the seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Inventor: Alpha Wu
  • Patent number: 6839055
    Abstract: A system for providing an error indication of video data received from a first link of a data interface between a computer system video controller and a display system and for providing the error indication to the video controller from the display system via a second link of the data interface. Such a system can be utilized to determine if an error condition exits in the video data path between the video controller and display system. In one example, the data interface conforms to the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) specification. A diagnostic routine of an operating system can be utilized to generate a set of test video data and compare the generated error indication with a standard error indication to determined an error condition. Also, such a system allows a remote system to request a test of the video data path. In one embodiment, the error indication is provided to the video controller from the display system by inserting the error indication into a display information data structure such as, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Khanh T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6825844
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the performance of a graphics intensive software program for graphics acceleration hardware. This system and method encompasses a procedure that validates the different functions of a 3D acceleration capable video card, decides whether to use the acceleration hardware and optimizes the software application to selectively use the functions that work on the specific video acceleration card. Functions checked include sub-pixel positioning, opacity, color replacement and fog. If these tests are successful, then the graphics acceleration is used by the software application. However, if the tests are not successful the decision is made not to use graphics accelerator. Those with ordinary skill in the art will realize that it is not necessary to perform all of the tests in a specific order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp
    Inventors: Ryan C. Hill, Imran Iqbal Qureshi
  • Patent number: 6819114
    Abstract: A monitor includes a display panel, a displaying circuit, a connector and a self testing circuit. The self testing circuit has a testing signal generator, a switch circuit and a detecting circuit. When the detecting circuit detects the video signals transmitted from the computer, the detecting circuit switches off the switch circuit so as to avoid the testing signal generated from the testing signal generator being transmitted to the input port of the displaying circuit. When no video signals transmitted from the computer are detected, the detecting circuit switches on the switch circuit to allow the testing signal generated from the testing signal generator to be transmitted to the displaying circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Ben Q Corporation
    Inventors: YA-An Cheng, Hsin-Chung Yang
  • Patent number: 6809746
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically testing visual displays and automatically optimizing the voltage settings for each visual display being tested by harmonizing and tailoring the voltage settings applied to the display and automatically setting into memory the coefficients to achieve the optimized voltage levels for each visual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: American Panel Corporation
    Inventors: Amy Whittington, William Dunn
  • Publication number: 20040189723
    Abstract: A method for testing images displayed on a screen by a display apparatus includes installing a plurality of image capturing devices on the screen, electrically connecting a computer to the image capturing devices, capturing the images on the screen by utilizing the image capturing devices, sending the images captured by the image capturing devices to the computer through the image capturing devices, and processing the images captured by the image capturing devices by utilizing the computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: I-Po Yu
  • Patent number: 6784862
    Abstract: An active matrix display device has an inspection circuit for inspecting the image quality. The inspection circuit includes a plurality of input terminals for inputting a test signal and a plurality of test transistors connected respectively to the input terminals. Input test signals which are to be sent to sub pixel sections from the individual input terminals are controlled by the associated test transistors to display a desired test screen. The test transistors are preferably amorphous silicon TFTs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Kodate, Masato Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20040155910
    Abstract: A real-time screen recording system is disclosed. Under the design of the real-time screen recording system of this invention, the Event Inspector records updated regions of the screen when a windows update event is generated, the Periodical Extractor records the screen updates periodically. This mechanism ensures that all updates will be recorded. The Event Filter inspects the update events to identify events relating to updates of screen to ensure correct recording of the updated regions. The Sporadic Controller adjusts the working frequency of the Periodical Extractor, so that the Periodical Extractor operates in an efficient manner. The Update Region Filter filters out unnecessary updated regions to avoid heavy workload of the computer system. As a result, an efficient and correct screen recording system may be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: ACADEMIA SINICA
    Inventors: Shin-Hung Chang, Shao-Ting Lee, Jan-Ming Ho
  • Patent number: 6771295
    Abstract: A malfunction in an operation panel serving as a man-machine interface of electronic apparatus is detected and recovered adequately. A control apparatus stores data to be displayed on a display section in an operation panel in the form of coded information. The display contents of the display section are transmitted to the control apparatus in an inverse data stream according to the predetermined rules or at regular time intervals, so that the stored information is compared with developed data. When there is a discrepancy in data, the display contents are retransmitted, and transmitted in an inverse data stream again for comparison. When there is still a discrepancy in data, the operation panel is initialized, and the display data is transmitted in an inverse data stream once again for comparison. When there is still a discrepancy in data, supply of power to the operation panel is stopped and an alarm is given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichirou Nakata
  • Publication number: 20040135827
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a display panel inspection method, a display panel inspection device, and a display panel manufacturing method capable of determining the optimum optical conditions for inspecting a surface shape from the structural characteristic of an object to be inspected, reflecting the determined conditions on the inspection device to carry out the inspection with high accuracy, improving the yield without degrading the yield rate, and manufacturing a substrate of high quality and high reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Osamu Kuramata, Hiromichi Sasamoto, Hiroki Sugihara, Keiji Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6762735
    Abstract: To increase the proportion of the perfects to the whole lot of final products and to reduce the cost for active matrix EL display devices by checking the operation of a TFT substrate before depositing an EL material. A capacitor for testing is connected to a drain terminal of a driving TFT in a pixel portion to observe charging and discharging of the capacitor. Whether the driving TFT is normal or not is judged by the observation, so that the rejects can be removed before the manufacturing process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 6759867
    Abstract: A probe frame assembly of an inspection apparatus for a liquid crystal display is capable of inspecting more than six LCD panels patterned on a glass substrate. In the assembly, at least two probe frame bodies are provided above the upper surface of a chuck such that they can accommodate a range of numbers of liquid crystal display panels, and simultaneously apply test pattern signals to shorting bars provided on one or more liquid crystal display panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: L. G. Philips LCD., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong Woo Sohn
  • Patent number: 6750926
    Abstract: Drain driver output terminals (lead lines) are divided into six groups (R1, R2, G1, G2, B1, B2) of positive polarity and negative polarity for three primary colors: respective ones are bundled together for connection to drain line common lines; and then, these drain line common lines are drawn out of a drain driver mount region. Gate driver output terminals (lead lines) are divided into three groups (GA, GB, GC) including a front stage and a next stage plus a rear stage; and respective ones are bundled together for connection to gate line common lines. These gate line common lines are drawn out of a gate driver mount region; and then, tests are preformed with probes attached to test terminals provided at such drain line common lines and gate line common lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Device Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kimitoshi Ohgiichi, Ryouichi Ootsu, Kazushi Miyata, Shinichi Tsuruoka, Susumu Niwa
  • Patent number: 6747620
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of self-diagnosing a video signal in an LCD panel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a micro-controller, a switching unit and a diagnosis transmitter. The micro-controller generates and outputs a switching control signal representing an operation mode, which includes a self-diagnosis mode and a normal operation mode. The switching unit selects an input signal of a receiver according to the switching control signal from the micro-controller. When the switching control signal represents the self-diagnosis mode, the diagnosis transmitter receives a test video signal having a predetermined display pattern from the micro-controller, and the test video signal is then fed back to the micro-controller. The micro-controller detects whether the test video signal is in trouble by comparing the test video signal from the micro-controller with the video signal fed back to the micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Il Jin Jun
  • Publication number: 20040041850
    Abstract: A method and apparatus can diagnose a cell defect of a PDP module. The method can include dividing a screen of a PDP module into a plurality of regions, displaying a pattern for diagnosing the cell defect on less than all the regions, and blocking at least one of the remaining regions. Further, determined cell defects identified in at least two of the plurality of regions have different weights when combined to determine a resulting value for comparison to a threshold for the PDP module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Su Won Park, So Hee Heo
  • Patent number: 6697037
    Abstract: A matrix addressed display system designed so as to enable data line repair by electronic mechanisms which is efficient and low in cost and thus increases yield. Such active data line repair utilizes additional data driver outputs, a defect map memory in the TFT/LCD module and modification of the data stream to the data drivers by additional circuits between the display and the display adapter. A bus configuration on the display substrate is utilized which combines repair flexibility, low parasitic capacitance, and the ability to easily make the necessary interconnections. The number of interconnections is kept to a minimum, the connections are reliable, and the connections may be made with conventional wire bond or laser bond technology, or disk bond technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Matthew Alt, Pedro A. Chalco, Bruce Kenneth Furman, Raymond Robert Horton, Chandrasekhar Narayan, Benal Lee Owens, Jr., Kevin Wilson Warren, Steven Lorenz Wright
  • Patent number: 6664940
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards an apparatus and method for masking display element defects in a display device. In one embodiment, the invention includes a display device with display elements disposed on a display surface, a translation unit that is coupled to the display device to impart periodic motion to the display surface, a display signal source capable of providing input signals to the display device, and a control unit coupled to the translation unit and the signal source to direct the movement of the display device and the signal source to correspondingly shift the display signals, which when displayed, conceal display element defects while presenting a stable image to a stationary viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan G. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 6657648
    Abstract: A display unit of which inspection process to inspect a connector for faulty connection can be automated. The display unit comprises a liquid crystal display section, a display driver IC driving the liquid crystal display section, a first board on which the display driver IC is mounted, an MPU sending a command and other information to the display driver IC, a second board on which the MPU is mounted, and a connector electrically connecting the first and second boards to each other. The MPU has a means for sending a test command in the test modes and reading the inspection result signal output from the display driver IC thereafter. The display driver IC comprises an interface circuit outputting and inputting a signal to and from the MPU, a command decoder decoding the test command input from the MPU via the interface circuit, and an inspection circuit outputting the inspection result signal in accordance with the signal from the command decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Aoki
  • Patent number: 6633135
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for evaluating an organic EL display, with which there is a simple drive circuit used for testing an organic EL display 10, evaluation of high reliability can be achieved, and an evaluation of the organic EL display 10 itself is performed prior to the installation of finished product drive circuits to the organic EL display 10, which makes it possible to suppress the decrease in yield caused by dealing with defective products due to the evaluation results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Wintest Corporation
    Inventors: Shouji Nara, Masatoshi Itoh, Makoto Ookuma, Tomoharu Innami
  • Patent number: 6603467
    Abstract: A power up test method and apparatus for a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel are disclosed. A power up test panel is used to perform the power up test on a LCD panel which greatly simplifies the test and reduces cost. The power up test panel includes a plurality of test electrodes formed on a substrate. The plurality of test electrodes corresponds one-on-one to a plurality of input electrodes on the LCD panel. The power up test panel makes electrical communication with a host system circuit which generates driving signals for sending to the power up test panel through a flexible film. During the power up test, the electrodes on the power up test panel and the input electrodes are matched and a pressure is applied for performing the electrical signal communication test of the LCD panel. The method is particularly suitable for the power up test of a high resolution LCD panel which has small pitch distance between input electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Industrial Technologies Research Institute
    Inventor: Chi-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 6600465
    Abstract: A driver circuit for driving an active matrix liquid crystal display without producing flicker. The inversion frequency of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal panel of the display is examined, the frequency being intrinsic to the display. The difference between voltages applied to opposite sides of the liquid crystal panel is found from the transmissivity of the liquid crystal material, by making use of an image sensor. The found value is converted into digital form by an analog-to-digital converter and stored in a correcting value storage device. When the active matrix display is in use, the difference signal which is found for each pixel and stored in the storage device is added to an image signal applied to the active matrix display, thus preventing flicker intrinsic to the liquid crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 6486860
    Abstract: A display unit with an LED matrix, particularly for outdoors, with display points arranged in lines and columns, which can be triggered by a control device and which are monitored for display errors by a monitoring device. A simple design provides a dependable function because the monitoring device has a current monitoring device with a current sensor, by which a trigger current for each display point can be detected and assigned to the respective display point by the monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Dambach-Werke GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Eschbach
  • Patent number: 6437761
    Abstract: A method for storing status information prior to shutdown of a video monitor due to a failure. An indication of an operational parameter is obtained. Based on the indication, it is determined if the failure occurs warranting shutdown. If the failure occurs, status information is stored in a non-volatile memory for later retrieval during repair. A shutdown sequence is generated to disable the video monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent V. Du, Masanobu Kimoto, Yoshihisa Narui
  • Patent number: 6407725
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting lowering of at least first and second output voltages from a driving apparatus of a plasma display panel below corresponding regular voltages due to over current in the plasma display panel and generating an output control signal to be transmitted to the driving apparatus, includes a switching transistor having a collector to which a bias voltage is applied, an emitter which is grounded, and a base, the switching transistor being operated according to the level of a voltage applied to the base and generating the output control signal through the collector. A voltage signal generating portion is connected between the base of the switching transistor and a port of the first output voltage, and the base and a port of the second output voltage, respectively, for changing a bias voltage of the base as the first and second output voltages change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-jin Song
  • Patent number: 6384754
    Abstract: A decoding system includes a plurality of decoders, a respective one of which is responsive to respective multibit input data, to decode the respective multibit input data and produce a respective output level corresponding to the respective multibit input data. The same multibit input data is simultaneously applied to the plurality of decoders, in response to a test mode signal. Different multibit input data is then simultaneously applied to the plurality of decoders, so that all of the output levels of the decoders can be tested. The output levels from the plurality of decoders that result from the same multibit input data that is supplied to the plurality of decoders is detected. The detected output levels from the plurality of decoders that result from the same multibit input data that is applied to the plurality of decoders is compared to expected output levels in order to test the decoders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-ho Park
  • Patent number: 6285397
    Abstract: A system for automatically aligning video images on display devices such as cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors that use the processor and memory of a host computer to implement the alignment process. The system uses a host computer processor and previously generated correction factor data, representative of specific display distortion characteristics, to produce driver signals necessary to affect the alignment of video images on a CRT screen. The previously stored correction factor data may be retrieved from a characterization module within the display device or from any other convenient storage location. The correction factor data is processed by the host computer to produce correction control data which is transmitted, over a bi-directional serial connector, or a video connector, to the display device where the data is read by correction and driver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Display Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Webb, Ron C. Simpson
  • Patent number: RE37847
    Abstract: Final testing of an LCD panel or the like is performed after preliminary testing for short circuit defects. During final testing, the panel is exposed to signals at the shorting bars and the resulting display pattern is imaged. The resulting image data then is processed at a computer system to determine whether the resulting display pattern differs from an expected display pattern. If differences are present then an open circuit or pixel defect is present. The applied test signals and the pattern or differences determine the type of defect present. For an open circuit defect along a gate line, a partial row (column) of the resulting display pattern does not activate. For an open circuit along a drive line, a partial column (row) of the resulting display does not activate. Pixel shorts are identified by applying test signals to the shorting bars during a first test cycle, then imaging the display during a second test cycle after at least one of the test signals is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Photon Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Francois J. Henley, Stephen Barton