Abstract: Disclosed is a conductor inspection apparatus capable of detecting a state of an inspection-target electric conductor with a high degree of accuracy in a non-contact manner. The inspection apparatus includes a signal supply section 510 for supplying an inspection signal to an inspection-target conductor 520, and two sensor plates 570, 580 disposed approximately parallel to each other in the vicinity of the conductor 520. The inspection apparatus is designed to inspect a configuration of the conductor 520 disposed opposed to the sensor plate 570, in accordance with a measured signal level from the sensor plate 570.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection sensor and inspection apparatus capable of accurately inspecting the shape of a conductive pattern. A sensor element 12a includes an MOSFET, and an aluminum electrode (AL) serving as a passive element 80. The passive element or aluminum electrode 80 is connected to the gate of a MOSFET 81 and the source of a MOSFET 82. A voltage VDD is supplied from a power supply circuit 18 to the drain of the MOSFET 81, and the source of the MOSFET 81 is connected to the drain of a MOSFET 83. A reset signal is entered from a vertical selection section 14 into the gate of the MOSFET 82, and the voltage VDD is supplied from the power supply circuit 18 to the drain of the MOSFET 82. A selection signal is entered from the vertical selection section 14 into the gate of the MOSFET 83, and an output from the source of the MOSFET 83 is entered into a lateral selection section 13.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and an inspection method, capable of, when supplying an inspection signal to a circuit wiring, eliminating any need for a pin to be brought into contact with the circuit wiring and detecting any defects including an invisible microscopic defect. An inspection apparatus A for inspecting a circuit wiring of a circuit board 100 comprises a conductive member 1 adapted to be disposed on the side of one of surfaces of the circuit board 100 and to be supplied with an inspection signal, a signal source 2 for supplying the inspection signal to the conductive member 1, a sensor unit 3 including a plurality of cells 3a to be disposed the opposed to the conductive member 1 on the side of the other surface of the circuit board 100, and a computer 5 for acquiring each signal appearing at the cells 3a in response to the inspection signal supplied to the conductive member 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a conductor inspection apparatus capable of capable of detecting a state of an inspection-target electric conductor with a high degree of accuracy in a non-contact manner. The inspection apparatus comprises a signal supply section 510 for supplying an inspection signal to an inspection-target conductor 520, and two sensor plates 570, 580 disposed approximately parallel to each other in the vicinity of the conductor 520. The inspection apparatus is designed to inspect a configuration of the conductor 520 disposed opposed to the sensor plate 570, in accordance with a measured signal level from the sensor plate 570.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a conductive pattern of a circuit board which includes first and second comb-shaped conductive patterns (15a, 15b) each having a plurality of terminal portions arranged substantially parallel to each other and a base portion connecting respective anchor ends of the terminal portions together, wherein the terminal portions of the first comb-shaped conductive pattern are alternately arranged with respect to the terminal portions of said second comb-shaped conductive pattern, and the first second comb-shaped conductive patterns (15a, 15b) are adapted, respectively, to be supplied with an AC inspection signal, and grounded.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a technique for inspecting a branched circuit wiring having branch portions branched halfway therefrom by using a less number of non-contact sensors. An inspection method for inspecting a branched circuit wiring having three or more ends, including the steps of: supplying an inspection signal to one end of the branched circuit wiring; disposing one or more non-contact sensors for detecting the inspection signal while being in non-contact with the branched circuit wiring over the remaining ends other than one end of the branched circuit wiring; and determining if any disconnection is caused in the branched circuit wiring, based on the inspection signal detected by the one or more non-contact sensors. The disposing step includes the step of arranging at least one of the one or more non-contact sensors to cover the remaining ends.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a conductive pattern of a circuit board which includes first and second comb-shaped conductive patterns 15a, 15b each having a plurality of terminal portions arranged substantially parallel to each other and a base portion connecting respective anchor ends of the terminal portions together, wherein the terminal portions of the first comb-shaped conductive pattern are alternately arranged with respect to the terminal portions of said second comb-shaped conductive pattern, and the first second comb-shaped conductive patterns 15a, 15b are adapted, respectively, to be supplied with an AC inspection signal, and grounded.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a plurality of target patterns 15 arrange in lines at least at first and second opposite ends thereof. The inspection apparatus comprises a supply electrode 35 for supplying an inspection signal and a sensor electrode 25 for detecting a detection signal. Each of the supply and sensor electrodes 35, 25 are adapted to be moved across each of the target patterns with a given gap relative to each of the target patterns 15 in such a manner as to allow the inspection signal supplied from the supply electrode 35 to each of the target patterns 15 through a capacitive coupling, to be detected by the sensor electrode capacitively coupled with each of the target patterns 15, so that the presence of disconnection in the target pattern is determined when the detection signal has a value less than a given lower limit, and the presence of short circuit in the target pattern is determined when the detection signal has a value greater than a given upper limit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit-pattern inspection apparatus for inspecting a comb-shaped pattern 20 having an edge region formed as a plurality of finger pattern segments and a base region formed as an integral connection pattern segment, and a plurality of discrete patterns 30 each disposed between the adjacent finger pattern segments in a non-connecting manner and being not in connecting with the remaining discrete patterns. The inspection apparatus comprises means for supplying an AC signal alternately to either one of the finger pattern segments and both the finger pattern segments and the discrete patterns while maintaining the other at a ground potential, and sensors 131, 132, 133 for detecting the AC signal disposed in the edge region. The inspection apparatus can reliably detect the presence of defects in a circuit board without any difficulties.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for detecting positional displacement of a board. A board 20 having a surface formed with a conductive pattern 25 is transferred in a direction A while supplying an AC signal from a power supply section 3 to the surface of the board. The level of positional displacement of the board is detected in accordance with the transfer speed of the board and the difference between the timings of the intermediate signal levels generated when the AC signal is sensed by a pair of position sensors 1, 2 opposed to the leading edge of the board. The present invention allows positional displacement of the board to be detected in a simple non-contact structure while maintaining a high degree of accuracy without variation over time.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of inspecting at a high speed by using a sensor having flexibility and excellent productivity. When a circuit board 100 as a subject of inspection is selected, CAD data of the circuit wiring 101 on this circuit board 100 is analyzed to detect the position of the end of each wiring. Then, two or more sensor elements adjacent to the end (from which the voltage variation can be detected) are specified. The switching circuit 16 is controlled to connect the selected sensor elements to an output terminal 12 and to connect the remaining sensor elements to the GND terminal 15. In this state, when an voltage is applied to one of the selected circuit wirings and then an inspection signal (voltage variation) is output from the output terminal 12, it will be determined that no disconnection exists in the circuit wiring.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for inspecting a circuit board at a high speed. A PDP driver module 100 as an object to be inspected has an onboard PDP driving LSI 110. A plurality of circuit wirings 111 are connected to terminals of the LSI. An inspection apparatus 1 generates an LSI drive signal and sends it to input terminals 113 of the LSI 110. A sensor 2 is positioned opposedly to the circuit wirings 111 in a non-contact manner. The sensor 2 detects voltage values in circuit wirings 111 caused by driving the LSI 110, and the detected signals are analyzed by the inspection apparatus 1.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus and method are disclosed. The inspection apparatus comprises a probe 30 having a width equal to or less than that of the layout pitch of conductive patterns 15 to be inspected, and a sensor section 20 having an area capable of covering the layout region of the conductive patterns. The probe 30 is adapted to be scanningly moved across an inspection-signal supply region including respective portions of the conductive patterns. The sensor section 20 is positioned opposed to the conductive patterns 15. An AC inspection signal is fed from an AC power source 35 to the probe 30 to form a capacitive coupling between one electrode or the conductive pattern, and the other electrode or the sensor section 20, and a detected signal from the sensor section 20 is amplified through an amplifier 25 to check the detected signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an circuit-pattern inspection apparatus comprising a power supply element 30 adapted to be capacitively coupled with a parallel array of conductive patterns 20 to supply an inspection signal to one end of each of the conductible patterns, an open sensor 40 adapted to be capacitively coupled with all of the other ends of the conductive patterns to detect the inspection signal, and a short sensor 50 arranged at a position displaced from the power supply element 30 and adapted to be capacitively coupled with two lines of the conductive patterns to detect the inspection signal. The quality of the conductive pattern is inspected such that the presence of disconnection is determined when the detect signal from the open sensor 40 is largely reduced, and the presence of short is determined when the detect signal from the short sensor 50 largely rises and then falls. The circuit-pattern inspection apparatus can detect defects in a circuit board reliably and readily.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection unit capable of allowing a probe and other components to be positioned with a high degree of accuracy while preventing misalignment of the probe and to be arranged closer to each other. The inspection unit includes a probe 14a for supplying an inspection signal in contact with a circuit wiring, and a board 12 having an electrode 13 printed thereon to detect the supplied inspection signal to the circuit wiring in non-contact with the circuit wiring. The board 12 includes a bore 12a allowing the probe 14a to be penetratingly disposed therein. The bore 12a is adapted to guide the axial movement of the probe 14a. A circuit wiring having branch portions branched halfway therefrom can be inspected by using a less number of non-contact sensors.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus is provided capable of adequately positioning an inspection chip to a conductive pattern as an inspection object. For connecting an electrode pad 1b of an inspection chip 1 with a lead 2a of a package 2, bump electrodes 3 and 4 are first provided at the inspection chip and at the package, respectively. Then, an anisotropic conductor 5 is provided to cover between the bump electrodes 3 and 4, and a conductor film 6 is provided on the anisotropic conductor 5 to extend between the bump electrodes 3 and 4. The anisotropic conductor 5 is thermo-compression bonded to provide an electrical connection between the conductor film 6 and the bump electrodes 3 and 4. This structure may provide a desirable surface of the inspection chip 1 having a sufficiently reduced thickness.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method capable of inspecting the shape of a board used in a liquid crystal panel with high fineness and efficiency. A computer 21 controls an X-electrode select section 22 and a Y-electrode select section 23 to drive liquid crystal driving electrodes 102 selectively. A FLASHSHOCK Sensor 1 is located at a position opposed to a board 100 in a non-contact manner. The FLASHSHOCK Sensor 1 is adapted to detect each potential variation caused in the liquid crystal electrodes 101-104 and then output the detected potential variation to the computer 21 as a detect signal. The computer 21 receives the detect signal from the FLASHSHOCK Sensor 1 to create image data, and detects disconnection, short-circuit, chipping or the like in the liquid crystal electrodes based on the created image data. Further, the computer 21 displays an image representing each shape of the liquid crystal electrodes on a display 21a.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information service method for providing information about a circuit-board inspection service, circuit-board manufacturing service or the like to clients and dealers to support and facilitate transactions therebetween. The information service method comprises the steps of receiving a board-specification information defining a specification of a circuit board from the client, providing the received board-specification information to the dealers, receiving information about products providable from the dealers, and providing the received product information to the client. Thus, the information from each dealer can be provided to the client.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for inspecting a circuit board at a high speed. An LCD driver module 100 as an object to be inspected has an onboard LCD driving LSI 110. One circuit-wiring group 111 is connected to SEG terminals, and another circuit-wiring group 112 is connected to COM terminals of the LSI 110. An inspection apparatus 1 generates an LSI drive signal and sends it to input terminals 113 of the LSI 110. A pair of sensors 2, 3 are positioned opposedly to the circuit-wiring groups 111, 112, respectively, in a non-contact manner. Each of the sensors 2, 3 detects voltage changes in the corresponding circuit-wiring group 111, 112 caused by driving the LSI 110, and the detected signals are analyzed by the inspection apparatus 1.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inspection apparatus and method for inspecting a circuit wiring on a circuit board. An inspection signal is supplied to the circuit wiring on the circuit board (S 141), and potential variation generated in a specific region of the circuit wiring in response to the inspection signal is detected using a plurality of sensor elements (S 142) to create image data representing the shape of the circuit wiring (S 151 and subsequent Steps). The shape of the circuit wiring is compared with a corresponding pre-registered standard shape (S 167) to check the state of the circuit wiring (S 168, S 169). The inspection apparatus and method of the present invention can reliably inspect the state of a circuit wiring with a high degree of accuracy.