TW202144790A - Test electrode set and test system - Google Patents

Abstract

A set of test electrode of a display panel comprises a first driving part, a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode. The first driving part includes a first driving electrode connected to a first control line. The first sensing electrode is connected to a first data line controlled by the first control line, and the second sensing electrode is connected to a second data line controlled by the first control line. Wherein the first driving part, the first sensing electrode and the second electrode are arranged in an array along a first direction. Wherein the width of the first driving part in the first direction is larger than the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction.

Description

Test electrode set and test system

The present invention relates to a test electrode group and a test system, in particular to a test electrode group and a test system of a display panel.

In each stage of manufacturing electronic products, it is necessary to control the effectiveness and defect rate of each stage through various product tests, so as to provide higher quality electronic products to consumers. When making display panels or displays, the steps and processes required for testing are not a problem. However, when the display quality requirements of the display panel are improved, such as HD, 4K or higher image quality, the number of data lines will increase due to the improvement of the image quality, and the number of points to be tested will also increase accordingly. . However, as the number of test points required increases, the area required for the contacts of the test pins will also increase or cause other problems. Therefore, how to use fewer test points to achieve the test effect is the part that needs to be optimized in the test system.

One objective of the present invention is to provide a test electrode group and a test system, which can reduce the number of electrodes used in the display panel test.

The present invention provides a test electrode group of a display panel including a first driving part, a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode. The first driving part includes a first driving electrode connected to the first control line. The first sensing electrodes are connected to the first data lines controlled by the first control lines, and the second sensing electrodes are connected to the second data lines controlled by the first control lines. The first driving part, the first sensing electrode and the second electrode are arranged along the first direction. The width of the first driving portion in the first direction is greater than the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction.

The present invention provides a test system for a display panel, comprising a test electrode group and a probe group. The test electrode group includes a driving part having a first driving electrode, a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode. The first sensing electrode is disposed beside the driving part along a direction and a distance therebetween. The second sensing electrodes are disposed along the direction beside the first sensing electrodes and at a distance from the distance. The probe set includes a probe card, a first probe and a second probe. The first probe is arranged on the probe card. The second probe is arranged on the probe card and is spaced apart from the first probe. When the probe card is in the first position, the first probe contacts the driving part and the second probe contacts the first sensing electrode and receives a first test signal. When the probe card is located at the second position, the first probe contacts the driving part and the second probe contacts the second sensing electrode and receives the second test signal.

The test electrode group and the test method as described above utilize the translation of the probe group on the drive part with a larger width and the test electrodes arranged at equal intervals, and the probe contacts the drive part before and after the translation, so as to reduce the time required for driving the control signal. number of electrodes. To achieve the purpose of reducing the number of electrodes used in display panel testing.

The following will clearly illustrate the spirit of the present disclosure with drawings and detailed descriptions. Anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field, after understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure, can be changed and modified by the techniques taught in the present disclosure. It does not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

The terms "first", "second", .

The terms "comprising", "including", "having", "containing", etc. used in this document are all open-ended terms, meaning including but not limited to.

With regard to the terms used in this document, unless otherwise specified, each term generally has the ordinary meaning of each term used in the field, in the content disclosed herein, and in the specific content. Certain terms used to describe the present disclosure are discussed below or elsewhere in this specification to provide those skilled in the art with additional guidance in describing the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the test electrode set arranged around the panel 1 is, for example, the cell test pad set at position a, the array test electrode set at position b (Array test pad) and the joint of the drive IC at position c Electrode (COF bonding pad). It should be noted that the above-mentioned relationships between the positions a, b, c and the electrode sets are only examples and are not intended to limit the types of panels and the positions of the test electrodes in the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention take a panel test electrode group as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the positions and types of the test electrode sets. In addition, the first direction d1 in this case refers to, for example, the extending direction of the long side of the display area AA of the panel 1 , and the second direction refers to, for example, the extending direction of the short side of the display area AA of the panel 1 .

Please refer to FIG. 2A . FIG. 2A illustrates a test system 10 for a display panel, including a test electrode group 12 and a probe group 14 . The test electrode group 12 includes a first driving part 100 having a first driving electrode 110 , a first sensing electrode 210 and a second sensing electrode 220 . It should be noted that the material of the test electrode group 12 is, for example, but not limited to, a sheet formed of copper or silver, which is attached or otherwise disposed on the panel (not shown in FIG. 2A ). However, the present invention does not limit the position where the test electrode group 12 is arranged on the panel. An exemplary definition of the first driving part 100 is a set of driving electrodes that provide the same control signal CL1 . The first driving part 100 may include at least one driving electrode, such as the first driving electrode 110 shown in FIG. 2A . It should be noted that when there is only one driving electrode in the first driving part 100 , the area and range of the driving electrode are the same as and overlap with those of the first driving part 100 . The first sensing electrodes 210 are arranged along the first direction d1 beside the first driving part 100 with a first distance S1 therebetween. The second sensing electrodes 220 are arranged along the first direction d1 beside the first sensing electrodes 210 with a second distance S2 therebetween. Preferably, the first distance S1 may be slightly larger than the second distance S2, but the invention is not limited thereto, for example, the first distance S1 may be equal to the second distance S2.

In a preferred embodiment, the width WS2 of the second sensing electrode 220 is the same as the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210, where the width is defined as the length from one side of the electrodes along the arrangement direction (the first direction d1) to the other side . Specifically, taking FIG. 2A as an example, the first driving part 100 , the first driving electrodes 210 and the second driving electrodes 220 are arranged in sequence along the first direction d1 . However, the present invention is not limited to the orientation of the first direction. For example, the first direction d1 can also be defined as the extension direction of the short side of the display area AA or any other direction on the substrate plane (the direction of any vector combination of the first direction d1 and the second direction d2).

As shown in FIG. 2A , the probe set 14 includes a probe card 300 , a first probe 410 and a second probe 420 . The probe card 300 is, for example, but not limited to, a printed circuit board (PCB). The first probe 410 and the second probe 420 are, for example, pogo pins or other conductor-like pins. The first probes 410 are disposed on the probe card 300 . The second probes 420 are disposed on the probe card 300 and have a third distance S3 from the first probes 410 .

2A and 2B are schematic diagrams illustrating the translation of the probe set 12 when the test system 10 measures. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 is equal to the width WS2 of the second sensing electrode 220 in order to simplify the description, and the second probe 420 contacts the first sensing electrode 210 or the second sensing electrode 210 The midpoint of the electrode 220 is measured, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Please refer to FIG. 2A . FIG. 2A illustrates that when the probe card 300 is located at the first position L1 , the first probes 410 contact the first driving electrodes 110 in the first driving part 100 and the second probes 420 contact the first sensing electrodes 210 and receive the first test signal T1. A slight difference from the schematic diagram in FIG. 2A is that the first position L1 is preferably located above the surface where the sensing electrode group 12 is located (a different plane from the substrate). The sensing electrode sets 12 are arranged in the first direction d1 , so the probe card 300 is arranged above the sensing electrode set 12 and extending along the first direction d1 and the distribution of the sensing electrode set 12 is parallel. The first probe 410 is electrically connected to the first driving part 100 and provides a control signal to the first control line CL1 connected to the first driving part 100 . The second probe 420 is electrically connected to the first sensing electrode 210 , and receives the first test signal T1 from the first sensing electrode 210 , which is transmitted by the first data line DL1 controlled by the first control line CL1 . It should be noted that the first control line CL1 controls the passage of the signal of the first data line DL1 through the control element Q1, and the control elements Q1 and Q2 are, for example, but not limited to, switches, switches, selectors or multiplexers. In addition, the number of sensing electrodes is not limited to two, in other words, the first control circuit CL1 can control more than two data circuits, and the present invention is not limited to the number of sensing electrodes.

Next, please refer to FIG. 2B . FIG. 2B illustrates that when the probe card 300 is located at the second position L2 , the first probe 410 contacts the first driving part 100 and the second probe 420 contacts the second sensing electrode 220 and receives the first probe 410 . Two test signals T2. In detail, the second position L2 is the position where the first position L1 is translated by the first displacement amount H along the first direction d1. However, the present invention is not limited to the distance or direction in which the probe card 300 is translated. Specifically, the translation direction of the probe card 300 is determined according to the direction in which the sensing electrode groups 12 are arranged. When the probe card 300 is located at the second position L2, the first probe needle 410 is electrically connected to another position of the first driving electrode 110 of the first driving part 100 and provides a control signal. At this time, the second probe 420 is electrically connected to the second sensing electrode 220 , and receives from the second sensing electrode 220 the first data transmitted by the first control line CL1 through the second data line DL2 controlled by the control element Q2. Two test signals T2. In this configuration, the first probe 410 contacts the first driving part 100 before and after the translation to reduce the number of electrodes required for driving the control signal. To achieve the purpose of reducing the number of electrodes used in display panel testing.

In one embodiment, the first test signal T1 and the second test signal T2 measured before and after the translation can be integrated into an integrated signal through post-processing to obtain overall performance and status information of the display panel. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the number of times the probe card is translated or the number of probes. For example, when the number of sensing electrodes or driving parts of the test electrode set 12 increases, the test signals on all the sensing electrodes can be measured by increasing the number of probes or the number of translations of the probe card.

In addition, the probe card 300 may not necessarily translate directly in the first direction d1. In some cases (for example, but not limited to, to avoid damage to the electrode sheet or the probe), the probe card 300 may translate in the third direction (which is the same as the first direction). and the direction perpendicular to the second direction (not shown in the figure), after moving, the first probe 410 and the second probe 420 are separated from the test electrode group 12 and then translated in the first direction d1 and then moved to the second position L2 The first probe 410 and the second probe 420 are brought into contact with the test electrode group 12 .

圖3C及3D說明探針卡的由第一位置(以虛線表示位移前的第一探針410與第二探針420)移動至第二位置(以實線表示移動後的第一探針410’與第二探針420’)的第一位移量H的範圍。請參照圖3C，第一位移量H的最小值H(min)，為第二間距S2。請參照圖3D，第一位移量H的最大值H(max)為第一感測電極的寬度WS1、第二間距S2與第二感測電極的寬度SW2之和。綜上所述，第一位移量的範圍例如為下式所示：

因探針卡300於第一位置L1與第二位置L2時，第一探針410皆接觸第一驅動部100，故第一驅動部100的寬度WD範圍，較佳而言，大於第一位移量H的最大值H(max)，如下式所示：

In FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D , to simplify the description, only line segments are used to represent the positions of the first probe 410 and the second probe 420 . FIG. 3A illustrates the maximum state S3(max) of the third distance S3 between the first probe 410 and the second probe 420 . Referring to FIG. 3A , the maximum state S3 (max) of the third spacing is the sum of the width WD of the first driving part 100 , the first spacing S1 and the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 . FIG. 3B illustrates the minimum state S3(min) of the third distance S3 between the first probe 210 and the second probe 220 . Referring to FIG. 3B , the minimum state S3 (min) of the third distance is the sum of the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 , the second distance S2 and the first distance S1 . To sum up, the range of the third spacing is, for example, as shown in the following formula:

3C and 3D illustrate the movement of the probe card from the first position (the first probe 410 and the second probe 420 before displacement are indicated by the dotted line) to the second position (the first probe 410 after the movement is indicated by the solid line) ' and the range of the first displacement H of the second probe 420'). Referring to FIG. 3C , the minimum value H(min) of the first displacement amount H is the second distance S2 . Referring to FIG. 3D , the maximum value H(max) of the first displacement amount H is the sum of the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode, the second spacing S2 and the width SW2 of the second sensing electrode. To sum up, the range of the first displacement amount is, for example, as shown in the following formula:

When the probe card 300 is at the first position L1 and the second position L2, the first probe needles 410 both contact the first driving part 100, so the width WD of the first driving part 100 is preferably larger than the first displacement The maximum value H(max) of the quantity H is as follows:

In one embodiment, when the second probe 420 contacts the midpoint of the width of the first sensing electrode 210 and the second sensing electrode 220, for example, but not limited to, for better test results, the first displacement is H and the width WD of the first driving part 100 are shown in the following formula:

承上，於一較佳實施例中，第一感測電極210的寬度WS1等於第二感測電極220的寬度WS2，因檢測機台精度常見為

，且第一感測電極210的寬度WS1遠大於第二間距的最小值S2(min)，當第一驅動部100的寬度WD為第一感測電極210的寬度WS1的1.5倍，可使電極所占空間為考量檢測精度後的最小化設計。In one embodiment, when the second probe 420 contacts the width midpoint of the first sensing electrode 210 and the second sensing electrode 220 and the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 is equal to the width WS2 of the second sensing electrode 220 At this time, the first displacement amount H and the width of the first driving part 100 are shown in the following formula:

Continuing from the above, in a preferred embodiment, the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 is equal to the width WS2 of the second sensing electrode 220, because the accuracy of the detection machine is usually as follows

, and the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210 is much larger than the minimum value S2 (min) of the second spacing, when the width WD of the first driving part 100 is 1.5 times the width WS1 of the first sensing electrode 210, the electrode The space occupied is the minimum design after considering the detection accuracy.

It should be noted that, if the number of displacements of the probe card 300 is greater than one time, for example, N times, the relationship between the width WD of the first driving portion 100 and the first displacement H is as follows:

Different implementations of the test electrode set 12 of the present invention will be described later in this paragraph. In one embodiment, the first driving part 100 may include more than two driving electrodes. For example, please refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A illustrates that the first driving part 100 includes a first driving electrode 110 and a second driving electrode 120, which are respectively connected to the first control line CL1. The first driving electrode 110 and the second driving electrode 120 have a fourth distance S4 and are arranged along the first direction d1. Specifically, the width WD of the first driving part 100 is equal to the sum of the width WD1 of the first driving electrode 110 , the width WD2 of the second driving electrode 120 and the fourth spacing S4 . As shown in FIG. 4A , when the probe card 300 is at the first position L1 , the first probes 410 contact the first driving electrodes 110 . As shown in FIG. 4B , when the probe card 300 is located at the second position L2 , the first probes 410 contact the second driving electrodes 120 . It should be noted that, this embodiment only illustrates that the driving portion may have more than two driving electrodes, and is not intended to limit the number of driving electrodes.

In one embodiment, the numbers of the driving parts and the sensing electrodes can be adjusted. Please refer to FIG. 5A . FIG. 5A illustrates a test electrode group 12 for display panel testing including a first driving part 100 , a second driving part 500 , a first sensing electrode 210 , a second sensing electrode 220 , and a third sensing electrode 230 and the fourth sensing electrode 240 . The first driving part 100 includes a first driving electrode 110 connected to the first control line CL1. The second driving part 500 includes a second driving electrode 210 connected to the second control line CL2. It should be noted that, as in the above-mentioned embodiments, the first driving part 100 and the second driving part 500 may each include more than one driving electrode. The first sensing electrode 210 is connected to the first data line DL1; the second sensing electrode 220 is connected to the second data line DL2; the third sensing electrode 230 is connected to the third data line DL3; the fourth sensing electrode 240 is connected to The fourth data line DL4. The first control line CL1 controls the first data line DL1 and the second data line DL2, and the second control line CL2 controls the third data line DL3 and the fourth data line DL4. There is a fifth distance S5 between the first sensing electrode 210 and the second sensing electrode 220 ; there is also a fifth distance S5 between the third sensing electrode 230 and the fourth sensing electrode 240 . The first driving part 100 , the second driving part 500 , the first sensing electrode 210 , the second sensing electrode 220 , the third sensing electrode 230 and the fourth sensing electrode 240 are arranged along the first direction d1 . It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the distance between the second sensing electrode 220 and the third sensing electrode 230 . In other words, the present invention is not limited to the distance between two sets of sensing electrodes that do not belong to the same control line.

Preferably, the widths of the first sensing electrodes 210 , the second sensing electrodes 220 , the third sensing electrodes 230 and the fourth sensing electrodes 240 are equal. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5B , when the probe card 300 is located at the first position L1 , the first probes 410 on the probe card 300 are in contact with and electrically connected to the first driving part 100 , and the second probes 420 are in contact with and electrically connected to the first sensing electrode 210 . In addition, the third probe 430 is electrically connected to the second driving part 500 , and the fourth probe 440 is electrically connected to the third sensing electrode 230 . The rest of the reading and control mechanisms are the same as those in the foregoing embodiments, and are not described here. When the probe card 300 is displaced from the first position L1 by the first displacement amount H to the second position L2, the first probes 410 on the probe card 300 contact and are electrically connected to another position of the first driving part 100, The second probe 420 contacts and is electrically connected to the second sensing electrode 220 . In addition, the third probe 430 is electrically connected to another position of the second driving part 500 , and the fourth probe 440 is electrically connected to the fourth sensing electrode 240 . Preferably, the probe should touch the midpoint of the width of the sensing electrode. In addition, in this embodiment, since the widths of the first sensing electrode 210 , the second sensing electrode 220 , the third sensing electrode 230 and the fourth sensing electrode 240 are equal, the first displacement H is preferably the first The sum of the width WS1 of a sensing electrode 210 and the fifth spacing S5.

The present invention is not limited to the distance and arrangement order between the driving part and the test electrodes. Referring to FIG. 5C , the second driving part 500 , the third sensing electrode 230 and the fourth sensing electrode 240 may be disposed between the first driving part 100 and the first sensing electrode 210 . In this embodiment, it is only necessary to adjust the configuration of the probes on the probe card 300 , in other words, to change the positions of the probes corresponding to the sensing electrodes, and then the test can be performed.

The present invention has been described by the above-mentioned related embodiments, however, the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples of implementing the present invention. It must be pointed out that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. On the contrary, modifications and equivalent arrangements within the spirit and scope of the claims are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

1: Panel 10: Test System 12: Test electrode set 14: Probe Set 100 500: Drive Department 110, 510: Drive Electrodes 210, 220, 230, 240: Sensing electrodes 300: Probe Card 410, 420, 430, 440: Probes S1, S2, S3, S4, S5: Spacing L1, L2: Location WD, WS1, WS2: Width CL1, CL2: Control lines DL1, DL2, DL3, DL4: Data lines Q1, Q2: Control elements d1, d2: direction T1, T2: Test signal H: displacement amount a, b, c: position

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the position of the test electrode group on the panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

2A and FIG. 2B are schematic diagrams of a test system measuring a translation probe set according to an embodiment of the present invention

3A-3D are explanatory diagrams of the ranges of the maximum value and the minimum value of the probe spacing and the electrode spacing in the present invention.

4A-4B are schematic diagrams of a driving portion including a plurality of driving electrodes for measurement according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5A-5C are schematic diagrams illustrating the configuration of a plurality of driving units according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10: Test System

12: Test electrode set

14: Probe Set

100: Drive Department

110: Drive electrode

210, 220: Sensing electrodes

300: Probe Card

410, 420: Probe

S1, S2, S3: Spacing

L1: Location

WD, WS1, WS2: width

CL1: Control Line

DL1,DL2: data line

Q1, Q2: Control element

d1,d2: direction

T1: Test signal

Claims (12)

A test electrode group for a display panel, comprising: a first driving part, comprising a first driving electrode connected to a first control circuit; a first sensing electrode connected to a first data line controlled by the first control line; and a second sensing electrode connected to a second data line controlled by the first control line; Wherein, the first driving part, the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are arranged along a first direction; Wherein, the width of the first driving portion in the first direction is greater than the width of the first sensing electrode or the second sensing electrode in the first direction. The test electrode set as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a second driving part, comprising a second driving electrode connected to a second control circuit; a third sensing electrode connected to a third data line; and a fourth sensing electrode connected to a fourth data line; wherein the first control line controls the first data line and the second data line and the second control line controls the third data line and the fourth data line; Wherein, the first driving part, the second driving part, the first sensing electrode, the second sensing electrode, the third sensing electrode and the fourth sensing electrode are arranged along the first direction; Wherein, the width of the second driving portion in the first direction is greater than the width of the third sensing electrode or the fourth sensing electrode in the first direction. The test electrode set according to claim 1, wherein the width of the first driving portion in the first direction is greater than or more than 1.5 times the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction. The test electrode set according to claim 1, wherein the first driving part further comprises: a third driving electrode, connected to the first control circuit; Wherein, the first driving electrodes and the third driving electrodes are arranged along the first direction. The test electrode set of claim 1, wherein the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction is the same as the width of the second sensing electrode in the first direction. The test electrode set according to claim 1, wherein a second distance is between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode, and a width of the first driving portion in the first direction is larger than that of the first sensing electrode The sum of the width of the measuring electrode in the first direction and the second distance. A test system for a display panel, comprising: A test electrode set, including: a driving part having a first driving electrode connected to a first control circuit; a first sensing electrode arranged next to the driving part along a first direction, the first sensing electrode is connected to a first data line controlled by the first control line; and a second sensing electrode arranged beside the first sensing electrode along the first direction, the second sensing electrode is connected to a second data circuit controlled by the first control circuit; and A probe set, including: a probe card; a first probe, disposed on the probe card; and a second probe disposed on the probe card and beside the first probe along the first direction; Wherein, when the probe card is located at a first position, the first probe contacts the driving part, the second probe contacts the first sensing electrode and receives a first test signal from the first data line; When the probe card is in a second position, the first probe contacts another position of the driving part, the second probe contacts the second sensing electrode and receives a second test from the second data line signal. The test system of claim 7, wherein the width of the first driving electrode in the first direction is at least 1.5 times greater than the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction. The test system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driving part further comprises: a second driving electrode connected to the first control circuit and disposed beside the first driving electrode along the first direction; Wherein, when the probe card is in the first position, the first probe contacts the first driving electrode; when the probe card is in the second position, the first probe contacts the second driving electrode. The test system of claim 7, wherein the second position is located where the first position moves along the first direction by a first displacement amount. The testing system of claim 10, wherein a second distance is between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode, and the first displacement is in a range from the second distance to the first sensing The width of the electrode in the first direction, the width of the second sensing electrode in the first direction and the sum of the second distance. The test system of claim 11, wherein the first displacement amount is equal to the sum of the width of the first sensing electrode in the first direction and the second distance.

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