Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Nobuyuki Kawase

Katsumi Irie

Isao Ogasawara

Takafumi Hayama

Hideji Marumoto

Touko Kasahara

Koji Fukuda

Kazuhide Ikuta

Yuichiro Mochizuki

Masasi Hosomi

An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of bus lines () provided in a pixel region, a plurality of signal terminals () provided in a connection terminal region (K), connection lines (), additional signal terminals (), test lines (), and switching elements (). The switching elements () are divided into a plurality of groups, and can control connections between the bus lines and the test lines () on a group basis, and connection elements () that each include a diode or a switching element and connect the signal terminals () to each other are provided in the connection terminal region (K).

Active matrix substrate including signal terminals additional signal terminals and switching elements for testing the active matrix substrate

Disclosed herein is a method for detecting a defect of an active matrix liquid crystal panel, the method including a step of inputting a data signal for displaying an image having a luminance level lower than a maximum luminance level to a first signal line while inputting a data signal for displaying a black image to a second signal line and a third signal line, the second signal line and the third signal line adjoining the first signal line, thereby causing pixels corresponding to the first signal line to display a single color. According to the method of the present invention, any defective pixel is displayed darker than normal, owing to a decrease in the transmittance, so that point defects such as S-D leak defects can be easily detected.

Method for detecting defects in an active matrix liquid crystal display

The inspection apparatus of the invention inspects a display device including first and second bus lines formed on an active matrix substrate. The inspection apparatus includes a first substrate unit and a second substrate unit each having a pair of substrates and connecting films therebetween. On one substrate of each substrate unit, inspection terminals and first inspection lines are formed and each of the inspection lines are connected to one of the inspection terminals. On the other substrate of each substrate unit, second inspection lines are provided. The first and second inspection lines of the substrates are selectively connected by the connecting films. During inspection, the second inspection lines of the first substrate unit are brought directly in contact with the first bus lines, so that each of the first bus lines is connected to one of the inspection terminals of the first substrate unit. Each of the second bus lines is connected to one of the inspection terminals of the second substrate unit via the respective second inspection lines in the same way. The apparatus further includes: a driving signal input circuit for supplying driving signals for a display inspection of the display device to the inspection terminals of each substrate unit; a resistance measuring device for measuring resistances of the first and second bus lines of the display device; and a section for connecting either of the driving signal input circuit or the resistance measuring device to the first and second substrate unit.

Inspection apparatus and method for display device

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Tenri, Japan

Nobuyuki Kawase