KR100499064B1 - A dvi testing apparatus and method for lcd module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a test apparatus for an LCD module, and more particularly, to a DVI test apparatus and a method for testing a display module of the LCD module by providing various patterns according to the DVI standard.

The apparatus of the present invention is a system for testing a display characteristic of an LCD module by applying a test pattern to a LCD module via a test board through a DVI test board, wherein the test computer provides a graphic card and a test pattern for a monitor. And a DVI graphics card, wherein the DVI test board provides a TMDS receiver for converting a TMDS signal received from a DVI graphics card into a TTL signal and a driving signal for driving the LCD module from the converted TTL signal. The driving signal generation unit and a buffer board for providing the driving signal of the driving signal generation unit according to the LCD module module as a TTL or TMDS signal or a Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) signal. Therefore, according to the present invention, the test system includes one graphic card to apply a test pattern, and at the same time, display a screen of another application program through a monitor screen, and easily perform the test. There is an advantage to being able to test the specification.

Description

Device test apparatus and test method of LCD module {A DVI TESTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR LCD MODULE}

The present invention relates to a test apparatus for an LCD module, and more particularly, to a DVI test apparatus and method for an LCD module capable of inspecting display characteristics of an LCD module by providing various patterns according to a DVI (Digita Visual Interface) standard. will be.

In general, an LCD module is a display element including a panel in which liquid crystal is injected between a substrate and a substrate, a driving unit for driving the panel, a backlight (B / L), and the like. Widely used. These LCD modules are manufactured on the basis of precise semiconductor technology, and require complex testing in the manufacturing process because they are complex systems containing a myriad of devices.

Apparatus for testing the display performance of the LCD module by applying various display patterns to such an LCD module include a method using a personal computer (PC) and a method using a dedicated test apparatus equipped with a pattern generator. In this case, since one graphic card is provided, the test pattern is displayed on the monitor as it is, so that it is difficult to perform other tasks during the test, and when the pattern generator is used, the test pattern is limited.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and employing at least two graphics cards, and having a graphics card for the test pattern separately from the graphics card for the monitor, and various resolutions and all BMP files and The purpose of the present invention is to provide a test apparatus and a test method for the LCD of a LCD module that can test a moving image.

In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus of the present invention is a system for testing a display characteristic of an LCD module by applying a test pattern to a LCD module through a test board via a DVI test board, the test computer for a monitor It includes a graphics card and a DVI graphics card for providing a test pattern, the DVI test board, TMDS for converting a TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) signal received from a DVI graphics card into a TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic) signal A receiver, a drive signal generator for providing a drive signal for driving the LCD module from the converted TTL signal, and a drive signal generator for driving the TTL or TMDS signal or a Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) signal according to the LCD module module. It characterized in that it comprises a buffer board provided by.

In addition, the method of the present invention for achieving the above object, the test computer in the LCD module test method for testing the display characteristics of the LCD module by applying a test pattern to the LCD module via a DVI test board, the test program Displaying a predetermined home screen when executed; Editing a pattern by selecting a pattern editing item on the main screen, editing an EDID by selecting an EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) editing item on the main screen, and registering a module by selecting a module registration item on the main screen. Registration step; And a test step of detecting a voltage current when the start of the test is input and checking the limit value to perform the test.

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

First, the DVI (Digital Visual Interface) standard will be briefly described to facilitate understanding of the present invention.

As information digitizes rapidly, VGA (Video Graphic Array) interfaces are gradually shifting to digital methods. That is, in case of CRT (Cathod Ray Tube) monitor, information is displayed by analog method, so signal output from graphic card should be analog method. However, all the information from the PC is digital data, so it is necessary to convert the graphics card to analog in order to display it on the monitor, which may add noise and degrade gray matter.

On the other hand, with the rapid expansion of digital video discs (DVDs) and the spread of LCD monitors, the conversion from analog monitors to digital monitors has resulted in the conversion of digital data from PCs to digital ones. Is required. Such digital interface standards include "P & D", "DFP", and "DVI". Here, DVI is a transmission method developed by the Digital Display Working Group, which uses the TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) protocol, and has two links to increase the maximum pixel rate to support 1280 x 1024 or more. DVI has DVI-I which supports both digital and analog interface and DVI-D which only provides digital video signal depending on the configuration.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a test system according to the present invention, wherein the system of the present invention includes a first graphics card (VGA) 112 for display on a monitor 116 and a second for providing a signal for testing. A test computer 110 including a graphics card (DVI) 114 and a DVI test board 120 for receiving a DVI signal from the test computer 110 and testing the LCD module 130.

1, at least two graphics cards 112 and 114 are mounted in a test computer (PC) 110 of the present invention, one for providing a video signal for a conventional monitor 116, and the other for a DVI test board. Provide test pattern data to (120). By using the two graphics cards 112 and 114 as described above, the test pattern is applied to the LCD module 130 while the monitor 116 displays the test control and statistics screens provided by the application program for easier testing. . That is, when one VGA card is used as in the related art, the same screen as the test pattern applied to the LCD module is displayed on the monitor, so other operations cannot be performed during the test, but according to the present invention, a graphic card for generating the test pattern is used. The display cards for the and monitor displays are independent of each other so that other tasks can be performed while applying test patterns.

In addition, the test apparatus according to the present invention is connected to the barcode reader 102 through the RS232C interface, DVI test board 120 and PC 110 is also connected to the RS-232C port.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the DVI test board 120 includes a TMDS receiver 122 for converting a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) signal received from the DVI graphics card 114 into a TTL signal, and the converted TTL signal. The drive signal generator 123 for providing a drive signal for driving the LCD module 130 from the display module, and the drive signal generated by the drive signal generator 123 according to the LCD module module in accordance with a TTL or TMDS signal or a low voltage differential signal (LVDS). Buffer board 124 for providing a signal, a TMDS transmitter 125 for converting a TTL-converted signal back to a TMDS signal, a digital-to-analog converter 126 for converting a TMDS signal to an analog signal, and a PC 110. CPU 121 and inverter 202 which download data through RS232C interface and provide data to DVI graphic card 114, receive sensing data from voltage and current sensing unit 128 and transfer it to PC 110. Power supply unit 12 for supplying power to the LCD module 130 7) the voltage and current detection unit 128.

2, the TMDS receiver 122 receives the TMDS signal from the DVI graphics card 114 and converts it into a TTL signal for processing in the test board, and the driving signal generator 123 is an FPGA (Field Programmable). Gate drive) to generate driving signals for testing according to the pattern data transferred from the graphics card. The buffer board 124 converts the driving signal into a signal suitable for the LCD module 130 to be tested. For example, in the case of a TMDS type LCD module, the driving signal of the driving signal generator 123 is converted into a TMDS signal and applied to the LCD module 130.

The TMDS transmitter 125 and the digital analog (D / A) converter 126 are for monitoring a test pattern by a separate analog monitor instead of the LCD module 130, and converting the driving signal converted into TTL into a TMDS signal again. After conversion, the signal is converted to analog and provided to the analog monitor 204.

The CPU 121 communicates with the test computer 110 through the RS232C interface as a complete chip microcomputer such as 8051 and performs firmware for various tests. In particular, the EDID data can be downloaded from the PC 110, the data can be read from the DVI graphics card 114, the field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. can be controlled and sensed by the voltage and current detector 128. Receives the data and transmits it to the PC (110).

The power supply unit 127 supplies power to the inverter 202 that provides power to the backlight of the LCD module and provides driving power for driving the LCD module. The voltage current detector 128 detects the voltage and current magnitude of the power applied to the backlight through the inverter 202, detects the voltage, current, and the limit applied to the LCD module 130, and detects the detected data by the CPU ( And send it to the outside (VA SENSE) for monitoring.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a test procedure according to the present invention.

When the program for the test is performed, the main screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 4 (S1).

Referring to FIG. 4, the main screen provides various menus for testing, and "Model" is used to change the model by the popup menu. "LCD module test" is a menu item for starting inspection, "Pattern" is a menu item for designating pattern editing and shortcut keys, "EDID" is for editing and testing EDID data, and "module" (Module) "is for editing and registering model data. In addition, there are boxes for selecting makers and inches, and boxes for displaying card types.

When pattern registration is selected in the main screen, a screen for pattern editing as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, thereby editing the pattern (S2, S3). Referring to FIG. 5, after selecting a shortcut key of a pattern to be registered, the pattern data is registered, and click "Confirm". At this time, the selected pattern is displayed on the right side "Selected Pattern".

When the EDID registration is selected in the main screen, a screen for editing the EDID is displayed as shown in FIG. 6 and accordingly EDID editing is performed (S2 and S4). Referring to Figure 6, "File Open" opens a standard data file, and "Save as" saves the data to a file. "Write Data" saves the standard data in the EDID data of the LCD module, and "Write Verify" saves the standard data in the EDID data of the LCD module and reads it again to check whether it is saved normally. do. "Read Data" reads the EDID data of the LCD module and displays it in the corresponding data box. "Read Verify" reads the EDID data of the LCD module and displays it in the corresponding data box. The comparison is made. "Edit Data" edits EDID data.

When the module registration is selected in the main screen, a screen for registering a module is displayed as shown in FIG. 7, and the module is registered accordingly (S2 and S5). Referring to FIG. 7, the module screen registers module data, selects EDID check, and inputs data for tap test. In addition, output voltages and voltage / current limit values of various power sources Vcc, Vdd, and Vbl to be applied to the module are input. The "Time Sequence" controls the on-time of the power supply (Vcc, Vdd, VBL) and data required when the LCD module is driven. The "On / Off Time" is the LCD module. Set the on / off test function by the power on / off time. "EDID Data Timing" changes the EDID data related to the timing chart for the module, and "Maker" displays the modules for that group when you select a manufacturer-specific or LCD module inch-specific management group. . Here, "Vcc" and "Vdd" are power sources for operating the LCD module, and "Vbl" are power sources for the backlight inverter.

After the registration is completed as described above, if the start of the test (LCD module Test) is selected from the main screen (S6). Monitors whether there is a key input at the start of the test, and executes the corresponding pattern output when the designated shortcut key is input.When enter key is pressed, voltage / current monitoring and voltage are output, and when the "ESC" key is input, the test is performed. End (S7 ~ S10).

It then monitors the switch for input and checks it according to the input of the switch. For example, when the card and the cable switch is input, the corresponding switch is inspected, the on / off switch is inspected, and when the end switch is input, the inspection is terminated (S11 to S14).

Then, the voltage and current are sensed, the voltage and current limits are checked, and the test is repeated until the end time or the end key is input while checking the on / off time (S15 ~ S17).

As described above, according to the present invention, the test system includes one graphic card to apply a test pattern, and at the same time, display a screen of another application program through a monitor screen to perform the test easily. There is an advantage in that the interface method (DVI standard) can be tested.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a test system according to the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a DVI test apparatus according to the present invention;

3 is a flow chart showing a test procedure according to the present invention,

4 is a screen showing a main screen of a test program according to the present invention;

5 is a screen showing a pattern screen of a test program according to the present invention;

6 is a screen showing an EDID screen of the test program according to the present invention;

7 is a screen showing a module screen of the test program according to the present invention.

☞ Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing

102: barcode reader 110: test computer

112, 114: graphics card 116: monitor

120: DVI test board 130: LCD module

122: TMDS receiver 123: drive signal generator

124: buffer board 125: TMDS transmitter

Claims (5)

In the system for testing the display characteristics of the LCD module by applying a test pattern to the LCD module via a test board via a DVI test board, The test computer comprises a graphics card for the monitor and a DVI graphics card for providing a test pattern, The DVI test board, A TMDS receiver for converting a TMDS signal received from a DVI graphics card into a TTL signal, A driving signal generator for providing a driving signal for driving the LCD module from the converted TTL signal; The LCD of the LCD module may include a buffer board configured to provide a driving signal of the driving signal generator to a TTL, a TMDS, or LVDS signal according to the LCD module. Test equipment. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the DVI test board converts a signal converted into a TTL signal into a TMDS signal and converts the TMDS signal into a TMDS signal. And a digital-to-analog converter for converting an analog signal to display a test pattern on a general monitor. According to claim 1, wherein the DVI test board further comprises a power supply for supplying power to the inverter, and a voltage current sensing unit for sensing the voltage, current applied to the LCD (LCD) module. DVR eye test device of the LCD module. In the test method of the LCD module for testing the display characteristics of the LCD (LCD) module by applying a test pattern to the LCD module through the DVI test board, Displaying a predetermined main screen when the test program is executed; Edit a pattern by selecting a pattern editing item on the main screen, edit an EDID by selecting an EDID edit item on the main screen, and select a module registration item on the main screen to select a module. A registration step of registering; And The detection method of the LCD module, characterized in that it comprises a test step of detecting the voltage and current, and checking the limit value when the start of the test is performed. The method of claim 4, further comprising: outputting a corresponding pattern when a designated shortcut key is input during the inspection, and inspecting the pattern when the switch is input.