• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.439-448
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• 2012

TFT-LCD panel images have non-uniform brightness, noise signal and defect signal. It is hard to divide defect signal because of non-uniform brightness and noise signal, so various divide methods have being developed. In this paper, we suggest method to divide defective regions on TFT-LCD panel image by estimating a menas of two different size of windows, which is suggested by Eikvil et al., and using difference of them. But in this method, the size of detectable defects is restricted by the size of window, hence it has inefficient problem that the size of window have to increase to divide a large defect region. To solve this problem we suggest an algorithm which can divide various size of defects, by using Multi-scale and restrict a detectable size of defects in each scale. To prove an efficiency of suggested algorithm, we show that resulting images of real TFT-LCD panel images and an artificial image with various defects.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2013

Recently, mura defect inspection techniques are receiving attention in LCD production procedure since demands of TFT-LCD are growing. In this paper, we propose an automatic mura defect inspection method using gabor wavelet transform and DCT. First, we generate a reference panel image using DCT based method. For original panel image and generated reference panel image, we apply a gabor wavelet transform to eliminate texture information in images. Then, we extract mura defect regions from the difference image between gabor wavelet transform image of original panel and generated reference panel image. Finally, all mura defect regions are quantified to detect accurate mura defects. Experimental results show that our method is more accurate and efficient than previous methods.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.204-214
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• 2012

This paper proposes an image segmentation for a vision-based automated defect inspection system on surface image of TFT-LCD(Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) panels. TFT-LCD images have non-uniform brightness, which is hard to finding defective regions. Although there are several methods or proposed algorithms, it is difficult to divide the defect with high reliability because of non-uniform properties in the image. Kamel and Zhao disclosed a method which based on logical stage algorithm for segmentation of graphics and character. This method is a one of the local segmentation method that has a advantage. It is that characters and graphics are well segmented in an image which has non-uniform property. As TFT-LCD panel image has a same property, so this paper proposes new algorithm to segment regions of defects based on Kamel and Zhao's algorithm. Our algorithm has an advantage that there are a few ghost objects around the defects. We had experiments to prove performance in real TFT-LCD panel images, and comparing with the FFT(Fast Fourier Transform) method which is used a bandpass filter.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.852-859
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• 2009

Normally, to extract the defect in TFT-LCD inspection system, the image is obtained by using line scan camera or area scan camera which is achieved by CCD or CMOS sensor. Because of the limited dynamic range of CCD or CMOS sensor as well as the effect of the illumination, these images are frequently degraded and the important features are hard to decern by a human viewer. In order to overcome this problem, the feature vectors in the image are obtained by using the average intensity difference between defect and background based on the weber's law and the standard deviation of the background region. The defect detection method uses non-linear SVM (Supports Vector Machine) method using the extracted feature vectors. The experiment results show that the proposed method yields better performance of defect classification methods over conveniently method.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.307-313
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• 2008

In this paper, we propose a novel defects inspection algorithm for TFT-LCD panels. We first compensate the distorted image caused by the camera distortion and the uneven illumination environment using the least squares method and the bezier surface. We find a starting point of each pattern for restricting each pattern. A clean image is compared to each pattern to find defects using modified PCSR-G algorithm. The simulation example shows that our algorithm not only inspects the defects well, but also is robust to the 1-pixel error.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1288-1296
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• 2016

The reliable detection of the limited defect in TFT-LCD images is difficult due to the small intensity difference with the background. However, the proposed detection method reliably detects the limited defect by enhancing the TFT-LCD image based on the cumulative histogram and then detecting the defect through the mean and standard deviation of the enhanced image. Notably, an image enhancement using a cumulative histogram increases the intensity contrast between the background and the limited defect, which then allows defects to be detected by using the mean and standard deviation of the enhanced image. Furthermore, through the comparison with the histogram equalization, we confirm that the proposed algorithm suppresses the emphasis of the noise. Experimental comparative results using real TFT-LCD images and pseudo images show that the proposed method detects the limited defect more reliably than conventional methods.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.107-117
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• 2016

STD method using a mean and standard deviation is widely used in various inspection systems. The result of detection using the STD method is very dependent on the threshold value. This paper proposes an adaptive defect detection algorithm to with a precise detection of an ultimate defect. The proposed method is determined threshold value adaptively using a skewness that indicates a similarity of intensity and normal distribution of image. In the experiment, we used a various TFT-LCD images for a quantitative evaluation of defect detection performance evaluation result to prove the performance of the proposed algorithm.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.91-96
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• 2012

In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element model based on the multi-pixel was constructed to accurately predict electric field distributions including an interference phenomenon between adjacent pixels in the liquid crystal of a complicated TFT-LCD panel. Utilizing the elaborate numerical model, the characteristics of spatial electric field distributions depending on various fault-electrode conditions are thoroughly examined on the basis of the field distribution of a normal electrode condition. The validity of the proposed model is proved by comparing the simulation results with those of the existing optical inspection equipments.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.57 no.7
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• pp.1295-1297
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• 2008

Large-sized flat-panel displays are widely used for PC monitors and TV displays. In this paper, frequency domain pre-filter algorithms are presented for detection of defects in large-sized Thin Film Transistor-Liquid Crystal Display(TFT-LCD) panel surfaces. Frequency analysis with 1-D, 2-D FFT methods for extract the periodic patterns of lattice structures in TFT-LCD is performed. To remove this patterns, frequency domain band-stop filters were used for eliminating specific frequency components. In order to acquire only defected images, 2-D inverse FFT methods to inverse transform of frequency domain images were used.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1803-1811
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• 2011

We have analyzed the electrical defect detection mechanism using low energy microcolumn on the TFT substrate for TFT-LCD. In this study, we have acquired the SEM images of the various pixel defects for 7-inch TFT substrate by scanning of low energy electron beam in the high vacuum chamber. Futhermore, we have interpreted the defect detection mechanism through the correlations between the SEM images and electrical behaviors of the defective pixels. As a result, we obtained consistent results as the follows. We can confirm that the SEM images using low energy electron beam are significantly affected by the space charge effect.