Display Panel Testing Layout with Shared Data Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-crystal display panels face challenges in reducing production costs due to imperfect detection methods, leading to defective products and increased waste, particularly in the context of narrow-border-frame designs where traditional Switch Test structures occupy excessive space.
Innovation Solution
A display panel design with a border-frame area that includes a testing area with periodically arranged switching transistors and bonding units, optimized to reduce the number of transistors and pads, and a rational layout of testing-signal lead wires and bus lines, allowing for more compact border frames and efficient detection without additional masks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional Switch Test structures are used for detection, then detection function is achieved, but border-frame area occupies excessive space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the testing-signal lead wires with the data lines by using the same physical wire for dual purposes. The lead wires extend from the testing area through the bonding area to the active area, serving both as testing signals during detection and as data lines during normal operation. This integration eliminates the need for separate dedicated testing signal paths, significantly reducing the border-frame area while maintaining complete detection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The data lines are designed to serve multiple functions: they act as data transmission lines during normal display operation and as testing signal transmission paths during detection. The bonding pads similarly serve dual purposes as both bonding interfaces and testing signal input/output points. This multi-functionality allows the same structural elements to fulfill both operational and detection requirements, minimizing the space needed in the border-frame area.
2Measurement precision
If more switching transistors and bonding pads are used for comprehensive detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the testing transistor structures with the display pixel transistor structures. The switching transistors in the testing area use the same transistor design and fabrication process as the display pixels, sharing common structural elements and manufacturing steps. This merging approach maintains comprehensive detection capability while reducing the total number of discrete components and simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection function is segmented into modular testing units that are periodically arranged in the border-frame area. Each testing unit corresponds to a specific region of the active area and contains a minimal set of transistors and pads needed for that region's detection. This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage of the display area while minimizing the number of components in each individual testing unit, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If testing-signal lead wires are routed independently from data lines, then testing signal transmission is ensured, but border-frame width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the testing-signal lead wires with the data lines by using the same physical wire for dual purposes. The lead wires extend from the testing area through the bonding area to the active area, serving both as testing signals during detection and as data lines during normal operation. This integration eliminates the need for separate dedicated testing signal paths, significantly reducing the border-frame area while maintaining complete detection functionality.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional detection methods are used, then production cost is reduced through simple processes, but defective products cause material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements detection functionality directly in the display panel structure before final assembly and shipping. The testing transistors, lead wires, and bonding pads are integrated into the panel during manufacturing, enabling detection to be performed at any stage from production through shipping. This preliminary integration of detection capability allows defective products to be identified early in the production process, preventing material waste while maintaining simple manufacturing processes that use existing fabrication steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A display panel includes an active area and a border-frame area located at a periphery of the active area, the active area includes a plurality of sub-pixels and a plurality of data lines connected to the sub-pixels, and the border-frame area includes a testing area and a bonding area; the testing area includes a plurality of testing units that are arranged periodically in a first direction, each of the testing units includes one or more switching transistors, a first electrode of each of the switching transistors is connected to a testing-signal lead wire, and a second electrode is connected to one of the data lines; the bonding area includes a plurality of bonding units that are arranged periodically in the first direction, each of the bonding units includes one or more bonding pads, and each of the bonding pads is connected to one of the data lines.