IP Library Patent Application 10855331
Patent Application
App. No. 10/855,331

Apparatus and method for inspecting and repairing a circuit defect

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
10/855,331
Abstract

An apparatus for inspecting and repairing a circuit defect is disclosed, which has a base; a substrate-supporting platform mounted on the base; a contact inspection module having at least one contact probe and a first driving-system that drives at least one contact probe to contact the circuits formed on the glass substrate and thereby inspect a circuit defect; a non-contact inspection module having at least one non-contact sensor and a second driving-system that drives at least one non-contact sensor to inspect the circuit defect in a non-contact manner; and a laser repair module having a laser head and a third driving-system that drives the laser head to go to the circuit defect and repair the circuit defect. A method for inspecting and repairing a circuit defect is also disclosed therewith.

Claims (43)

1 . An apparatus for inspecting and repairing a circuit defect, comprising:

a base;

a substrate-supporting platform mounted on the base for supporting a glass substrate;

a contact inspection module having at least one contact probe and a first driving-system, wherein the first driving-system drives at least one contact probe to contact the circuits formed on the glass substrate and thereby to inspect a circuit defect;

a non-contact inspection module having at least one non-contact sensor and a second driving-system, wherein the second driving-system drives at least one non-contact sensor to inspect the circuit defect in a non-contact manner, and the non-contact inspection module cooperates with the contact inspection module for determining a position of the circuit defect; and

a laser repair module having a laser head and a third driving-system, wherein the third driving-system drives the laser head to go to the position of the circuit defect and to repair the circuit defect.

2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first driving-system includes:

a first vertical driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move in a vertical direction relative to the glass substrate;

a first horizontal driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a front-and-back driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move forward and backward relative to the glass substrate.

3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second driving-system includes:

a second vertical driving-unit for driving at least one non-contact sensor to move in a vertical direction relative to the glass substrate;

a second horizontal driving-unit for driving at least one non-contact sensor to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a first linear motor driving-unit having a motor main body and a first mover that connects with the second horizontal driving-unit.

4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third driving-system includes:

a third horizontal driving-unit for driving the laser head to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a first linear motor driving-unit having a motor main body and a second mover that connects with the third horizontal driving-unit.

5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-contact sensor is in an electrostatic capacitory coupling type.

6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first vertical driving-unit has a rotary motor, a screw, and a linear guide set.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the first horizontal driving-unit has a linear motor.

8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the front-and-back driving-unit has a linear motor.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the front-and-back driving-unit has a rotary motor, a screw, and a guide set.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second vertical driving-unit has a cylinder or a linear actuator.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second horizontal driving-unit has a linear actuator.

12 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the third horizontal driving-unit has a linear motor.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the third horizontal driving-unit has a rotary motor, a screw, and a guide set.

14 . A method for inspecting and repairing a circuit defect comprising:

providing an apparatus having a substrate-supporting platform, a contact inspection module having at least one contact probe and a first driving-system that drives at least one contact probe, a non-contact inspection module having at least one non-contact sensor and a second driving-system that drives at least one non-contact sensor, and a laser repair module having a laser head and a third driving-system that drives the laser head;

putting a glass substrate that waits for inspection on the substrate-supporting platform;

inspecting circuits on the glass substrate and determining the position of a circuit defect by moving at least one contact probe and at least one non-contact sensor;

moving the laser head to the circuit defect and repairing the circuit defect; and

moving the inspected and repaired glass substrate out of the substrate-supporting platform.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the movement of at least one contact probe is carried out by a first driving-system, which has:

a first vertical driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move in a vertical direction relative to the glass substrate;

a first horizontal driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a front-and-back driving-unit for driving at least one contact probe to move forward and backward relative to the glass substrate.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the movement of at least one non-contact sensor is carried out by a second driving-system, which has:

a second vertical driving-unit for driving at least one non-contact sensor to move in a vertical direction relative to the glass substrate;

a second horizontal driving-unit for driving at least one non-contact sensor to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a first linear motor driving-unit having a motor main body and a first mover that connects with the second horizontal driving-unit.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the movement of the laser head is carried out by a third driving-system, which has:

a third horizontal driving-unit for driving the laser head to move in a horizontal direction relative to the glass substrate; and

a first linear motor driving-unit having a motor main body and a second mover that connects with the third horizontal driving-unit.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Mar 29, 2007
From: QUANTA DISPLAY, INC.
To: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019093/0136 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2004
From: LIAO, KUO-TING; LEE, KUO-KUEI; CHU, CHUN CHIEN
To: QUANTA DISPLAY INC.
Reel/Frame 015403/0443 →