Apparatus and method for inspecting a liquid crystal display panel

1. An apparatus for inspecting a liquid crystal display device comprising:

a probe unit applying an inspection signal to a liquid crystal panel;

a light source irradiating light to the liquid crystal panel;

an optical sheet between the light source and the liquid crystal panel, diffusing the light generated from the light source and changing an exit angle of the diffused light;

an optical system receiving the inspection signal and data about picture implemented on the liquid crystal panel by irradiating the light; and

frequency adjusting means for adjusting a frequency of the light generated from the light source.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sheet includes a diffuser sheet diffusing the light generated from the light and a prism sheet changing the exit angle of the light diffused from the diffuser sheet.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the frequency adjusting means adjusts the frequency of the light generated from the light source to be substantially identical to a photographing frequency of the optical system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system includes at least one of a line charge coupled device camera scanning the liquid crystal panel line by line to gain data and an area charge coupled device camera scanning the liquid crystal panel for area by area to gain data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the probe unit includes:

a probe base;

a printed circuit board(PCB) base installed at an edge of the probe base;

a tape carrier package block to which a driving circuit is connected;

a probe block, connected to the liquid crystal panel, supplying the driving inspection signal from the tape carrier package to the liquid crystal panel; and

a manipulator for reducing collision and friction forces generated upon inserting the liquid crystal panel into the probe unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a data processor for processing data gained from the optical system; and

a picture display device for displaying the processed data on a picture.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the data processor displays detected defects in the liquid crystal panel on the picture display device.

8. A method for inspecting a liquid crystal display panel, comprising:

uniformly irradiating a rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel;

supplying the liquid crystal display panel with driving signals;

scanning the liquid crystal display panel with an optical device;

processing the scanning data obtained by the optical device to determine defects in the liquid crystal display panel; and

displaying the detected defects on a display device,

wherein uniformly irradiating the liquid crystal display panel comprises:

generating light from a light source;

passing the light through a diffuser sheet;

passing the diffused light through a prism sheet such that the light exiting the prism sheet is perpendicularly incident to the rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel; and

adjusting a frequency of the light generated from the light source to be substantially equal to a photographic frequency of the optical device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optical device is a charge coupled device camera.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optical device scans the liquid crystal display panel line by line.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the optical device scans predetermined areas of the liquid crystal display panel.