Liquid crystal display and test method thereof

1. A method of testing a liquid crystal display including a plurality of pixel electrodes having first and second sub-pixel electrodes, first and second switching elements connected to the first and second sub-pixel electrodes, respectively, first and second gate lines connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively, and a data line connected to the first and second switching elements, the method comprising:

providing first and second gate shorting bars connected to the first and second gate lines, respectively;

providing a data shorting bar connected to the data line;

applying a positive data voltage to the data shorting bar;

applying a first gate test signal to the first gate shorting bar to apply the positive data voltage to the first sub-pixel electrode;

applying a negative data voltage to the data shorting bar; and

applying a second gate test signal to the second gate shorting bar to apply the negative data voltage to the second sub-pixel electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting polarities of the first and second sub-pixel electrodes.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting polarities of the first and second sub-pixel electrodes includes performing an array test.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first and second sub-pixel electrodes.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein positive and negative pixel voltages of the first and second sub-pixel electrodes having a bridge are not continuously sustained under application of positive and negative data voltages.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative data voltages have substantially same dimensions.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising detecting uniformity of luminance of the liquid crystal display.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting uniformity of luminance includes performing a visual inspection test.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first and second sub-pixel electrodes when brightness of a pixel having the first and second sub-pixel electrodes with a bridge is differentiated in brightness from other pixels not having a bridge.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first sub-pixel electrode and a shielding electrode.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the first and second gate shorting bars from the first and second gate lines, and separating the data shorting bar from the data line.

12. A method of testing a liquid crystal display including a plurality of pixel electrodes having first and second sub-pixel electrodes, first and second switching elements connected to the first and second sub-pixel electrodes, respectively, first and second gate lines connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively, and a data line connected to the first and second switching elements, the method comprising:

providing first and second gate shorting bars connected to the first and second gate lines at odd-numbered pixel rows, respectively;

providing third and fourth gate shorting bars connected to the first and second gate lines at even-numbered pixel rows, respectively;

providing a data shorting bar connected to the data line;

applying a positive data voltage to the data shorting bar;

applying a first gate test signal to the first gate shorting bar to apply the positive data voltage to the first sub-pixel electrode at the odd-numbered pixel rows;

applying a negative data voltage to the data shorting bar;

applying second and third gate test signals to the second and third gate shorting bars to apply the negative data voltage to the second sub-pixel electrode at the odd-numbered pixel rows and to the first sub-pixel electrode at the even-numbered pixel rows; and

applying a fourth gate test signal to the fourth gate shorting bar to apply the positive data voltage to the second sub-pixel electrode at the even-numbered pixel rows.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting polarities of the first and second sub-pixel electrodes.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first and second sub-pixel electrodes.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first sub-pixel electrodes of adjacent pixels.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the positive and negative data voltages have substantially same dimensions.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising detecting uniformity of luminance of the liquid crystal display.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising separating the first and second gate shorting bars from the first and second gate lines at the odd-numbered pixel rows; separating the third and fourth gate shorting bars from the first and second gate lines at the even-numbered pixel rows; and separating the data shorting bars from the data line.

19. A method of testing a liquid crystal display including a plurality of pixel electrodes having first and second sub-pixel electrodes, first and second switching elements connected to the first and second sub-pixel electrodes, respectively, a gate line connected to the first and second switching elements, and first and second data lines connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively, the method comprising:

providing first and second data shorting bars connected to the first and second data lines;

providing a gate shorting bar connected to the gate line;

applying a positive data voltage to the first data shorting bar;

applying a negative data voltage to the second data shorting bar; and

applying a gate test signal to the gate shorting bar to apply the positive data voltage to the first sub-pixel electrode and to apply the negative data voltage to the second sub-pixel electrode.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising detecting uniformity of luminance of the liquid crystal display.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first and second data lines.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising identifying existence of a bridge between the first and second sub-pixel electrodes.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the positive and negative data voltages have substantially same dimension.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising separating the first and second data shorting bars from the first and second data lines, and separating the gate shorting bar from the gate line.