Alignment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016252753-A1
Application number	US-201314387379-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Jul 24, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An alignment system includes: a light emitting device located on one side of an object to be aligned for emitting light towards the object to be aligned; a light receiving device located on the other side of the object to be aligned and at a standard position corresponding to an alignment mark disposed on the object to be aligned, the light receiving device being provided with a plurality of light sensors for sensing light emitting from the light emitting device on an end surface facing the object to be aligned; a processor configured to receive sensing signals transmitted from each of the light sensors and determine whether the object to be aligned is aligned accurately according to whether each of the light sensors sense the light emitted from the light emitting device. This alignment system shortens the processing time and enhances the processing efficiency.

First claim

1 . An alignment system comprising a light emitting device, a light receiving device and a processor, wherein:
the light emitting device is located on one side of an object to be aligned and emits light towards the object to be aligned; the light receiving device is located on the other side of the object to be aligned and at a standard position corresponding to an alignment mark disposed on the object to be aligned, the light receiving device is provided with a plurality of light sensors, configured for sensing the light, on an end surface facing the object to be aligned; the processor receives sensing signals transmitted from each of the light sensors, if at least one light sensors contained in the light receiving device fails to sense the light emitted from the light emitting device, the processor determines that the object to be aligned is not aligned accurately; if all light sensors contained in the light receiving device sense the light emitted from the light emitting device, the processor determines that the object to be aligned is aligned accurately.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The alignment system of claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the object to be aligned is not aligned accurately, the processor further determines an alignment direction and an alignment distance for which the object to be aligned needs to be adjusted respectively according to positions and number of light sensors that fail to sense the light in the light receiving device, wherein the alignment distance comprises a horizon distance and a vertical distance.

4 . The alignment system of claim 3 , wherein for at least two the alignment marks disposed on the object to be aligned, the processor determines whether the object to be aligned is rotated according to positions of light sensors that fail to sense light in the light receiving device corresponding to the two alignment marks; or
for at least two alignment marks disposed on the object to be aligned, the processor determines a maximum horizontal distance and a maximum vertical distance corresponding to each of the alignment marks respectively and determines whether the object to be aligned is rotated according to the maximum horizontal distances and the maximum vertical distances corresponding to the two alignment marks.

5 . The alignment system of claim 4 , wherein after determining the object to be aligned has been rotated, the processor determines an alignment angle according to a difference between maximum horizontal distances of the two alignment marks and a difference between maximum vertical distances of the two alignment marks; and the processor determines a compensation direction for the alignment angle according to positions of light sensors that fail to sense the light in the light receiving device corresponding to the two alignment marks;
after compensating the object to be aligned according to the alignment angle and the compensation direction, for any of the alignment marks, the processor determines an alignment direction and an alignment distance for which the object to be aligned needs to be adjusted respectively according to positions and number of light sensors that fail to sense the light in the light receiving device.

6 . The alignment system of claim 1 , wherein if the alignment mark is opaque, and periphery of the alignment mark is transparent, an end surface of the light receiving device that faces the alignment mark comprises a first region at a center and a second region adjacent to the first region, and the first region has a shape and a size same as that of the alignment mark;
wherein the second region consists of subregions disposed respectively around a rectangular region in which the first region is located, and all of the light sensors are uniformly distributed in the second region and any two of the light sensors are disposed equidistantly.

7 . The alignment system of claim 6 , wherein a central light receiving device is disposed at a central position of the first region, if all light sensors contained in the light receiving device sense the light, and the central light receiving device contained in the light receiving device fails to sense the light, the processor determines that the object to be aligned is aligned accurately;
if all light sensors contained in the light receiving device sense the light, and the central light receiving device contained in the light receiving device senses the light, the processor determines that the object to be aligned is not aligned accurately.

8 . The alignment system of claim 6 , wherein the processor determines the alignment direction of the object to be aligned is a direction opposite to positions of light sensors that fail to sense the light emitted from the light emitting device in the light receiving device according to positions of light sensors that fail to sense the light in the light receiving device.

9 . The alignment system of claim 1 , wherein if the alignment mark is transparent, and periphery of the alignment mark is opaque, an end surface of the light receiving device that faces the alignment mark comprises a first region at a center, and the first region has a shape and a size same as that of the alignment marks; and
wherein, all of the light sensors are uniformly distributed in the first region and any, two of the light sensors are disposed equidistantly.

10 . The alignment system of claim 9 , wherein the processor determines an alignment direction and an alignment distance for which the object to be aligned is to be adjusted respectively according to positions and number of light sensors that fail to sense light in an outer region of a projection of a circumscribed rectangle of the alignment marks onto the light receiving device, and
wherein the alignment distance comprises a horizon distance and a vertical distance.

11 . The alignment system of claim 10 , wherein the processor determines the alignment direction for the object to be aligned is a direction towards positions of light sensors that fail to sense the light emitted from the light emitting device in the light receiving device.

12 . The alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment system is applied in a manufacturing process of display devices, and the object to be aligned is a base substrate provided with an alignment mark in at least one corner region.

13 - 20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd
• Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Deng Chaoyang
• Lin Zijin
• Zhao Haisheng

Classifications

• G02F1/1303 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture of LCDs · CPC title

• G02F2001/133354

  Physics · mapped topic

• G03F9/7088

  Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection · CPC title

• G03F9/00

  Registration or positioning of originals, masks, frames, photographic sheets or textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. automatically (G03F7/22 takes precedence; preparation of photographic masks G03F1/00; within photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) · CPC title

• G02F1/133354

  Arrangements for aligning or assembling substrates · CPC title