Patent ID: 6118569
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: G02B,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for reducing the need to carefully orient a target to be scanned with alight beam in order to read information therefrom comprising the steps of:directing alight beam at a first scan component disposed so that said light beam is redirected toward a second scan component;redirecting said light beam from said second scan component toward a target area;wherein one of said first scan component and said second scan component is mounted on a flexible suspension element;wherein one of sad first scan component and said second scan component is mounted on a shaft;imparting a first oscillation about a first axis to said one scan component mounted on the flexible suspension element, wherein the flexible suspension element is substantially planar and lies in a plane that includes the first axis;imparting a second oscillation about a second axis to said one scan component mounted on the shaft, wherein the second axis is aligned along the shaft and perpendicular to the first axis;wherein said imparting said first oscillation comprises oscillating said one scan component mounted on the flexible suspension element about the first axis and said imparting said second oscillation comprises oscillating said one scan component mounted on the shaft about the second axis, so that said light beam scans said target area in a two dimensional scan pattern, thereby producing a sequence of scans at a variety of angles in said target area.