Patent ID: 7349074

Claim:
A light scanner device ( 10 ) for measuring a range and an angular direction of a target object ( 56 ), the device ( 10 ) comprising: a pulse source ( 12 ) adapted to transmit light pulses, a transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) adapted to sweep the transmitted light pulses in variable sweep directions across a sweep sector, a photodetection means ( 42 ) adapted to detect received light pulses that have been reflected in the sweep sector, a receiver deflection means ( 24 ) adapted to re-direct light pulses that have been reflected in the sweep plane ( 15 ) to the photodetection means ( 42 ), further comprising optical shielding means ( 32 ) adapted to optically shield transmitted light pulses on their trajectory from the pulse source ( 12 ) to the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and at least a portion of their trajectory extending from the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) into the sweep sector from reflected light pulses on their trajectory between the photodetection means ( 42 ) and the receiver deflection means ( 24 ) and at least a portion of their trajectory extending in the sweep sector and ending on the receiver deflection means ( 24 ), wherein the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the receiver deflection means ( 24 ) both comprise a multi-facet mirror comprising a plurality of facets, with at least one pair of facets substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of the receiver deflection means ( 24 ) are adapted to be rotated in synchronism with each other on a common rotation axis ( 38 ), wherein the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of the receiver deflection means ( 24 ) form a split multi-facet mirror comprising a groove adapted to optically separate the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of the receiver deflection means ( 24 ).