Patent ID: 7143943

Claim:
A method of illuminating an object and forming a digital image thereof, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an image formation and detection module having imaging optics with an optical axis and a field of view (FOV) focused onto an electronic image detecting array; (b) producing a plurality of substantially planar laser beam components from a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) having a plurality of planar laser illumination modules (PLIMs), and allowing said plurality of substantially planar laser beam components to combine so as to produce a composite substantially planar laser illumination beam having substantially planar spatial distribution characteristics that extend through said field of view, wherein each said PLIM includes a visible laser diode (VLD), a focusing lens, and a cylindrical optical element arranged therewith so as to produce one of said plurality of substantially planar laser illumination beam components, and wherein each said PLIM is adjustable relative to other said PLIMs so as to permit precise positioning of each said PLIM relative to the optical axis of the imaging optics of said image formation and detection module; and (c) illuminating an object with said composite substantially planar laser illumination beam, while focusing laser light reflected off said illuminated object, along said field of view and onto said electronic image detecting array to form a digital linear (1D) image of said illuminated object.