Patent ID: 7768686

Claim:
A beam scanning system for use with a light source for providing a beam of light energy comprising: a first prism wheel rotatable in a first rotational direction about a first rotational axis; plural first prisms, each first prism constructed and mounted on said first wheel for deflecting said beam by a respective first predetermined angle; a second prism wheel rotatable in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction about a second rotational axis that is parallel to the first rotational axis; plural second prisms, each second prism constructed and mounted on said second wheel to deflect said beam by a respective second predetermined angle, whereby in relative alignment a respective one of said first prisms and a respective one of said second prisms deflect said beam to at a discrete angle in elevation and azimuth relative to a point of interest; a prism-wheel drive operable to drive the first prism wheel in the first rotational direction about the first rotational axis and the second prism wheel in the second rotational direction about the second rotational axis; and means for controlling said drive to effect selective illumination of said respective one of said first prisms and said respective one of said second prisms and thereby scan said beam in a predetermined direction at said discrete angle in azimuth and elevation relative to said point of interest.