Patent ID: 7164518

Claim:
A scanner for obtaining an image of an object placed on an at least partially transparent platform, wherein the at least partially transparent platform has a first scan area and a second scan area, and each of the first scan area and the second scan area of the at least partially transparent platform has a first edge and a second edge, respectively, comprising: a. a light source adapted for emitting a light; b. a rotatable mirror adapted for receiving the light from a first direction and reflecting the light to a second direction for scanning a partial image of the object on the at least partially transparent platform, and receiving the scanned partial image of the object from a third direction that is opposite to the second direction and reflecting the scanned partial image of the object to a fourth direction that is opposite to the first direction; c. a stationary mirror placed on optical paths between the rotatable mirror and the first scan area of the at least partially transparent platform for receiving the light reflected from the rotatable mirror at the second direction and reflecting the light received from the rotatable mirror to the first scan area of the at least partially transparent platform for scanning a partial image of the object, and receiving the scanned partial image of the object and reflecting the scanned partial image of the object to the third direction to the rotatable mirror; d. an image sensor for receiving scanned partial images of the object from the fourth direction and outputting electronic signals corresponding to the received scanned partial images of the object; and e. an image processing system for receiving the electronic signals from the image sensor and recording the electronic signals in a digital format, wherein the rotatable mirror and the stationary mirror are arranged such that when rotated, the rotatable mirror causes the second direction of the light to change such that the corresponding light reflected from the stationary mirror along a fifth direction sequentially scans consecutive partial images of the object from the first edge to the second edge of the first scan area along a first scan direction A and from the first edge to the second edge of the second scan area along a second scan direction B in no more than one full rotation of the rotatable mirror, wherein the image processing system combines the partial images recorded therein to form a substantially complete image of the object corresponding to a full scan along the first scan direction A and the second scan direction B, respectively.