Patent ID: 7940444

Claim:
A scanner system of the type which receives an optical signal based on radiation propagating along a path including a transmit path, which extends from a radiation source and extends toward a region to be characterized, and a detector signal path which extends from a target surface in the region to be characterized to a light detection device, comprising: a mirror assembly having multiple reflective surfaces arranged in different planes with respect to an axis to form one polygonal shape about the axis, a plurality of the multiple surfaces each positionable to reflect radiation propagating from the source at a reflective angle and a position on the reflective surface to direct the radiation along the transmit path wherein, when one reflective surface is positioned to so reflect radiation along the transmit path, another surface is positioned to receive and reflect radiation along the detector signal path for processing, wherein rotation of the mirror assembly scans radiation propagating along the transmit path so that radiation transmitted to the system from the target surface sequentially includes radiation reflected from multiple positions thereby generating a spatially varying path, which forms a portion of the detector signal path, at positions between the target surface and the assembly; and upon reflection of radiation propagating along the detector signal path from said another reflective surface of the assembly, the same rotation directs said reflected radiation along a relatively fixed path between said another reflective surface of the assembly and the detection device relative to the spatially varying path, which fixed path forms a portion of the detector signal path.