Compact scanning techniques that can scan a large degree optical solid angle are disclosed. One particular embodiment is a processor controlled scanner that is capable of a large degree optical solid scan angle. Dual axis scan capability can be provided with a single compact package. A pivoting ball joint on which a mirror assembly is attached is employed. The mirror assembly is operatively coupled to an actuator assembly (e.g., electro-magnets or piezoelectric based actuators). When control vol...

A laser condensing optical system of the present invention includes a laser beam source which emits a laser beam, a condensing optical system which is arranged between the laser beam source and a medium and condenses the laser beam in the medium, and a laser divergence point moving unit which can move the position of a laser divergence point of the laser beam along an optical axis of the laser beam in accordance with the refractive index of the medium in which the laser beam is desired to be con...

A cylindrical lens is positioned between and a polygon mirror and a second slit plate through which light beams from two light beam emitting units pass, and the cylindrical lens has a thin portion where the thickness between the entrance plane and the emission plane is reduced by forming the cylindrical lens in a shape created by cutting off a surface top part of the entrance plane having a convex cross section. The light beams passed through the second slit plate pass through light converging p...

A device for deflecting a light beam in response to an audio input signal includes a hub member, a mirror flexibly attached to the hub member, a magnet connected to the mirror, an electromagnetic coil, and a low pass filter. The electromagnetic coil is positioned adjacent the magnet for producing an electromagnetic field in relation to a received audio input signal when energized, thereby urging the magnet and the mirror to oscillate with respect to the hub member in relation to the audio input ...

An apparatus, system, and method for a transmissive electromechanical light valve including a gate pivotable between a first position to allow light to pass through a valvelet and a second position to prevent light from passing through the valvelet are disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed herein.

Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the su...

A method of determining the lower limit of decoding resolution in a digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader. A software-based optical design program is used to generate the composite DOF chart of image formation optics employed in the digital imaging-based bar code symbol reader. The modulation transfer function (MTF) of the object image is used to determine the smallest mil size code that can be decoded, at a given object distance, to produce an optical performance curve. The program calcu...

A laser scanning unit and a light source unit employed in the same are provided. The laser scanning unit forms a linear latent image by scanning a light beam onto a photoreceptor. The laser scanning unit includes a light source generating and radiating a light beam. An aperture substrate faces the light source and has a curved reflection surface that includes an opening and faces the light source and reflects a light beam incident on the reflection surface around the opening away from the incide...

Provided is an optical element capable of reducing Fresnel (surface) reflection on a lens surface which causes flare or ghost, an optical system including the optical element, and an optical scanning device including the optical element. The optical element includes: a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged subwave structures having an anti-reflection function, and in the optical element when directions orthogonal to each other within a plane including a tangent of a vertex of the optical surfa...

A scanning optical lens used for a laser scanning unit for imaging a laser, which is deflected by a beam deflection unit, on a photosensitive body. The scanning optical lens has a curvature of a Meniscus shape at a sub-scanning direction section, wherein the Meniscus shape has the same curvature symbols at an incidence surface and an exit surface at a center of the lens. The incidence surface and the exit surface always have negative (-) curvature symbols. An absolute curvature value of the inci...