# US 2008/0186831 A1 · Optical Scanning Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186831 A1 - Document ID: US20080186831A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/817,806 - Filed: 2006-03-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2005-03-11 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Inventors: Teunis Willem Tukker; Coen Theodorus Hubertus Fransiscus Liedenbaum; Bernardus Hendrikus Wilhelmus Hendriks; Sjoerd Stallinga; Albert Hendrik Jan Immink; Stein Kuiper; Ming Song Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186831A1 ## CPC - G11B 7/1369: Active plates, e.g. liquid crystal panels or electrostrictive elements - G11B 7/1381: Non-lens elements for altering the properties of the beam, e.g. knife edges, slits, filters or stops (G11B7/1353 - G11B7/1369 take precedence) - G11B 7/0909: {by astigmatic methods} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract An optical scanning device (1) includes a radiation source (7), a detector (23) and a beam splitter (9). The radiation source (7) provides an incident radiation beam (4, 20) along a first optical path (19a) for scanning an information layer (2) of an optical record carrier (3). The detector (23) detects at least a portion of the radiation beam (22) reflected from the optical record carrier (3). The beam splitter (9) transmits the incident radiation beam (4) received from the radiation source along the first optical path (19a) towards the optical record carrier. The beam splitter (9) also transmits the reflected beam (22) received from the optical record carrier (3) along a second, different optical path (19b) towards the detector. The optical scanning device further includes a beam-deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) positioned on the second optical path (19b) between the beam splitter (9) and the detector (23). The beam-deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) is arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23) over a predetermined range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical scanning device (1) comprising: a radiation source (7) for providing an incident radiation beam (4, 20) along a first optical path (19a) for scanning an information layer (2) of an optical record carrier (3); a detector (23) for detecting at least a portion of the radiation beam (22) reflected from the optical record carrier (3); and a beam splitter (9) for transmitting the incident radiation beam (4) received from the radiation source along the first optical path (19a) towards the optical record carrier, and for transmitting said reflected beam (22) received from the optical record carrier (3) along a second, different optical path (19b) towards the detector; wherein the optical scanning device further comprises a beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) positioned on the second optical path (19b) between the beam splitter (9) and the detector (23), and arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23) over a predetermined range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam-deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) is arranged to alter the path of said reflected radiation beam (22) by refraction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam deflecting element (30; 830) comprises a material of variable refractive index, at least one surface of the material extending across, but not perpendicular to, the second optical path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the material of variable refractive index comprises a nematic liquid crystal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 830; 930) comprises: a chamber containing a first fluid (A; 602; 911) having a first refractive index, a second fluid (B; B′; 913) having a second, different refractive index separated from the first fluid across an interface (80; 86; 88; 94; 9A, 9B), the interface extending across the second optical path (19b); and an interface controller (112, 141, 143; 212, 241a, 241b, 243a, 243b; 312, 341, 343; 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d; 916, 917) arranged to alter the configuration of the interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An optical scanning device as claimed claim 5, wherein said interface controller (112, 141, 143; 212, 241a, 241b, 243a, 243b; 312, 341, 343; 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d; 916, 917) is arranged to alter the shape of the interface (80; 86; 88; 94; 9A, 9B). ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said interface controller (112, 141, 143; 212, 241a, 241b, 243a, 243b; 312, 341, 343; 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d; 916, 917) is arranged to alter the angle of the interface (80; 86; 88; 94; 9A, 9B) relative to the optical path (19b). ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said fluids is electrically susceptible, and the interface controller (112, 141, 143; 212, 241a, 241b, 243a, 243b; 312, 341, 343; 606a, 606b, 606c, 606d; 916, 917) is arranged to alter the configuration of the interface utilizing the electrowetting effect. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said interface (80; 86; 88; 94) is substantially planar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said interface (9A, 9B) is curved for focusing said reflected beam on the detector (23). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a beam deflection controller arranged to alter the deflection provided by the beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) in dependence upon the signal detected by said detector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a focus error signal is formed by the astigmatic method, with the radiation beam (22) reflected from the optical carrier (3) forming only a single spot on the detector (23). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detector (23) comprises at least two detector elements (S1, S2, S3, S4). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detector (23) is a quadrant detector, said beam deflecting element is arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position in a first direction of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23); and wherein the device further comprises a further beam deflecting element positioned on the second optical path (19b) between the beam splitter (9) and the detector (23), and arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. ### Claim 15 A method of operating an optical scanning device (1), the device comprising: a radiation source (7) for providing an incident radiation beam (4, 20) along a first optical path (19a) for scanning an information layer (2) of an optical record carrier (3); a detector (23) for detecting at least a portion of the radiation beam (22) reflected from the optical record carrier (3); a beam splitter (9) for transmitting the incident radiation beam (4) received from the radiation source along the first optical path (19a) towards the optical record carrier (3), and for transmitting said reflected beam (22) received from the optical record carrier (3) along a second, different optical path (19b) towards the detector (23); and a beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) positioned on the second optical path (19b) between the beam splitter (9) and the detector (23), and arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23) over a predetermined range, the method comprising controlling the deflection provided by said beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) to the path of the reflected radiation beam (22), for providing the reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23) at a predetermined lateral position. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing an optical scanning device (1), comprising: providing a radiation source (7) for providing an incident radiation beam (4, 20) along a first optical path (19a) for scanning an information layer (2) of an optical record carrier (3); providing a detector (23) for detecting at least a portion of the radiation beam (22) reflected from the optical record carrier (3); and providing a beam splitter (9) for transmitting the incident radiation beam (4) received from the radiation source along the first optical path (19a) towards the optical record carrier, and for transmitting said reflected beam (22) received from the optical record carrier (3) along a second, different optical path (19b) towards the detector; and providing a beam deflecting element (30; 130; 230; 330; 630; 830; 930) positioned on the second optical path (19b) between the beam splitter (9) and the detector (23), arranged to controllably deflect the path of the reflected radiation beam (22) for adjusting the lateral position of said reflected radiation beam incident upon the detector (23) over a predetermined range.