Light scanning unit and method of detecting scanning synchronization signal
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorSeong-Ho SHIN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are a light scanning unit and a method of synchronizing the scanning operation of such light scanning unit. The light scanning unit includes a deflection, mirror that is driven to oscillate so as to deflect and scan a light beam in a bidirectional scanning path. The synchronization, of a scanning operation may be made at least in part in consideration of the direction of flow of the current that is supplied to drive the deflection mirror to oscillate.
Claims26
1-25. (canceled)
A light scanning unit, comprising:
- a light source configured to produce light;
- a deflection mirror having a reflective surface, the deflection mirror being positioned such that the light produced by the light source is incident upon the reflective surface;
- a driver having an input through which to receive a driving current, the driver being configured, in response to the received driving current, to drive the deflection mirror to oscillate such that the light incident upon the reflective surface of the deflection mirror is deflected bidirectionally across a scanned range;
- a detection mirror disposed in proximity to a first end of the scanned range, the detection mirror being configured to receive the deflected light from the deflection mirror and to reflect the received deflected light toward a second end opposite the first end of the scanned range;
- a photo-sensor disposed in proximity to the second end of the scanning range, the photo-sensor being configured to output a detection signal in response to receiving each of the deflected light from the deflection mirror and the reflected light from the detection mirror;
- and
- a controller configured to synchronize a scanning operation based on the detection signal and an information associated with the driving current.
A method of synchronizing a scanning operation in a light scanning apparatus, comprising:
- supplying a drive current to drive a deflection mirror to rotate so as to cause a light beam incident upon the deflection mirror to be bidirectionally scanned;
- receiving from a photo-sensor a detection signal, the photo-sensor being configured to output the detection signal in response to a detection of light;
- and
- synchronizing the scanning operation based on both the received detection signal and an information relating the drive current.
A light scanning apparatus, comprising:
- a light source configured to produce a beam of light;
- a light deflector having a deflection mirror having a reflective surface upon which the light produced by the light source is incident, the light deflector being configured to receive drive current, and, in response to the received drive current, to cause the deflection mirror to oscillate such that the light incident upon the reflective surface of the deflection mirror is deflected and scanned across a scanned path bidirectionally in first and second scanning directions;
- a light detector disposed in the scanning path so as to detect light beams deflected by the deflection mirror, the light detector being configured to produce a plurality of consecutive detection signals in response to detections of the light beams;
- and
- a controller configured to select one of the plurality of consecutive detection signals for use as a reference signal in synchronizing a scanning operation based on a direction of flow of the drive current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.