Scanned display with switched feeds and distortion correction

An apparatus for scanning light energy from or toward a target area, comprising:

• a scanning mirror configured to scan continuously from a first angular extreme to a second angular extreme;
• a first optical emitter or detector aligned to the scanning mirror and positioned to image or illuminate a first region of the target area when the scanning mirror is at the first angular extreme and to image or illuminate a second region of the target area different from the first region when the scanning mirror is at the second angular extreme;
• and
• a second optical emitter or detector aligned to the scanning mirror and positioned to image or illuminate the second region of the target area when the scanning mirror is at the first angular extreme and to image or illuminate a third region of the target area different from the first and second regions when the scanning mirror is at the second angular extreme where the second and third regions are non-overlapping.

A scanning display responsive to an image signal having signal portions representing lines of a display, comprising:

• a first light source responsive to a first signal to emit light along a first optical path;
• a second light source responsive to a second signal to emit light along a second optical path;
• a scanning assembly positioned to receive light from the first and second light sources and to redirect the receive light from the first light source along a first scan path toward a first image region and to redirect the received light from the second light source along a second scan path toward a second image region;
• and
• an electronic controller having an input port for receiving the image signal, the electronic controller being operative to divide each signal portion into parts, each part representing a segment of the respective line and to produce the first signal in response to a first of the segments and to produce the second signal in response to a second of the segments.

A method of scanning light through a selected target area, comprising the steps of:

• scanning with a scanning assembly a first optical path through a first substantially raster pattern, the first substantially raster pattern including both forward and reverse sweeps;
• while scanning the first optical path through the first substantially raster pattern, scanning with the scanning assembly a second optical path through a second substantially raster pattern, the second substantially raster pattern including both forward and reverse sweeps;
• blocking the first optical path during reverse sweeps;
• transmitting light along the first optical path during forward sweeps;
• blocking the second optical path during forward sweeps;
• and
• transmitting light along the second optical path during reverse sweeps.