The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1999
Michael F Angelo, Houston, TX (US);
William Whiteman, Cypress, TX (US);
Ramkrishna Prakash, Houston, TX (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
An improved system for scanning images is provided. The system includes a housing having a transparent support surface on which the document or other image being scanned is placed. The housing further contains an array of generally triangular-shaped prisms optically aligned. The array of prisms is coated with one of two types of electro-optical materials, one that makes the prisms reflective in the presence of an electromagnetic field and transparent in the absence of an electromagnetic field, and another that makes the prisms reflective in the absence of an electromagnetic field and transparent in the presence of an electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field is created by applying a voltage across the coated prisms. A sequencer is used to activate individual electro-optical prisms so that the slices of the image can be reflected. By sequentially activating the electro-optical prisms, successive slices of the image can be presented to an image receptor disposed outside of the housing. A partially reflective mirror disposed within the housing redirects slices of the image reflected by the array of prisms into the image receptor. The system further includes a light source, which is disposed behind the partially reflective mirror outside of the housing. The light source is provided to illuminate the image being scanned. If the image receptor accepts digital input, the sequential images can be digitized for processing, storage and/or transmission.