US Patent 7238933 Light detecting apparatus

A light detecting apparatus has a two-axis deflector such as a two-axis mirror capable of controlling the deflection of a light beam. The apparatus realizes a sure and speedy light beam search operation without increasing deflecting frequencies of the two-axis deflector. In the light detecting apparatus, a digital signal processor (3) generates two periodic signals having different frequencies to separately control deflective operations in two axial directions of the two-axis deflection mirror (1). A light beam from the two-axis deflection mirror (1) draws a locus on a two-dimensional position sensitive detector (2). Along the locus, the search operation is carried out to find an orientation of a light emitting element that emits a light beam toward the two-axis deflection mirror (1).