Dual format dual resolution scanner with off-axis beams

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the invention to provide a scanner capable of producing images with different formats and resolutions.
According to one aspect of the invention, the above and other objects are accomplished by a scanner having a light source, producing a beam of light which is incident on a polygon tower comprised of a first polygon having a first diameter and first number of facets, and a second polygon having a second diameter and second number of facets.
The polygon tower rotates about an axis common to both the first and second polygon.
The beam of light is reflected by the polygon tower through a scan lens.
The point at which the light beam is incident on the polygon tower is shifted so that the light beam is directed at either the first polygon or the second polygon.
In one embodiment a reflected beam of light is off-centered from an optical axis of a scan lens.
Moving the point at which the light beam is incident on the polygon tower from the first polygon to the second polygon, changes the size, format, and resolution without moving or refocusing the scan lens, and without moving the polygon tower or the imaging medium.