1. A laser beam machining apparatus comprising:
a chuck table for holding a work;
laser beam irradiation means for irradiating said work held by said chuck table with a laser beam; and
machining feeding means for relative machining feeding of said chuck table and said laser beam irradiation means,
wherein said laser beam irradiation means includes
laser beam oscillation means for oscillating a laser beam,
a beam splitter by which said laser beam oscillated by said laser beam oscillation means is split into a first laser beam having a first plane of polarization and a second laser beam having a second plane of polarization orthogonal to said first plane of polarization,
a rotary half-wave plate disposed between said laser beam oscillation means and said beam splitter,
a condenser lens disposed in a first optical path for guiding said first laser beam split by said beam splitter,
first reflecting mirror which is disposed in a second optical path for guiding said second laser beam split by said beam splitter and by which said second laser beam is returned to said beam splitter,
first quarter-wave plate disposed between said beam splitter and said first reflecting mirror,
a second reflecting mirror which is disposed in a third optical path for splitting thereinto said second laser beam returned to said beam splitter through said second optical path and by which said second laser beam split into said third optical path is returned to said beam splitter,
a second quarter-wave plate disposed between said beam splitter and said second reflecting mirror, and
a cylindrical lens disposed between said beam splitter and said second quarter-wave plate, and
wherein said second laser beam returned to said beam splitter through said third optical path is guided to said condenser lens through said first optical path.
2. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said beam splitter and said rotary half wave plate are configured and arranged to allow the laser beam machining apparatus to operate in one of the following three modes:
a first mode in which only said first laser beam is irradiated upon said work;
a second mode in which only said second laser beam is irradiated upon said work; and
a third mode in which both said first laser beam and said second laser beam are irradiated upon said work.
3. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
in said first mode, the work is irradiated by said first laser beam with a first beam spot that is circular in shape;
in said second mode, the work is irradiated by said second laser beam with a second beam spot that is elliptical in shape; and
in said third mode, the work is irradiated by a third beam spot that is a combination of said circular first beam spot and said elliptical second beam spot.
4. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when operating in said third mode, said circular first beam spot is located approximately in the center of the major axis of said elliptical second beam spot.
5. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when operating in said third mode, said circular first beam spot is located near an end part of said elliptical second beam spot.
6. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
if said first laser beam passes through said condenser lens, said first laser beam irradiates said work with a first beam spot that is circular in shape; and
if said second laser beam passes through said condenser lens, said second laser beam irradiates said work with a second beam spot that is elliptical in shape.
7. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when both said first laser beam and said second laser beam pass through said condenser lens, said circular first beam spot is located approximately in the center of the major axis of said elliptical second beam spot.
8. The laser beam machining apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when both said first laser beam and said second laser beam pass through said condenser lens, said circular first beam spot is located near an end part of said elliptical second beam spot.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A computer terminal comprising:
a display for displaying an overlay of a plurality of choices to an operator;
a first keypad adjacent the choices displayed by the display for recording choices of the operator; and
a processor for controlling operation of the first keypad and the display, and for executing a graphic user interface including the one overlay and a plurality of additional overlays describing each choice of the one overlay, wherein each of the additional overlays is displayed after the operator has selected a corresponding choice using the first keypad.
2. The computer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a second keypad coupled to the processor for recording information into the computer by the operator.
3. The computer terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.
4. The computer terminal as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
a card reader coupled to the processor.
5. The computer terminal as recited in claim 2, wherein the first and second keypads in combination perform a predetermined function in a plurality of different ways.
6. A retail terminal comprising:
a display in the front surface of the housing for displaying an overlay, including a plurality of choices vertically on one side of the display, to an operator;
a first keypad vertically oriented in the front surface of the housing adjacent the choices displayed by the display for recording choices of the operator;
a second keypad adjacent the first keypad for recording information into the terminal by the operator;
wherein the first and second keypads in combination perform a predetermined function in a plurality of different ways;
a card reader within the housing and below the second keypad;
a processor for controlling operation of the first keypad, the second keypad, the display, and the card reader, and for executing a graphic user interface including the one overlay and a plurality of additional overlays describing each choice of the one overlay, wherein each of the additional overlays is displayed after the operator has selected a corresponding choice using the first keypad.
7. A retail system comprising:
a bar code scanner coupled to a first retail terminal for scanning merchandise items to obtain bar code information; and
a second retail terminal which must be connected to the first retail terminal and which processes the bar code information including
a display for displaying an overlay, including a plurality of choices, to an operator;
a first keypad adjacent the choices displayed by the display for recording choices of the operator; and
a processor for controlling operation of the first keypad and the display, and for executing a graphic user interface including the one overlay and a plurality of additional overlays describing each choice of the one overlay, wherein each of the additional overlays is displayed after the operator has selected a corresponding choice using the first keypad.
8. The retail system as recited in claim 7, further comprising:
a second keypad adjacent the first keypad and coupled to the processor for recording information entered by the operator.
9. The retail system as recited in claim 8, further comprising:
a counter upon which the terminal is mounted and which contains the optical scanner.
10. The retail system as recited in claim 9, wherein the retail terminal further comprises:
a substantially rectangular housing containing the display, the first keypad, and the second keypad; and
a stand for supporting the housing above the counter.
11. The retail system as recited in claim 10, wherein the retail terminal further comprises:
a card reader within the housing and coupled to the processor.
12. The retail system as recited in claim 10, wherein the bar code scanner is located between the stand and the operator.
13. The retail system as recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second keypads in combination perform a predetermined function in a plurality of different ways.
14. The retail system as recited in claim 8, further comprising:
a signature capture device coupled to the first terminal.
15. The retail system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second retail terminal further comprises:
a lock for preventing unauthorized access to the system.
16. The retail system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second retail terminal further comprises:
a power switch which includes a standby position for placing the first and second terminals in a standby mode.
17. A method for guiding a retail computer operator through a retail transaction comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying a first overlay of a graphic user interface containing a plurality of operator choices by a processor through a display;
(b) prompting the operator to enter any one of the choices through a keypad adjacent the choices;
(c) entering the one choice by the operator; and
(d) displaying a second overlay of the graphic user interface, which is linked to the one choice and which contains a plurality of additional operator choices, by the processor through the display.
18. A method for guiding a retail computer operator through a retail transaction comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying a first overlay of a graphic user interface, which contains a choice to enter information about an item to be purchased by a customer, by a processor through a display;
(b) entering the information into the processor by the operator;
(c) displaying the item information as part of the first overlay by the processor through the display;
(d) displaying additional choices for modifying the item information as part of the first overlay;
(e) displaying a second overlay containing payment choices; and
(f) entering one of the payment choices by the operator through a keypad adjacent the choices.
19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
(g) displaying a third overlay containing payment amount choices and total cost information;
(h) entering a payment amount choice by the operator through the keypad adjacent the choices; and
(i) displaying a fourth overlay containing a representation of change information, if the payment amount choice is more than the total cost.
20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
(g) entering one of the additional choices for modifying the item information;
(h) displaying a third overlay containing modification choices;
(i) entering one of the modification choices by the operator; and
(j) displaying the first overlay with the modified item information.
21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises the substep of:
(b-1) scanning a bar code label on the item.
22. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises the substep of:
(b-1) entering the item information into a second keypad coupled to the processor.
23. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
(g) displaying a third overlay which prompts the operator to log in prior to step (a) by the processor through the display;
(h) displaying a list of authorized operator identification codes as part of the third overlay by the processor through the display; and
(i) entering an identification code into a second keypad coupled to the processor by the operator.
24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of:
(j) displaying a fourth overlay containing information of interest to the operator by the processor through the display.
25. A method for displaying an overlay on a retail terminal having a display comprising the steps of:
establishing left and right portions of the overlay;
providing operator choices within the right portion of the overlay;
displaying the operator choices;
establishing top, middle, and bottom areas within the left portion of the overlay;
providing overlay title information within the top portion of the overlay;
providing an item list within the middle portion of the overlay;
providing payment information within the bottom portion of the overlay; and
displaying the top, middle, and bottom portions.