Abstract: An adaptive image acquisition system employing a hand-held optical scanner or camera is disclosed. The system includes an adaptive camera exposure control system to adjust the camera exposure time to the media's reflectivity characteristics. The system assembles a "filmstrip" of images from compressed video data, wherein redundant image data appearing in successive image frames has been removed. The system employs a correlation process between successive frames to identify the redundant frame information and determined the camera velocity. By adapting the correlation process to the velocity of the camera, the effects of variations in the velocity may be substantially eliminated.

Abstract: An interactive optical scanner system for use with a host computer or terminal comprising a central processor and a keyboard having a plurality of keyboard character and function keys to allow entry of keyboard character and function data to the central processor in accordance with predetermined keyboard codes. The system includes a camera enclosed in a camera housing suitable for hand-held use. The camera comprises an opto-electronic transducer array disposed within the housing for capturing successive images of characters on a medium surface and providing digital video signals representative of the images. The camera includes a plurality of tactilely-operated camera function keys disposed on the housing for providing respective camera function key token signals corresponding to each camera function key in dependence on the user manipulation thereof.

Abstract: An adaptive image acquisition system employing a hand-held optical scanner or camera is disclosed. The system includes an adaptive camera exposure control system to adjust the camera exposure time to the media's reflectivity characteristics. The system assembles a "film-strip" of images from compressed video data, wherein redundant image data appearing in successive image frames has been removed. The system employs a correlation process between successive frames to identify the redundant frame information and determine the camera velocity. By adapting the correlation process to the velocity of the camera, the effects of variations in the velocity may be substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A hand-held peripheral device for a computer system or terminal having a video display is disclosed. The device is adapted to operate one of two user-selectable functional modes. In a first mode, the device functions as an optical scanner for image acquisition. In a second mode, the device functions as a computer mouse for controlling the position of a cursor on the video display.