Abstract: Apparatus and method for reading a luminescent bar code on a background surface whose reflectance may vary over the coded area, including a light source for providing light to scan, and to excite luminescence in the bar code or to reflect from the background surface of the coded area; a first detector responsive to reflected non-luminescent light for providing a first signal; a second detector responsive to luminescent light for providing a second signal; and memory having stored calibration indicia of reflectance and luminescence, the memory responsive to the first and second signals for providing an output signal substantially independent of background reflectance, and substantially free of bar code edge distortion.

Abstract: An imager and an analog to digital converter yield a series of digital signals from successive frames of images of scenes in which selected types of high-speed events may take place. The signals are sampled, and changes in the sampled signals typically indicative of such events are detected. Random access memory temporarily stores a sequence of the signals including each such changed signal. Analytic circuitry determines whether the sequence contains a record of such an event, and, if it does, provides a videotape record of the event.