Patent ID: 8297511

Claim:
An optical reading apparatus comprising: a portable housing; an illumination assembly; a lens assembly focusing an image onto said two dimensional image sensor; a control circuit in communication with said illumination assembly and said imaging assembly, wherein said control circuit is configured to operate in a “decode mode” and a “picture taking mode”; and a user interface facilitating selection between said decode mode and said picture taking mode; wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “decode mode” loads at least one decode mode camera control parameter, captures a frame of image data utilizing said at least one decode mode camera control parameter, decodes a decodable symbol representation in said captured frame of image data, and outputs a decoded-out message, wherein said control circuit, when operating in said “picture taking” mode loads at least one picture taking mode camera control parameter, captures a frame of image data utilizing said at least one picture taking camera control parameter, and without attempting to decode decodable symbols in said frame, outputs said frame of captured image data; wherein said at least one decode mode camera control parameter is selected from the group consisting of an exposure period value, a gain value, a frame rate value, an illumination value, an initial exposure period value, an initial gain value, an initial frame rate value, and an initial illumination level value; and wherein said at least one picture taking mode camera control parameter is selected from the group consisting of an exposure period, a gain value, a frame rate value, an illumination value, an initial exposure period value, an initial gain value, an initial frame rate value, and an initial illumination level value.