Digital color image capture and processing module

A digital image capture and processing module comprising:

• a housing having a light transmission aperture with an optically transparent imaging window mounted thereover;
• at least one digital camera board mounted within said housing, and supporting an area-type color image sensing array, sensing array control electronics, and image capture and buffering electronics;
• an imaging lens assembly supported within said housing and having image forming optics with a field of view (FOV) on said area-type color image sensing array;
• a plurality of broad-band LEDs supported within said housing for producing a field of broad-band illumination;
• a light focusing reflector operably mounted for focusing said field of broad-band illumination into and over the FOV of said area-type color image sensing array;
• LED driver circuitry disposed in said housing for driving said plurality of broad-band LEDs in response to control signals;
• a digital image-processing subsystem for supporting image capture, processing and display functions, as well as digital image file transmission functions within said digital image capture and processing module;
• a system control subsystem for controlling and/or orchestrating the operation of components within said digital image capture and processing module;
• and
• a plurality of mode selection buttons integrated with said housing so that, upon depression, control signals are generated and transmitted to said system control subsystem.