Multimode image capturing and decoding optical reader

A method for operating a hand held portable device having a two-dimensional solid state image sensor, a memory, and being configured to decode a bar code in accordance with a decoding program, said hand held portable device being in communication with an external spaced apart device, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing into said memory an image file in a file format suitable for storing image files, said image file having an open byte memory location;
• (b) decoding a bar code represented in an image utilizing said decoding program to produce decoded-out message data;
• (c) writing said decoded-out message data yielded by execution of decoding step (b) into said image file open byte memory location referred to in step (a);
• and
• (d) transmitting said image file including said decoded-out message data to said external spaced apart device so that both of image data of said image file referred to in step (a) and said decoded out message data referred to in step (b) are transferred to said external spaced apart device when said image file is transmitted from said hand held portable device to said external spaced apart device.

A method for operating a portable device having a two-dimensional solid state image sensor, a memory, and being configured to decode a bar code in accordance with a decoding program, said portable device being in communication with an external spaced apart device, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing into said memory an image file in a file format suitable for storing image files;
• (b) decoding a bar code represented in an image utilizing said decoding program to produce decoded-out message data;
• (c) converting said decoded-out message data into an image representation of said decoded-out message data;
• (d) stitching said image representation of said decoded-out message data referred to in step (c) into said image file referred to in step (a);
• and
• (e) transmitting said image file to said external spaced apart device so that both the original image data of said image file referred to in step (a) and said stitched-in image data corresponding to said decoded-out message referred to in step (d) are transferred to said external spaced apart device when said image file is transmitted from said portable device to said external spaced apart device.