Continuous scanning with a handheld scanner

A method of forming a composite image by combining a plurality of image frames in a stream captured with a handheld scanning device, the method comprising:

• with at least one processor:
• receiving image frames in the stream;
• as each image frame in the stream is received, selectively storing the image frame in
• a data structure, the selectively storing comprising:
• receiving an indication that the handheld scanning device has been separated
• from a surface;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication, suspending the storing of the image frames,
• wherein:
• receiving the indication that the scanning device has been separated from the surface comprises analyzing the stream of image frames to detect a change in sequential image frames in the stream.

A method of forming a composite image by combining a plurality of image frames in a stream captured with a handheld scanning device, the method comprising:

• with at least one processor:
• receiving image frames in the stream;
• as each image frame in the stream is received, selectively storing the image frame in a data structure, the selectively storing comprising:
• receiving an indication that the handheld scanning device has been separated from a surface;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication, suspending the storing of the image frames, wherein:
• the selectively storing comprises discarding without storing in the data structure image frames in the stream received after receiving the indication.

A method of forming a composite image by combining a plurality of image frames in a stream captured with a handheld scanning device, the method comprising:

• with at least one processor:
• receiving image frames in the stream;
• as each image frame in the stream is received, selectively storing the image frame in a data structure, the selectively storing comprising:
• receiving an indication that the handheld scanning device has been separated
• from a surface;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication, suspending the storing of the image frames,
• wherein:
• receiving the indication comprises receiving a first indication at a first time;
• and
• the method further comprises:
• receiving a second indication at a second time, after the first time, that the handheld scanning device is in contact with the surface;
• in response to receiving the second indication, attempting to match a subsequent image frame in the stream, received after the second time, to an image frame stored in the data structure;
• and
• when a match for the subsequent image frame is identified, resuming storing of image frames in the stream in the data structure.

At least one non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method of forming a composite image of an object scanned by a handheld scanning device by combining a plurality of image frames in a stream, the method comprising:

• receiving image frames in the stream;
• as image frames in the stream are received, storing the received image frames in a data structure;
• at a first time, receiving a first indication that the handheld scanning device is not in contact with a surface;
• in response to receiving the first indication, removing at least one image frame from the data structure;
• at a second time, receiving a second indication that the handheld scanning device is in contact with the surface;
• in response to receiving the second indication, as subsequent image frames are received, selectively storing the subsequent image frames in the data structure;
• and
• rendering a display of the object being scanned based on the image frames stored in the data structure.

A system for forming an image of an object, the system comprising:

• a device that combines the functionality of a computer mouse with the functionality of a scanner, the device comprising:
• one or more navigation sensors to identify movement of the device;
• an image array to provide a plurality of image frames, each image frame representing a portion of the object as the device is swiped over the object;
• a processor for processing the plurality of image frames to form a composite image of the object, the processing comprising:
• forming the composite image from a plurality of overlapping individual images captured by the image array,
• detecting when the device is lifted,
• wherein:
• image information from areas that have previously been traced over is not corrupted by images that have been recorded while the device was being lifted.