a method for operating an optical sensor which has a light receptor that receives line - by - line reflected or returned light for a complete picture . at least some of the received pictures are compressed with a picture compression algorithm . to process the picture and more quickly store it in a memory - saving manner , the optoelectronic sensors compress the picture simultaneously with its receipt by the receptor . optoelectronic sensors for use in this manner can be a code laser or a laser scanner for determining distance or generating separation pictures .