DIRECT PART MARKING CODE READING WITH MULTIMODAL OBJECT SENSING

An optical symbol reading system comprises an image sensor operative to capture an image of a target area, a color-sensing system sensitive to certain colors in the visible spectrum, an illumination system operative to produce various types of illumination based on illumination parameters, and a surface-profiling system arranged to measure distance to multiple points of at least one surface in the target area. The illumination system, the image sensor, and the color-sensing system are arranged such that emitted light from the illumination system, in accordance with a selected type of illumination, is directed towards the target area while a portion of the emitted light is reflected from any object of interest present in the target area and received by the image sensor and the color-sensing system. The type of illumination is selected based on output from the color-sensing system and the surface-profiling system.