There is a steady increase in security threats at home, workplaces, markets, and other public places. The increase is growing with each passing day. Fortunately, we have security & surveillance systems to make us feel safe and relaxed. And the IT players have helped us a lot and they are working on making security and surveillance systems better. In this regard, they have produced several sophisticated systems to ensure safety and security. A Licence Plate Recognition System is one of them. Here, have a look at some points that you should know about it:
What is an LPRS (licence plate recognition system?
Usually, an LPRS is an AI and Machine Learning based system to detect and identify the vehicle by capturing an image/video of a vehicle. In the process, the installed LPRS cameras or roads or parking capture the images/videos of moving vehicles, recognise the number plates of those vehicles and transmit the requisite data on the entrances or exits of the same. Technocrats, authorities, and common people refer to an LPRS as an ANPR.
How does an LPRS work?
An LPRS in a country like India is different from the one in European countries and America. The installed cameras capture images/videos of moving vehicles, translate them into digital characters with the use of OCR, connect with the stored data and make the data readable for authorities. To detect, identify, and recognise, a licence plate recognition system works in 4 different phases:
- Localisation – It involves the process of finding the licence plate within the captured images/videos and focusing on the characters mentioned on the plates.
- Segmentation – In this phase, the system separates the zone based on the initial letters/numbers for the individual identification.
- Identification – This phase identifies and recognises the characters from the earlier separated zones.
- Regionalisation – In this phase, there is a Regional Syntactical Correction for the identification of ambiguities on apparently identical characters such as I & 1, O & 0, and B & 8.
What are the applications of licence plate recognition systems?
Data collected through LPRS helps corporate houses and government authorities to make effective and intelligent policies, lower air pollution, and produce better services to stakeholders and customers. In today’s world, automated number plate recognition systems (APRS) or LPRS have huge applications in:
- Security – It can facilitate the police and security personnel to implement law enforcement. With it, they can easily detect the wanted, stolen, or uninsured vehicles.
- Parking – With it, the authorities can produce frictionless, touchless, and ticketless parking facilities. There will be a cleaner, smoother, and faster parking experience at a lower cost.
- Smart cities – With it, the head of a city or traffic police can plan better policies and remove road congestion.
- Access control – With it, corporate houses and government offices control the access of their parking premises and allow entry only to authorised vehicles.
- Tolling & ITS – It facilitates smooth driving and a better experience at toll plazas on expressways and highways.
What are the features and benefits of an LPRS?
An LPRS is highly useful and beneficial. Here, have a look at the features and benefits of licence plate recognition systems:
- Detection, translation, and recognition of vehicle number plates in real-time
- High throughput at the entry point with a vehicle speed of up to 40 km/hr
- 24*7 surveillance
- Auto alerts for suspected, stolen and wanted/VIP vehicles
- Multi-locational, multi-level, and remote monitoring and reporting
- Enhanced data security, integrity, and confidentiality
- Category management for creating or updating vehicle details for identification
- Live preview of both Frontal and Driver camera
- Insensitive to environment variability
- High accuracy around the clock
- Multiple camera management via a centralised monitoring station
- In-built feature of automated ticket generation
- Easy integration with the existing access control system
- Recognition of licence plate numbers in different dimensions such as colour, font size, contrast, and style
- Advanced search options
- Report generation module
- Recognizes dirty/damaged licence plates
Conclusion
An LPRS is a beneficial system that works on image/video recording, translating the captured images/video digitally, matching the same with the database and identifying the vehicle. Used for security, parking, tolling, and access control, it helps the authorities enhance security & surveillance.
