Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems have led the industry in terms of introducing ‘intelligence’ or analytics to surveillance video – analysing the scene for useful information.Last year we printed ‘ANPR: The Ten Commandments’ by CBC’s John Downie, and it’s worth a little recap of those here.
1. Choose a suitable location to capture vehicle plates, and be aware of a particular location’s limitations.
2. Choose the right camera for the location – often an infrared ANPR camera is all that is required, but some organisations will want a good colour image of the vehicle and possibly its applicants.
3. Site the camera well – it needs to be installed level and should view the vehicle from dead ahead if possible.
4. Zoom in close – as a general rule, the vehicle should be as wide as the screen width when displayed on a monitor, with the car’s wing mirrors ‘touching’ each edge of the image.
5. Avoid blurred images – a sharp image of the licence plate is essential, so the camera must be focused on the chosen recognition point.
6. Know your traffic speed – very fast traffic speed may require a PC for each traffic lane, while a site with barriers may be able to use a single PC for up to four lanes.
7. Driver images aren’t always possible – users should be aware of this.
8. Software – start with the basics. Make sure it can cope with your maximum traffic speed, and check it can be networked if need be. Verify the recognition accuracy.
9. Keep data secure. Make sure you comply with the Data Protection Act, and ensure your ANPR software uses file encryption, as well as timed automatic deletion and a secure method for operators to log on to the system.
10. Specify the features you need at the start.
To read the complete feature go to www.info4security.com and key in “John Downie” in the search box
Ticket evaders hit by ANPR
PIPS Technology has supplied one of its mobile ANPR systems to Swift Credit Services to target evaders of parking fines – with 23 vehicles located within the first day of use.
Swift’s vehicle has been fitted with externally mounted PIPS’ P362 ANPR cameras, which are connected to the Police ANPR Graphic Information System software inside the vehicle. The system cross-checks the license plate readings with the pre-loaded PCN database, allowing Swift to automatically search and target vehicles of individuals with unpaid penalties.
Swift Credit Services MD Huw Lloyd-Lewis said: “The introduction of PIPS Technology’s ANPR system has been a major benefit to Swift Credit Services in the enforcement of unpaid penalty charge notices and parking-related fines.”
Reader Service No 102
Trespassers thwarted
Powys County Council has comprehensively upgraded its security systems at depots around the county in order to discourage trespass and theft. With the installation of Vista ANPR and Dedicated Micros DVRs, all vehicles can now be recorded entering and leaving the site, providing the police with valuable information should an incident occur.
Employees on the sites had noticed an increase in unidentified vehicles coming onto the premises with no apparent purpose. Concerned that these vehicles may be scoping out the area, installers Security Wise Ltd were brought in to fit Vista ANPR cameras (VNPRC25) at all the main sites. These cameras allow workers to keep an eye on all unknown vehicles. If they are suspicious, they can check the footage and take note of the registration numbers. Dedicated Micros DVRs are used to record and archive all images to DVD.
The Council is a Welsh Unitary Authority responsible for all local government services in the county. It has a huge impact on the local economy, both by being its largest employer and by spending more than half of its GB pound 300 million turnover within the county’s boundaries.
Powys is an extensive, largely upland and extremely rural county covering 2000 square miles.
Being such a large county, the depots used to store vehicles and equipment are often in relatively isolated locations and, although crime is reasonably low in the area, this left them vulnerable to break-in and theft. Tim Madeley, Electrical Technician at Powys County Council, had the responsibility of finding a solution.
During the past year that the systems have been operational, Madeley is happy to say that there has been a significant reduction in incidents of theft and trespass. “I believe that the cost incurred with the installation of these systems will be offset by the reduction in criminal incidents,” he concludes.
Reader Service No 104
All-new ANPR
Taiwanese manufacturer GeoVision has introduced two new ANPR products at this year’s IFSEC exhibition in Birmingham. The GV-ANPR solution with ANPR Center is a convenient application managing up to 255 GV-ANPR clients with a web-based central database. It is able to remotely control access and prevent intrusion.
All recognised images and results from ANPR clients are sent to the centre and stored. The complete solution includes a PC-based ANPR system, DSP embedded ANPR system, and ANPR illuminator camera.
The GV-ANPR Embedded System is a DSP-type standalone system that provides license plate recognition with video monitoring and recording functions. It supports single lane recognition and videos can be displayed at a de-interlaced 30 frames per second at full D1 resolution.
The embedded GV-ANPR can export its captured images and recognition results to the GV-ANPR Center for management.
Reader Service No 105
What a Roadstar
The Ganz Roadstar camera uses IR lights for night vision, illuminating registration plates without blinding drivers.
A specially made filter and camera are set up during the assembly process. The system is comprised of a camera, filters, lens, brackets and an IR illuminator. Ganz says this particular ANPR camera overcomes “all the problems associated with number plate capture – speed, reflectivity, sunlight, car headlights and depth of field – regardless of ambient lighting conditions.
Because the installation of the assembly is simple, it can be wall or pole mounted in car parks, hotels, petrol stations, highways and other locations. The integrated number plate capture camera is designed for high performance, long life and low maintenance.
It captures images of vehicles travelling in excess of 120mph, and is able to operate at 10m, 20m, 30m and 40m distances.
Images are captured at high resolution, with 570 TV lines claimed by the manufacturer.
Reader Service No 106
A good Fit
Videofit says its Videofit Kit is “the first vehicle recognition system to provide cost-effective, highly accurate number plate recognition straight out of the box”. The system is designed to manage parking, detect unknown vehicles or welcome staff and visitors with a custom message.
Videofit claims a verified ANPR accuracy of 98-99 per cent, and it can capture number plates on vehicles travelling at up to 120mph.
It records ANPR-M movies or single images, and typically stores a month’s worth of activity.
It is suitable for car parks, industrial estates, site entrances, hotels, golf clubs and more, and is aimed at small or medium businesses with a need to monitor or control vehicle movements.
Videofit also produces Videofit Lite, for larger ANPR systems, which offers up to four ANPR cameras and 12 overview cameras per; and its fully scalable Videofit Network.
Reader Service No 107
Get Connected
Dedicated Micros has launched a range of its NetVu Connected CCTV products with embedded video analytics, including Automatic Number Plate Recognition.
These products include digital video recorders, a megapixel camera, and the TransVu transport surveillance and marketing system.
As well as ANPR the DSP embedded analytics, provided through D-Tec, include people counting, perimeter protection, and Object Left and Object Removed detection.
Reader Service No 108