License Plate Recognition (LPR), often referred to as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), is a surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the licence plates on vehicles. Its major uses are in the areas of electronic toll collection on pay-per-use roads and monitoring traffic activity, such as red light adherence in an intersection.
dwellingLIVE utilizes LPR in a community setting to assist gate house personnel in identifying repeat visitors. Specialized cameras use infrared lighting to allow pictures to be taken at any time of the day or night. Here’s an example of a picture taken in bright sunlight. Notice how the reflective nature of the plate background causes the numbers and letters to stand out. Specialized software translates the small plate image (often referred to as a ‘plate patch’) into computer-readable characters.
Some states such as California and Arizona allow for special characters to be included in a license plate. These include hands, hearts and stars. the software can be taught to recognize these shapes or ignore them completely.
dwellingLIVE’s LPR system can even be utilized at unmanned gates. After the license plate is read, the system will look up the plate number in a ‘white list’ – a list of all license plates that are allowed access into and out of the community. When a match is made to the white list, an electronic relay is activated to automatically open the gate or barrier arm.
dwellingLIVE improving the quality of living – one community at a time!
