AUTOMATIC NUMBER PLATE RECOGNITION SYSTEM

INTRODUCTIONVehicle Registration Plates

A vehicle registration plate is a metal or a plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle for official identification purposes.

The license plates are placed on the front and back of the vehicle.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition System(ANPR)

ANPR is an image –processing technology which is used to identify vehicles by their number plates using Optical Character Recognition.

This technology is used in various security and traffic applications such as access-control system.

ANPR(contd…)

Various names of this technology are:

License Plate Recognition

Car Registration System

Intelligent Transport System

Access-control While the vehicle approaches the gate ,the

ANPR unit automatically reads the license plate registration number, compares to a predefined list and opens the gate if there is a match.

ANPR EQUIPMENTANPR equipment incorporates all the

hardware and the software necessary to capture the images of the vehicles and to recognize the number plates.

ANPR system consists of:ANPR hardwareANPR software

ANPR HARDWARE

It comprises of:

Camera system

Computer

Frame Grabber

Trigger

Camera SystemThe camera system takes a snapshot of the

trespassing vehicle.

It uses an IR light spectrum and illuminator which produces an illumination.

The illumination used is Infra-Red(IR) because it is invisible to the driver.

Below we can see the picture of a car with headlamps on; on the left there is a picture of a car taken by an ordinary camera whereas on the right there is the same car photographed using IR filter and IR illuminator.

ComputerThe computer is normally a PC running

Windows.

It runs the ANPR applications which

Controls the system

Reads the images

Analyzes and identifies the plate and

Interfaces with other applications and systems.

Frame GrabberFrame Grabber is an interface between the

camera and the PCIt is a computer module that provides

digitalization of pictures in case analog camera is used.

Most commonly used frame grabber is FXVD4

Trigger

Trigger is used by ANPR systems to know that

vehicle

came to the control spot so that the camera can

be

triggered.

ANPR SOFTWARE

When a vehicle approaches the camera, the ANPR software takes a series of snapshots and stores them in a file.

When the number plate is of sufficient size, it is scanned, the registration number is converted into ASCII code and held in a list.

ANPR SOFTWARE(contd…)

This process continues for a series of images depending upon the speed and the position of the vehicle.

Upon the completion of the process , an accurate result is selected from the stored list.

WORKINGThe ANPR process is divided into three steps:

Detection of vehicle

Capture of images

Process of recognition

The next few slides show how a typical

access-control system works

Detection Of VehiclesThe vehicle approaches the secured area and

the process starts when the vehicle steps over a magnetic loop detector.

The loop detector senses the car and it’s presence is signaled to the ANPR unit.

Capture of ImagesThe ANPR unit activates the illumination and

takes pictures of the front and rear plates using ANPR camera.

The images of the vehicle is read by the ANPR unit’s image processing hardware or the frame grabber.

Process of RecognitionThe ANPR unit analyzes the image with

different image processing software.The ANPR unit checks if the vehicle appears

on a predefined list of authorized cars and if found it signals to open the gate by activating it’s relay.

Process of Recognition(contd…)The authorized vehicle enters the secured

area and after passing the gate it’s detector closes the gate.

The system waits for the next vehicle to approach the secured area.

ANPR Unit

CONTROL SYSTEMSTraffic Control

Traffic control systems use ANPR units which provide details about the movement and flow of vehicles around the road network.

These details can highlight the problem areas and help to make incident management decisions.

Electronic Toll Collection

ANPR can be used for electronic toll

collection on smart highways and roads. This

process does not require cars to stop at the

toll booth but instead uses Radio Frequency

Identification to deduct toll charges.

Electronic Toll Collection(contd…)

One smart road in operation is the E-Z pass in

New York. In this system a computer reads an

electronic tag mounted inside the car’s

windshield and automatically deducts the toll

from a pre-established account.

ADVANTAGES

ANPR systems make use of registration

plates that all cars already have, so there is

no need to add transmitters or special signs

to vehicles which results in saving towards

the implementation of the system.

ADVANTAGES(contd…)

The photograph of the car and the driver can

be stored and retrieved if there is a need for

evidence in disputes or crime situations.

APPLICATIONSThe various applications are:

Parking

Access-control

Tolling

Border control

ParkingThe plate number is used to automatically

enter pre-paid members and calculate parking fee for non-members (by comparing the exit and entry times).

Access-ControlA gate automatically opens for authorized

members in asecured area, thus replacing or assisting the

securityguard. The events are logged on a database

and could beused to search the history of events.

TollingThe car number is used to calculate the travel

fee in a

toll-road, or used to double-check the ticket.

Border ControlThis installation covers the borders of the

entire Country.

Each vehicle is registered into a central

database and linked to additional information

such as the passport data. This is used to

track all border crossings.

Security Features On Registration Plates

Electronic vehicle identification

A potential to provide an accurate vehicle

record

Means for Personal identification to be

checked in the system

Security Features On Registration Plates(contd…)

Minimize evasion of Tax and Insurance.

Unambiguously links a car with a person.

CONCLUSIONThere is an immediate need of such kind of

Automatic Number Plate Recognition system in India as there are problems of traffic, stealing cars etc.

Government should take some interest in developing this system as this system is very economical and eco-friendly, if applied effectively .

CONCLUSION(CONTD.)

It is still not being used in our country but will be prove to be effective.

This change will help in the progress of the nation.

THANK YOU