The ANPR technology was invented during the period of the mid 1970s, which was initially employed by the UK police to combat terrorism during the mid 1990s period. With the further developments in the system in the last few years, its application has been extended to a large scale use. The cameras used with the automatic number plate recognition technology are used in fixed as well as movable sites to read the registration numbers on the vehicle plates, which are then cross-checked with the database available with the security agency. This system is used according to the requirement of the security, where some systems are used for live surveillance only, while others are used with recording features also. There are a few basic elements that are used with this system, which are explained below.
• HD Infrared Cameras: These cameras are used to capture the image of the number plate of a vehicle or the whole vehicle, where narrow wavelength retro-reflective and pulsed techniques are used. These cameras are used either to capture the image of the vehicle or to record the video of the moving vehicle, where some cameras are capable of capturing vehicles running with a speed up to 240Km/h.
• Processors: There are ruggedised processors that are either fixed or onboard and are capable of handling the multiple cameras simultaneously. These uses OCR softwares to convert the numbers captured in the images to be used as text strings for search purposes.
• Computer Server: A computer server is used with the necessary software for the completion of the tasks involved in the process. This server might be located centrally at a distant location or a remote server located on a police vehicle.
• Data Network: A high-speed connectivity, using 3G, Wi-Fi or any other data network is used for the transmission of images or numbers to the respective systems or cops to take further actions.
• Database: A complete database of all the vehicles registered in the city is available with the system to check the captured number with. This database contains information about stolen vehicles, registration details, vulnerable vehicle numbers and others essential for maintaining a security. This database is regularly updated with the latest information about the vehicles registered, stolen or reported as a threat to the society as well as security.
• There is an on-board display provided in the police vehicles, which provides an indication of the nearby vehicle of interest. This is necessary to alert all the cops on duty to get into action and capture the vehicle to reduce the threat or any other risk associated.
So, with an efficient and combined working on all the system elements explained above, the automatic number plate recognition technology is put to use for security purposes. This system offers an ease to the police department in maintaining peace and security around the city, while the traffic department uses this system to identify defaulters and issue traffic tickets to them.
Thus, the above guide helps you easily understand all the basic elements of this technology.