Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) is a technology that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically read license plate characters.
Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) is a technology that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to automatically read license plate characters.
There are two types of ALPR: stationary, which uses infrared (IR) cameras at high fixed points, and mobile, which uses vehicle-mounted IR cameras.
Stationary cameras can be mounted on signs, street lights, highway overpasses or buildings as a cost-effective way to monitor moving and parked vehicles twenty-four hours a day. Camera software is able to identify the pixel patterns that make up a license plate and translate the letters and numbers on the plate to a digital format. The plate data is then sent to a database where it is compared in real-time to a list of plate numbers that belong to 'vehicles of interest'. If the system detects a match, it sends an alert to the dispatcher or other designated personnel.
Mobile ALPR software suites use multiple cameras mounted on a vehicle. As the vehicle moves, it photographs license plates and transmits plate data to a database. The database may be a national database or it may be created at the local level and downloaded into the vehicle's onboard computer at the beginning of each shift. If the system detects a match, the officer receives an alert on his computer. A mobile ALPR can read up to 1,000 plates per hour and cover two or more lanes of traffic at once.
Automated License Plate Recognition has many uses including:
- Recovering stolen cars.
- Identifying drivers with an open warrant for arrest.
- Catching speeders by comparing the average time it takes to get from stationary camera A to stationary camera B.
- Determining what cars do and do not belong in a parking garage.
- Expediting parking by eliminating the need for human confirmation of parking passes.
ALPR is known by several other names, including Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI), Car Plate Recognition (CPR), License Plate Recognition (LPR), and Lecture Automatique de Plaques d’Immatriculation (LAPI).
Watch a short video demonstrating one type of mobile ALPR:
Continue reading about Automated License Plate Recognition:
Learn more about ALPR by visiting the PIPS website.
Read an article on police applications of ALPR.
Look at different types of ALPR software and hardware.
Original author(s) | Matthew Hill[1] |
---|---|
Developer(s) | OpenALPR Technology, Inc.[2] |
Initial release | 2 May 2014; 5 years ago[2] |
Stable release | |
Repository | github.com/openalpr/openalpr |
Written in | C, C++, Python, Java, and C# |
Operating system | Linux, Windows[3] |
Platform | IA-32 (i386), x86-64 or ARM |
Size | 276 MB |
Available in | 1 languages |
English | |
Type | Automatic number-plate recognition, vehicle recognition identification |
License | Proprietary and AGPL |
Alexa rank | 337,949 OpenALPR (Global 06/2018) |
Website | www.openalpr.com |
OpenALPR is an automatic number-plate recognitionlibrary written in C++. The software is distributed in both a commercial and open source version.
History[edit]
OpenALPR was originally developed by a two-man team led by Matt Hill.[1] The open source software became available as a free download at the end of 2015.[4] In March 2016, OpenALPR launched paid Cloud API service[5] and in February 2017 introduced the OpenALPR agent for Axis Communications cameras.[6]
In August 2017 an Australian web developer Tait Brown became known by creating an alternative to an 86 million AUD project of Victoria Police by using OpenALPR.[7]In March 2018 ProgrammableWeb added OpenALPR to its list of Recognition APIs.[8]
Software[edit]
OpenALPR is an automatic number-plate recognitionlibrary written in C++.[9] The software is distributed in both a commercial cloud based version[1] and open source version.[3][10] OpenALPR makes use of OpenCV and Tesseract OCR libraries. It could be run as a command-line utility, standalone library, or background process. The software also integrates with video management systems (VMS) such as Milestone XProtect.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ abcFarivar, Cyrus (December 5, 2015). 'New software watches for license plates, turning you into Little Brother'. Ars Technica. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ abmatthill. 'state_detector.cpp'. GitHub. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ abDavid Cardinal (August 4, 2016). 'How to get started with DIY home surveillance systems'. ExtremeTech. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^December 9, 2015. 'New Software Allows You to Scan License Plates Just like a Cop'. autoevolution.com. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^'OpenALPR Technology Releases Cloud Service for Automatic License Plate Recognition and Vehicle Classification'. security.world. March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^Tammy Waitt (February 13, 2017). 'OpenALPR & Axis Offer Affordable ALPR Service Plans (See Video)'. americansecuritytoday.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^Tait Brown (August 28, 2017). 'How I replicated an $86 million project in 57 lines of code'. freeCodeCamp. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^Culbertson, Joy (March 31, 2018). 'Daily API RoundUp: FlexAwards, Amazon GameOn, Blockbridge'. ProgrammableWeb. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^Bhadoria, Shantanu; Oliva Ramos, Ruben (2017). 'Erase Parking Headaches with OpenCV and Raspberry Pi'. Raspberry Pi 3 Home Automation Projects: Bringing your home to life using Raspberry Pi 3, Arduino, and ESP8266. Packt Publishing Ltd. p. 82. ISBN978-1-78328-387-3 – via Google Books.
- ^James, Mike (December 18, 2015). 'Openalpr - An Open Source Licence Plate Reader'. i-programmer.info. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^Karas, Brian (March 22, 2016). 'SaaS LPR Startup OpenALPR Examined'. ipvm.com. Retrieved June 21, 2018.(subscription required)
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=OpenALPR&oldid=933151401'