INSIGHTS
Today, more than a billion cars are on the road, and this figure is expected to double within the next couple decades. Often ignored is the fact that much traffic comes from drivers cruising for a vacant or cheaper parking spot — recent studies indicate drivers hunting for parking account for roughly 50 percent of traffic. Traffic congestion leads to driver frustration, which may increase the number of accidents and excessive carbon emission, which impacts air quality and raises environmental issues. Smarter parking facilities and measures ensure the security of parking facilities and quality of life for local residents, as well as relieve environmental stress related to automobiles.
Parking Efficiency Augmented by Smart Security Solutions
Date: 2011/04/21
Source: By a&s International
“A proper ALPR camera by design should do a number of dynamic adjustments, such as performing a series of contrast-stretching techniques on each of the multiple images taken at various contrast levels to further aid the ALPR algorithms,“ Kennedy said. “With ALPR cameras, we are not dealing with video as much as we are looking for a single clear shot of the plate,” Yigit agreed. “Adjustment of the camera, utilization of multiple exposure algorithms and IR illumination ensure top read rates in spite of environmental conditions.”
Environmental conditions are considered in the early planning stages, and camera positions and illumination sources are tuned to optimize performance under these specific circumstances.
Not all ALPR is created equally, Yigit said. “There is more to ALPR than just algorithms, although that is a key component. Image quality is just as important, because when dealing with optical character recognition, garbage in often means garbage out.”
In some regions, license plates are not entirely composed of alphanumeric characters. “Different suppliers of ALPR systems can optimize the system to read license plates in different countries and can provide on-site support,” Fox said. “There is a lot to consider in choosing a strong ALPR system, and there are only a handful that are up to the task. Those who want to employ this technology should seek suppliers who can provide the after-sale service, and who will be around for the long haul,” Kennedy added.