INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

 The Sigmoid LPR SURVEILLANCE® software allows traffic monitoring and checking. Wanted or otherwise interesting cars can be detected and taken out of traffic.

 The system works automatically: the software recognizes licence plates of cars, viewed by cameras placed on the main roads at the city precincts, or other busy junctions. Plate numbers are checked against a database; wanted or interesting cars cause an immediate alarm. Other corresponding information (for example colour, make) is also displayed, if the underlying database supports it. This can help to spot cars with false licence plates. The system can monitor the full pass-through traffic, and also inner roads, if required. It is designed to work around the clock, so it is impossible to drive through the observed area unnoticed.

 Recognition can also be restricted to certain areas of the image, making it possible to exclude disturbing or irrelevant areas.

 The software can refresh the off-line database automatically through mobile internet or Wi-Fi.

 The software stores every recognized licence plate in the log, together with the image and all data retrieved from the database. The log can be browsed, filtered, and it’s possible to create various statistics from it. The log can be printed or exported, in whole or in part. All these features can contribute greatly to crime investigation.

 In addition to automatic recognition, licence plate numbers can also be entered on the keyboard. This allows checking a particular licence plate not seen by the camera, or if a licence plate is too dirty, damaged or masked for automatic recognition. The system also supports database query by chassis number.

 The software can retrieve information from an on-line database using a 3G modem. Currently, access to the Hungarian Vehicle Registering System is implemented, which provides up-to-the-minute information (colour, make, status, MOT expiry, owner data etc.). There is a great benefit when using this database is: if a car is reported as stolen on the police, it is possible to find it only a few minutes later, because the software will alert. It is possible to implement access to other on-line databases on demand.

Automatic licence plate recognition
 

 The system works well with both analogue and IP cameras. Better the image quality results in more accurate recognition. Analogue cameras can connect to the computer through video digitizer cards, or an external video server can be used. IP cameras can send MJPEG, MPEG4 or H264 streams to the server. The software evaluates all image frames seen by the camera. It finds the licence plates and reads their characters. The licence plate can appear on any part of the image, in many angle, even from the very side. But it is important that the plate and all characters on it should be fully visible, and free from damage and dirt. The system can recognize licence plates of most countries.

 The recognizer is very tolerant to lighting conditions, even very dark and very bright images are handled well, as long as the whole licence plate is visible on the image. This makes the system suitable for twilight or night usage (infrared illuminators shall be used in the latter case).

 The maximum speed of the vehicles is determined by the shutter speed of the cameras in the first place. In most circumstances, it is enough to use the camera in “sport” mode. However, care must be taken that each licence plate is fully visible at least on one image frame. This can be ensured by choosing a proper zoom and view of angle.

 Day/night cameras with additional infrared illuminators can deliver good image quality even at night, thus allowing continuous operation around the clock.

Log analysis
 

 It is possible to extend the database and attach your own information to a licence plate. If such a plate is recognized later, an audiovisual alert is given, and the stored information is displayed. This can be used for example to mark suspicious cars that are not (yet) wanted.

 Data and images of cars in the log can be browsed, searched and filtered using various criteria. This can be very useful during an investigation. For example, if you saw a vehicle that was stolen later, you might have seen it right when it was stolen, maybe along with other ‘guiding’ cars of the principals. Or for example you can get valuable information from cars used in crimes, and you might spot other, related but not yet wanted cars.

 Saved images only occupy a few ten kilobytes, so an average computer today can store millions of images.

Using a remote client
 

 A special client program allows connecting to the server from a remote computer. The client supports camera live view, all log functions (monitoring, audiovisual alerts, searching, filtering, statistics and printing) and program configuration - it is almost like sitting at the server. The client can use any internet connection (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3G). A typical usage case is, when a client is running on a device in a police patrol car. With the help of the camera live view, the policeman can monitor occurrences near the installed cameras, and can react quick, as he is already on the street. Or, if he stays a few hundred meters after a camera, using the client’ audiovisual alerts, he can effectively take out wanted cars, without disturbing other ones. This can make police traffic control much more efficient.

Data security
 

 Off-line database, logs and client-server communications are all encrypted. It is possible to restrict regular users to only certain functions of the software. For example: system configuration or client access can be disabled, or password usage can be enforced.

Specification
 

System components
 

 The full system consists of the following components:

• licence plate recognition software,
• 3G/GPRS connection,
• client software.

 To have a minimal working system, only the first component is required. The other components can be added later on demand.

 
 
 
 

If you are interested in the Sigmoid LPR ACCESS® system, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!