Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and automatic licence plate recognition (ALPR) systems have developed hugely over the last 10 years and are now used widely by law enforcement agencies and major oil companies (petrol stations), in traffic control and for road toll collection.

Although used primarily in crime-detection and offender-tracking, more and more civilian applications are being found. Access control is growing in popularity and zone or toll-charging is becoming more wide-spread. MAC Security Solutions (based in Devon and servicing customers across Devon, Cornwall and the UK) has worked with ANPR since it became a practical technology and can help you apply it successfully to your business or service.

The three elements that make up an Automatic Number Recognition system (ANPR) system:

Camera equipment

The Camera will need to be of a high quality with the right shutter speed and appropriate lens. ANPR can be used either at fixed sites or in car applications. The camera can be supplied with a range of different internal camera and infrared illumination options offering unmatched flexibility - suitable for any ANPR application including mobile, fixed and long range ANPR.

ANPR processor unit

The hardware for mobile and in-vehicle applications is often a powerful, compact and rugged ANPR processor unit specifically designed to be totally weatherproof and withstand extreme environmental conditions and temperature fluctuations. The fixed site unit is often a powerful, reliable industrial computer specifically designed and configured for ANPR image processing. A powerful dual core processor is generally used, and each unit is capable of processing 4 lanes of high speed, high density traffic with the addition of simultaneous overview images.

ANPR software

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) software is the key to a good quality ANPR system producing high percentage results with high read-rates. Software is being constantly improved and enhanced providing high accuracy number plate recognition software. There are different technologies used by companies and MAC will design the best and most appropriate system for a specific environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How would an ANPR/ANLR system benefit my company?

A: This would depend on the environment into which an ANPR system was being installed. The key element of an ANPR system is constant throughput, with a high percentage read-rate of number plates. The software is designed for this sole purpose and once a number plate has been read correctly various measures can be put in place to deal with that transaction.

Q: How does a number plate recognition system work?

A: A camera reads a number plate through something known as OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and triggers a chain of events via the software.  This can involve opening a barrier, allowing visitors and staff into the premises and monitoring the flow of vehicles around a large site. The police can use the system to detect stolen cars via numerous databases.

Q: How much will it cost?

A: As with all of the systems MAC Security Solutions offer, this depends on the clients' requirements and MAC’s recommendations. However there are advantageous ways of financing a system, such as leasing which includes tax-deductable and fixed payments, pay-as-you-earn, no major up-front costs and the freedom to update to the best product available.

 

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