摘要: |
Automated license plate reading technologies are beginning to gain acceptance because of the wide range of applications to which they can be applied. Typically, automatic license plate reading (ALPR) systems are used for enforcement type applications and data collection applications including parking lot management, origin-destination studies, traffic flow studies, high occupancy vehicle analysis, and weigh in motion systems. An ALPR system consists of three main components; a device for detecting vehicle presence, a digital video camera and an image processor. The image processor identifies the license plate according to embedded pattern recognition algorithms. The accuracy of the pattern recognition algorithms used in the image processor is an important concern when evaluating ALPR systems. The required accuracy depends on the application. For example, an enforcement application may require a high degree of accuracy while a traffic flow study may only require that an image obtained at an entry point be matched to an image obtained at an exit point. The purpose of this paper is to review ALPR systems in order to assist practitioners in understanding the capabilities of these systems. This paper will first cover the basic architecture of ALPR systems and then discuss several current applications of ALPR systems. Next, we will present several alternative suppliers of ALPR systems. Finally, we suggest a possible method for evaluating the systems. |