TL;DR: Videoloft’s License Plate Recognition (LPR) uses AI to capture and read vehicle license plates from security camera footage. The system works in real-time and integrates with existing security systems for easy data management.
What is License Plate Recognition?
License Plate Recognition (LPR), also known as Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is a technology that uses optical character recognition to automatically read and identify the alphanumeric characters on license plates. It involves a series of technical processes that spring into action to break down raw footage into actionable data that can help you improve security, monitoring and traffic management. In simple terms, it turns video footage into useful information which is input into a simple dashboard, making it easier for you to track and manage vehicles on your site.
Videoloft’s Advanced LPR System
Traditional License Plate Recognition systems require high-resolution specialized cameras which are capable of capturing plates clearly, however these come with a large price tag, putting them out of reach of most businesses. Videoloft is different!
With Videoloft, you can transform your business’s current CCTV set up into License Plate Recognition cameras making Videoloft’s solution both accessible and cost effective in comparison to traditional LPR systems.
Videoloft’s software uses a unique combination of different AI technologies to convert regular video footage into accurate vehicle data. Below, we break down the key steps to take you under the hood (pun intended!) of our ALPR technology.
How does it work?
Step 1 – Intelligent Frame Extraction
Multiple still frames are extracted from each second of video. Rather than processing entire video streams, this takes a more selective approach identifying optimal frames for analysis. What this means is that instead of looking at every frame of the video, our technology picks out the best frames to analyze. This reduces cost and improves the accuracy and efficiency of the license plate recognition.
The quality and positioning of these frames directly influence the accuracy of plate recognition in subsequent steps. Check out our LPR camera positioning tips at the end of this page to get the most out of your CCTV camera.
Step 2 – Advanced Vehicle Detection
The extracted frames are then processed through a sophisticated AI model. This model has been specifically trained to identify various vehicle types from across the world, Including:
- Cars
- Buses
- Trucks
- Motorcycles
Step 3 – Smart Movement Tracking
A sophisticated tracking algorithm is then used to determine which vehicles are being seen for the first time and are actively moving through the frame.
This stops the system from reading the same plate multiple times and avoids capturing plates from stationary vehicles.
Step 4 – Zone Based Detection
To get the most out of your Videoloft LPR enabled cameras you might choose to set a detection zone.
The system checks the results against user-defined detection zones. This means if you’ve asked the system only to detect plates in a specific area, the rule then applies. This is really helpful when you want to focus on a specific area of interest, like your entrance gates or your parking barriers, ensuring you only capture the data that matters to your business and don’t use resources tracking plates you don’t need to.
Step 5 – Optimal Frame Selection
For each detected vehicle that passes through your zones, the Videoloft algorithm analyzes multiple frames to select the one most likely to yield an accurate plate read. This smart selection process ensures the highest possible accuracy for the final recognition step.
Step 6 – License Plate Analysis
Finally, the best frames are processed through Plate Recognizer, an industry leading automatic license plate detection algorithm which is trained to read plates in over 90 countries. This technology ensures accurate recognition across different plate formats and styles worldwide.
The results
It’s these results that then show in the Videoloft vehicle dashboard alongside your recorded video. The dashboard breaks down all the information showing you the:
- Time
- Number plate
- The vehicle make, model and color
- The time/date of the first sighting of the car
- The name of the camera
Want to see how it works? Try the Videoloft LPR demo yourself!
Best practice LPR set up guide
In order to get the most accurate LPR data from your camera it’s important to keep in mind the following setup best practices:
- Camera Angle – Place the camera at a 45-degree angle to the vehicle’s path.
- Mounting Height – Mount your LPR camera at a height between 3 to 10 feet.
- Distance from Target Vehicle – 10 to 100 feet from the vehicle.
- Field of View – Use a narrower field of view camera instead of a wide angle camera.
- Lighting conditions – Position camera so it avoids direct sunlight and the glare of headlights.
- Environmental Factors – Make sure your camera can withstand adverse weather.
- Shutter Speed – Use the highest shutter speed available, around 1/1500.
- Resolution – Use the highest possible resolution.
Learn how to position your LPR camera for optimal performance with our detailed positioning guide.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Videoloft’s LPR system offers a powerful and cost-effective solution for businesses looking to leverage advanced vehicle recognition technology without the need for expensive, specialized hardware.
By transforming your existing CCTV infrastructure into a fully functional LPR system, we make this technology accessible, adaptable, and easy for you to implement.
Here’s a quick summary of how it works:
- Multiple still frames are extracted from each second of video.
- Advanced AI identifies various vehicle types from across the world.
- Smart movement tracking determines which vehicles are new and moving.
- Zone-based detection checks against user-defined areas.
- Our AI model picks the best frame for accurate plate reading.
- Plate Recognizer processes the plates ensuring accurate plate detection from over 90 countries.
All this information comes together in Videoloft’s intuitive vehicle dashboard.
Next Steps
If you’re looking at setting LPR up, but don’t want to fork out for an expensive set of specialized cameras, Videoloft LPR might be perfect for you.
Find out how Videoloft lets you turn your existing camera setup into an LPR system.
Check out our free demo, or if you’re ready to upgrade your system head here for a free trial.
