Siemens is setting new standards in automatic number plate recognition

Sicore is the new-generation ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) camera system designed by Siemens Mobility to read number plates automatically, thus ensuring positive identification of motor vehicles. Sicore caters to a wide range of application in the areas of parking space monitoring and security, vehicle speed and journey time measurement, as well as toll collection. Its implementation, however, is always subject to the data privacy laws of each individual country.

The tremendous significance of automatic number plate recognition systems for traffic control is only gradually being realized. Sicore has therefore been developed by Siemens for a broad range of uses. Integrated image processing automatically identifies the vehicle and its license plate in the image stream. The recordings are then forwarded by Sicore, together with the matching images if so desired, to a higher-level processing system. Sicore is capable of capturing images in front of or behind vehicles. To permit operation both during the day and night, the system is equipped with infrared LEDs. The camera is suitable for installation on all customary roadside fixtures such as overhead sign gantries, poles or bridge railings.
Sicore can scan up to two lanes of traffic and even opposite directions of travel at the same time. The operating range is 5 to 30 meters for single-lane and 10 to 35 meters for 2-lane surveillance. Compared to previous solutions, this new system therefore needs fewer components and clearly limits the required investment. The integrated recognition and reading technology from Siemens can attain maximum read rates at vehicle speeds of up to 200 km/h. Special algorithms enable the system to recognize license plates from many different countries. This high level of data quality is attainable both day and night, thereby reducing the necessary post-processing effort and providing an overall cost-efficient solution.

Wide range of uses
For parking and access control purposes, parking ticket and number plate data are linked together in the IT system. This means that a vehicle can only exit with the parking ticket that was issued for it. It also makes vehicle theft in the parking garage more difficult. In many public places, at airports for instance, security regulations call for the identification of all motor vehicles entering and leaving certain sensitive areas. Sicore can also be used as a component for section speed control. What’s more, Sicore is suitable for toll collection operations. Owing to its journey time measurement function, this new camera system can serve as an important instrument for traffic control as well.

Integrated data protection
The system can run search lists for up to one million vehicles. Detection of a license plate in the search list initiates predefined actions such as forwarding of the recorded data to a higher-level system. The data transmission is encrypted by means of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocols. Consequently, hash algorithms ensure the anonymity of license plate data and full compliance with national data privacy laws.
The system components are robust, built for long life, extensively maintenance-free and, except during specified cleaning intervals, are available around the clock. The Sicore cameras operate without fans at outdoor temperatures from -30 °C to +60 °C. The usually highly sensitive infrared illuminator has an extremely short exposure time. Operation with an intelligent exposure control reduces overall wear and tear and increases the service life of the system considerably.

Source: Transport Weekly