The police now have a NEW way to track you and you thought it was only science fiction!!!!
Read and watch what we have found and share this with everyone you know.
http://www.platescan.com/

A lot of cities are planing on using a new license recognition system to track stolen cars, but as Local 12's Deborah Dixon tells us, officers here are using it to track bad guys.
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_
id=1b216852-388a-42f6-ace4-0e304eb31b8c&rss=30



What is ALPR?

ALPR stands for "Automatic License Plate Recognition".

In the PlateScan ALPR software a comprehensive recognition process is executed;

When a license plate is catured by the video camera, a trigger is caused which initiates a suite of software recognition algorithms. These algorithms identify the position of the plate in the image, extract the plate image, apply geometric distortion compensation if necessary and segment the plate into individual characters.

Each character is then fed into a software neural network. The network produces an estimate for every character input resulting in a string of characters, which is its best estimate for the license plate. Multiple software based processing units, provide multiple parallel processing ensuring that many images will be analyzed for each passing vehicle. This in turn results in the extraordinary accuracy of the PlateScan system.

The PC / MDT then selects the best result from all the results generated by the software processors for each passing vehicle. This is made possible by the neural network assigning a confidence score to each character it recognizes.

How Does PlateScan ALPR Work?

PlateScan’s proprietary software is supplied installed on the PlateScan trunk mounted computer, which, in turn, is connected to several vehicle mounted cameras optimized for license plate recognition.

Every license plate scanned is compared to a list of “vehicles of interest” associated with auto theft, felony warrants, BOLOs, parking violations, or any other license plate-oriented databases, such as Amber Alerts, DOJ & NCIC downloads, CAD/RMS data extracts, etc., the police agency wishes to use.

PlateScan software uses an intelligent Neural Network based recognition engine, providing a distinct advantage over base-level solutions, such as OCR, as it significantly enhances the accuracy rate. In addition, PlateScan’s Neural Network features distributed parallel processing. http://www.platescan.com/work/neural_networks.asp

This means that it is capable of accurate high speed plate recognition across multiple lanes of high density traffic moving at speeds of over 140 MPH. (Our fastest to date is 152mph - one very fast Ferrari !)

The system is currently capable of processing 4 vehicle license plates per second and reading 4 recognition cameras simultaneously, each with separate overview images. 

When a positive match is received, officers are alerted by an audio and/or visual alarm. They, then, respond to the “hit” in the appropriate manner for that agency.
Until an alert occurs, the PlateScan system operates in the background, allowing them to perform their regular police activities with full integration to existing MDT systems and CAD/RMS software.

Research has shown that patrol officers equipped with the technology can have arrest rates significantly higher than officers working without it. This will deliver reductions in crime, enhanced community safety and safer roads.

How Does PlateScan Work?

When used in police vehicles, PlateScan’s proprietary software is scalable depending on available budgets. PlateScan’s proprietary software is supplied installed on the PlateScan trunk mounted computer, which, in turn, is connected to several vehicle mounted cameras optimized for license plate recognition. It can also be provided as a software solution installed on an existing in car Laptop and can often operate with an existing DVR camera.

Every license plate is compared to a list of “vehicles of interest” associated with auto theft, felony warrants, BOLOs, parking violations, or any other license plate-oriented databases, such as Amber Alerts, NCIC downloads, etc., the police agency wishes to use.

PlateScan software uses an intelligent Neural Network recognition engine, providing a distinct advantage over base-level solutions, such as OCR, as it significantly enhances the accuracy rate. In addition, PlateScan’s Neural Network features distributed parallel processing. This means that it is capable of accurate high speed plate recognition across multiple lanes of high density traffic moving at speeds of over 110 MPH. The system is currently capable of processing 4 vehicles per second.

When a positive match is received, officers are alerted by an audio and/or visual alarm. They, then, respond to the “hit” in the appropriate manner for that agency. Until an alert occurs, the PlateScan system operates in the background, allowing them to perform their regular police activities.

Research has shown that patrol officers equipped with the technology can have arrest rates significantly higher than officers working without it. This will deliver reductions in crime, enhanced community safety and safer roads.

Licence plate thieves' days are numbered GOTCHA: Ray Walker operating the Automated Number Plate Recognition. PHOTO: REG RYAN Martin Watters September 3rd, 2008 LICENCE plate thieves take note - this traffic camera has your number. Geelong police yesterday trialled the Automated Number Plate Recognition or ANPR system which can immediately scan and run checks on vehicle registrations. Although not new, it was the first time the technology has been used in Geelong and it helped nab a string of law-breaking drivers along Ryrie St. The camera system shoots footage of every passing car. A computer then recognises the registration and automatically runs a check on whether the car is stolen or unregistered or whether its driver is licensed. The device was capable of scanning 2000 cars an hour, at speeds up to 160kmh. As the system manager Ray Walker explained the system yesterday afternoon, the computer gave its warning and waiting police intercepted an unregistered van. Mr Walker said police loved the system which took the guesswork out of running vehicle checks. "They love it, word has got around and they want us back," he said. "I keep hearing the phrase it's like shooting fish in a barrel." Mr Walker said the system helped Melbourne police earlier this year catch a man wanted for murder within half an hour of the suspect's number plate being registered. Traffic Management Unit Leading Sen-Constable Jason Williamson said over two days the device helped catch eight disqualified drivers, seven unlicensed drivers, 17 unregistered cars, one unsafe car and set of false plates. "It was sensational, the new technology is really something different," he said. http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/09/03/17879_news.html