Tag Archives: license plate recognition

Are You Empowered?

License plate scanner on a police car.By Victor Hill, CAPP

The first year I worked with license plate recognition taught me a valuable lesson in managing expectations with reality and the importance of empowering others. I managed a small campus parking operation–four full-time employees, including me, and student enforcement officers. We had high hopes for LPR and spent several years trying to convince our leadership that it was the right investment.

Then we got the approval and had to make it work. It did, right up until we found a problem we hadn’t really considered: improper parking, or vehicles parked across the lines. Luckily, the problem was already solved by the time it was brought to my attention, thanks to our enforcement officer. He adjusted a setting in the LPR software to make every vehicle it scanned come up as a hit. He then scanned the problem vehicle, got photos, and cited it.

The officer’s innovative solution was one of several that set the tone for operational adjustments to reconcile our expectations for LPR with the realities of driver behaviors on our campus. We were successful because we worked as a team. The officer and the front office staff were actively encouraged to look for creative ways to identify opportunities and solve problems. They were empowered to do their jobs and contribute to the success of the organization.

Are you?

We’ll discuss these ideas in my upcoming (free) Frontline Fundamentals session: LPR for Frontline Personnel, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2 p.m. Eastern. I hope you’ll join me.

Victor Hill, CAPP, is an account manager at T2 Systems and was previously director of parking and transportation services for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Member News: Tuxen & Associates Announces Release of Nedap’s Groundbreaking New LPR

Nedap Identification Systems Announces Release of Groundbreaking License Plate Recognition Camera Offering Unprecedented Accuracy

Branson, MO (June 25, 2020) – Tuxen & Associates, North America agent for Nedap Identification Systems, today announced the introduction of Nedap’s latest market-leading innovation: The ANPR Lumo. The ANPR Lumo is a highly advanced, ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Reader) that embodies a generational advance in OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology for use in the Parking and Security Sectors. The ANPR Lumo features advances in character recognition that provide unprecedented accuracy.

 

“We are excited to be partnered with NEDAP to bring their groundbreaking LPR solution to the North American market,” said Nate Leech, head of sales, North America for Tuxen & Associates. “This technology is disrupting the market and will change the way that ANPR/LPR is used in access control for parking and security installations.”

 

The ANPR Lumo is capable of deciphering and producing accurate reads in scenarios involving the complex and multi-faceted features of US license plates that have often baffled other LPRs. This capability uniquely positions it to be in access control applications where exceptionally high read accuracy is essential to success. Plus, the ANPR Lumo boasts impressive features, including:

 

  • An all-in-one License Plate Recognition Camera
  • Ability to upgrade virtually any Access Control Panel for LPR functionality
  • An instant visitor management platform for customers
  • Ability to translate any plate read into a Wiegand signal
  • Output standard and custom Wiegand formats
  • Captured plate reads from 6.5 to 33 feet
  • Accurate reads at vehicle speeds up to 80 miles per hour
  • Network capabilities permitting local or server-based image storage
  • Full rest API for seamless third-party integration
  • Easy-to-use management software tools

 

About Nedap
Nedap was founded in 1929 and has been publicly traded on the European Stock Exchange since 1947. The global leader in long range identification, Nedap operates worldwide with 11 offices and over 750 employees. For more information go to www.nedapidentification.com.

 

About Tuxen and Associates
Founded in 2001, Branson, Missouri-based Tuxen and Associates is a business development company and the exclusive Nedap agent for the Americas. For more information go to www.tuxen.com.

 

Member News: Park Assist Chosen to Transform Parking at Circa Resort & Casino’s Garage Mahal

ParkAssist PGS Garage MahallLAS VEGAS, NV – May 21st, 2020 – Park Assist® has been awarded the Parking Guidance System (PGS) contract for the Garage Mahal facility at Circa Resort & Casino. The new hotel and casino, currently under construction, is located on the famous Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas. It will have 777 guest rooms, five restaurants, a two level casino with the largest sports book in Las Vegas and a nine story parking garage dubbed the Garage Mahal, where Park Assist’s camera based M4 smart-sensor system will be installed.

With this new state-of-the-art facility underway, Circa Resort & Casino was eager to utilize the most advanced technology for all aspects of the project. Park Assist’s proprietary M4 camera based PGS was the ideal fit. The M4 system, designed to provide far more than just parking guidance, will ensure that all customers experience enhanced service and increased satisfaction from the start of their journey to the end, as they enter and exit the facility.

Along with Park Assist’s M4 technology, the Garage Mahal installation will also include several of Park Assist’s popular add-on software modules: Park Finder, Park Alerts, and Park Surveillance.

The camera based M4 smart-sensor system uses color-coded LED lights to guide drivers to vacant spaces. Prompted to change from red to green when spaces become available, these lights remove all uncertainty from the parking journey, reducing each customer’s search and park times. Upon returning to the garage, customers will be able to find their car just as quickly by utilizing Park Assist’s Find Your Car software add-on. This advanced vehicle locator feature uses license plate recognition (LPR) technology to pinpoint each customer’s car. Integrating with Circa’s PARCS system, guests simply enter all or part of their license plate number into a kiosk or mobile app and they are directed to their vehicle’s exact location within the facility.

Additionally, Park Assist’s Park Alerts and Park Surveillance software extensions provide an increased level of control and security in the garage. Using Park Alerts, parking management will be able to set and enforce automated rules and alerts – if any policies are violated they will be immediately notified so they can take the appropriate action. Park Assist’s Park Surveillance module brings an additional level of security by enabling the M4 sensors to capture streaming video of any movement in or around parking bays, helping parking management efficiently deter and quickly react to criminal behavior.

“Park Assist is very excited to partner with Circa Resort & Casino on our installation at Garage Mahal. Circa offers guests high-end services and amenities that will make it one of the most popular destinations in downtown Las Vegas – we are thrilled that Park Assist’s parking guidance technology will be leveraged to help ease stress, enhance the parking experience and increase ultimate customer satisfaction.”  Said Jeff Sparrow, Regional Account Manager.

Park Assist is working with GSL Electric to oversee the installation. Site work is already underway and the project is scheduled for completion by December 2020 for Circa Resort & Casino’s grand opening.

 
About Park Assist
Park Assist® is the parking industry’s leading camera-focused innovator with the most camera-based parking guidance installations in the world. Our patented technology helps customers effortlessly find parking spaces in real-time as well as find their cars when they return. Simultaneously, we provide parking operators with tools to improve customer satisfaction, create new revenue opportunities, realize greater operational control, capture parker analytics and expand CCTV capabilities. Park Assist is part of the TKH Group (Euronext: TWEKA), a $1.8 billion publicly traded company headquartered in the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.parkassist.com.

Contact
Katie Rodenhiser
Global Marketing Manager
katie.rodenhiser@parkassist.com 

Member News: What Automatic Access Control Systems Can do for Car Parks in This New Reality

Quercus Tech ACS

 

May 21, 2020

Interaction is natural and it is an inherent need of every human being. Nevertheless, latest technologies lead to avoiding human contact and simplifying lives thanks to automation. This path to the future based on avoiding interaction has been accelerated by the Covid19 situation. Considering the trend of increasing use of private transport, now it’s the best time for parking. More than ever it is mandatory to decrease or eliminate the physical contact points inside the premises.

PRESS RELEASE

How can LPR cameras like Quercus Technologies’ help prevent the virus spread at entries and exits of a car park? Quite simple. The less we poke around, the less chances for it to spread

In everyday life drivers who park in a car park have to interact with different devices in the process. It seems unavoidable to use things such as ticket dispensers, payment machines, cash or vouchers… And it’s been confirmed that the virus can stand on surfaces for long.

The major issue lies with the use of the ticket dispensers at the entry and exit; the best option to avoid this contact point is to simply go in and out without using a ticket. Technology built in SmartLPR Access cameras integrated with access control systems allows to automate entries and exits of the parking facilities. When drivers arrive at the parking premises, their vehicle’s license plate is recognized and registered and the barrier rises up automatically. This ticketless feature is widely used for car park monthly subscribers because it grants them a “hands free” access; bear in mind that this can also be used when creating registration lists for employees or regular customers with benefits.

If prepaid ticketless operation is not available, another physical interaction will be held at the payment stations. Don’t worry though, there are options that will allow you to minimize this such as using QR codes that make paper tickets readable at short distance away from the payment device. QR codes combined with the fact that most of the patrons will likely use a credit card will reduce the amount of user input.

Quercus Technologies ACS

To facilitate the previous process even more, some banks have taken the temporary measure to increase the contactless payment security limits. This will ensure that most of your daily parking fees can be paid without entering PIN and therefore making the payment a zero contact process.

Otherwise, if you want to avoid cash or credit payments altogether you can opt to integrate the LPR cameras and Access Control System into a mobile app. By using a mobile platform parkers will use their devices to pay using their licence plate or a pre-registered account as identification. This way they will be paying without touching any local device.

Last but not least, when users drive to the exit Quercus Technologies’ units will once more read their plate number, allowing them to verify if the user has already paid in order to automatically let them out. Every contact point can be easily removed with the combination of License Plate Recognition cameras and an adequate Parking Access and Revenue Control set-up.

LPR technology is not a one day work, it requires several years of experience.

Quercus Technologies has been developing LPR cameras for more than two decades now. SmartLPR Access is the latest generation of License Plate Recognition units designed to contribute to security and smart mobility in car parks and access controls. A single device integrates all what is needed to provide the highest reliability worldwide.

For more information please contact:
Marketing Department
marketing@quercus.biz

Member News: Westward Industries –GO-4 Parking-Specific Vehicles Now with LPR Friendly Dashboard

GO-4 Vehicles westward industriesLet your vehicle become your office!

Westward Industries is now the first manufacturer of parking-specific vehicles to offer custom dashboard features turning your dash into a workstation. Developed specifically based on insight and requests from users incorporating license-plate recognition technologies, these features are designed to enhance the experience of parking enforcement officers.

Westward’s series of GO-4 vehicles are a perfect solution to parking enforcement operations for municipalities, colleges and universities, corporate campuses, and more. Offering a more sustainable alternative to standard-sized vehicles, the GO-4 line-up includes both gas and electric-powered options, creates a safe and efficient experience for drivers, and significantly increases parking enforcement productivity.

Westward vehicles now offer LPR-friendly upper dash workstation options for all GO-4 vehicles. These custom dashboards provide parking enforcement officers more space to effectively perform their duties and create a more comfortable and efficient workspace. These features facilitate the use of tablets, laptops, or keyboards in the vehicle. Let your vehicle become your office.

 

About Westward Industries

Westward has a strong history of designing and manufacturing task-specific vehicles for use across cities, colleges and universities, healthcare campuses, corporate parking facilities, and more. Their GO-4 series of parking enforcement vehicles adapt to many environments, offering a cost-effective and functional solution to parking management department needs through license plate recognition and digital chalking, while offering flexibility and efficiency not offered with standard vehicles.

As one of the largest manufacturers of task-specific on road vehicles in North America, Westward is leading the industry with smart enforcement vehicle technology that will propel parking enforcement solutions into the future.

For more information, visit https://westwardindustries.com/