Automatic Number Plate Recognition System Using Optical Character Recognition

Abstract

In the last few decades, the number of active vehicle population has increased drastically which has made it difficult for the authorities to keep a track of them as well as to identify the vehicle owner in case of any traffic violation. Automatic Number Plate Recognition System (ANPR) is a real-time machine-intelligent and embedded system which identifies the characters directly from the image of the number plate. Due to crucial research and development of technology and the increasing use of vehicles, the need for a machine-oriented recognition and monitoring system is of immense importance. The technology has become a major requirement and is playing a crucial role in a vast sea of applications related to automated transport monitoring and control system such as traffic monitoring, challan management, detection of stolen vehicles, electronic payment of tolls on highways or bridges, parking lots access control, etc. This technology requires extensive mobility and station flexibility which causes it to be installed on such hardware that is very mobile enough so that the operator can use it very efficiently. ANPR System through the use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) makes the system to be used as an application on smartphones. This provides the operator to use the system and identify number plates by just capturing the image and processing by neural networks working in the background of OCR. The ANPR system as a whole will result in easy and safe monitoring of the traffic and to keep an easy record in case of any violation. Also, it will save individuals to save their time in standing at long queues at toll taxes and paying cash which will be done with the ANPR system and using E-wallet.