Elvia has launched a ready-to-use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera based on the XCI smart camera from Sony Europe's Image Sensing Solutions division and running the Carmen ANPR engine from ARH.
The compact all-in-one module uses a low power, fast embedded x86 processor to analyse information quickly on the camera, reducing the cost of data transmission. It enables organisations to more easily and cost effectively create intelligent transport systems (ITS) that ease congestion and reduce the number of accidents.
Elvia will supply the system under the name EXCI-3 to organisations undertaking a range of traffic projects, such as access control, e-tolling, law enforcement or parking and traffic management. They will be automatically capable of reading number plates that use Latin, Arabic, Chinese and Cyrillic characters.
Recent examples of bespoke systems utilising Sony's XCI smart camera include a traffic routing system that monitors car number plates to determine the time taken for different routes and an accident prevention system that prevents drivers from dangerously speeding through service stations to jump ahead of slow moving motorway queues.
The system uses a black and white XCI smart camera from Sony Europe to improve reliability and accuracy. Its 1/3 IT CCD progressive scan delivers VGA (640 x 480) to SXGA (1,280 x 960) resolutions at up to 90fps. The device is sensitive to illuminations of just 1lx and its infrared lens has a 10-40mm focus.
In addition to running the Carmen ANPR software, the Elvia package includes client software for camera control and management, and an external infrared illumination source (850nm).
