Character recognition system and method

• US 8,194,913 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hi-Tech Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hi-Tech Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Hofman, Yoram, Nikulin, Lev
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Chan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yentrapati, Avinash J
• Application Number:
  US11/573,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20080063280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,527 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/94 Hardware or software architectures specially adapted for image or video understanding
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names

Abstract

A system and method, which enables precise identification of characters contained in vehicle license plates, container LD, chassis I.D, aircraft serial number and other such identification markings. The system can process these identified characters and operate devices, such as access control (126) operations, traffic systems and vehicle (20) and container tracking and management (170) systems, and provide records of all markings together with their images.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing characters, comprising:

initially receiving updates at a recognition application prior to a first capturing step, the updates having pre set data relevant to identifying a target code, the target code comprising one or more characters, each of the characters having a relative position within the target code;

receiving at a processing unit a signal from a sensor, the signal being sent in response to an entry of a target object into a capture zone;

capturing a plurality of images with one or more cameras in response to receipt of the signal;

receiving the plurality of images at the recognition application;

selecting one or more areas within one or more of the plurality of images that are likely to contain the target code;

identifying the target code within the one or more areas using the recognition application;

marking a character from the target code according to a relative identification accuracy of the character, the marked character having a first relative position within the target code;

comparing the marked character with a plurality of characters contained within the pre set data relevant to identifying the target code, each of the plurality of characters having a relative position comparable to the first relative position,; and

selecting an accurate identification result for the marked character based on the comparably positioned characters from within the pre set data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a focus command at at least one of the one or more cameras in response to the entry of the target object into the capture zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a zoom command at at least one of the one or more cameras in response to the entry of the target object into the capture zone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an activate illumination command at an illumination unit in response to the entry of the target object into the capture zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the illumination unit is synchronized with at least one of the one or more cameras.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more cameras are positioned at different angles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing step further comprises:

capturing the plurality of images under a plurality of lighting conditions, the lighting conditions provided by one or more illumination units.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing step is repeated until a stop command is received.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step further comprises:

adjusting and improving the selected area(s) one or more areas using a high pass filtering function.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an identified code on a display.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing one or more target code result(s) generated from one image with one or more target code result(s) generated from another image.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating a consequent action in response to the selecting an accurate identification result step.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating one or more databases of relative data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to the selecting an accurate identification result step, verifying a reliability of a resulting target code.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a Final Target Code (FTC).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the FTC is stored as a data message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data message is shared across a network.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a history of one or more previous recognitions.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a recognition percentage of each of the one or more cameras.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the receiving the plurality of images at the recognition application step, determining that the target object has left the capture zone.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the plurality of images at the recognition application, identifying, marking, comparing, and selecting steps occur subsequent to a departure of the target object from the capture zone.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the marked character from other characters in the target code.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving at a processing unit a signal from a sensor comprises:

receiving at a processing unit a signal from a sensor, the signal being sent in response to an entry of an object bearing an alphanumeric code requiring identification into a capture zone.

18. A character recognition system comprising:

an image capturing unit comprising a camera configured to capture a plurality of images containing an alphanumeric target code, the alphanumeric target code comprising one or more characters, each of the characters having a relative position within the target code;

an I/O card;

a memory that includes a set of stored target codes;

a processing unit in communication with the I/O card and the memory and comprising a recognition application executing therein which is in communication with the camera; and

a sensor in communication with the I/O card and configured to send a signal to the processing unit via the I/O card in response to an entry of a code into a sensor field;

wherein the recognition application initially receives, prior to a first capture of the pluality of images, updates of pre set data that are relevant to identifying the target code,

wherein at least one of the recognition application and the processing unit is configured, in response to receipt of the signal, to;

receive the plurality of images from the camera; and

select one or more areas within one or more of the plurality of images that are likely to contain the alphanumeric target code;

identify the alphanumeric target code contained within the one or more areas;

compare the identified target code with the set of stored target codes included in the memory;

mark a character within the identified target code according to a relative identification accuracy of the character, the marked character having a first relative position within the target code;

compare the marked character with a plurality of characters contained within the pre set data that are relevant to identifying the target code, each of the plurality of characters having a relative position comparable to the first relative position,

select an identification for the marked character based on the comparably positioned characters from within the pre set data, and

generate a final code identification result.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the image capturing unit further comprises:

a plurality of cameras.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the cameras are positioned at different angles.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing unit toggles between the plurality of cameras.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising an illumination unit in communication with the recognition application.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the illumination unit is synchronized with the camera.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit further comprises:

a video server unit.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit further comprises:

a frame grabber.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing unit further comprises a management program.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the management program saves and transfers identified codes to a client application.

28. The system of claim 18, further comprising a display device in communication with the I/O card for displaying information.