Character Recognition System and Method

• US 20080063280A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hi-Tech Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hi-Tech Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Nikulin, Lev, Hofman, Yoram
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/182
• 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 system for recognizing characters comprising:

at least one sensor; and

at least one synchronized camera unit and at least one video servers unit; and

a synchronized illumination unit; and

a processing unit, said processing unit comprises

a multi-level recognition application.

2. The system according to claim 1, comprising a management program.

3. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one frame-grabber.

4. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one I/O card.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronized illumination unit is located in said synchronized camera unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronized camera comprises solid state illumination units.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronized camera unit adapted to activate at least one illumination level.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said synchronized camera unit comprises zooming and focusing control.

9. The system according to claim 1, comprising different modes of image capture settings selected from the group consisting of:

gain, brightness and contrast control.

10. The system according to claim 1, comprising a status monitor display.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said status monitor display comprises event log for said synchronized camera unit.

12. A device for capturing images, comprising:

a synchronized camera; and

a synchronized illumination unit connected to said synchronized camera.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said synchronized camera is connected to a processing unit.

14. A vehicle access control system comprising:

a car controller unit, said car controller unit comprises a synchronized camera unit, and a synchronized illumination unit connected to said synchronized camera unit; and

a parking gate connected to said car controller; and

a sensor connected to said car controller; and

a computer comprising a memory database.

15. The system according to claim 14, comprising a micro terminal.

16. The system according to claim 14, comprising a GSM terminal.

17. The system according to claim 14, connected to output devices.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said memory is located in said car controller unit.

19. The system according to claim 14 comprising solid state pulsed LED array.

20. The system according to claim 14 comprising at least one illumination level.

21. A container code recognition system comprising:

at least one sensor; and

at least one synchronized camera unit and at least one video servers unit; and

a synchronized illumination unit; and

a processing unit, said processing unit comprises

a multi-level recognition application.

22. The system according to claim 21 located in a train lane.

23. The system according to claim 21 located in a truck lane.

24. An image searching system comprising:

At least one synchronized camera mounted on a vehicle; and

a synchronized illumination unit connected to said

synchronized camera; and

a computer.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said computer comprises a recognition application.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein said computer comprises a local memory database.

27. The system according to claim 24, comprising a synchronized front camera and a synchronized rear camera.

28. A plane recognition system comprising:

at least one synchronized camera unit; and

a synchronized illumination unit; and

a processing unit, said processing unit comprises recognition application.

29. A method for recognizing characters:

a) updating recognition system with relevant data;

b) transmitting commands to said synchronized illumination camera, said commends include focus, zoom and illumination orders;

c) automatically activating said synchronized illumination camera by sensors once a target object enters a capture zone;

d) capturing a plurality of images under different illumination levels

e) extracting said images and sending each image to a recognition unit;

f) identifying characters within said images by said recognition application;

g) selecting accurate identification result based on said plurality of images.