Abstract: An approach for processing an image is presented. A category specifying characteristics of a shape of a license plate of a vehicle is determined. Based on the category, characteristics of objects in the image are determined match the characteristics of the shape of the license plate. Another category specifying characteristics of a background color of the license plate is determined. Based on the other category, the characteristics of the objects in the image do not match the characteristics of the background color. Based on the characteristics of the objects in the image not matching the characteristics of the background color of the license plate, the image is determined to not include an identifiable license plate. Responsive to determining the image does not include the identifiable license plate, the image is determined to be invalid and a manual character recognition process for determining identifiers in license plates is bypassed.

Abstract: Determining a label from an image is disclosed, including: obtaining an image; determining a first portion of the image associated with a special mark; determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to obtain an image of a vehicle plate. The processor is also configured to determine identification characters present in the image. The processor is further configured to compare the identification characters to a list of sought-vehicle plates and report a match between the identification characters and a plate on the list of sought-vehicle plates.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-usable tangible storage device for robustly cropping and accurately recognizing license plates to account for noise sources and interfering artifacts are disclosed. License plate images and sub-images can be tightly cropped utilizing an image-based classifier and gradient-based cropping. An image-based classifier can identify the location of valid characters within the image. Because of a number of noise sources, such as, for example, residual plate rotation and shear in the characters within the image, the image-based classifier performs a “rough” identification of the image boundaries. An additional processing step utilizing gradient-based cropping is performed to fine-tune the license plate image boundaries. Gradient-based cropping eliminates unwanted border artifacts that could substantially impact the segmentation and license plate character recognition results.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for selectively enhancing regions in an image. In one embodiment, a digital image is read from an image source and is converted into a desired image model. One or more regions in the image having intensity values of pixels falling outside a pre-determined optimal intensity range are determined. The one or more regions in the image are then enhanced using a modeled light source of an optimal intensity such that the intensity value of pixels corresponding to the one or more regions in the image fall within the pre-determined optimal intensity range.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that include obtaining a vocabulary including a set of content indices that reference corresponding cells in a descriptor space based on an input set of descriptors. A plurality of local features of an image are identified based on the vocabulary, the local features being represented by a plurality of local descriptors. An associated visual word in the vocabulary is determined for each of the plurality of local descriptors. A plurality of global signatures for the image are generated based on the associated visual words, wherein some of the plurality of global signatures are generated using local descriptors corresponding to different cropped versions of the image, two or more of the different cropped versions of the image being centered at a same pixel location of the image, and an image recognition search is facilitated using the plurality of global signatures to search a document image dataset.

Abstract: An apparatus and operational method are disclosed that use a control module installed in a vehicle to enable a remote computing system to wirelessly communicate with the vehicle. The control module includes a processor configured to interface with a wireless network and the vehicle through, respectively, a wireless network interface and a vehicle interface. A plurality of CAN (control area network) bus transceivers may exist within the vehicle interface operable to allow the processor to interface with multiple vehicle types. The processor may then be configured to automatically detect an identifier for the vehicle though the vehicle interface and automatically select a CAN bus transceiver from the plurality of CAN bus transceivers based on the detected identifier. The processor can then communicate with the vehicle's CAN bus via the selected CAN bus transceiver.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technical field of traffic monitoring, and more particularly to a method for detecting traffic violation. The present invention includes firstly localizing vehicle salient parts through salient features including vehicle license numbers and vehicle rear lights, and representing a vehicle with the vehicle salient parts, then tracking the vehicle with a Kalman filter based on the vehicle salient parts, and finally detecting vehicle violation through moving trajectory analysis and setting violating detecting areas. The present invention solves vehicle violation detection problems in complex engineering application conditions such as illumination change and detection noise, and is suitable for city traffic management under complex conditions.

Abstract: A system for pothole detection comprises an input interface configured to receive sensor data and a pothole detector configured to determine a pothole based at least in part on the sensor data; and store pothole data associated with the pothole, wherein the pothole data comprises a pothole video.

Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of methods and/or systems of generating preference indices for contiguous portions of digital images are disclosed. For one embodiment, as an example, parameters of a neural network may be developed to generate object labels for digital images. The developed parameters may be transferred to a neural network utilized to generate signal sample value levels corresponding to preference indices for contiguous portions of digital images.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method includes training a deep neural network using training images and data identifying one or more business storefront locations in the training images. The deep neural network outputs tight bounding boxes on each image. At the deep neural network, a first image may be received. The first image may be evaluated using the deep neural network. Bounding boxes may then be generated identifying business storefront locations in the first image.

Abstract: A stand-alone computer-camera system capable of extracting car-plate information. This is achieved by using an on-board computer in order to analyze the video stream recorded by the camera sensor, and can be used with any type of camera sensor. The system features specific characteristics making it extremely fast and able to catch plates of cars moving at high-speed. The special algorithms incorporated in this system, are specially implemented, in order to be able to be ported on an embedded computer system, which has usually lower capabilities in terms of processing power and memory than a general-purpose computer.

Abstract: Methods and systems for recognizing a license plate character. Synthetic license plate character images are generated for a target jurisdiction. A limited set of license plate images can be captured for a target jurisdiction utilizing an image-capturing unit. The license plate images are then segmented into license plate character images for the target jurisdiction. The license plate character images collected for the target jurisdiction can be manually labeled. A domain adaptation technique can be utilized to reduce the divergence between synthetically generated and manually labeled target jurisdiction image sets. Additionally, OCR classifiers are trained utilizing the images after the domain adaptation method has been applied. One or more input license plate character images can then be received from the target jurisdiction. Finally, the trained OCR classifier can be employed to determine the most likely labeling for the character image and a confidence associated with the label.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out a set of vehicle inspections including, but not limited to, wheel alignment measurement, brake testing, tire tread depth measurement, tire pressure monitoring, vehicle battery testing, and a review of vehicle diagnostic trouble codes in an efficient manner using a multi-function vehicle service system and a single vehicle service bay or inspection lane. Results of the vehicle inspections are incorporated into customized reports generated for a customer or for a technician, and which may be utilized to obtain approval from the customer to conduct necessary repairs and/or provide beneficial vehicle services.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product of using cameras in a plurality of vehicles within a geographic area to aid in identifying a location of a vehicle of interest for authorities.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for automatically recognizing building numbers in street level images. In one aspect, a processor selects a street level image that is likely to be near an address of interest. The processor identifies those portions of the image that are visually similar to street numbers, and then extracts the numeric values of the characters displayed in such portions. If an extracted value corresponds with the building number of the address of interest such as being substantially equal to the address of interest, the extracted value and the image portion are displayed to a human operator. The human operator confirms, by looking at the image portion, whether the image portion appears to be a building number that matches the extracted value. If so, the processor stores a value that associates that building number with the street level image.

Abstract: A method for recognition of an identifier such as a license plate includes storing first visual signatures, each extracted from a first image of a respective object, such as a vehicle, captured at a first location, and first information associated with the first captured image, such as a time stamp. A second visual signature is extracted from a second image of a second object captured at a second location and second information associated with the second captured image is acquired. A measure of similarity is computed between the second visual signature and at least some of the first visual signatures to identify a matching one. A test is performed, which is a function of the first and the second information associated with the matching signatures. Only when it is confirmed that the test has been met, identifier recognition is performed to identify the identifier of the second object.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enhancing the accuracy of license plate state identification in an ALPR (Automated License Plate Recognition) system. This is accomplished through use of individual character-by-character image-based classifiers that are trained to distinguish between the fonts for different states. At runtime, the OCR result for the license plate code can be used to determine which character in the plate would provide the highest discriminatory power for arbitrating between candidate state results. This classifier is then applied to the individual character image to provide a final selection of the estimated state/jurisdiction for the plate.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting occupancy of live objects, using differential image sensing and optical markers is provided. The system includes a live object(s) or a human, a stationary object(s), an image capturing device, an imaging system, a network, and an occupancy determination and parsing server. The image capturing device may capture the image sequences from a physical location which may be within the camera viewing area. The image capturing device may also be configured to track motions of the live objects. The imaging system may be connected to the occupancy determination and parsing server through the network. The occupancy determination and parsing server based on the information received from the imaging system may determine whether the physical location is occupied with the live objects or the stationary objects. The occupancy determination module and parsing server may be connected with at least one the imaging system.

Abstract: A system and method for user identification and personalization based on automotive identifiers are described. Image data of a vehicle is received from an image capture device. Vehicle identification information is extracted from the image data. A data record associated with a user is retrieved using the vehicle identification information. A personalized communication for the user is generated based on the retrieved data record. The personalized communication may be transmitted to a device. The personalized communication may comprise a recommendation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for image recombination of a plurality of images and image identification and a system for image acquiring and identification. Features with respect to the plurality of images are recombined and enhanced so as to form a recombined image. After that, the recombined image is processed to emphasize the features of the recombined image so that the recombined image is capable of being identified easily. Furthermore, the present provides a system to perform the foregoing method, whereby reducing unidentified problems caused due to low quality image of the monitoring system.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for collecting information relating to identity parameters of a vehicle. According to the invention an image of the vehicle is obtained. A sub-image within the image is identified, interest points within the sub-image are detected and the sub-image is processed so as to obtain descriptors representing the interest points. The descriptors are matched to predetermined descriptors representing interest points in previously obtained images respective of known identity parameters and the information is stored in a record representing an identity of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and processor-readable media for data augmentation utilized in an automatic license plate recognition engine. A machine-readable code can be associated with an automatic license plate recognition engine. The machine-readable code can be configured to define parameters that drive processing within the automatic license plate recognition engine to produce recognition results thereof and enhance a machine readability of a license plate recognized and analyzed via the automatic license plate recognition engine.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for identifying motor vehicles for monitoring traffic. The identification is carried out by image-evaluation and includes determining the size ratios of a license-plate contour in a perspectively distorted image on the basis of stored standardized license-plate formats, determining the size of the perspective distortion of the license-plate contour on the basis of the associated standardized license-plate format, establishing a calculation rule for the perspective rectification on the basis of the ascertained distortion of the license-plate contour with respect to the associated license-plate format, rectifying the extracted license-plate-containing motor-vehicle view, and comparing the rectified image with reference images of front views of motor vehicles stored in a database in order to assign the image with greatest correspondence to a group of classified motor vehicles.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the formation of high contrast, wavelength independent retroreflective sheeting made by including a light scattering material on at least a portion of the retroreflective sheeting. The light scattering material reduces the brightness of the retroreflective sheeting without substantially changing the appearance of the retroreflective sheeting when viewed under scattered light.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising an antenna module and a control module. The antenna module may be configured to connect and send data to a local network and a mobile handheld device through a wireless connection. The control module may be configured to provide (i) a physical connection to the antenna module, (ii) a power source to an external device, and (iii) a camera sensor to capture still and motion pictures and sounds of a surrounding environment of the apparatus. The pictures may be sent as the data through the wireless connection or through a mobile handheld device.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for monitoring and reporting road violations of vehicles sharing roads with responding emergency vehicles. According to an exemplary method video is captured from a forward and/or rear facing camera mounted to an emergency vehicle, and the video is processed to identify any vehicles in violation within a prescribed distance from the emergency vehicle. A license plate id of a vehicle determined to be in violation is identified and communicated to the appropriate authorities.

Abstract: An automated license plate recognition (ALPR) system and method using a human-in-the-loop based adaptive learning approach. One or more images with respect to an automotive vehicle can be segmented in order to determine a license plate of the automotive vehicle within a scene. An optical character recognition (OCR) engine loaded with an OCR algorithm can be further adapted to determine a character sequence of the license plate based on a training data set. A confidence level with respect to the images can be generated in order to route a low confidence image to an operator for obtaining a human interpreted image. The parameters with respect to the OCR algorithm can be adjusted based on the human interpreted image and the actual image of the license plate. A license plate design can be then incorporated into the OCR engine in order to automate the process of recognizing the license plate with respect to the automotive vehicle in a wide range of transportation related applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring vehicles. The vehicles are monitored using a sensor unit. The sensor unit comprises a housing, a camera system, a wireless communications system, and a controller associated with the housing. The camera system has a field of view and is configured to generate images. The wireless communications system is configured to transmit wireless signals. The controller is configured to detect a number of vehicles in the images, generate information for the number of vehicles, and send the information in the wireless signals. The information for the number of vehicles is sent to a remote location.

Abstract: A method, system, a computer program product, and mobile device application product that uses vehicle license plate information (license plate State, Number, and/or other information) and user location information (IP address, Mobile GPS, etc.) to send real-time alerts, notifications, or messages to individual users, organizations, external systems, and/or any other entity and/or third party systems.

Abstract: Methods and systems for achieving accurate segmentation of characters with respect to a license plate image utilizing a reinforcement learning approach. A vehicle image can be captured by an image capturing unit and processed utilizing an ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) unit. The reinforcement learning (RL) approach can be configured to initialize a segmentation agent with a starting location. A proper segmentation path (cuts) from top to bottom and from a darker to lighter area in a cropped license plate image can be identified by the segmentation agent during a training phase. Rewards can be provided based on a number of good and bad moves. The association between a current state and a sensory input with a preferred action can be learned by the segmentation agent at the end of the training phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for capturing data from vehicles and processing the captured vehicle data to generate a set of demographic data based on the set of captured demographic data. Specifically, the invention captures video or image data of one or more vehicles at a business location. Additional data may be gathered and transmitted with the image data. The captured data may then be compressed and sent to a remote server for further processing. The data is processed to identify a set of salient objects and to generate a set of demographic data from the identified set of objects. The demographic data is then associated one or more customer records.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method which reconstructs an N-pixel image of a scene such that Q pixel locations associated with identified regions of interest in a scene have a higher image quality when rendered relative to other pixels in the image. Acquisition and adaptive-quality compression are performed simultaneously by semi-synchronously or asynchronously temporally modulating an ordered set of sampling functions used to spatially modulate a pattern of light. The teachings hereof improve compression efficiency of a compressed sensing framework while improving encoding efficiency with respect to traditional compressed sensing techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing the required footprint of SNoW-based classifiers via optimization of classifier features. A compression technique involves two training cycles. The first cycle proceeds normally and the classifier weights from this cycle are used to rank the Successive Mean Quantization Transform (SMQT) features using several criteria. The top N (out of 512 features) are then chosen and the training cycle is repeated using only the top N features. It has been found that OCR accuracy is maintained using only 60 out of 512 features leading to an 88% reduction in RAM utilization at runtime. This coupled with a packing of the weights from doubles to single byte integers added a further 8× reduction in RAM footprint or a reduction of 68× over the baseline SNoW method.

Abstract: One embodiment of the apparatuses, methods, and systems of the present disclosure is a license plate, sticker, or ALPR system having enhanced or increased accuracy. At least one of the license plate, sticker, or ALPR system includes useful information that is transmitted over a first channel and checking information that is transmitted over a second channel. The second channel is devoted solely to transmitting the checking information (e.g., the second channel does not transmit useful information). In other words, the license plates, stickers, and ALPR systems of the present disclosure include at least one channel that is devoted solely to transmitting checking information.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a license plate that is detected in a captured image includes automatically determining at least one set of correction parameters corresponding to a slant-oriented license plate. The method further includes receiving an input image representing a detected license plate. In response to receiving the input image, the method includes automatically adjusting the input image to obtain a corrected image using the at least one set of correction parameters.

Abstract: An interactive vehicle information map system is disclosed in which, in various embodiments, geographical, geospatial, vehicle, and other types of data, geodata, objects, features, and/or metadata are efficiently presented to a user on an interactive map interface. In an embodiment, the user may search vehicle-related data via the interactive map by providing search criteria including, for example, information regarding a geographic area, a time period, a vehicle, a vehicle owner, and/or a license plate number, among other items. The map system may provide search results including a list of vehicles that match the search criteria, vehicle information, and/or points on the interactive map that indicate license-plate recognition read locations, among other information. In an embodiment, the user may view detailed information associated with particular vehicles including, for example, captured images, vehicle-owner data, event history, and the like. Further, the user may export data and/or create search alerts.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for detecting a vehicle number plate that may determine whether an input image includes a number plate, based on an optimal feature to be used to determine whether the input image includes a number plate.

Abstract: A method determines a license plate layout configuration. The method includes generating at least one model representing a license plate layout configuration. The generating includes segmenting training images each defining a license plate to extract characters and logos from the training images. The segmenting includes calculating values corresponding to parameters of the license plate and features of the characters and logos. The segmenting includes estimating a likelihood function specified by the features using the values. The likelihood function measures deviations between an observed plate and the model. The method includes storing a layout structure and the distributions for each of the at least one model. The method includes receiving as input an observed image including a plate region. The method includes segmenting the plate region and determining a license plate layout configuration of the observed plate by comparing the segmented plate region to the at least one model.

Abstract: A method for recognition of an identifier such as a license plate includes storing first visual signatures, each extracted from a first image of a respective object, such as a vehicle, captured at a first location, and first information associated with the first captured image, such as a time stamp. A second visual signature is extracted from a second image of a second object captured at a second location and second information associated with the second captured image is acquired. A measure of similarity is computed between the second visual signature and at least some of the first visual signatures to identify a matching one. A test is performed, which is a function of the first and the second information associated with the matching signatures. Only when it is confirmed that the test has been met, identifier recognition is performed to identify the identifier of the second object.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking a customer history data utilizing a combination of vehicle and facial information. A license plate image with respect to a customer vehicle can be captured and information with respect to the license plate obtained. The license plate information can be employed as an unique customer identifier with respect to customer history data, if the customer places an order (e.g., drive-through service). Facial images of the customer upon entry to a store and/or upon checkout can be captured and processed. The checkout image can be matched against a set of images in order to associate customer order information with customer history data identified from the license plate information for tracking an in-store order transaction.

Abstract: Foreground object image features are extracted from input video via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features. If estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion, a dominant moving direction of the underlying object is determined. If the dominant moving direction is parallel to an orientation of the second, crossed thoroughfare, an event alarm indicating that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare is not generated. If the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that its determined dominant moving direction is not parallel to the second thoroughfare, an appearance of the foreground object region is determined and a static-ness timer run while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features.

Abstract: Methods, systems and processor-readable media for providing a license plate overlay decal with an infrared readable annotation mark for an optical character recognition and segmentation. The annotation mark with respect to character image of a license plate can be designed by training an ALPR engine to improve automatic license plate recognition performance. A plate overlay decal can be rendered with the annotation mark and attached to a license plate. The annotation mark can also be directly placed on the license plate when the license plate is rendered. The annotation mark is visible when illuminated by an infrared light and the license plate appears normal in visible light. The annotation mark enables an ALPR imaging system to obtain more information for each character and utilize the information to improve conclusion accuracy.

Abstract: A method for operating a camera system of a motor vehicle by: providing images of an environmental region of the motor vehicle by a camera of the camera system, wherein at least a region of a number plate of the motor vehicle is depicted in the images, examining the images for a change and/or an exchange of the number plate by an image processing device of the camera system, and outputting a control signal for effecting a predetermined safety measure by the image processing device after detection of the change and/or the exchange.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for recognizing characters within a distorted image. According to a one aspect, a method for recognizing one or more characters within a distorted image includes rendering one or more imitation images, the imitation images including simulations of the distorted image, applying one or more distortion models to the imitation images, thereby generating distorted imitation images, comparing the distorted imitation images with the distorted image in order to compute similarities between the distorted imitation images and the distorted image, and identifying the characters based on the best similarity. According to other aspects, the systems and methods can be configured to provide recognition of other distorted data types and elements.

Abstract: There is provided a driving support apparatus. A recognition controller determines whether an object detected by processing a captured image by an object detection unit is a smoke-like object or not in a smoke-like object determination unit. When the detected object is determined to be the smoke-like object, the recognition controller checks a range distribution in a region of the smoke-like object, adds the result as attribute information of “density”, and transmits the resultant to a controller. The controller decides in a support operation level decision unit whether a pre-crash brake control can be executed or not and an intensity of an operation based on the attribute information of the smoke-like object. Thus, even if the smoke-like object is detected, an appropriate driving support process according to the condition can be executed.

Abstract: An improved system and method for capturing and uploading pertinent information related to a motor vehicle that is accurate, simple to use, and may be implemented on a wide-array of mobile devices in a cost-effective manner. Methods are also disclosed for users of the mobile devices to send identifying information to a database, where the identifying information is compared to other motor vehicle identifying information located the database.

Abstract: Determining a label from an image is disclosed, including: obtaining an image; determining a first portion of the image associated with a special mark; determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sequence transcription with neural networks are provided. More particularly, a neural network can be implemented to map a plurality of training images received by the neural network into a probabilistic model of sequences comprising P(S|X) by maximizing log P(S|X) on the plurality of training images. X represents an input image and S represents an output sequence of characters for the input image. The trained neural network can process a received image containing characters associated with building numbers. The trained neural network can generate a predicted sequence of characters by processing the received image.

Abstract: A license plate recognition and image review system and processes are described. The system includes grouping of images that are determined to be of the same vehicle, using an image encoded database such that verification of a license plate read is done through comparison of images of the actual vehicle to images from the encoded database and testing of the accuracy of a manual review process by interspersing previously identified images with real images being reviewed in a batch process.