The use of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) as a means of access control is becoming increasingly popular. Once a vehicles number plate has been registered in the access control system, it can be used to detect and identify the vehicle as it arrives at the entry barrier and to authorise its entry. Often, there is also a need to prevent vehicles entering a car park when it has reached or is approaching its capacity to avoid overcrowding and unsafe parking. Nortech’s count management and parking space display system can be easily integrated into the ANPR access control infrastructure to manage the available spaces.
An ANPR camera located just behind the barrier will detect and read the number plate as the vehicle arrives at the barrier. The licence plate number is sent to the access control unit for validation. If valid, the access control unit will send an open signal to the barrier to allow the vehicle in.
For vehicle counting, all that is necessary is that the signal to open the barrier is also sent to the count controller to enable it to count the number of vehicles that have been allowed to enter. Using the same method at the exit barrier, the count management system can count the number of vehicles leaving and thereby maintain a count of vehicles within the car park and calculate the remaining spaces. This method also avoids the need to install additional road loops.
The NCT100 count controller can control a full colour space sign at the entry to inform drivers arriving at the entry barrier of the number of available spaces, or to display ‘FULL’ when there are no more spaces. At the same time, the NCT100 count controller can send an inhibit signal to the access control unit to prevent it from authorising the entry of further vehicles while the car park is full.
Applications
Company car parks
Shared car parks
Hotels
Sports and leisure clubs
Contract parking
Holiday parks and caravan sites
Benefits
ANPR precludes the need to purchase, distribute and manage vehicle tags, reducing initial investment and running costs.
Vehicles can be authorised in advance without the need for the vehicle to be present or for tags to be posted.
Licence plates are managed in the same way as standard access control credentials without the need to refer to the DVLC or other external bodies. There are no service costs or fees required.
Licence plates can be managed on the same system as other access control credentials, avoiding the need to invest in separate vehicle and people access control systems
Automatic vehicle counting prevents overcrowding of limited space parking facilities
Available space signs provide instant feedback to car park users of the number of free spaces
