ALPR camera
An Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) camera is a camera connected to an
ALPR unit that produces high resolution close-up images of license
plates.
ALPR Frequency Monitor
The Stakeout - ALPR Frequency Monitor plugin tracks
how often vehicles are detected by fixed Sharp
cameras. The system can alert Security Desk users if vehicles without whitelisted license plates have exceed the configured
threshold.
ALPR Manager
The ALPR Manager role manages and controls the patrol vehicle
software (Genetec Patroller™), Sharp cameras, and parking zones. The ALPR Manager
stores the ALPR data (reads, hits, timestamps, GPS coordinates, and so on) collected by
the devices.
ALPR rule
ALPR rule is a method used by Security Center and AutoVu™ for
processing a license plate read. An ALPR rule can be a hit rule or a parking
facility.
ALPR unit
An ALPR unit is a device that captures license plate numbers. An
ALPR unit typically includes a context camera and at least one ALPR
camera.
AutoVu™ Portal
Installing the AutoVu™ Free-Flow plugin gives you access to
the AutoVu™ Portal. From there, you can view parking log occupancy dashboard and
investigate vehicle activity for each tenant.
asset
An asset entity represents any valuable object with an RFID tag
attached, thus allowing it to be tracked by an asset management
software.
Audit trails
The Audit trails task is a maintenance
task that reports on the configuration changes of the selected entities in the system.
The report also indicates the user who made the changes.
automatic enrollment
Automatic enrollment is when new IP units on a network are
automatically discovered by and added to Security Center. The role that is responsible
for the units broadcasts a discovery request on a specific port, and the units
listening on that port respond with a message that contains the connection information
about themselves. The role then uses the information to configure the connection to the
unit and enable communication.
automatic license plate recognition
Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) is an image processing
technology used to read license plate numbers. ALPR converts license plate numbers
cropped from camera images into a database searchable format.
automatic license plate recognition (ALPR)
Acronym: ALPR
AutoVu™
The AutoVu™ automatic
license plate recognition (ALPR) system automates license plate reading and
identification, making it easier for law enforcement and for municipal and commercial
organizations to locate vehicles of interest and enforce parking restrictions. Designed
for both fixed and mobile installations, the AutoVu™ system is ideal for a variety of applications
and entities, including law enforcement, municipal, and commercial
organizations.
AutoVu MLC™
AutoVu MLC™ (Machine Learning
Core) replaces traditional rule-based ALPR technology with machine learning-based
algorithms to reduce common ALPR misreads and false positives. It is a proprietary
technology of Genetec Inc. used in AutoVu™
Sharp hardware for license plate
recognition.
block face (2 sides)
A block face (2 sides) is a parking regulation
characterizing an overtime rule. A block face is the length of a street between two
intersections. A vehicle is in violation if it is seen parked within the same block over a
specified period of time. Moving the vehicle from one side of the street to the other does not
make a difference.
certificate
Designates one of the following: (1) digital
certificate; (2) SDK certificate.
City Parking Enforcement
City Parking Enforcement is a Genetec Patroller™ software installation that is configured
for the enforcement of parking permit and overtime restrictions.
City Parking Enforcement with Wheel Imaging
City Parking Enforcement with Wheel
Imaging is a City Parking Enforcement installation of a Genetec Patroller™ application that also includes wheel imaging. The
use of maps is mandatory and the mobile AutoVu™ system
must include navigation hardware.
Config Tool
Config Tool is
the Security Center administrative application used to
manage all Security Center users and to configure all
Security Center entities such as areas, cameras,
doors, schedules, cardholders, patrol vehicles, ALPR units, and hardware
devices.
Conflict resolution utility
The Conflict resolution utility is a tool that
helps you resolve conflicts caused by importing users and cardholders from an Active
Directory.
context camera
A context camera is a camera connected to an ALPR unit that
produces a wider angle color image of the vehicle whose license plate was read by the
ALPR camera.
Copy configuration tool
The Copy configuration tool helps you save
configuration time by copying the settings of one entity to many others that partially
share the same settings.
covert hit
A covert hit is a read (captured license plate) that is matched to a
covert hotlist. Covert hits are not displayed on the Genetec Patroller™ screen, but can be displayed in Security Desk by a user with proper
privileges.
covert hotlist
Covert hotlists allow you to ensure the discretion of an
ongoing investigation or special operation. When a hit is identified, only the
authorized officer at the Security Center
station is notified, while the officer in the patrol vehicle is not alerted. This
enables enforcement officials to assign multiple objectives to the vehicle and back-end
systems, while not interrupting the priorities of officers on duty.
custom event
A custom event is an event added after the initial system
installation. Events defined at system installation are called system events. Custom
events can be user-defined or automatically added through plugin installations. Unlike
system events, custom events can be renamed and deleted.
custom field
A custom field is a user-defined property that is associated
with an entity type and is used to store additional information that is useful to your
organization.
Daily usage per Patroller
The Daily usage per
Patroller task is an investigation task that reports on the daily usage
statistics of a selected patrol vehicle (operating time, longest stop, total number of stops,
longest shutdown, and so on) for a given date range.
database server
A database server is an application that manages
databases and handles data requests made by client applications. Security Center uses Microsoft SQL Server as its
database server.
Directory
The Directory role identifies a Security Center system. It manages all entity
configurations and system-wide settings.
Only a single instance of this role is permitted on
your system. The server hosting the Directory role is called the main server, and
must be set up first. All other servers you add in Security Center are called
expansion servers, and must connect to the main server to be part of the same
system.
Directory Manager
The Directory Manager role manages the Directory
failover and load balancing to produce the high availability characteristics in Security Center.
Directory server
A Directory server is any one of the multiple servers
simultaneously running the Directory role in a high availability
configuration.
discovery port
A discovery port is a port used by certain Security Center roles
(Access Manager, Archiver, ALPR Manager) to find the units they are responsible for on
the LAN. No two discovery ports can be the same on one system.
district
A district is a parking regulation characterizing an overtime
rule. A district is a geographical area within a city. A vehicle is in violation if it is seen
within the boundaries of the district over a specified period of time.
dynamic permit
In a system that uses the Pay-by-Plate Sync plugin, a dynamic permit holds a list of
vehicles that is updated by a third-party permit provider. For example, in a system
where vehicle owners pay for parking at a kiosk or using a mobile phone app, the list of
vehicles are dynamically managed by a third-party permit provider.
enforce
To enforce is to take action following a confirmed hit. For example, a
parking officer can enforce a scofflaw violation (unpaid parking tickets) by placing a
wheel boot on the vehicle.
entity
Entities are the basic building blocks of Security Center. Everything
that requires configuration is represented by an entity. An entity can represent a
physical device, such as a camera or a door, or an abstract concept, such as an alarm, a
schedule, a user, a role, a plugin, or an add-on.
entity tree
An entity tree is the graphical representation of Security Center
entities in a tree structure, illustrating the hierarchical nature of their
relationships.
event
In the context of Security Center, an event indicates the occurrence of an
activity or incident, such as access denied to a cardholder or motion detected on a camera.
Events are automatically logged in Security Center.
Every event has an entity as its main focus, called the event source.
event-to-action
An event-to-action links an action to an event. For example, you
can configure Security Center to trigger an
alarm when a door is forced open.
expansion server
An expansion server is any server machine in a Security Center
system that does not host the Directory role. The purpose of the expansion server is to
add to the processing power of the system.
failover
Failover is a backup operational mode in which a role (system
function) is automatically transferred from its primary server to a secondary server
that is on standby. This transfer between servers occurs only if the primary server
becomes unavailable, either through failure or through scheduled downtime.
federated entity
A federated entity is any entity that is imported from an
independent system through one of the Federation™
roles.
federated system
A federated system is a independent system (Omnicast™ or
Security Center) that is unified under your
local Security Center through a Federation™ role, so that the local users can view and
control its entities as if they belong to their local system.
Federation™
The Federation™ feature
joins multiple, independent Genetec™ IP
security systems into a single virtual system. With this feature, users on the central
Security Center system can view and control entities that belong to remote
systems.
fuzzy matching
Environmental factors such as dirt or snow can partially
obstruct license plate characters and increase the likelihood of partial plate reads
occurring. In addition, similarly shaped letters and numbers, like “2” and “Z” or, “8”,
“B”, and “0”, can also reduce plate read accuracy. Fuzzy matching lets AutoVu™ compare reads not only to exact matches in
hotlists, but also to potential or probable matches.
Genetec™ Server
Genetec™ Server is the Windows service that is at the core of Security Center architecture, and that must be installed on
every computer that is part of the Security Center's
pool of servers. Every such server is a generic computing resource capable of taking on any
role (set of functions) you assign to it.
geocoding
Geocoding, sometimes called forward geocoding, is the process
of converting a street address into geographic location, such as a latitude and
longitude pair.
ghost patroller
A ghost patroller entity is automatically created by the
ALPR Manager when the AutoVu™ license includes
the XML Import module. In Security Center, all
ALPR data must be associated to a Genetec Patroller™
entity or an ALPR unit corresponding to a fixed Sharp camera. When you import ALPR data from an
external source through a specific ALPR Manager using the XML Import module, the system
uses the ghost entity to represent the ALPR data source. You can formulate queries using
the ghost entity as you would with a normal entity.
Geographic Information System
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a
system that captures spatial geographical data. Map Manager can connect to third-party
vendors that provide GIS services in order to bring maps and all types of geographically
referenced data to Security Center.
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Acronym:
GIS
Hardware inventory
The Hardware inventory task is a
maintenance task that reports on the characteristics (unit model, firmware version, IP
address, time zone, and so on) of access control, video, intrusion detection, and ALPR
units in your system.
hash function
In cryptography, a hash function uses a mathematical
algorithm to take input data and return a fixed-size alphanumeric string. A hash
function is designed to be a one-way function, that is, a function which is infeasible
to revert.
hit
A hit is a license plate read that matches a hit rule, such as a hotlist,
overtime rule, permit, or permit restriction. A Genetec Patroller™ user can choose to reject or accept a hit.
An accepted hit can subsequently be enforced.
hit rule
A hit rule is an ALPR rule used to identify vehicles of interest
(called "hits") using license plate reads. The hit rules include the following types:
hotlist, overtime rule, permit, and permit restriction.
Hits
The Hits task is an investigation task that
reports on hits reported within a selected time range and geographic
area.
hot action
A hot action is an action mapped to a PC keyboard function key
(Ctrl+F1 through Ctrl+F12) in Security Desk for quick access.
hotlist
A hotlist is a list of wanted vehicles, where each vehicle is
identified by a license plate number, the issuing state, and the reason why the vehicle
is wanted (stolen, wanted felon, Amber alert, VIP, and so on). Optional vehicle
information might include the model, the color, and the vehicle identification number
(VIN).
Hotlist and permit editor
The Hotlist and permit
editor task is an operation task. You can use it to edit an existing hotlist or
permit list. A new list cannot be created with this task, but after an existing list has been
added to Security Center, you can edit, add, or delete
items from the list, and the original text file is updated with the changes.
illuminator
An illuminator is a light in the Sharp unit that illuminates the plate, thereby
improving the accuracy of the images produced by the ALPR camera.
Inventory management
The Inventory management task
is an operation task that you can use to add and reconcile license plate reads to a
parking facility inventory.
Inventory report
The Inventory report task is an
investigation task that you can use to view a specific inventory (vehicle location, vehicle
length of stay, and so on) or compare two inventories of a selected parking facility (vehicles
added, vehicles removed, and so on).
I/O linking
I/O (input/output) linking is controlling an output relay based on
the combined state (normal, active, or trouble) of a group of monitored inputs. A
standard application is to sound a buzzer (through an output relay) when any window on
the ground floor of a building is shattered (assuming that each window is monitored by a
"glass break" sensor connected to an input).
IPv4
IPv4 is the first generation Internet protocol using a 32-bit address
space.
IPv6
IPv6 is a 128-bit Internet protocol that uses eight groups of four
hexadecimal digits for address space.
Kashef Third-Party Matcher
The AutoVu™ - Kashef
Third Party Matcher plugin forwards license plate reads to the Kashef API and triggers
alarms based on the vehicle legal status returned from Kashef.
Keyhole Markup Language
Keyhole Markup Language (KML) is a file format
used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth and Google
Maps.
Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
Acronym:
KML
Law Enforcement
Law Enforcement is a Genetec Patroller™ software installation that is configured
for law enforcement: the matching of license plate reads against lists of wanted license
plates (hotlists). The use of maps is optional.
license key
A license key is the software key used to unlock the Security Center software. The license key is specifically generated for each computer where the
Directory role is installed. To obtain your license key, you need the System ID
(which identifies your system) and the Validation key (which identifies your
computer).
license plate inventory
A license plate inventory is a list of license plate
numbers of vehicles found in a parking facility within a given time period, showing
where each vehicle is parked (sector and row).
license plate read
A license plate read is a license plate number captured
from a video image using ALPR technology.
live hit
A live hit is a hit matched by the Genetec Patroller™ and immediately sent to the Security Center over a wireless
network.
live read
A live read is a license plate captured by the patrol vehicle and
immediately sent to Security Center over a
wireless network.
load balancing
Load balancing is the distribution of workload across multiple
computers.
logical ID
Logical ID is a unique ID assigned to each entity in the system for
ease of reference. Logical IDs are only unique within a particular entity
type.
Logons per Patroller
The Logons per Patroller task is
an investigation task that reports on the logon records of a selected patrol
vehicle.
long-term overtime
If you need to monitor long-term parking violations for
vehicles that are parked for more than a certain number of days, you can configure long-term
overtime settings in Genetec Patroller™ and Security Center.
LPM protocol
The License Plate Management (LPM) protocol provides a
Sharp camera with a secure and reliable
connection to Security Center. When The LPM
protocol is enabled on a Sharp camera, the
protocol manages the camera’s connection to the ALPR Manager role.
macro
A macro is an entity that encapsulates a C# program that adds
custom functionalities to Security Center.
main server
The main server is the only server in a Security Center
system hosting the Directory role. All other servers on the system must connect to the
main server to be part of the same system. In a high availability configuration where
multiple servers host the Directory role, it is the only server that can write to the
Directory database.
manual capture
Manual capture is when license plate information is entered into
the system by the user and not by the ALPR.
map object
Map objects are graphical representations on your maps of
Security Center entities or geographical features, such as cities, highways, rivers, and so
on. With map objects, you can interact with your system without leaving your
map.
map view
A map view is a defined section of a map.
Mobile Data Computer
Mobile Data Computer is a tablet computer or
ruggedized laptop used in patrol vehicles to run the Genetec Patroller™ application. The MDC is typically equipped
with a touch-screen with a minimum resolution of 800 x 600 pixels and wireless
networking capability.
Mobile Data Computer (MDC)
Acronym:
MDC
Mobile License Plate Inventory
Mobile License Plate Inventory (MLPI) is
the Genetec Patroller™ software installation that is
configured for collecting license plates and other vehicle information for creating and
maintaining a license plate inventory for a large parking area or parking
garage.
Mobile License Plate Inventory (MLPI)
Acronym:
MLPI
multi-tenant parking
If you use AutoVu™ Free-Flow to manage transient parking and
contract permit parking in parking zones, you can install the AutoVu™ Free-Flow plugin to manage parking lots where
parking spots are leased to tenants.
network address translation
Network address translation is the process of
modifying network address information in datagram (IP) packet headers while in transit across
a traffic routing device, for the purpose of remapping one IP address space into
another.
network address translation (NAT)
Acronym: NAT
new wanted
A new wanted is a manually entered hotlist item in Genetec Patroller™. When you are looking for a plate that
does not appear in the hotlists loaded in the Genetec Patroller™, you can enter the plate in order to raise
a hit if the plate is captured.
OCR equivalence
OCR equivalence is the interpretation of OCR (Optical Character
Recognition) equivalent characters performed during license plate recognition. OCR
equivalent characters are visually similar, depending on the plate’s font. For example,
the letter “O” and the number “0”, or the number “5” and the letter “S”. There are
several pre-defined OCR equivalent characters for different languages.
overtime rule
An overtime rule is an entity that defines a parking time
limit and the maximum number of violations enforceable within a single day. Overtime
rules are used in city and university parking enforcement. For university parking, an
overtime rule also defines the parking area where these restrictions
apply.
parking facility
A parking facility entity defines a large parking area
as a number of sectors and rows for the purpose of inventory tracking.
parking lot
A parking lot is a polygon that defines the location and
shape of a parking area on a map. By defining the number of parking spaces inside the parking
lot, Security Center can calculate its percentage of
occupancy during a given time period.
parking zone
The parking zones that you define in Security Center represent off-street parking lots
where the entrances and exits are monitored by Sharp cameras.
patroller entity
A patroller entity in Security Center represents a patrol vehicle equipped
with an in-vehicle computer running Genetec Patroller™
software.
Patroller Config Tool
Genetec Patroller™ Config Tool is the Genetec Patroller™ administrative application used to configure
Patroller-specific settings, such as adding Sharp
cameras to the in-vehicle LAN, enabling features such as Manual Capture or New Wanted, and
specifying that a username and password are needed to log on to Genetec Patroller™.
Post-Payment
The AutoVu™
Post-Payment plugin validates the parking session against the parking lot rules and the
payment provider database, and then sends an evidence package to ticketing system if an
infraction is detected.
permit
A permit is an entity that defines a single parking permit
holder. Each permit holder is characterized by a category (permit zone), a license plate
number, a license issuing state, and optionally, a permit validity range (effective date and
expiry date). Permits are used in both city and university parking
enforcement.
permit hit
A permit hit is a hit that is generated when a read (license plate
number) does not match any entry in a permit or when it matches an invalid
permit.
permit restriction
A permit restriction is an entity that applies time
restrictions to a series of parking permits for a given parking area. Permit restrictions can
be used by patrol vehicles configured for University Parking Enforcement and for systems that
use the AutoVu™ Free-Flow feature.
Plate Reader
Plate Reader is the software component of the Sharp unit that processes the images captured by the
ALPR camera to produce license plate reads, and associates each license plate read with a
context image captured by the context camera. The Plate Reader also handles the
communications with the Genetec Patroller™ and the ALPR
Manager. If an external wheel imaging camera is connected to the Sharp unit, the Plate Reader also captures wheel
images from this camera.
plugin
A plugin (in lowercase) is a software component that adds a
specific feature to an existing program. Depending on the context, plugin can refer
either to the software component itself or to the software package used to install the
software component.
plugin role
A plugin role adds optional features to Security Center. A plugin role is created by using
the Plugin role template. By default, it is represented by an orange puzzle piece
in the Roles view of the System task.
Before you can create a plugin role, the software
package specific to that role must be installed on your system.
Reads
The Reads task is an investigation task that
reports on license plate reads performed within a selected time range and geographic
area.
Reads/hits per day
The Reads/hits per day task is an
investigation task that reports on license plate reads performed within a selected time
range and geographic area.
Reads/hits per zone
The Reads/hits per zone task is an
investigation task that reports on the number of reads and hits per parking area for a
selected date range.
reverse geocoding
Reverse geocoding is the process of converting a
geographic location, such as a latitude and longitude pair, into a human-readable
address.
role
A role is a software component that performs a specific job within
Security Center. To execute a role, you must assign one or more servers to host
it.
salt (cryptography)
In cryptography, a salt is data that is used as an additional input
to the information you want to encrypt or protect with a hash function, so that the
original information is nearly impossible to guess, even when the attacker knows what
algorithm is being used.
same position
The same position regulation is a type of parking
regulation characterizing an overtime rule. A vehicle is in violation if it is seen parked at
the exact same spot over a specified period of time. Genetec Patroller™ must be equipped with GPS capability to enforce
this type of regulation.
Software Development Kit
The Software Development Kit (SDK) is what end-users use to develop
custom applications or custom application extensions for Security Center.
Software Development Kit (SDK)
Acronym:
SDK
Security Center
Security Center
is a truly unified platform that blends IP video surveillance, access control, automatic
license plate recognition, intrusion detection, and communications within one intuitive and
modular solution. By taking advantage of a unified approach to security, your organization
becomes more efficient, makes better decisions, and responds to situations and threats with
greater confidence.
Security Center Federation™
The Security Center
Federation™ role connects a remote independent Security Center system to your local Security Center system. That way, the remote system's
entities and events can be used in your local system.
Security Desk
Security Desk
is the unified user interface of Security Center. It
provides consistent operator flow across all of the Security Center main systems, Omnicast™, Synergis™,
and AutoVu™. The unique task-based design of Security Desk lets operators efficiently control and
monitor multiple security and public safety applications.
Server Admin
Server Admin
is the web application running on every server machine in Security Center that you use to configure the Genetec™ Server settings. You use this same application
to configure the Directory role on the main server.
SharpOS
SharpOS is the
software component of a Sharp unit. SharpOS is responsible for everything related to plate
capture, collection, processing, and analytics. For example, a SharpOS update can include new ALPR contexts, new
firmware, Sharp Portal updates, and updates to
the Sharp's Windows services (Plate Reader, HAL, and
so on).
Sharp Portal
Sharp Portal
is a web-based administration tool used to configure Sharp cameras for AutoVu™ systems. From a web browser, you log on to a specific
IP address (or the Sharp name in certain cases) that
corresponds to the Sharp you want to configure. When
you log on, you can configure options such as selecting the ALPR context (for example,
Alabama, Oregon, Quebec), selecting the read strategy (for example, fast moving or slow moving
vehicles), viewing the Sharp’s live video feed, and
more.
Sharp unit
The Sharp unit is a
proprietary ALPR unit of Genetec Inc. that
integrates license plate capturing and processing components, as well as digital video
processing functions, inside a ruggedized casing.
SharpX
SharpX is the camera
component of the SharpX system. The SharpX camera unit integrates a pulsed LED illuminator that
works in total darkness (0 lux), a monochrome ALPR camera (1024 x 946 @ 30 fps), and a color
context camera (640 x 480 @ 30 fps). The ALPR data captured by the SharpX camera unit is processed by a separate hardware
component called the AutoVu™ ALPR Processing
Unit.
static permit
In a system that uses the Pay-by-Plate Sync plugin, a static permit holds a list of
vehicle license plates that is not updated by a third-party permit provider. For
example, a list of employee vehicles that are authorized to park in the lot are manually
maintained as a static list.
task
A task is the central concept on which the entire Security Center user interface is built. Each task
corresponds to one aspect of your work as a security professional. For example, use a
monitoring task to monitor system events in real-time, use an investigation task to discover
suspicious activity patterns, or use an administration task to configure your system. All
tasks can be customized and multiple tasks can be carried out simultaneously.
unit
A unit is a hardware device that communicates over an IP network that can
be directly controlled by a Security Center role. We distinguish four types of
units in Security Center:
- Access control units, managed by the Access Manager role
- Video units, managed by the Archiver role
- ALPR units, managed by the ALPR Manager role
- Intrusion detection units, managed by the Intrusion Manager role
Unit discovery tool
Starting with Security Center 5.4 GA the Unit discovery tool has
been replaced by the Unit enrollment tool.
University Parking Enforcement
University Parking Enforcement is a Genetec Patroller™ software installation that is configured
for university parking enforcement: the enforcement of scheduled parking permits or
overtime restrictions. The use of maps is mandatory. Hotlist functionality is also
included.
unreconciled read
An unreconciled read is an MLPI license plate read that
has not been committed to an inventory.
user
A user is an entity that identifies a person who uses Security Center applications and defines the rights
and privileges that person has on the system. Users can be created manually or imported
from an Active Directory.
vehicle identification number
A vehicle identification number (VIN) is an
identification number that a manufacturer assigns to vehicles. This is usually visible
from outside the vehicle as a small plate on the dashboard. A VIN can be included as
additional information with license plate entries in a hotlist or permit list, to
further validate a hit and ensure that it is the correct vehicle.
vehicle identification number (VIN)
Acronym:
VIN
Web-based SDK
The Web-based SDK role exposes the Security Center SDK methods and
objects as web services to support cross-platform development.
wheel imaging
Wheel imaging is a virtual tire-chalking technology that takes
images of the wheels of vehicles to prove whether they have moved between two license
plate reads.