When an ALPR camera such as a SharpV or SharpZ3 generates a license plate read, the read becomes a hit if it is matched against a hotlist or permit list. When reads and hits are sent to Security Center, they can be used in reports and event-to-actions, or they can be exported to a third-party system.
Sharp ALPR cameras
- SharpV
- SharpV cameras can be mounted in a fixed location where license plates from passing vehicles are visible. SharpV cameras are commonly mounted on a pole, an overpass, or a building wall.
- SharpZ3
- SharpZ3 cameras are mounted on patrol vehicles used for parking or law enforcement. Unlike a SharpV unit, which includes all of the required processing components, a SharpZ3 system includes a separate processing unit that is mounted in the trunk of the car. Up to 4 small ALPR cameras can be permanently installed on the vehicle, or temporarily mounted using magnets. License plate reads are sent to Security Center using Genetec Patroller™ software running on the in-vehicle computer.
License plate reads
License plate reads are generated by ALPR cameras and then sent to Security Center. A license plate read generally includes an image of the license plate, a larger context image of the vehicle and surroundings, and extra metadata such as vehicle make and model. License plate reads are available in the Security Desk Reads report. For more information, see Investigating reported license plate reads.
Hotlists and permit lists
Depending on whether the system is used for law enforcement or parking enforcement, a license plate read can be matched against a hotlist, a permit list, or a combination of the two.
- Hotlist
- A hotlist can be any list of vehicles, for example VIP vehicles or Stolen vehicles. For more information, see About hotlists.
- Permit list
- A permit list is a group of vehicles that are allowed to park in a certain area. For more information, see About permits.
License plate hits
If a license plate read is matched against an entry in a hotlist, or if the vehicle does not appear in a permit list, the read becomes a hit. In SharpV installations, this matching is done by the ALPR Manager role in Security Center. For SharpZ3, the matching is done by the Genetec Patroller™ software running on the patrol vehicle computer.
License plate hits can be used in various ways depending on what type of enforcement the system is performing. For more information, see Investigating reported hits.
Reads and hits in Security Center
License plate reads and hits can be used in reports, exported to a third-party system, or they can be used as events in Security Center.
- Reporting
- Using the Reads and Hits reports in Security Desk, you can generate reports based on a wide variety of attributes, such as vehicle color and vehicle type.
- Ticketing systems
- If a parking officer reviews a license plate hit and confirms that the vehicle is illegally parked, the license plate hit can be exported to a ticketing system for enforcement.
- Event-to-actions
- License plate reads and hits, like any other events in Security Center, can be used to trigger event-to-actions. For example, if you read license plates in front of a gate, a hit against an "Employees" permit can trigger the gate to open. For more information, see ALPR access control.