Optimal Camera Settings for License Plate Recognition:

To ensure accurate license plate recognition, it is important to configure the camera settings appropriately. Follow these steps to optimize the camera settings for CAMMRA:

1. Positioning the Vehicle: Place a vehicle within the region of interest to ensure that the license plate occupies a sufficient area for detection and recognition.

2. License Plate Size: Navigate to the camera's system settings and access the Orientation menu. Enable the pixel counter and check that the width of a single-row license plate is at least 130 pixels, while a two-row license plate should be at least 70 pixels wide. Adjust the camera's position if needed to meet these size requirements.

3. Image Adjustments: Access the camera's webpage and go to the Image tab to make the following adjustments:

• Autofocus: Set the autofocus area to cover the license plate and click Autofocus. Fine-tune the focus manually if necessary to ensure the license plate appears sharp and clear.
• Wide Dynamic Range: Disable this setting to prevent overexposure in high-contrast scenes.
• Local Contrast: Set the local contrast to 20. This reduces noise during nighttime while maintaining sufficient visibility of license plates. Adjust this value higher if you require better visibility at night, but be aware that it may increase noise levels.
• IR-Cut Filter: Set it to "Auto" to allow the camera to automatically adjust the IR-cut filter based on lighting conditions.
• Max Shutter: Set the maximum shutter speed to 1/500 to optimize image sharpness and clarity.
• Max Gain: Adjust the maximum gain to 24 dB to achieve an optimal balance between reducing motion blur and controlling noise levels. If license plates appear overexposed, decrease the max gain to 9 dB.
• Lock Aperture: Disable this setting to allow the camera's iris to operate in automatic mode, especially if the vehicle is exposed to direct sunlight.

4. Testing and Evaluation: Test the camera settings by observing a vehicle in the region of interest under various lighting conditions. For accurate results, perform the tests in both low-light and daylight scenarios. This ensures that the settings are well-adjusted for optimal performance during different times of the day.

By following these steps and fine-tuning the camera settings, you can optimize license plate visibility and enhance the accuracy of license plate recognition within CAMMRA.