Single Camera-Based License Plate Recognition System with Panning Structure for On-Street Parking

Abstract

The present invention relates to a single-camera-based license plate recognition system for a roadside parking lot having a panning structure, and more specifically, to a license plate recognition system for operating a roadside parking lot in which vehicles are parked in parallel in a row, wherein the system has a single camera sensor and the camera sensor rotates to recognize the license plate of a vehicle parked in two adjacent parking areas.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a single-camera-based license plate recognition system for a roadside parking lot having a panning structure, and more specifically, to a license plate recognition system for operating a roadside parking lot in which vehicles are parked in parallel in a row, wherein the system has a single camera sensor and the camera sensor rotates to recognize the license plate of a vehicle parked in two adjacent parking areas. Background Technology

[0003] Recently, active technological development is underway to automate and unmanned parking operations in order to resolve the chronic shortage of parking spaces in urban areas and to efficiently utilize limited on-street parking resources. The core technology of these unmanned parking management systems is License Plate Recognition (LPR), which detects the entry and exit of vehicles within a parking area and accurately recognizes the license plates of parked vehicles.

[0004] However, conventional license plate recognition systems for on-street parking lots had various technical and economic limitations.

[0005] The most basic method according to conventional technology was a 1:1 correspondence method in which a single license plate recognition device was individually installed for each parking area to be managed. While this method ensures stable recognition rates because each parking area is monitored exclusively, it requires an equal number of recognition devices (including cameras, sensors, and processing units) corresponding to the number of parking areas to be managed. Considering the characteristics of on-street parking lots, which consist of dozens of connected parking areas, this resulted in a drastic increase in equipment and installation costs, leading to a fundamental problem of excessive initial system construction costs (CAPEX).

[0006] Furthermore, as the number of installed devices increases, the construction of power supply and communication lines for individual devices becomes more complex, leading to an increase in points of failure caused by natural disasters or external impacts. This has directly resulted in an increase in maintenance targets and rising operating expenses (OPEX), while the proliferation of numerous devices on the streets has also caused the additional problem of detracting from urban aesthetics.

[0007] To partially improve the economic burden and installation inefficiency of this 1:1 method, a 1:2 correspondence method was proposed in which two independent camera sensors, each capturing two parking zones, are embedded inside a single main body (housing). By integrating a first camera facing the first parking zone and a second camera facing the second parking zone into a single device, this method was able to reduce the number of physical main bodies installed by half.

[0008] However, this conventional 2-camera system also still had clear limitations. Although it was externally integrated into a single device, internally it still required two camera modules, two lenses, and two image processing circuits to process each image individually. This caused complexity in hardware configuration and limited the ability to significantly reduce manufacturing costs.

[0009] In addition, since the two cameras had to be fixed at different angles, the process of precisely adjusting the field of view at the installation site so that the first and second cameras each looked at the license plate area of ​​the correct parking space was very complex and difficult. Furthermore, as the two camera modules and related components were integrated, the overall volume of the device increased, leading to issues such as limitations on installation space and a decline in design completeness.

[0010] Therefore, in order to fundamentally solve the problems of the conventional technology mentioned above, namely the excessive installation / operation costs of the 1:1 method and the complex hardware configuration and high manufacturing costs of the 2-camera method, there is a strong need to develop a license plate recognition system that can efficiently recognize license plates by monitoring two or more adjacent parking areas using only a single camera sensor. The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention aims to provide a single-camera-based license plate recognition system for an on-street parking lot where vehicles are parked in parallel in a row, having a panning structure in which the camera sensor rotates to recognize the license plate numbers of vehicles parked in two adjacent parking areas. means of solving the problem

[0014] To solve the above problems, in one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle license plate recognition system for a roadside parking lot based on a single camera having a panning structure is provided, comprising: a pillar portion disposed on one side of the roadside parking lot; a main body portion including a main body case disposed on the upper side of the pillar portion and having a receiving space formed inside; a driving portion including a driving motor disposed inside the main body case and a driving shaft that rotates by the driving motor and has a portion inserted into the pillar portion by penetrating the lower surface of the main body case; a camera portion including a single camera sensor disposed inside the main body case and photographing a parking area of ​​the roadside parking lot; and a control portion disposed inside the main body case and recognizing an image of the camera portion and controlling the driving motor; wherein the control portion switches the range photographed by the camera portion by rotating the camera portion through the driving motor based on a preset period or an image recognized by the camera sensor, and recognizes the license plates of parked vehicles through a single camera sensor for a first parking area and a second parking area adjacent to each other in a roadside parking lot where vehicles are parallel parked.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the main body may further include: a first transparent window formed on the side of the main body case at a position corresponding to the front of the camera sensor disposed inside the main body case; and a drive bearing fitted into a bottom through-hole through which the drive shaft passes; wherein the camera sensor photographs the outside through the first transparent window while disposed inside the main body case, the drive shaft is fixed in a state inserted into the column, and the drive motor is coupled to the main body case so that when the drive motor operates, the drive motor rotates by means of the drive shaft fixed to the main body, and the main body coupled to the drive motor rotates, and the camera part rotates by means of the rotation of the main body case of the main body.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the column portion includes a first surface arranged in the direction of the first parking area and a second surface arranged in the direction of the second parking area at a predetermined angle with respect to the first surface, and is fixed at a position where a virtual line extending a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area meets a sidewalk on the side of the road parking lot, and the main body portion further includes a first recognition sensor arranged in the first surface of the column portion and a second recognition sensor arranged in the second surface of the column portion; wherein the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor each detect the presence or absence of a vehicle located in front of the first surface and the second surface and transmit it to the control unit, and the control unit determines the presence or absence of a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the reflected waves received from the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor, and can control the drive motor to rotate the camera sensor in the direction of the parking area where the vehicle is present.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a first parking management mode that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked based on the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor under the control of the control unit; and the first parking management mode may include: a vehicle verification step that checks the presence or absence of a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the first recognition information received from the first recognition sensor and the second recognition information received from the second recognition sensor at a preset period; a camera rotation step that controls the drive motor to rotate the camera sensor so that the shooting direction of the camera sensor is directed toward the parking area where the vehicle is recognized; and a vehicle recognition step that recognizes the license plate of a vehicle within the parking area where the vehicle is recognized among the first parking area or the second parking area, and records the time the vehicle was parked and the time the vehicle was exited.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the camera rotation step may further include a zone switching step of switching the zone captured by the camera sensor at a preset first time interval when a vehicle is simultaneously parked in the first parking zone corresponding to the first recognition sensor and the second parking zone corresponding to the second recognition sensor in the vehicle identification step.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a second parking management mode that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked in the first parking area and the second parking area by switching the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor at a preset second time interval under the control of the control unit; and the second parking management mode may include: a standby shooting step in which the driving motor is controlled at a preset second time interval to switch the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor; a fixed shooting step in which, when a vehicle is detected in a specific parking area among the first parking area and the second parking area, the camera sensor is fixedly shot in the specific parking area, but the camera sensor is rotated at a preset third time interval to shoot the remaining parking area and then the direction of the camera sensor is restored to the specific parking area; and a switching shooting step in which, when a vehicle is detected in the remaining parking area during the fixed shooting step, the camera sensor switches between the first parking area and the second parking area and shoots at a fourth time interval shorter than the second time.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fixed shooting step may be characterized in that the control unit receives an image of the remaining parking area captured by the camera sensor, checks for the presence or absence of a vehicle in the area, and if no vehicle is detected, the camera sensor returns to capture the specific parking area.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a third parking management mode that simultaneously detects a first parking area and a second parking area while the camera sensor is fixed under the control of the control unit; the third parking management mode comprises: a camera alignment step of setting a virtual vertical centerline on the captured image of the camera sensor and aligning the camera sensor so that the vertical centerline coincides with a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area; an image reception step of receiving an image captured by the camera sensor at a preset fifth time interval while the camera sensor is fixed in the position aligned in the camera alignment step; an image division step of dividing the image received in the image reception step into a first layer corresponding to the first parking area and a second layer corresponding to the second parking area based on the parking line; and a pixel comparison step of comparing the pixels of the first layer and the second layer captured at the current time with the pixels of the first layer and the second layer of the image captured five hours prior, respectively. The method may include: a parking determination step in which, among the first and second layers, if a layer occurs in which the ratio of a changed pixel to the total pixel in the pixel comparison step is greater than or equal to a preset threshold pixel ratio; and a camera rotation step in which the camera sensor is rotated in the direction of the parking area determined in the parking determination step. Effects of the invention

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by combining a single camera sensor and a panning drive unit to monitor both adjacent parking zones, it is possible to significantly reduce the hardware configuration cost of the system and simplify installation and maintenance.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by first determining the presence or absence of a vehicle through a separate recognition sensor and rotating the camera only in the direction of the parking area where the vehicle is located, it is possible to minimize unnecessary mechanical movement of the camera and maximize the efficiency of system operation.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a standby state, the entry of a vehicle is detected by comparing image pixels while the camera is fixed in the center, so power consumption is low and mechanical wear of parts is prevented, thereby improving the durability of the equipment.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, as soon as a parking attempt of a vehicle is recognized in real time through pixel change detection, the camera is rapidly rotated toward the corresponding parking area to perform license plate recognition, thereby enabling the effect of fast response speed and high recognition accuracy.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, even in an environment where there is no separate detection sensor such as a recognition sensor or when the sensor is malfunctioning, two parking zones can be managed solely through periodic scanning and image analysis of the camera, thereby enabling flexible system operation with fewer constraints on the installation environment.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, even when vehicles are parked simultaneously in two parking zones, the camera's shooting zone is actively switched according to a set time cycle to stably monitor and record vehicle information in both zones without omission.

[0029] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by designing the entire main body containing the camera sensor to rotate rather than just the camera sensor rotating individually, it is possible to provide a simple and robust mechanical structure that eliminates the risk of the camera's power and data cables becoming twisted or damaged.

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when abnormal pixel changes are detected simultaneously in two divided areas during image division, this is determined to be an abnormal situation such as camera lens obstruction or equipment damage, and a notification is sent to an administrator, thereby increasing the reliability and maintenance convenience of the system. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0032] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle license plate recognition system and a roadside parking lot according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a plan view of a roadside parking lot equipped with a vehicle license plate recognition system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a vehicle license plate recognition system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle license plate recognition system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional plan of a vehicle number plate recognition system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a first parking management mode according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a second week management mode according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a third week management mode according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an image of a camera sensor when there is no parked vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an image of a camera sensor when a parked vehicle is present according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an image of a camera sensor in which an abnormal situation occurs in which the camera sensor is obscured by foreign matter according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0033] Hereinafter, various embodiments and / or aspects are disclosed with reference to the drawings. For illustrative purposes, numerous specific details are disclosed in the following description to aid in a general understanding of one or more aspects. However, it will also be recognized by those skilled in the art that these aspects may be practiced without such specific details. The following description and the accompanying drawings describe specific exemplary aspects of one or more aspects in detail. However, these aspects are exemplary, and some of the various methods in the principles of the various aspects may be used, and the description is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents.

[0035] In addition, various aspects and features will be presented by a system that may include multiple devices, components and / or modules, etc. It should also be understood and recognized that various systems may include additional devices, components and / or modules, etc., and / or may not include all of the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in relation to the drawings.

[0036] Terms such as “embodiment,” “example,” “aspect,” “example,” etc. as used herein may not be interpreted as implying that any aspect or design described is superior or more advantageous than other aspects or designs. Terms used below, such as “part,” “component,” “module,” “system,” “interface,” etc., generally refer to computer-related entities and may, for example, refer to hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or software.

[0037] Additionally, the terms “comprising” and / or “comprising” should be understood to mean that the relevant feature and / or component is present, but not to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, components and / or groups thereof.

[0038] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.

[0039] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle number plate recognition system (1) and a roadside parking lot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a plan view of a roadside parking lot in which a vehicle license plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed.

[0044] A single camera-based vehicle number plate recognition system (1) for a roadside parking lot having a panning structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprising: a column portion (100) disposed on one side of the roadside parking lot; a main body portion (200) disposed on the upper side of the column portion (100) and including a main body case (210) having a receiving space formed inside; a driving portion (300) including a driving motor (310) disposed inside the main body case (210), and a driving shaft (320) that rotates by the driving motor (310) and is partially inserted into the column portion (100) by penetrating the lower surface of the main body case (210); and a camera portion (400) including a single camera sensor (410) disposed inside the main body case (210) to photograph a parking area of ​​the roadside parking lot. The device includes a control unit (500) disposed inside the main body case (210) to recognize an image of the camera unit (400) and to control the drive motor (310); wherein the control unit (500) switches the range of the camera unit (400) to be photographed by rotating the camera unit (400) through the drive motor (310) based on a preset period or an image recognized by the camera sensor (410), and can recognize the license plates of the parked vehicles through a single camera sensor (410) for adjacent first and second parking areas in a roadside parking lot where vehicles are parallel parked.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, one side of the roadside parking lot where the column portion (100) is installed may specifically refer to a road surrounding the roadside parking lot (which may include one or more of a sidewalk, a roadway, and a pedestrian walkway). More specifically, it may refer to a location on the ground on the side of the roadside parking lot that is not a road for automobiles.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the column portion (100) comprises a first surface (101) positioned in the direction of the first parking area and a second surface (102) positioned in the direction of the second parking area at a predetermined angle with respect to the first surface (101), and is fixed at a position where a virtual line extending a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area meets a sidewalk on the side of the road parking lot, and the main body portion (200) further comprises a first recognition sensor (110) positioned on the first surface (101) of the column portion (100) and a second recognition sensor (120) positioned on the second surface (102) of the column portion (100); and the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120) each detect the presence or absence of a vehicle located in front of the first surface (101) and the second surface (102), respectively, and transmit the result to the control unit (500). The control unit (500) determines whether there is a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the reflected waves received from the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120), and controls the drive motor (310) to rotate the camera sensor (410) in the direction of the parking area where the vehicle is present.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention can be installed in a roadside parking lot where vehicles are parked in parallel in a row.

[0048] According to one embodiment of the present invention, A in FIGS. 1 and 2 refers to a part of a roadside parking lot, which is a parking facility for parallel parking multiple vehicles on the side of a road, A1 refers to a first parking area, which is any one of the parking areas of the roadside parking lot, and A2 refers to a parking area adjacent to A1. B is a part of a parking line separating A1 and A2. C in FIG. 1 illustrates a sidewalk near the roadside parking lot where a vehicle license plate recognition system (1) is installed, but this is an example and the vehicle license plate recognition system (1) may be installed directly on the side of the actual roadside parking lot without a sidewalk.

[0049] The above vehicle license plate recognition system (1) may include a column part (100) positioned on one side of a sidewalk, etc., located on the side of a roadside parking lot, and a main body part (200) positioned on the upper side of the column part (100).

[0050] The above-mentioned vehicle license plate recognition system (1) is characterized by a core technical feature of using a single camera sensor (410) to monitor both adjacent first parking zones and second parking zones and to recognize the license plates of vehicles parked in each zone.

[0051] To this end, the vehicle license plate recognition system (1) is preferably fixed at a location where a virtual line extending the parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area meets the outer edge of the road on the side of the on-street parking lot (preferably a sidewalk or pedestrian walkway). This optimized positioning provides a geometric basis that enables a single camera to efficiently monitor two parking areas with a minimal rotation angle.

[0052] Meanwhile, the above-mentioned vehicle license plate recognition system (1) can exchange data with a nearby parking fee payment machine (2) via wired or wireless communication by means of control by a control unit (500) provided inside.

[0053] For example, the control unit (500) can transmit parking information such as a recognized vehicle number, entry time, and exit time to the parking fee settlement unit (2), and the parking fee settlement unit (2) can function as part of an integrated unmanned parking management system, such as calculating a parking fee based on this information and charging a fee to the driver.

[0054] As such, according to one embodiment of the present invention, two adjacent parking areas can be managed simultaneously through a single camera sensor (410) and a panning structure, so the amount of hardware required for system construction can be drastically reduced compared to the conventional 1:1 correspondence method or 2-camera method. This can reduce equipment purchase costs and installation construction costs, and reduce the number of equipment subject to maintenance, thereby lowering operating costs.

[0056] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the main body part (200) comprises: a first transparent window (220) formed on the side of the main body case (210) at a position corresponding to the front of the camera sensor (410) disposed inside the main body case (210); The device may further include a drive bearing (240) fitted into a bottom through hole (211) through which the drive shaft (320) passes; wherein the camera sensor (410) is positioned inside the main body case (210) and photographs the outside through the first transparent window (220); the drive shaft (320) is fixed in a state inserted into the column part (100); and the drive motor (310) is coupled to the main body case (210), so that when the drive motor (310) operates, the drive motor (310) rotates by means of the drive shaft (320) fixed to the main body part (200), and the main body part (200) coupled to the drive motor (310) rotates, and the camera part (400) rotates by means of the rotation of the main body case (210) of the main body part (200).

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, the main body (200) of the vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a main body case (210) having a receiving space formed inside.

[0059] Inside the main body case (210), a camera unit (400) including a single camera sensor (410), a drive unit (300) including a drive motor (310) and a drive shaft (320), and a control unit (500) for controlling the overall operation of the system may be arranged.

[0060] On the side of the main body case (210), a first transparent window (220) is formed at a position corresponding to the front of the camera sensor (410) placed inside, so that the external parking area can be photographed through the first transparent window (220) while the camera sensor (410) is protected from the external environment.

[0061] The key mechanical feature of this embodiment is that the drive shaft (320) is inserted and fixed into the lower column (100) by passing through the lower through hole (211) formed on the lower surface of the main body case (210), and the drive motor (310) is coupled inside the main body case (210).

[0062] That is, the drive shaft (320) functions as a fixed shaft that does not rotate, and when the drive motor (310) operates, a reaction torque is generated on the fixed drive shaft (320), causing the entire main body (200) coupled with the drive motor (310) to rotate. Due to this rotation of the main body (200), the camera unit (400) fixed inside also rotates together, allowing the shooting direction to be changed.

[0063] A drive bearing (240) is fitted into the lower through hole (211) to minimize friction between the drive shaft (320) and the main body case (210) and ensure smooth rotational movement. According to another embodiment, the drive bearing (240) may be positioned between the lower surface of the main body case (210) and the upper surface of the column portion (100) to perform the function of a thrust bearing that reduces rotational friction while supporting the load of the main body portion (200).

[0064] This structure is such that the camera sensor (410) does not rotate individually, but rather the entire main body (200), in which the camera sensor (410), control unit (500), and drive motor (310) are all built-in, rotates as a single unit. Therefore, the risk of the power and data cables connecting the camera sensor (410) and the control unit (500) being twisted or fatigue-failured due to repeated bending during rotational movement is fundamentally eliminated. This simplifies the mechanical structure of the system and can have the effect of significantly improving long-term operational reliability and durability.

[0065] Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit (300) has a driving shaft (320) that functions as a non-rotating fixed shaft and is fixed to the column (100), and the driving motor (310) is coupled inside the main body case (210).

[0066] Therefore, when the above-mentioned drive motor (310) operates, a reaction torque is generated on the fixed drive shaft (320), and the entire main body (200) combined with the drive motor (310) rotates as a single unit.

[0067] This method of rotating the entire main body (200) causes all core components, such as the camera sensor (410) and control unit (500) mounted inside, to move together, thereby fundamentally eliminating the risk of fatigue failure of the power and data cables connecting them due to twisting or repeated bending during rotational movement. This can fundamentally block chronic mechanical failure factors such as cable breakage, thereby extending the lifespan of the equipment and significantly improving long-term operational reliability.

[0068] Specifically, in a structure where only the camera sensor (410) rotates individually, there is no need to use parts such as slip rings that may be required for cable connection between the rotating part and the fixed part.

[0069] As a result, manufacturing costs can be reduced by simplifying the overall mechanism design, and maintenance becomes easier and related operating costs can be reduced as simple, high-failure components are excluded.

[0070] Meanwhile, in FIG. 3 of the present invention, the column portion (100) includes a receiving space in the cross-sectional view, and the presence or absence and size of the receiving space can be adjusted according to the intention of the manager installing the column portion (100).

[0072] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the main body (200) further comprises a first transparent window (220) formed on one side of the main body case (210); and a second transparent window (230) formed on the other side of the main body case (210). The camera sensor (410) is positioned inside the main body case (210) and rotates by the drive shaft (320) of the drive motor (310) while the main body case (210) is fixed, and can photograph the outside through the first transparent window (220) and the second transparent window (230).

[0074] In another embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit (300) is coupled with the camera unit (400) so as not to protrude outside the main body case (210) but to rotate the camera unit (400).

[0075] Referring to FIG. 4, in another embodiment of the present invention, the main body case (210) of the main body part (200) is maintained in a fixed state on the column part (100), and only the internal camera sensor (410) is rotated to change the shooting direction.

[0076] To this end, the main body case (210) has a first transparent window (220) formed on one side facing the direction of the first parking area, and a second transparent window (230) formed on the other side facing the direction of the second parking area.

[0077] The camera unit (400) is fixed to the drive motor (310), and its drive shaft (320) is inserted into and fixed to the column unit (100). When the control unit (500) controls the drive motor (310), the camera sensor (410) rotates inside the main body case (210) and switches between a position close to the first transparent window (220) and a position close to the second transparent window (230), thereby allowing selective shooting of the first parking area and the second parking area.

[0078] This internal rotation method eliminates external moving parts of the system, thereby reducing the risk of damage caused by physical collisions with pedestrians or external impacts.

[0079] In addition, since the joint between the main body case (210) and the pillar part (100) is fixed, waterproofing and dustproofing treatment of the rotating part is easy, which increases the ability to respond to harsh external environments and more effectively protects sensitive internal electronic components, thereby improving the durability of the system.

[0081] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the column portion (100) has an equilateral triangle cross-section with an angle of 60° between the first surface (101) and the second surface (102), and the main body case (210) has an equilateral triangle cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the column portion (100), and when the main body portion (200) that was photographing the first parking area rotates to photograph the second parking area, or when the main body portion (200) that was photographing the second parking area rotates to photograph the first parking area, the main body portion (200) rotates 120° (degrees), so that the equilateral triangle cross-section of the main body case (210) and the equilateral triangle cross-section of the column portion (100) always coincide during the photographing of the first parking area or the second parking area.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 5, in another embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal cross-section of the column portion (100) and the main body case (210) may have an equilateral triangle shape.

[0084] The above column portion (100) includes a first surface (101) arranged in the direction of the first parking area and a second surface (102) arranged in the direction of the second parking area, and the angle between these two surfaces can be 60˚.

[0085] That is, according to one embodiment of the present invention, θ1, θ2, and θ3 shown in FIG. 5 may be 60˚.

[0086] FIG. 5 (A) illustrates the state in which the main body (200) rotates to photograph the first parking area, and FIG. 5 (B) illustrates the state in which the main body (200) rotates to photograph the second parking area. When the main body (200) rotates to photograph the second parking area while in the state of photographing the first parking area, it is designed to rotate exactly 120˚. This 120˚ rotation angle ensures that the equilateral triangle cross-section of the main body case (210) always coincides with the equilateral triangle cross-section of the lower column (100).

[0087] That is, whether the system photographs the first parking area or the second parking area, there is no step difference between the main body (200) and the column (100), and the sides of each other are maintained in a perfectly aligned state.

[0088] This creates a clean and unified appearance for the system, effectively enhancing the urban landscape.

[0089] In addition, by installing it so that a flat equilateral triangle surface is positioned on the sidewalk where pedestrians pass, there are no protruding corners compared to square columns, thereby ensuring pedestrian safety and enabling efficient utilization of the walking space.

[0091] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a first parking management mode (S100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] The vehicle license plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention operates in a first parking management mode (S100) that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked based on the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120) under the control of the control unit (500); and the first parking management mode (S100) comprises: a vehicle verification step (S110) that checks the presence or absence of a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the first recognition information received from the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition information received from the second recognition sensor (120) at preset intervals; and a camera rotation step (S120) that controls the drive motor (310) to rotate the camera sensor (410) so that the shooting direction of the camera sensor (410) faces the parking area where a vehicle is recognized. and may include a vehicle recognition step (S130) of recognizing the license plate of a vehicle within a parking area recognized as having a vehicle among the first or second parking areas, and recording the time the vehicle was parked and the time the vehicle was exited.

[0093] The camera rotation step (S120) according to one embodiment of the present invention may further include a zone switching step (S121) for switching the zone captured by the camera sensor (410) at a preset first time interval when a vehicle is simultaneously parked in the first parking zone corresponding to the first recognition sensor (110) and the second parking zone corresponding to the second recognition sensor (120) in the vehicle identification step (S110).

[0094] The vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention can operate in a first parking management mode (S100) that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked based on a recognition sensor under the control of a control unit (500).

[0095] This mode applies when a first recognition sensor (110) is provided on the first surface (101) of the column portion (100) and a second recognition sensor (120) is provided on the second surface (102).

[0096] The first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include one or more of an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor.

[0097] The first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor.

[0098] Specifically, the recognition sensors (110, 120) may utilize various sensor technologies capable of confirming the presence of a vehicle in a non-contact manner or by detecting changes in a magnetic field.

[0099] For example, the recognition sensors (110, 120) may be ultrasonic sensors. In this case, the control unit (500) can determine whether there is a vehicle in the parking area by emitting ultrasonic waves from the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120), receiving the waveform (reflected wave) that is reflected back by the vehicle, and analyzing the time-of-flight or signal strength.

[0100] In another embodiment, the recognition sensor (110, 120) may be a radar sensor. A radar sensor emits electromagnetic waves such as microwaves or millimeter waves and detects signals reflected from an object such as a vehicle to determine the presence and distance of the vehicle. Since a radar sensor has robust characteristics against adverse weather (rain, snow, fog, etc.) or dust compared to an ultrasonic sensor, it can provide stable vehicle detection performance even in poor external environments.

[0101] In another embodiment, the first and second recognition sensors (110, 120) may be geomagnetic sensors. The geomagnetic sensor is installed on the floor of the parking area or at the bottom of the column part (100) of the system to detect changes in the Earth's magnetic field. When a large metal object, such as a vehicle, enters the parking area, a change (distortion) occurs in the local magnetic field distribution of the area, and the geomagnetic sensor detects these minute changes in the magnetic field to determine that the vehicle is parked.

[0102] The above first parking management mode (S100) first performs a vehicle verification step (S110). In this step, the control unit (500) emits one or more of ultrasonic waves, radar waves, and geomagnetic waves from the first recognition sensor (110) and the second recognition sensor (120) at preset intervals and receives the waveforms that are reflected back.

[0103] The control unit (500) analyzes the received reflected wave information, namely the first recognition information and the second recognition information, to determine whether there is a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area. If it is determined in the vehicle verification step (S110) that a vehicle is present in a specific parking area, the camera rotation step (S120) is performed.

[0104] The control unit (500) controls the drive motor (310) to rotate the main body (200) so that the shooting direction of the camera sensor (410) faces the parking area where the vehicle is detected.

[0105] Subsequently, in the vehicle recognition step (S130), the camera sensor (410) photographs the corresponding parking area, and the control unit (500) recognizes the license plate of the vehicle from the captured image and converts it into text.

[0106] Simultaneously, parking management data is generated by recording the time the vehicle was parked (entry time) and the time when the vehicle subsequently disappeared (exit time).

[0107] Meanwhile, in the vehicle verification step (S110), it may be determined that vehicles are simultaneously parked in both the first parking area and the second parking area. In this case, the camera rotation step (S120) is performed by further including a zone switching step (S121). In the zone switching step (S121), the control unit (500) actively switches the shooting zones so that the camera sensor (410) alternately photographs the first parking area and the second parking area at a period of a 'pre-set first time'. Here, the 'pre-set first time' can be set to a time such as, for example, 5 to 10 minutes. This is an optimal compromise to record the exit times of both vehicles without omission while minimizing unnecessary mechanical rotation, as parking fees are typically calculated within a range that allows for a large error in minutes.

[0108] In this way, the first parking management mode (S100) first determines whether a vehicle is present using a low-power recognition sensor, and rotates the camera unit (400) and performs image recognition only when a vehicle is actually present.

[0109] This can have the effect of maximizing the lifespan and operational efficiency of the equipment by minimizing unnecessary mechanical driving of the camera and high-load image processing work, thereby reducing power consumption of the system and preventing mechanical wear of the driving unit (300).

[0111] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a second week management mode (S200) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] The vehicle license plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention operates in a second parking management mode (S200) which switches the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor (410) at a preset second time interval under the control of the control unit (500) and recognizes whether a vehicle is parked in the first parking area and the second parking area; and the second parking management mode (S200) comprises: a standby shooting step (S210) which switches the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor (410) by controlling the drive motor (310) at a preset second time interval; and a fixed shooting step (S220) in which, when a vehicle is detected in a specific parking area among the first parking area and the second parking area, the camera sensor (410) fixedly shoots the specific parking area, rotates the camera sensor (410) at preset third times to shoot the remaining parking area, and then restores the direction of the camera sensor (410) to the specific parking area. If a vehicle is detected in the remaining parking area while performing the fixed shooting step (S220), the camera sensor (410) may include a switching shooting step (S230) in which it switches between the first parking area and the second parking area and shoots at a interval of a fourth time shorter than the second time.

[0113] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the fixed shooting step (S220) may be characterized in that the control unit (500) receives an image of the remaining parking area captured by the camera sensor (410), checks whether there is a vehicle in the area, and if no vehicle is detected, the camera sensor (410) returns to capture the specific parking area.

[0114] The second parking management mode (S200) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a vehicle recognition step (S240) for recognizing a license plate of a vehicle within a parking area recognized as having a vehicle among the first parking area or the second parking area, and recording the time the vehicle was parked and the time the vehicle was exited; and this may be the same control method using the same logic as the vehicle recognition step (S130) of the first parking management mode.

[0115] The vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention can operate in a second parking management mode (S200) that can manage two parking zones using only a single camera sensor (410) even in an environment where there is no separate detection sensor such as a recognition sensor or when the sensor is broken.

[0116] This mode includes intelligent control logic to balance mechanical wear and monitoring accuracy.

[0117] The above second parking management mode (S200) performs a standby shooting step (S210) in an initial state where both parking zones are empty. In this step, the control unit (500) controls the drive motor (310) at a period of a 'pre-set second time' to periodically switch the shooting zone of the camera sensor (410) between the first parking zone and the second parking zone.

[0118] Here, the 'pre-set second time' is set to a relatively long time, such as 5 to 10 minutes, to minimize mechanical movement in a standby state. The second time may be the same as or different from the first time.

[0119] During the execution of the above standby shooting step (S210), if it is detected that a vehicle is parked in a specific parking area among the first parking area or the second parking area, the system switches to a fixed shooting step (S220). In this step, the camera sensor (410) fixedly shoots the specific parking area where the vehicle is parked to continuously monitor the vehicle.

[0120] At the same time, to check whether another vehicle enters the remaining empty parking space, the camera sensor (410) is briefly rotated at every ‘pre-set third time’ to photograph the remaining parking space, and if no vehicle is detected, the shooting direction is immediately restored to the original specific parking space. Here, the ‘pre-set third time’ can be set to 5 to 10 minutes, similar to the second time.

[0121] If, during the fixed shooting step (S220), a vehicle is detected in the remaining parking area and both parking areas are occupied, the system switches to the switching shooting step (S230). In this step, to ensure that the exit of both vehicles is not missed, the system switches between the first parking area and the second parking area and shoots at a 'pre-set fourth hour' interval. Here, the 'pre-set fourth hour' is set to a time such as 1 to 3 minutes, which is shorter than the second hour, to increase the frequency of monitoring.

[0122] Subsequently, when a vehicle is detected at each stage, license plate recognition and parking time recording are performed through the vehicle recognition stage (S240). In this way, the second parking management mode (S200) uses an adaptive control method that actively adjusts the scan cycle of the camera unit (400) according to changes in the parking situation.

[0123] Through this, the mechanical lifespan of the camera unit (400) can be preserved to the maximum extent without a separate sensor, and two parking zones can be managed stably, thereby reducing restrictions on the installation environment and enabling flexible system operation.

[0125] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a third week management mode (S300) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0126] The vehicle license plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention operates in a third parking management mode (S300) that simultaneously detects a first parking area and a second parking area while the camera sensor (410) is fixed under the control of the control unit (500); and the third parking management mode (S300) comprises: a camera alignment step (S310) that sets a virtual vertical center line on the captured image of the camera sensor (410) and aligns the camera sensor (410) so that the vertical center line coincides with a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area; and an image reception step (S320) that receives an image captured by the camera sensor (410) at a preset fifth time interval while the camera sensor (410) is fixed in the position aligned in the camera alignment step (S310). An image division step (S330) for dividing the image received in the image reception step (S320) into a first layer (511) corresponding to the first parking area and a second layer (512) corresponding to the second parking area based on the parking line; a pixel comparison step (S340) for comparing the pixels of the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) captured at the current time with the pixels of the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) of the image captured five hours prior, respectively; and a parking judgment step (S350) for determining that a vehicle is parked in the parking area corresponding to the layer when, among the first layer (511) and the second layer (512), a layer in which the ratio of the changed pixels relative to the total pixels in the pixel comparison step (S340) is greater than or equal to a preset threshold pixel ratio occurs. and a camera rotation step (S360) for rotating the camera sensor (410) in the direction of the parking area determined in the parking determination step (S350) above may be included.

[0127] The third parking management mode (S300) according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a vehicle recognition step (S370) for recognizing the license plate of a vehicle within a parking area recognized as having a vehicle among the first parking area or the second parking area, and recording the time the vehicle was parked and the time the vehicle was exited.

[0128] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the parking judgment step (S350) may include: an abnormality judgment step in which, when the ratio of the changed pixel to the total pixel of the first layer (511) is greater than or equal to a preset threshold pixel ratio, or when the ratio of the changed pixel to the total pixel of the second layer (512) is greater than or equal to a preset threshold pixel ratio, and the sum of the ratio of the changed pixel to the total pixel of the first layer (511) and the ratio of the changed pixel to the total pixel of the second layer (512) is greater than or equal to a preset abnormality ratio value, the vehicle parking becomes abnormal or an abnormal situation occurs, such as the camera sensor (410) being obscured by foreign matter; and an abnormality notification step in which an abnormality notification is transmitted to the outside.

[0129] The vehicle number plate recognition system (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention can operate in a third parking management mode (S300) that detects parking events without any mechanical movement in a standby state in order to maximize the mechanical life of the equipment.

[0130] The above third parking management mode (S300) first performs a camera alignment step (S310). In this step, the control unit (500) sets a virtual vertical centerline on the captured image of the camera sensor (410) and aligns the initial position of the camera sensor (410) so that this vertical centerline exactly matches the parking line separating the actual first parking area and the second parking area. This alignment can be achieved through physical adjustment or software correction using digital zoom and crop functions.

[0131] When alignment is complete, the camera sensor (410) performs the image reception step (S320) while fixed at the corresponding position. The control unit (500) receives the entire image captured by the camera sensor (410) at 'pre-set fifth time' intervals (e.g., 1 minute to 5 minutes).

[0132] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fifth time may preferably be 3 to 10 minutes, and more preferably 5 minutes. This is a time selected that is more generous than the time it generally takes for a driver to park a vehicle, while ensuring that the margin of error in the fee calculation based on the parking time is not large. This is because if the time is short (e.g., 1 second), it is difficult to confirm a significant change because the rate of change is low when comparing pixels around 1 second in the pixel comparison step (S340) to be described later.

[0133] Next, in the image splitting step (S330), the control unit (500) splits the received image into left and right based on the parking line to create a first layer (511) corresponding to the first parking area and a second layer (512) corresponding to the second parking area.

[0134] In the pixel comparison step (S340), the pixel information of the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) obtained at the current time is compared with the pixel information of the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) of the image taken in the immediately previous cycle (the fifth hour before) to calculate the amount of change in pixel values.

[0135] In the parking judgment step (S350), if, as a result of the pixel comparison step (S340), the ratio of the changed pixels relative to the total pixels in either the first layer (511) or the second layer (512) is greater than or equal to a 'pre-set threshold pixel ratio,' it is determined that an event such as the entry or exit of a vehicle has occurred in the parking area corresponding to that layer.

[0136] Here, the 'pre-set threshold pixel ratio' is a value for ignoring minor changes such as pedestrian movements or shadow changes and recognizing only the movement of large objects, such as vehicles, as valid events, and can be set, for example, in the range of 30% to 60%. When a parking event is determined, the camera sensor (410) is quickly rotated toward the corresponding parking area through the camera rotation step (S360), and the license plate is accurately recognized through the vehicle recognition step (S370). At this time, the vehicle recognition step (S370) may be the same control method using the same logic as the vehicle recognition step (S130) of the first parking management mode.

[0137] Once the vehicle is parked, the parking status can be continuously managed using some logic of the aforementioned first parking management mode (S100) or second parking management mode (S200).

[0138] Additionally, the third parking management mode (S300) may include an abnormality judgment step and an abnormality notification step. In the parking judgment step (S350), if the ratio of changed pixels in both the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) is greater than or equal to a threshold pixel ratio, and the sum of the ratios of changed pixels in the two layers is greater than or equal to a 'pre-set abnormality ratio value,' it is determined that this is not a normal parking situation. The 'pre-set abnormality ratio value' may be set to, for example, 120% or more, and such a situation may apply if someone covers the camera lens with foreign matter or if equipment is damaged, causing a sudden change in the entire screen. For example, even if the change rate of the first layer (511) is 20%, if the change rate of the second layer (512) is 100%, this indicates that a problem has occurred that cannot occur during normal vehicle parking. Conversely, if the rate of change of the second layer (512) is 90% and the rate of change of the first layer (511) is 0%, it may be determined that a special vehicle, such as a large truck, has been parked, although this is a rare case.

[0139] Accordingly, it may be preferable that the ideal ratio value according to one embodiment of the present invention be selected as the sum of the pixel change rates of the first and second layers.

[0140] If the abnormal ratio value, which is the sum of these pixel change rates, is greater than or equal to a preset value, the system sends a notification to the administrator informing them that an abnormal situation has occurred. In this way, the third week management mode (S300) detects vehicle entry using only a low-load pixel comparison method while keeping the camera fixed in a standby state, so power consumption is extremely low and no mechanical wear occurs on the drive unit (300), thereby having the effect of dramatically improving the durability of the equipment.

[0141] In addition, by detecting pixel changes to recognize a vehicle's parking attempt in real time and immediately rotating the camera, it has the effect of ensuring a fast response speed and high recognition accuracy.

[0143] FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an image (510) of a camera sensor (410) when there is no parked vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0144] FIG. 10 schematically illustrates an image (510) of a camera sensor (410) when a parked vehicle is present according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0145] FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an image (510) of a camera sensor (410) in which an abnormal situation has occurred in which the camera sensor (410) is obscured by foreign matter according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0146] FIGS. 9 to 11 schematically illustrate the image (510) of the camera sensor (410) in the third week management mode (S300), so they will be explained together.

[0147] a in FIGS. 9 to 11 is a vertical centerline arbitrarily set by the control unit (500) on the image (510) received from the camera sensor (410), and b is a parking line for distinguishing two adjacent parking areas, identical to B in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0149] FIG. 9 illustrates a reference image (510) in which both the first parking area and the second parking area are empty. The control unit (500) divides this image into a first layer (511) and a second layer (512) based on the parking lines and stores it as reference pixel information. Since this reference pixel information is stored based on an image taken before a preset fifth hour, the vehicle is not shown in FIG. 9, but the reference pixel information can be stored in a state where the vehicle is shown.

[0150] FIG. 10 illustrates a video image (510) of a situation in which a vehicle has entered the second parking area. When the control unit (500) compares this image with the reference pixel information of a previous reference image, it detects that there is almost no change in pixels in the first layer (511), but the pixel information in the second layer (512) has changed significantly due to the shape of the vehicle. Since the ratio of these changed pixels exceeds a preset threshold pixel ratio, the control unit (500) determines this as a normal parking event in the second parking area and rotates the camera in the corresponding direction, and thereafter can operate according to logic such as the logic of the first parking management mode (S100) or the second parking management mode (S200). Afterward, if it is confirmed by the logic of the first parking management mode (S100) or the second parking management mode (S200) that there are no vehicles in both the first parking area and the second parking area, the camera alignment step (S310) of the third parking management mode (S300) can be performed again.

[0151] FIG. 11 illustrates an image (510) of an abnormal situation where someone covers the camera lens with a hand or other foreign object. In FIG. 11, the second layer (512) has a relatively smaller covered area, so the pixel change rate is not high, but the first layer (511) has most of its area covered, so the pixel change rate is calculated to be very high. Therefore, the sum of the pixel change rates of the first layer (511) and the second layer (512) exceeds the abnormal ratio value.

[0152] Since the sum of the change pixel ratios of the two layers exceeds a preset abnormal ratio value, the control unit (500) determines this as a system abnormality situation rather than a parking event and sends a warning notification to the administrator. This method of dividing the image based on the parking line and analyzing each zone independently is differentiated from general image analysis techniques that simply detect movement in the entire image. This effectively filters out false positives caused by the movement of pedestrians or background vehicles outside the parking zone and enables clear distinction of events in each parking zone. Therefore, it provides the advantage of enabling vehicle detection and system abnormality diagnosis with higher accuracy and reliability while using fewer computational resources.

[0154] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by combining a single camera sensor and a panning drive unit to monitor both adjacent parking zones, it is possible to significantly reduce the hardware configuration cost of the system and simplify installation and maintenance.

[0155] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by first determining the presence or absence of a vehicle through a separate recognition sensor and rotating the camera only in the direction of the parking area where the vehicle is located, it is possible to minimize unnecessary mechanical movement of the camera and maximize the efficiency of system operation.

[0156] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a standby state, the entry of a vehicle is detected by comparing image pixels while the camera is fixed in the center, so power consumption is low and mechanical wear of parts is prevented, thereby improving the durability of the equipment.

[0157] According to one embodiment of the present invention, as soon as a parking attempt of a vehicle is recognized in real time through pixel change detection, the camera is rapidly rotated toward the corresponding parking area to perform license plate recognition, thereby enabling the effect of fast response speed and high recognition accuracy.

[0158] According to one embodiment of the present invention, even in an environment where there is no separate detection sensor such as a recognition sensor or when the sensor is malfunctioning, two parking zones can be managed solely through periodic scanning and image analysis of the camera, thereby enabling flexible system operation with fewer constraints on the installation environment.

[0159] According to one embodiment of the present invention, even when vehicles are parked simultaneously in two parking zones, the camera's shooting zone is actively switched according to a set time cycle to stably monitor and record vehicle information in both zones without omission.

[0160] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by designing the entire main body containing the camera sensor to rotate rather than just the camera sensor rotating individually, it is possible to provide a simple and robust mechanical structure that eliminates the risk of the camera's power and data cables becoming twisted or damaged.

[0161] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when abnormal pixel changes are detected simultaneously in two divided areas during image division, this is determined to be an abnormal situation such as camera lens obstruction or equipment damage, and a notification is sent to an administrator, thereby increasing the reliability and maintenance convenience of the system.

[0163] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to limited examples and drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations from the description above. For example, suitable results may be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or if the components of the described system, structure, device, circuit, etc. are combined or assembled in a form different from described, or replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents. Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims below are also within the scope of the claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0165] 1: License plate recognition system 100: Pillar section 101: Page 1 102: Page 2 110: 1st recognition sensor 120: 2nd recognition sensor 200: Main body part 210: Main body case 211: Bottom penetration hole 220: First transparent window 230: Second transparent window 240: Drive bearing 300: Drive unit 310: Drive motor 320: Drive shaft 400: Camera unit 410: Camera sensor 500: Control unit 510: Image 511: Layer 1 512: Layer 2 2: Parking fee payment machine S100: 1st Parking Management Mode S110: Vehicle Verification Step S120: Camera rotation step S121: Zone switching step S130: Vehicle recognition stage S200: Second parking management mode S210: Standby shooting stage S220: Fixed shooting stage S230: Switching shooting stage S240: Vehicle recognition stage S300: Week 3 Management Mode S310: Camera Alignment Step S320: Video reception stage S330: Video splitting stage S340: Pixel comparison stage S350: Parking determination stage S360: Camera rotation stage S370: Vehicle recognition stage

Claims

Claim 1 A single-camera-based vehicle license plate recognition system for a roadside parking lot having a panning structure, comprising: a pillar portion disposed on one side of the roadside parking lot; a main body portion including a main body case disposed on the upper side of the pillar portion and having an internal receiving space formed therein; a driving portion including a driving motor disposed inside the main body case and a driving shaft, the portion of which penetrates the lower surface of the main body case and is inserted into the pillar portion; a camera portion including a single camera sensor disposed inside the main body case and photographing a parking area of ​​the roadside parking lot; and a control portion disposed inside the main body case and recognizing an image of the camera portion and controlling the driving motor; wherein the control portion switches the range photographed by the camera portion by rotating the camera portion through the driving motor based on a preset period or an image recognized by the camera sensor, and recognizes the license plates of parked vehicles through a single camera sensor for adjacent first and second parking areas in a roadside parking lot where vehicles are parallel parked, and wherein the main body portion includes a first transparent window formed on the side of the main body case at a position corresponding to the front of the camera sensor disposed inside the main body case; A vehicle license plate recognition system further comprising: a drive bearing fitted into a lower through-hole through which the drive shaft passes; wherein the camera sensor photographs the outside through the first transparent window while positioned inside the main body case; the drive shaft is fixed in a state inserted into the column part; and the drive motor is coupled to the main body case so that when the drive motor operates, the drive motor rotates by means of the drive shaft fixed to the main body part, and the main body part coupled to the drive motor rotates, and the camera part rotates by means of the rotation of the main body case of the main body part, thereby causing the entire main body part to rotate. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A vehicle license plate recognition system according to claim 1, wherein the column portion comprises a first surface arranged in the direction of the first parking area and a second surface arranged in the direction of the second parking area at a predetermined angle with respect to the first surface, and is fixed at a position where a virtual line extending a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area meets a sidewalk on the side of the road parking lot, and the main body portion further comprises a first recognition sensor arranged in the first surface of the column portion; and a second recognition sensor arranged in the second surface of the column portion; wherein the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor each detect the presence or absence of a vehicle located in front of the first surface and the second surface and transmit it to the control unit, and the control unit determines the presence or absence of a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the presence or absence of a vehicle received from the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor, and controls the drive motor to rotate the camera sensor in the direction of the parking area where the vehicle is present. Claim 4 In claim 3, the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a first parking management mode that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked based on the first recognition sensor and the second recognition sensor under the control of the control unit; and the first parking management mode comprises: a vehicle verification step that checks the presence or absence of a vehicle in the first parking area and the second parking area based on the first recognition information received from the first recognition sensor and the second recognition information received from the second recognition sensor at preset intervals; a camera rotation step that controls the drive motor to rotate the camera sensor so that the shooting direction of the camera sensor faces the parking area where the vehicle is recognized; and a vehicle recognition step that recognizes the license plate of a vehicle within the parking area where the vehicle is recognized among the first parking area or the second parking area, and records the time the vehicle was parked and the time the vehicle was exited. Claim 5 A vehicle license plate recognition system according to claim 4, wherein the camera rotation step further comprises a zone switching step of switching the zone captured by the camera sensor at a preset first time interval when a vehicle is simultaneously parked in the first parking zone corresponding to the first recognition sensor and the second parking zone corresponding to the second recognition sensor in the vehicle identification step. Claim 6 The vehicle license plate recognition system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a second parking management mode that recognizes whether a vehicle is parked in the first parking area and the second parking area by switching the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor at a preset second time interval by the control of the control unit; and the second parking management mode comprises: a standby shooting step in which the driving motor is controlled at a preset second time interval to switch the shooting area of ​​the camera sensor; a fixed shooting step in which, when a vehicle is detected in a specific parking area among the first parking area and the second parking area, the camera sensor is fixedly shot in the specific parking area, but the camera sensor is rotated at a preset third time interval to shoot the remaining parking area and the direction of the camera sensor is restored to the specific parking area; and a switching shooting step in which, when a vehicle is detected in the remaining parking area during the performance of the fixed shooting step, the camera sensor switches between the first parking area and the second parking area and shoots at a fourth time interval shorter than the second time. Claim 7 A license plate recognition system according to claim 6, wherein the fixed shooting step is characterized in that the control unit receives an image of the remaining parking area captured by the camera sensor, checks whether there is a vehicle in the area, and if no vehicle is detected, the camera sensor returns to capture the specific parking area. Claim 8 In claim 1, the vehicle license plate recognition system operates in a third parking management mode that simultaneously detects a first parking area and a second parking area while the camera sensor is fixed under the control of the control unit; and the third parking management mode comprises: a camera alignment step of setting a virtual vertical centerline on the captured image of the camera sensor and aligning the camera sensor so that the vertical centerline coincides with a parking line separating the first parking area and the second parking area; an image reception step of receiving an image captured by the camera sensor at a preset fifth time interval while the camera sensor is fixed in the position aligned in the camera alignment step; an image division step of dividing the image received in the image reception step into a first layer corresponding to the first parking area and a second layer corresponding to the second parking area based on the parking line; a pixel comparison step of comparing the pixels of the first layer and the second layer captured at the current time with the pixels of the first layer and the second layer of the image captured five hours prior, respectively; and the first layer and A vehicle license plate recognition system comprising: a parking determination step in which, if a layer in the second layer has a ratio of a changed pixel relative to the total pixel in the pixel comparison step that is greater than or equal to a preset threshold pixel ratio, a vehicle is determined to be parked in a parking area corresponding to that layer; and a camera rotation step in which the camera sensor is rotated in the direction of the parking area determined in the parking determination step.

Images